It is asking you to say how the phrase adds to the meaning of the text, and comment on its effect.
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The green of the garden was greyed over with dew; indeed, all its colours were gone until the touch of sunrise. The air was still, and the tree-shapes crouched down upon themselves. One bird spoke; and there was a movement when an awkward parcel of feathers dislodged itself from the tall fir-tree at the corner of the lawn, seemed for a second to fall and then at once swept up and along, outspread, on a wind that never blew, to another, farther tree: an owl. It wore the ruffled, dazed appearance of one who has been up all night.
Philippa Pearce: from Tom's Midnight Garden (OUP, 2008)
Explain the effect of the phrase One bird spoke.
1 mark
- Read the question. Read it again. What is it asking?
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- In order to say how it adds meaning, you need to identify the language feature.
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Personification. It is saying the bird can do something that a person can do. The bird is speaking.
- Answer the question giving the effect of the phrase. You should give the name of the language feature in your answer if you can.
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The phrase is an example of personification. The effect of using the phrase is to add interest by giving human qualities to the bird through its behaviour, such as speaking.
- Check your answer.