Narrative techniques

Hello friends,

Today we’re going to talk about different narrative techniques.

There are different narrative techniques that you can use to liven up your story. These include:

·                   using a variety of more complex adjectives and adverbs.

The amazed woman started to laugh uncontrollably.

·                   avoiding simple verbs, e.g. ate, walked, said, looked. Try to use more descriptive, complex verbs instead, e.g. exclaimed, promised, shouted, stared, dashed, etc.

·                   using your senses (sight, smell, touch, sound and taste).

The leaves crackled under my feet as I walked.

·                   using alliteration, or the repetition of a sound at the beginning or ending of words in a sentence: He finally got home, save and sound.

·                   using metaphors or similies to make a comparison between two things: Bill is an early bird. She is as cold as a cucumber.

·                   using present or past participles to make longer, more sophisticated sentences: Shaking with cold, he wrapped a blanket around himself. Terrified, she ran away as fast as she could.

·                   Hyperbole: He was so hungry he could eat a horse.

·                   use phrases which illustrate the characters’ feelings: the little boy giggled with delight (shows happiness).

Let’s start with the Adjectives and adverbs

First, match the synonymous adjectives.

Check.

nice – enjoyable

surprising – incredible

good – marvelous

happy – satisfied

yummy – mouth-watering

caring – sympathetic

bad – awful

small – tiny

Complete the sentences with the correct adverb from the box below:

angrily, reassuringly, anxiously, unbelievably, nervously, eagerly, happily

1. She hurried anxiously to the bus stop, worried that the bus would have left.

2. Michel shouted angrily at the students, his face turning red.

3. Sally walked nervously onto the stage, trying to remember her lines.

4. Realising how nervous I was, the doctor smiled reassuringly at me.

5. Jane nodded eagerly, when I suggested going to the beach.

6. He was unbelievably tired at the end of his long day.

7. The girls laughed and joked happily on their way home.

Now let’s revise a few more complex verbs.

Put the verbs in the correct space in the table.

Improve the extract by replacing the words in bold with more vivid/descriptive words.

“Be careful!” my mum said happily as I left on that nice Friday morning, just like she always did. I walked fast towards the bus stop, happy about the nice day ahead. I had just arrived at the busy bus stop, when suddenly I saw a motorbike coming towards me! There was a loud noise and a biker fell down onto the ground….

Alliteration

Alliteration is the use, especially in poetry, of the same sound or sounds, especially consonants, at the beginning of several words that are close together.

I jiggled it

jaggled it

         jerked it.

I pushed

         and pulled

                   and poked it.

But –

As soon as I stopped,

And left it alone

This tooth came out

On its very own.

Here are some other popular examples:

American Airlines

Best Buy

Coca-Cola

Donald Duck

Mickey Mouse

Match the word in columns, then use the alliterative phrases to complete the sentences.

feel free

right as rain

well worth the wait

live and learn

jump for joy

the more the merrier

1.                 Sven jumped with joy when he heard the good news.

2.                 Feel free to help yourself to a sandwich, Ann.

3.                 Why don’t you invite Tim to the picnic, too? The more, the merrier!

4.                 I couldn’t believe they had cheated me. “Well, you live and learn!”, my mum said.

5.                 You’ll feel as right as rain in a few days.

6.                 The delicious dinner Mike cooked was well worth the wait.

Similes

A simile is a figure of speech that makes a comparison, showing similarities between two different things. Simile draws resemblance with the help of the words “like” or “as.” Therefore, it is a direct comparison.

For example: as brave as lions, red like a rose, as cunning as a fox

Fill in the sentences with the words from the box.

1.                 The audience listened to his spellbinding speech as quietly as mice.

2.                 This dress is perfect because it fits like a glove.

3.                 Dave looked as white as a sheet. “Are you OK?”, I asked.

4.                 His opponent was trying to infuriate him, but he remained as cool as cucumber.

5.                 My love for you is as deep as the ocean.

6.                 I am so thirsty that my throat is as dry as a bone.

7.                 The boys in the playing field were feeling as happy as dogs with two tails.

8.                 When the exam finished, the candidate felt as light as a feather.

Metaphors

A metaphor is a figure of speech that describes an object or action in a way that isn’t literally true, but helps explain an idea or make a comparison.

Here are some examples of common metaphors:

“Life is a highway.”

“Her eyes were diamonds.”

All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances. (William Shakespeare)

Chaos is a friend of mine. (Bob Dylan)

Read the sentences and match the metaphors in bold with their meanings:

1. I lost my mother’s ring and I was heartbroken. (extremely upset).

2. Sally thundered angrily into the room. (went quickly and with a lot of noise)

3. “Why the long face?”, I asked. (unhappy expression)

4. Can you throw some light on the problem? (explain)

5. Suddenly, a letter on the table caught my eye. (came to my notice)

6. I was frozen with fear. (unable to move)

Participles

Join the sentences using present or past participles.

For example:

They were huddled around the fire. They finally felt warm again.

Huddles around the fire, they finally felt warm again.

1. Gasping for breath, he tried to tell Anna what had happened.

2. Annoyed, she got up and left the room.

3. Exhausted, she sank down onto the forest floor.

4. Shivering with cold, we pulled our coats tighter around us.

5. Glancing down at her watch, she realized she was going to be late.

6. Worried about Silvia, I decided to try calling her one more time.

Hyperbole

A hyperbole is a figure of speech which uses exaggeration for emphasis and an extra effect.

Common examples of hyperbole:

My grandmother is as old as the hills.

Your suitcase weighs a ton!

She is as heavy as an elephant!

I am dying of shame.

I am trying to solve a million issues these days.

Replace the words in bold with the words/phrases from the box to make sentences using hyperbole:

1.                 His classmates laughed at him, saying he had a pea-sized brain.

2.                 His schoolbag weighs a ton.

3.                 I haven’t seen Brian for ages.

4.                 You don’t have to snap my head off.

5.                 He felt like he was talking to the wall.

6.                 I’ve eaten so much I’m about to burst.

7.                 My heart was in my mouth as I opened the door.

Feelings

Rewrite the sentences using the words in brackets to express feelings, as in the example.

He felt happy as he wandered along the beach. (sigh/content)

He sighed contentedly as he wandered along the beach.

1.                 Jim's mouth dropped open, when they told him the news.

2.                 Jane's heart sank, as she waved goodbye to James.

3.                 Steve sighed heavily, when he saw that it was raining yet again.

4.                 I felt my blood pressure rise, as Mei continued to lie to me.

5.                 She shook/was shaking uncontrollably as the man continued to yell at her.