Crib Sheet – Skellig

Remind yourself of the questions

How do we know Michael is the main character? (Think of narrative voice)

Describe the garage, using quotes to support your answer. (Chapter 2)

Describe the garden, using quotes to support your answer. (Chapter 3)

Why do Michael’s parents tell him not to go into the garage? Support your answer with a quote. (Chapter 2)

Who did Michael find in the garage? How did Michael describe him? (Chapter 3)

What other characters are introduced on these first three chapters? (look at all names mentioned in all chapters)

What has happened to the previous owner? Where was he found? (Chapter 1)

What do you think of the house after reading the first three chapters? What impression does the reader get from the writer’s description? Use quotes to support your answers. (try to use similes, metaphors and adjectives)

Language Techniques

Simple sentences contain a subject and a verb. Short sentences create tension; long sentences create depth.

For example: Some students like to study in the mornings.

Compound sentences contain two independent clauses joined by a coordinator. The coordinators are as follows: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so. In longer sentences the coordinator is preceded by a comma.

For example: I tried to speak Spanish, and my friend tried to speak English

Complex sentences have an independent clause joined by one or more dependent clauses. A complex sentence always has a subordinator such as because, since, after, although, or when.

For example: When he handed in his homework, he forgot to give the teacher the last page.

Onomatopoeia is word that mimics the sound of the object or action it refers to. When you pronounce a word, it will mimic its sound.

For example: water plops into pond; splish-splash downhill

Personification is when you give human qualities to an object or animal.

For example: The stairs groaned as we walked on them.

Metaphor is a figure of speech containing an implied comparison, in which a word or phrase ordinarily and primarily used of one thing is applied to another.

For example: Broken heart; it’s raining men; rollercoaster of emotions.

Simile is a figure of speech that compares two things that are alike in some way. Similes use words such as “like” or “as.”

For example: They fought like cats and dogs; my love is like a red, red rose; you were as brave as a lion.

Adjectives are words that describe, identify or define a noun or pronoun.

For example: The final exams were unbelievably difficultPathetic Fallacy is the attribution of human emotions or characteristics to inanimate objects or to nature.

For example: angry clouds; a cruel wind.

Adverb is a word or phrase that modifies the meaning of an adjective, verb, or other adverb, expressing manner, place, time, or degree. Many adverbs end in ly – particularly those that are used to express how an action is performed.

For example: gently, here, now, very. Tara walks gracefully; he runs fast.

Sensory Language is the use of details from the five senses to add colour and depth to writing. It helps readers visualize the scene a writer is setting.

For example: She eyed him suspiciously; I glanced; He was still feeling pain;

Emotive language is the deliberate use of strong words to play on the reader’s feelings. Such words can be used to evoke strong emotional responses in order to pressure, even coerce, readers to agree.

For example: An innocent bystander had his face shredded by broken glass when a drunken idiot lost control.

Sentence Starters

Explain your answer by thinking about the use of images, colour, font, title etc

The book cover that is most likely to hook me in is...

The image used makes me think of…

The colours …

The font gives the impression of…

The title is…

LO: To explore how narrative hooks engage the reader in the opening chapter of

Level 6 model answer: