Comprehension Question: Explain how the author uses language techniques to build tension in the passage.

Key points to look out for:Use of short sentences - If the author suddenly shortens sentence length this can be an effective method to build tension.Use of long sentences - Similarly if the author suddenly elongates their sentences this stops the reader from breaking and increases the pace of the story, building tension.Use of paragraphsAlliteration - Use of the same letter at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected wordsSimiles and Metaphors Pathetic fallacy - A good example of this is when the weather in the passage reflects the mood of the characters. (This is a good one to include to impress examiners)Personification - When an inanimate object is described as behaving in a human way (example: 'The sky wept') (This is an easy one to spot and appears frequently)

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