Language Features

What Are Language Features?

 

Language features are the tools writers use to make their writing more interesting and meaningful. Knowing them helps your child understand how writers create feelings, pictures and moods.

For the 11+ exam, your child will need to recognise a range of language features and explain how the writer uses certain words or phrases to make the reader think or feel something.

 

 

Writers don’t just put words on a page – they use all sorts of language features to surprise, describe, persuade and make you feel something.

Remember, it’s important to think about the text’s context (what it’s about) to understand what effect each language feature has.

 

 

Metaphor

This is when a writer says one thing is something else, even though it clearly isn’t.

Example:
‘The sea was a washing machine’

No one’s actually doing laundry, but this metaphor makes the sea seem wild, chaotic and full of movement, just like a washing machine spinning. It helps the reader picture and feel the roughness of the water.

 

 

Simile

A simile compares two things using like or as. It’s like a softer version of a metaphor. It shows a similarity without saying something is actually something else.

Example:
‘The wind was as sharp as knives’

The wind isn’t really full of knives, but this simile shows it feels piercing, painful and maybe cold. It creates a clear image of discomfort and danger.

 

 

Hyperbole

An extreme exaggeration used to make a point dramatically.

Example:
‘The boy is a devil; I can’t stand having him in my class’

The boy isn’t literally a devil, but the teacher’s frustration is made very clear through their exaggeration. Hyperbole often adds humour, drama or strong emotion.

(This example is also a metaphor – two features in one!)

 

 

Personification

Giving human qualities to non-human things like objects, animals or weather.

Example:

‘The branch waved at her, beckoning her through the forest’

Branches don’t really wave or direct people through forests, but this personification makes the scene come alive. It adds mystery and creates a magical or spooky mood that draws the reader in (or possibly creeps them out, depending on the context).

 

 

 

Repetition

When a word, phrase or idea is repeated to make it stand out.

Example:
‘The waves crashed and crashed into the rocks’

Repeating ‘crashed’ shows how constant and powerful the waves are.

Repetition can be used to emphasise specific things in short sections of text, but it can also be used across a whole text to show a key part of the writer’s message or story, so keep an eye out for it!

 

 

Emotive Language

When the writer tries to make the reader feel an emotion.

Example:
‘Whatever they may have done, seeing helpless animals trapped behind bars can only evoke sadness over how society has let them down.’

Here, the writer wants the reader to feel sympathy for the animals by showing how unfair the situation is.

 

 

Rhetorical Questions

Questions that don’t need answering and are usually used to persuade.

Example:
‘Given all the evidence showing its negative effect on childhood obesity, how can it not be right to put a tax on sugar?’

The writer uses this to convince the reader that a sugar tax is the right choice.

 

 

Alliteration

Repeating the same sound at the start of words that are close together.

Example:
‘The cold, crisp air.’

The repeated ‘c’ sound makes the description feel sharper and fresher.

 

 

Onomatopoeia

Words that sound like what they describe.

Example:
‘The buzzing of bees filled the air.’

‘Buzzing’ sounds like the noise bees make, helping the reader imagine the scene better.

 

 

Triplet

Using three related words or phrases in a list to create rhythm or emphasis.

Example:
‘The storm raged fiercely, with the wind howling through the trees, the rain lashing against the windows and the thunder shaking the walls.’

In this example, the triplet includes three related actions:

  1. ‘wind howling through the trees’
  2. ‘rain lashing against the windows’
  3. ‘thunder shaking the walls’

 

This builds a strong, vivid image of the storm. It seems really intense and chaotic, with lots of elements (wind, rain and thunder) and lots of activity (howling, lashing, shaking).

 

 

Understanding the Effects of Words and Phrases

 

 

At this level, children are expected to be familiar with these features and capable of identifying them in texts. They might be given a short phrase from the text and be asked which language feature is present (often multiple choice) or they might have to find a feature like a metaphor or simile in the text.

 

 

In addition to identifying language features, children will often encounter questions that encourage them to consider the thoughts and feelings (effects) that the writer is trying to create through their use of language.

For these types of questions, children will usually be given a quote from the text and they will have to think about what the writer’s words ‘suggest’ or ‘how’ the writer creates a specific effect.

 

 

When answering these questions, children should ask themselves:

  • What feeling or mood does this word or phrase create?
  • What picture or scene does it help me imagine?
  • What does this suggest about the characters, setting or situation?

 

 

Tips for Answering These Questions:

  • Always refer to the exact word or phrase in the question.
  • Explain clearly what effect the words have on the reader.
  • Use your own words to describe the feeling or image – don’t just say ‘it’s sad’ or ‘it’s scary’; explain why or how.
  • Think about the context in the text to give a full and accurate answer.

Examples

 

The Letter

The candle’s flickering flame danced like a restless spirit, casting shifting shadows across the worn wallpaper and filling the room with a quiet, uneasy light. Eleanor stood near the window, gripping a folded letter so tightly her fingers ached. Outside, the thick fog crept along the cobbled streets like a silent sea, swallowing the dim glow of gas lamps and muffling the distant sound of footsteps.

Her heart thudded loudly as her eyes lingered once more on the final lines of Henry’s letter: ‘Though my love for you burns brighter than any star, fate insists we must part; our passion is a fragile glass, easily shattered by the cruel hand of society.’ The truth she had tried to ignore rushed in like a cold, relentless tide, crashing over all her hopes and dreams.

Their love was forbidden. Forbidden by her parents. Forbidden by duty. Forbidden by society’s shallow and unforgiving rules.

The silence of the chamber pressed heavily upon her, a weight that matched the sorrow settling deep within her heart.

In that still, shadowed room, Eleanor stood alone with her grief. Weeping her silent tears, she lamented the bitter knowledge that some loves were never meant to be.

 

 

Q1 – What simile is used to describe the ‘truth’ that Eleanor learns when she reads the letter?

Remember that a simile is a comparison between two things using ‘like’ or ‘as’.

Look for a sentence where the truth is being compared to something else. The question tells us that Eleanor learns the ‘truth’ when she reads the letter, so we can skip to that part of the text (the second paragraph).

‘The truth she had tried to ignore rushed in like a cold, relentless tide…’

The writer uses the word ‘like’ to create a simile that compares the truth to a tide.

Answer: ‘like a cold, relentless tide’

 

 

Q2 – Which one of these quotes from the text is a metaphor?

A- ‘like a silent sea’

B- ‘her heart thudded loudly’

C- ‘our passion is a fragile glass’

D- ‘Weeping her silent tears’

 

A- ‘like a silent sea’ 

This makes a comparison, but it uses the word ‘like’, which makes it a simile rather than a metaphor.

B- ‘her heart thudded loudly’

Nothing is being compared here – the heart is simply being described.

C- ‘our passion is a fragile glass’

Remember that a metaphor makes a comparison that sounds literal. The writer compares ‘passion’ to a ‘glass’ using the word ‘is’, which makes the comparison sound literal. That’s the metaphor.

D- ‘Weeping her silent tears’

No comparison is made in this statement. It simply shows what Eleanor is doing.

 

 

Q3- Which quote does not contain alliteration?

A- ‘flickering flame’

B- ‘shifting shadows’

C- ‘burns brighter’

D- ‘fragile glass’

Remember that alliteration = a repeated sound at the start of words that are close together in a sentence.

Quote A repeats the ‘f’ sound at the start of both words, B has a repeated ‘sh’ sound and C has a repeated ‘b’ sound. The only one that doesn’t have alliteration is D, which has two different sounds at the start of the words – ‘f’ and ‘g’.

 

 

 

Q4- Which word from this quote is an example of onomatopoeia?

‘Her heart thudded loudly as her eyes lingered once more on the final lines of Henry’s letter: “Though my love for you burns brighter than any star, fate insists we must part; our passion is a fragile glass…”‘

  • Onomatopoeia = A word that mimics a sound.
  • Look for a word in the quote that sounds like a real-life sound when you say it out loud.
  • The word ‘thudded’ sounds like a heavy heartbeat, so that’s the right answer!

Answer: ‘thudded’

 

 

Q5 – Challenging Question:

Why is the word ‘forbidden’ repeated in the third paragraph?

This question tests the ability to understand why writers use specific words and language features – in this case, repetition.

Helpfully, the question tells us where to look – the third paragraph.

This paragraph says:

‘Their love was forbidden. Forbidden by her parents. Forbidden by duty. Forbidden by society’s shallow and unforgiving rules.’

Can you see how the writer has used repetition to try and make this word stand out? We need to work out why they want the word ‘forbidden’ to seem so important. To do this, we need to think about the context of the story (what’s going on).

This story focuses on the end of Eleanor’s relationship with Henry. In this part of the story, the writer tells us why it has to end. ‘Forbidden’ means that the relationship isn’t allowed, and we learn that there’s lots of reasons why it’s not allowed – Eleanor’s family, duty and society are getting in the way.

 

So we can work out that…

Answer: ‘Forbidden’ is repeated to…

  • emphasise that lots of things are stopping Eleanor’s relationship
  • make it clear that Eleanor’s love can never be allowed
  • show that lots of people disapprove of Eleanor’s relationship

Any of these bullet points would be an acceptable answer!

 

 

Q6- Challenging Question:

The writer uses personification to describe the fog. What could the fog be telling us about Eleanor?

A- It shows that Eleanor is hiding.

B- It shows that Eleanor’s future is uncertain.

C- It shows that Eleanor is cold and wet.

D- It shows that  Eleanor feels is a quiet and shy person.

 

First, let’s find where fog is mentioned in the story. It shows up in the very first paragraph, where the author sets the scene…

‘Outside, the thick fog crept along the cobbled streets like a silent sea, swallowing the dim glow of gas lamps and muffling the distant sound of footsteps.’

We can see that the writer is using personification here – they make the fog act like a human or living thing. It moves along the streets, making it darker by ‘swallowing the dim glow’ coming from the lamps and making it quieter by ‘muffling’ people’s footsteps. This makes the streets seem very unclear and lonely.

This matches how Eleanor feels – she’s feeling lost and unsure about her future now that she’s read the letter and her relationship with Henry is over, so the writer cleverly uses the fog to help show her mood.

 

 

Q7- Challenging Question:

Why is there an emphasis on the candle in the first paragraph?

A- The flickering candle reflects Eleanor’s worried feelings as her life changes.

B- The candle brings light and warmth to the scene. It burns brightly, just like Eleanor’s love.

C- The candle shows that there are bad spirits in the room that are disturbing Eleanor.

D- The candle shows that the story is set in Victorian times.

Let’s look at the first paragraph and see where the candle is mentioned…

‘The candle’s flickering flame danced like a restless spirit, casting shifting shadows across the worn wallpaper and filling the room with a quiet, uneasy light.’

The candle isn’t just there to give light – the writer has included it because it has a symbolic meaning. It’s described in a way that feels very unsettling and mysterious.

  • Words like ‘restless’ and ‘shifting’ suggest that something is changing. This reflects how Eleanor’s life has changed and her relationship with Henry is at an end.
  • Words like ‘shadows’ and ‘uneasy’ suggest that this change is negative and unsettling for Eleanor.
  • Overall, the writer has created a very unsettling tone or mood, reflecting Eleanor’s worry as she reads the letter and realises that her life is changing and that she will no longer see Henry.

 

 

Q8 – Which of the following quotations from the passage suggests that Eleanor’s relationship with Henry has ended?

A- ‘swallowing the dim glow of gas lamps and muffling the distant sound of footsteps’

B- ‘Eleanor stood near the window, gripping a folded letter so tightly her fingers ached’

C- ‘Her heart thudded loudly as her eyes lingered once more on the final lines’

D- ‘she lamented the bitter knowledge that some loves were never meant to be’

We need to look for a quote that clearly shows their relationship is over and can’t continue. This is clearly shown by Quote D, which comes at the end of the story. The idea that their love was not ‘meant to be’ tells us that they are destined to be apart and can’t stay together.

Language Features Example Questions

Click here to see the text!

 

Q1 – Which of the following quotes includes alliteration?

A. ‘She ran until the trees grew strange’
B. ‘Fear prickled at her neck’
C. ‘Branches clawed at her sleeves’
D. ‘Roots twisted like ropes’

D. ‘Roots twisted like ropes’

The ‘r’ sound is repeated at the start of ‘roots’ and ‘ropes’.

Q2 – Give one example of a rhetorical question used in this text.

‘Why had she come?’

or

‘What was she hoping to find?’

These questions don’t require answers. In this text, they draw the reader into the narrative of the poem as they encourage the reader to wonder what the girl is doing and what will happen to her.

Q3 – Which quote contains an example of hyperbole?

A. ‘There was no path’
B. ‘She stepped forward’
C. ‘A thousand voices rose’
D. ‘The silence was not peaceful’

C. ‘A thousand voices rose’

Hyperbole means exaggeration. It’s often used to make something feel more powerful or intense. In this text, the ‘thousand voices’ is an exaggeration of how noisy it is, rather than a literal number.

Q4 – The poet uses repetition. Give two examples of repetition from the poem.

Any two of…

  • ‘no path. No plan.’
  • ‘Nothing moved. Nothing whispered.’
  • ‘It was the kind that listens. The kind that waits.’
  • ‘Still she stood. Still she listened.’

Look out for repeated words or phrases – writers usually use them to emphasise the most important or interesting words that they want you to pay attention to.

Q5 – What does the line ‘Her heart pounded like thunder’ mean?

A. She was tired from running
B. Her chest hurt
C. She was very nervous or frightened
D. She could hear thunder coming

C. She was very nervous or frightened

We need to think about the simile ‘like thunder’. This suggests that her heart is beating loudly and quickly. Based on the context of the poem, we know she is feeling ‘fear’ and she’s questioning why she went there.

Q6 – What does the phrase ‘Branches clawed at her sleeves’ suggest?

A. The trees came to life and attacked her
B. The branches scratched at her clothes as she ran
C. The trees grew long claws
D. There were animals chasing her through the woods

B. The branches scratched at her clothes as she ran

This is personification – the branches are not really alive. ‘Clawed at her sleeves’ is a dramatic way of making them seem alive, but it really just means she scratched herself on them as she moved through the forest.

Q7 – What does the writer suggest when they say that the clearing ‘opened like a wound in the woods’?

A. The clearing is a calm and safe place
B. The clearing is unnatural or disturbing
C. The clearing is covered in blood
D. The clearing is attacking the woods

B. The clearing is unnatural or disturbing

A clearing is an open space.

This simile compares the clearing to a wound, which is something painful or wrong. It’s not literally bloody, but this comparison gives a strange or eerie feeling, showing that the place may not be friendly or safe.

Q8 – Which quote shows that the girl feels as though she is not alone?

A- ‘The silence was not peaceful. It was the kind that listens. The kind that waits.’

B- ‘Nothing moved. Nothing whispered.’

C- ‘Why had she come? What was she hoping to find?’

D- ‘There was no path. No plan. Only her feet, and the sound of her breath.’

A- ‘The silence was not peaceful. It was the kind that listens. The kind that waits.’

The writer personifies the silence to make it seem as if the girl isn’t quite alone – it seems as if there is something listening to her and waiting for her.