Analysing Author's Craft
Match the Technique to Its Definition
Draw a line to match each literary term with its correct definition.
Is It a Simile or Metaphor?
Circle whether each example is a SIMILE or METAPHOR.
'Her laughter was music to his ears.'
'He ran like the wind.'
'The city is a sleeping giant at midnight.'
'Her eyes were as cold as ice.'
'Life is a journey without a map.'
Technique — Quote — Effect
Read the extract. Find each named technique, write the quote from the text, and explain the effect it creates for the reader.
Extract: 'The wind howled like a wounded animal, tearing at the shutters with iron fingers. Inside, the lamp flickered — a fragile heartbeat of light in all that roaring darkness.' Find a SIMILE. Write the quote and explain its effect.
Find an example of PERSONIFICATION. Write the quote and explain its effect.
Find a METAPHOR. Write the quote and explain its effect.
Describe the overall TONE of the extract and justify your answer with a word or phrase from the text.
Sort by Tone
Sort each extract into the column that best describes its overall tone.
Match Technique to Its Effect
Draw a line to match each technique to its most common effect on a reader.
Write an Analytical Paragraph
Using one technique you identified above, write a short analytical paragraph about the extract: technique + quote + effect. Aim for 4–6 sentences.
Write your analytical paragraph here:
Slow Reading — Find the Techniques
Choose a page from a book you are currently reading. Read it slowly and list every literary technique you can find. Record the quote and identify the technique.
Book title and page: _______________________________________ Technique 1 — Quote: ______________________ Technique: _______
Technique 2 — Quote: ______________________ Technique: _______
Technique 3 — Quote: ______________________ Technique: _______
What is the overall tone of this page, and which technique most strongly creates it?
Sort: Literary Techniques by Category
Sort each technique into the correct category.
Author's Toolbox Hunt
Choose a page from any book in your home and find one example of each technique listed. This is a slow-reading detective exercise.
- 1Find one simile.
- 2Find one metaphor.
- 3Find one example of personification.
- 4Find one example of alliteration.
- 5Find one use of a short sentence for impact.
- 6Bonus: find one example of sensory imagery that is NOT about sight.
Analyse an Author's Tone
Read the extract. Identify the tone and explain how three specific word choices create it.
Extract: 'The old playground stood empty now, its swings hanging still in the grey afternoon. Paint peeled from the wooden horse. The roundabout had stopped years ago, and no one had thought to fix it.' Overall tone (use a precise tone word): ___________________________
Word/phrase 1: ________________ How it creates the tone: ________________
Word/phrase 2: ________________ How it creates the tone: ________________
Word/phrase 3: ________________ How it creates the tone: ________________
Create Your Own Examples
Write your own original example of each technique listed. Make each one vivid and specific.
A simile about something in nature: ___________________________________
A metaphor for a feeling (happiness, fear, grief, excitement): _______________
A personification of a piece of technology or furniture: ____________________
An alliterative sentence about an animal: ________________________________
Analyse an Extract — Full Technique Analysis
Read the extract carefully and complete a full analysis finding as many techniques as possible.
Extract: 'The market erupted every morning like a fever — voices clashing, colours screaming, the warm reek of fish and spice and rain-damp earth. Old women sat behind mountains of mangoes. Boys sprinted between tables like startled fish. And over it all, the sun beat and beat and beat, relentless as a drum.' List three techniques and their quotes:
For each technique, write one sentence explaining its effect:
What is the dominant tone of the extract? Which single word most strongly creates it?
Analyse Sentence Length as a Technique
Authors use sentence length deliberately. Read the extract. Analyse how sentence length contributes to the effect.
Extract: 'She had been running for what felt like hours. The forest seemed endless, every tree the same, every shadow deeper than the last. She could hear them behind her. She stopped. Silence.' Identify the shortest sentence in the extract:
What effect does this very short sentence create? Why did the author place it at this point?
How does the author use longer sentences earlier in the extract, and what does this contrast achieve?
Match Sentence Length to Its Effect
Draw a line matching each type of sentence to its typical effect.
Repetition as a Technique
Repetition can create emphasis, rhythm, and emotional intensity. Read the extract and analyse the effect of the repetition used.
Extract: 'She was gone. The house was quiet. The shoes by the door were gone. The coat was gone. Everything was gone.' What word is repeated? How many times? ___________________________
What emotion does the repetition create? Why is repeating this specific word particularly effective?
Write your own 3–4 sentence extract that uses repetition to create a strong emotional effect:
Sort by Effect: Which Technique Creates It?
Sort each effect into the technique most likely to create it.
Write an Extended Analytical Paragraph
Write an extended analytical paragraph (6–8 sentences) about the following extract. Identify at least two techniques and analyse their combined effect on the reader.
Extract: 'Dawn came like a blush across the desert. The dunes glowed. Birds — hundreds of them — rose from the tree line as if the earth itself were breathing out. Somewhere, a bell rang. Once. Then silence that felt like a held breath.' Write your analytical paragraph:
Multi-Sensory Writing
Write a 4–6 sentence description of a place you know well. Include imagery for at least three different senses. Label each sensory image in the margin.
Place chosen: ________________________________________________ Description (label each sense in the margin):
Author Spotlight
Choose one author whose writing you admire. Read three consecutive pages of their writing and identify their 'signature' techniques — the ones they return to most often.
- 1Read three consecutive pages slowly, noting every technique you spot.
- 2Identify which technique appears most often.
- 3Find the most powerful single sentence on these pages.
- 4Discuss: what is distinctive about this author's voice?
- 5Write one sentence in this author's style — trying to imitate their most characteristic technique.
Upgrade Your Analysis
Each sentence below identifies a technique but does not analyse the effect deeply enough. Rewrite each one with a stronger, more specific effect explanation.
Original: 'The author uses a metaphor to describe the city.' Upgraded version:
Original: 'There is personification in this paragraph.' Upgraded version:
Original: 'The short sentence at the end creates drama.' Upgraded version:
Compare Two Authors' Use of the Same Technique
Find two different authors who use the same literary technique. Compare how each uses it and what different effects they create.
Author 1 and text: _____________________ Technique: _____________ Quote: ___________________________________________________________
Effect of Author 1's use: _______________________________________
Author 2 and text: _____________________ Technique: _____________ Quote: ___________________________________________________________
Effect of Author 2's use: _______________________________________
What does the comparison reveal about the flexibility of this technique?
Classify Techniques: Creating Character vs Creating Setting
Sort each technique example into whether it is primarily used to create character or setting. Some may belong to both.
Analyse the Opening of a Novel
Read the opening paragraph of any novel. Analyse how the author uses at least three craft techniques to establish atmosphere, character, or setting.
Novel title and author: _________________________________________ Opening paragraph (summarised or quoted):
Craft analysis (three techniques, quotes, and effects):
What atmosphere or impression does the opening create, and how do the techniques work together to build it?
Analyse Dialogue as Craft
Read the exchange of dialogue. Analyse what it reveals about each character without being stated directly.
Dialogue: Mother: 'You don't have to go.' Daughter: 'I know.' (Pause.) 'I do though.' Mother: 'I'll drive you.' Daughter: 'I'll walk.' What does this dialogue reveal about the daughter's character WITHOUT stating it directly?
What does it reveal about the relationship between mother and daughter?
What craft techniques do you notice in the dialogue? (Think about: what is NOT said, sentence length, repetition)
Change the Perspective — Same Event, Different Narrator
Write the same event from two different narrative perspectives. Notice what changes about the reader's experience.
Event: A new student arrives at school for the first time. First person (the new student's perspective):
Third person limited (from a student watching from across the room):
What changes between the two versions? Which creates more empathy for the new student?
Write a Scene Using Deliberate Craft
Write a scene (6–8 sentences) that uses at least four named craft techniques deliberately. List the techniques before writing.
Four techniques I will use: 1) _______ 2) _______ 3) _______ 4) _______ Scene (label each technique in the margin as you write it):
Craft Journal — Weekly Log
For one week, keep a craft journal. Every day, write down one example of an author's craft technique from your reading — the quote, the technique name, and one sentence on its effect.
- 1Keep the journal next to your reading book.
- 2Each day: one quote, one technique name, one effect sentence.
- 3Try to vary the techniques you record across the week.
- 4At the end of the week, review: which technique appeared most often in your reading?
- 5Share your best entry with your parent.
Full Analytical Essay — One Paragraph
Write one fully developed analytical paragraph (8–10 sentences) about an extract from your current reading. Include: two named techniques with quotes, two effect explanations, and a linking sentence that connects the techniques to the author's overall purpose.
Text and page/chapter: __________________________________________ Analytical paragraph:
The Author's Overall Craft — A Holistic Analysis
Think about a text you know well. Write a 6–8 sentence analysis of the author's overall craft — not just individual techniques, but how the techniques work TOGETHER to create a unified effect or to serve the text's purpose.
Text chosen (title, author, genre): ________________________________ Holistic craft analysis:
Write a Literary Review
Write a short literary review (8–10 sentences) of a book you have recently read. Include evaluation of the author's craft — what techniques work well, and why.
Book title and author: _________________________________________ Literary review:
Imitation — Write in an Author's Style
Choose a short extract from a favourite author. Analyse the main craft techniques. Then write a completely different scene using the same techniques in the same proportions.
Original extract (short — 3–5 sentences):
Techniques identified: ___________________________________________
Your imitation (different content, same techniques):
Techniques by Their Effect on Pace
Sort these techniques and structural choices by whether they SLOW DOWN, SPEED UP, or have a VARIABLE effect on narrative pace.
Craft Manifesto — Your Writing Identity
Write a short manifesto (5–7 sentences) about your own craft as a writer. Which techniques will you use most? What effects do you most want to create in your readers? What kind of writer do you want to become?
My writing craft manifesto:
Final Project: Craft Analysis of Your Favourite Chapter
Choose your favourite chapter or scene from any book you have read this year. Write a structured craft analysis: identify the techniques used, quote from the text, explain the effects, and evaluate why this section of writing is particularly effective.
Text and chapter/scene: _________________________________________ Craft analysis:
What makes this section particularly effective in your view?
Read Aloud — Hear the Craft
Choose a page of writing you love. Read it aloud to someone in your family, then discuss: which sentence was the most beautifully crafted? What technique made it work?
- 1Choose any page from a book you love.
- 2Read it aloud slowly and with expression.
- 3Ask your audience: which sentence struck you most?
- 4Discuss: what technique made it work?
- 5Discuss: could you write something like it? What would you choose to write about?
Experiment: Rewrite with Different Sentence Lengths
Take this medium-length description and rewrite it twice: once using only very short sentences (2–5 words each) to create urgency, and once as a single long flowing sentence.
Original: 'The bird landed on the branch. It looked around cautiously. Then it flew away.'
Rewrite 1 — very short sentences for urgency:
Rewrite 2 — one long flowing sentence:
Sort: Craft Technique to Its Effect
Match each craft technique to its most common effect. Drag each technique to the correct effect column.
Write: Imitate a Master
Choose a single sentence from a book you love — one that uses craft deliberately. Copy it out, analyse the technique, then write your own sentence imitating the style.
The sentence I chose (with author and book):
Technique(s) identified:
My imitation sentence:
Write: A Descriptive Paragraph Using Three Devices
Write a descriptive paragraph (6–8 sentences) about a place that matters to you. Deliberately use at least three different literary devices. After writing, annotate each device in the margin.
My descriptive paragraph with three literary devices:
Devices I used and where:
Analyse: What Does This Setting Do?
Think of a setting from a book you have read that felt significant — not just a backdrop but a presence. Analyse how the author created that setting and what it contributed to meaning.
Book and setting I am analysing:
How the author describes the setting (techniques used):
What the setting contributes to theme, character, or atmosphere:
Circle the Example of Foreshadowing
In each set, circle the sentence that uses foreshadowing.
Which sentence uses foreshadowing?
Which sentence uses foreshadowing?
Write: A Scene With Atmosphere
Write a short scene (6–8 sentences) that creates a strong atmosphere of your choice — eerie, joyful, tense, or melancholy. Use setting description, sensory details, and at least one literary device.
Atmosphere chosen:
My scene with deliberate atmosphere:
Match: Author's Craft in Non-Fiction
Author's craft applies to non-fiction too. Match each non-fiction craft technique to its purpose.
Sort: Figurative vs Literal Language
Sort these sentences into Figurative Language or Literal Language.
Write: An Analytical Paragraph About Craft
Write a formal analytical paragraph about an author's craft choice in a text you have read. Use the TEEL structure: Topic (craft claim), Evidence (quotation or example), Explanation (why it works), Link (to theme or author purpose).
My analytical paragraph (T–E–E–L):
Author Study: Compare Two Authors
Choose two authors whose style you know. Compare their craft choices in three areas: use of language, narrative voice, and how they create setting.
Author 1 and Author 2:
Comparing their use of language:
Comparing their narrative voice:
Comparing how they create setting:
Reflection: Becoming a Craft-Aware Reader and Writer
Write a reflection (5–6 sentences) on how studying author's craft has changed the way you read and write.
My reflection on author's craft and how it has changed my reading and writing:
Match: Tone and Mood Words
Match each sentence to the tone or mood it creates.
Identify Mood and Tone in a Text You Love
Choose a scene from a book you love. Identify the mood it creates in the reader and the tone the author uses. Quote one sentence that particularly captures these qualities and explain how it works.
Book, scene, mood, and tone:
Quoted sentence and explanation of how it creates that mood/tone:
Write: Two Versions of the Same Scene
Write the same scene twice: once with an eerie, foreboding mood and once with a warm, joyful mood. The scene: a child enters an old house for the first time. Use identical events but different word choices to create opposite moods.
Eerie, foreboding version:
Warm, joyful version:
Use a Narrative Technique Deliberately
Write a short paragraph (4–6 sentences) that uses one of these narrative techniques deliberately: cliffhanger, foreshadowing, or flashback. Label which technique you used and explain why you made that choice.
Technique used and reason for choosing it:
My paragraph using the technique:
Identify the Narrative Technique in Context
Circle the name of the narrative technique used in each excerpt.
Excerpt: 'She did not know, as she walked through the door that night, that it was the last time she would see the house.'
Excerpt: 'The door swung shut. The lights went out. Then the screaming began.'
Excerpt: 'He remembered the summer he turned nine, when the world had still seemed simple.'
Sort: Literary Devices by Category
Sort each literary device into its category: Figurative Language, Sound Device, or Structural Device.
Write: Your Best Descriptive Paragraph (Final Craft Task)
Write what you believe is your best descriptive paragraph — a paragraph you are proud of. Use at least three literary devices, create a clear mood, and use a variety of sentence lengths. After writing, annotate each device and name the mood.
My best descriptive paragraph:
Annotations — devices used, mood created, sentence length choices:
Reading Journal Entry: Analysing a Favourite Scene
Choose your absolute favourite scene from any book you have ever read. Write a reading journal entry that analyses the craft choices in that scene — what the author did, how they did it, and why it works so powerfully on you as a reader.
Book and scene:
My reading journal analysis of the craft in this scene:
Craft Hunt: A Week of Close Reading
For one week, carry a small notebook. Every day, find one example of excellent craft in anything you read — a book, a cereal box, a news article, a sign. Write the example, name the technique, and explain the effect.
- 1Day 1: Find an example of metaphor or simile.
- 2Day 2: Find an example of an interesting sentence length choice.
- 3Day 3: Find an example of word choice that creates strong connotation.
- 4Day 4: Find an example of tone — ironic, playful, or solemn.
- 5Day 5: Find any craft technique you have not yet seen this week.
Write: A Short Review Using Craft Analysis
Write a short review (5–7 sentences) of a book, film, or game you have experienced recently. In your review, comment specifically on the craft choices made by the creator — not just whether you liked it, but how it was made.
My craft-informed review:
Final Craft Challenge: Write With Intention
Write a 6–8 sentence paragraph on any topic. Before writing, choose three craft techniques you will use deliberately. After writing, write a brief author's note explaining each choice you made and its intended effect.
Three craft techniques I will use and my intended effect for each:
My paragraph:
My author's note — explaining the choices I made: