English: Writing Techniques & Language

Which of these is the best example of a simile?

• ASilence pressed against the corridor walls.
• BThe corridor was as silent as a sealed tomb.✓
• CThe silence of the corridor was total.
• DThe corridor was a sealed tomb.

Answer: A simile compares one thing to another using 'as' or 'like'; 'as silent as a sealed tomb' does exactly that. 'The corridor was a sealed tomb' is a metaphor, and the other two use no comparison.

A writer wants to make a description of a storm feel violent and fast. Which technique would best achieve this?

• AShort sentences and strong verbs such as 'ripped' and 'slammed'✓
• BLong, flowing sentences with several subordinate clauses and a gentle, unhurried rhythm
• CA list of statistics about wind speed and rainfall
• DFormal vocabulary and a detached, factual tone

Answer: Short sentences quicken the pace and forceful verbs carry the violence. Long flowing sentences slow the rhythm, a detached tone removes the drama, and statistics inform rather than evoke.

Which opening is most likely to engage a reader in a piece of persuasive writing about school uniform?

• ASchool uniform is an item of clothing worn by pupils at many schools.
• BThis essay will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of school uniform.
• CImagine being sent home on your first day for wearing the wrong shade of grey.✓
• DThere are many opinions about school uniform and this is one of them.

Answer: The direct address ('Imagine') and a specific, striking scenario draw the reader in immediately. A dictionary-style definition, an announcement of what the essay will do, or a vague statement of opinion all delay engagement.

Which of these sentences uses personification?

• AThe wind blew strongly through the empty streets.
• BThe wind whispered through the empty streets.✓
• CThe empty streets were quiet in the wind.
• DThe wind was like a whisper in the empty streets.

Answer: Personification gives a non-human thing a human action: the wind 'whispered'. 'The wind blew strongly' is literal description, 'like a whisper' is a simile, and 'the empty streets were quiet' has no figurative language.

A formal letter of complaint should end with which of these sign-offs if it begins 'Dear Sir or Madam'?

• AKind regards
• BYours faithfully✓
• CBest wishes
• DYours sincerely

Answer: The convention is 'Yours faithfully' when the recipient is not named ('Dear Sir or Madam') and 'Yours sincerely' when they are ('Dear Mrs Khan'). 'Best wishes' and 'Kind regards' are too informal for a formal complaint.

In an article, a writer repeats the phrase 'we deserve better' at the start of three consecutive paragraphs. What is this technique called and why is it used?

• AOnomatopoeia — words that imitate the sound they describe
• BAnaphora — repetition at the start of clauses to build emphasis and rhythm✓
• CAlliteration — repeating initial sounds to make the phrase memorable
• DHyperbole — deliberate exaggeration to make a point more forcefully

Answer: Repeating the same words at the start of successive sentences or paragraphs is anaphora; it builds rhythm and drives the message home. Alliteration is about repeated sounds, hyperbole is exaggeration, and onomatopoeia is sound-imitating words.

Which of these sentences uses alliteration?

• AThe stream, which was silver, moved south.
• BThe stream moved slowly to the south.
• CThe stream was like a silver ribbon.
• DThe slow, silver stream slid silently south.✓

Answer: Alliteration repeats the initial consonant sound: slow, silver, stream, slid, silently, south. 'The stream moved slowly to the south' is plain description, 'like a silver ribbon' is a simile, and 'The stream, which was silver, moved south' has no repeated sound.

A writer wants a paragraph to feel tense and urgent. Which sentence structure would best achieve this?

• AQuestions addressed directly to the reader
• BSentences that all begin with the same word
• CShort, sharp sentences, some only two or three words long✓
• DLong, complex sentences with several subordinate clauses and careful punctuation

Answer: Short sentences speed the reader up and create a sense of pressure. Long complex sentences slow the pace, direct questions create engagement rather than tension, and repeated openings build rhythm or emphasis instead.

Which of these is the most effective ending for a persuasive letter arguing for a new pedestrian crossing?

• AIn conclusion, crossings are generally a good thing to have in most towns, and this one would be too.
• BThank you for taking the time to read this letter about the crossing, and I hope you enjoyed it.
• CSo that is my view about the crossing and I hope that you agree with me after reading all of this.
• DI urge you to act before a child is hurt: install the crossing this year.✓

Answer: A persuasive ending makes a direct call to action and reminds the reader of the stakes. A vague sign-off, a plain thank-you, or a generalised conclusion all let the argument fade.

In the sentence 'The city never sleeps', which technique is used and what effect does it have?

• ASimile — it compares the city to a sleepless person
• BHyperbole — it exaggerates how much noise the city makes
• COnomatopoeia — the word 'sleeps' imitates a sound
• DPersonification — it makes the city seem alive and restless✓

Answer: Giving the city the human ability to sleep (or not) is personification, and it conveys constant activity. There is no 'like' or 'as' for a simile, no exaggeration of a measurable quantity, and no sound-word.

Which opening sentence best suits a formal report for a school governing body?

• AAttendance was, like, totally all over the place this term, to be honest, and I'm not sure what we do about it.
• BHi everyone, here's what I found out about who's been turning up this term and who hasn't been bothering.
• CYou would not believe how bad attendance has been!
• DThis report summarises attendance figures for the autumn term and recommends two changes.✓

Answer: A formal report states its scope and purpose in a neutral register. Chatty greetings, slang and exclamatory exaggeration all belong to informal writing.

Which sentence uses a rhetorical question?

• AMany people object to the cost of cleaner air.
• BPlease tell me whether you object to cleaner air for our children.
• CDo you object to cleaner air? Answer yes or no.
• DWho could possibly object to cleaner air for our children?✓

Answer: A rhetorical question is asked for effect, with the answer assumed: nobody could object. The second and third versions genuinely seek an answer, and the fourth is a statement.