NSW HSC · HSC English

Language features and techniques

24 practice questions, each with the answer and an explanation.

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Random questions from this topic, one at a time. You see the answer and the explanation straight after each one.

All 24 questions

  1. In the line "The city swallowed her whole", which technique is used?
  2. Which technique is used in "as cold as a stone"?
  3. In "Silent shadows slid across the sill", which sound technique is most obvious?
  4. Which technique is used in "The clock screamed at six"?
  5. Which technique is used in "I've told you a million times"?
  6. What is the effect of a short, simple sentence after several long sentences?
  7. What is irony?
  8. What does 'tone' refer to in a text?
  9. What is the purpose of a rhetorical question in a speech?
  10. Which technique is used in "We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds"?
  11. What is the effect of using inclusive pronouns such as 'we' and 'our' in a speech?
  12. A writer describes a character as "a lighthouse in a storm of uncertainty". What does this metaphor suggest?
  13. The phrase "bittersweet farewell" is an example of which technique?
  14. A narrator says: "The party was so quiet you could hear a pin drop." This is an example of:
  15. Which of the following is a first-person point of view?
  16. What is a motif in a literary text?
  17. What is the setting of a story?
  18. What is a symbol in a text?
  19. In a persuasive text, which technique appeals to the audience's emotions?
  20. Which of the following appeals to logic in a persuasive text?
  21. A speaker begins "As a doctor with twenty years of experience...". Which appeal is this?
  22. What is the function of a topic sentence in a paragraph?
  23. Which of the following is the best way to introduce a quotation in an analytical essay?
  24. In an essay, what should the conclusion do?

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