You will learn
- Name techniques.
- Find them in a text.
- Explain their effect.
- Use them in writing.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- Spot the technique.
- Name it.
- Quote the example.
- Explain the effect.
Words to know
hints about what will happen later
a scene from the past within a story
language that appeals to the senses
an object standing for a larger idea
1. Discover: The cracked calabash
Original story. Zainab notices a crack in her grandmother’s calabash and feels a chill. (foreshadowing) The air smells of smoke and wet clay, and the light looks like honey. (imagery) She remembers the day her grandmother taught her to carry it. (flashback) At the end, the calabash is mended with gold thread: the mended crack symbolises strength after loss. (symbolism)
Think: What does each technique add?
2. Understand: The writer’s toolbox
Idea 1: Techniques
Writers use foreshadowing, flashback, imagery and symbolism to shape meaning.
Idea 2: Effect
Foreshadowing builds suspense; imagery creates pictures; symbols add deeper meaning.
Idea 3: Irony
Irony is when what happens is the opposite of what is expected.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Foreshadow
What hint came early?
- Crack.
Answer: the crack in the calabash
Example 2 (We do it together): Symbol
What does the mended crack stand for?
- Strength.
Answer: strength after loss
Example 3 (You try): Imagery
Quote imagery.
Show the steps and answer
- Smoke.
Answer: smoke and wet clay or light like honey
Did you know?
Many cultures use symbolic objects in stories to carry meaning beyond the object itself.
Why this matters
Spotting techniques lets you explain how writers create effects.
4. Explore: Technique hunt
Find techniques.
- Choose a passage.
- Underline techniques.
- Name each.
- Explain the effect.
Think about it: what did you notice?
You can analyse techniques.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- The technique is ___.
- The example is ___.
- It makes the reader ___.
- It suggests ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. Hints about the future are ___.
foreshadowing
Question 2. A scene from the past is a ___.
flashback
Question 3. Language that appeals to the senses is ___.
imagery
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- Hints about the future are ___.
- A scene from the past is a ___.
- Language that appeals to the senses is ___.
- An object standing for an idea is a ___.
- The calabash was mended with gold ___.
Level 2: Grow
- What did Zainab remember?
- What smell was in the air?
- What did the crack hint at?
Level 3: Stretch
- Does imagery use senses?
- Is a flashback about the future?
- Can an object be a symbol?
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: English in everyday life
Write a short paragraph using foreshadowing and imagery.
Show a sample answer
a paragraph
Another one. Find one literary technique in a story with a family member and explain its effect.
Show a sample answer
a completed task
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Slow down and check your work.
Fix: Study the example first, then try.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can name techniques.
- I can find them in a text.
- I can explain their effect.
- I can use them in writing.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Spot the technique.
- Name it.
- Quote the example.
- Explain the effect.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Figurative language. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- What is foreshadowing? [1 mark]
- Name two literary techniques. [2 marks]
- What does the gold thread symbolise? [1 mark]
- Quote and explain imagery from the story. [2 marks]
- Explain how to analyse a technique. [3 marks]
Total: 9 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- hints about what will happen later [1]
- flashback [1]; imagery or symbolism [1]
- strength after loss [1]
- smoke and wet clay [1]; it appeals to the senses [1]
- name it [1]; quote the example [1]; explain its effect [1]
Score guide: 8 to 9 = secure. 6 to 7 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- Hints about the future are ___.
- A scene from the past is a ___.
- Language that appeals to the senses is ___.
- An object standing for an idea is a ___.
- The calabash was mended with gold ___.
- What did Zainab remember?
- What smell was in the air?
- What did the crack hint at?
- Does imagery use senses?
- Is a flashback about the future?
Homework
Find one literary technique in a story with a family member and explain its effect.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Hints about the future are ___. | foreshadowing | 1 |
| 2. A scene from the past is a ___. | flashback | 1 |
| 3. Language that appeals to the senses is ___. | imagery | 1 |
| 4. An object standing for an idea is a ___. | symbol | 1 |
| 5. The calabash was mended with gold ___. | thread | 1 |
| 6. What did Zainab remember? | her grandmother teaching her | 1 |
| 7. What smell was in the air? | smoke and wet clay | 1 |
| 8. What did the crack hint at? | something bad happening | 1 |
| 9. Does imagery use senses? | yes | 1 |
| 10. Is a flashback about the future? | no | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 foreshadowing; 2 flashback; 3 imagery; 4 symbol; 5 thread. Level 2: 1 her grandmother teaching her; 2 smoke and wet clay; 3 something bad happening. Level 3: 1 yes; 2 no; 3 yes.
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Name techniques | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Find them in a text | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Explain their effect | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Use them in writing | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: Rushing without checking. Slow down and check your work.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Re-read the examples slowly and use the sentence frames.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child practises a key Grade 3 English skill with clear examples and a quiz. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Listen while your child explains the idea.
- Ask for one new example.
- Praise effort and careful work.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: name techniques; find them in a text; explain their effect; use them in writing.
Prerequisite knowledge. Point of view.
Materials. Chart paper or board, pencils, picture or word cards, a reading book if available. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Write the key words and examples on the board or on cards before the lesson.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Introduce the idea with the opening example.
Explanation (10 min). Teach the key words.
Guided activity (10 min). Practise together.
Independent activity (10 min). Check understanding with the quiz.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. What is the key idea? Can I give my own example?
Teacher explanation notes. Move from the spoken word to pictures and then to print. Read aloud often, point to the words, and let learners hear and say before they read and write.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use the sentence frames and work with a partner. Extension. Create a harder example of your own.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. Rushing without checking. Slow down and check your work.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 9-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Re-read the examples slowly and use the sentence frames. Enrichment. Make up your own example and teach it to someone at home. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, Cambridge Primary and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Official standards for this topic area. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (official site): Grade 6 » Reading: Literature. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.
Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core RL.6.4 (determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings); Cambridge Primary English Stage 6 (writer’s techniques). These sources informed the lesson.