Expressive and Sensory Language
Recognise recurring literary language in stories and poetry, identify words and phrases that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses, and discuss favourite words and phrases
What a learner can do afterwards
- Spot recurring story language such as 'Once upon a time' and 'happily ever after'
- Identify sensory words and phrases in a poem: 'the icy wind howled'
- Share a favourite word or phrase from a story and explain why it appeals
The lesson
Writers pick words on purpose. Some words show up again and again in stories, like old friends. Words and phrases that show up again and again are called recurring. Other words make you feel a poem in your body, almost like you can hear or touch what it describes.
Think about how many stories start with 'Once upon a time' and end with 'they lived happily ever after'. These phrases are not new each time. You have heard them so often, they feel like a warm hug before and after a story.
In the line 'the icy wind howled', close your eyes. 'Icy' lets you feel the cold. 'Howled' lets you hear a wild, loud sound, almost like a wolf. Those two words do a lot of work.
When you read, stop on a word or phrase you love. Ask yourself: why does this word feel so good here? Maybe it sounds nice, or it makes a feeling really strong.
Stories repeat special phrases, and sensory words let you feel, hear, and see what you read.
Watch it
Where it sits
Where this leads
8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.