2.1.11

Onomatopoeia

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Onomatopoeia

Onomatopoeia is when the way the word sounds imitates the sound it is describing.

Heels clacking

Heels clacking

  • Her heels clacked on the wooden floor.
    • In this phrase, ‘clacked’ is onomatopoeia because ‘clack’ sounds like the noise that high heels make when they hit wooden floors.
    • The onomatopoeia adds to your writing because it grabs the reader’s attention, jarring them as the description is interrupted with the literal sound, ‘clack’.
Earthquake rumbling

Earthquake rumbling

  • The earthquake rumbled across the valley.
    • In this phrase, ‘rumbled’ is onomatopoeia because ‘rumble’ sounds like the noise that earthquakes make as they move through the ground.
    • The onomatopoeia adds to your writing because it grabs the reader’s attention, jarring them as the description is interrupted with the literal sound, ‘rumble’.
Paint splattering

Paint splattering

  • He flicked the brush and paint splattered across the wall.
    • In this phrase, ‘splattered’ is onomatopoeia because ‘splat’ sounds like the noise that paint makes when it hits a surface.
    • The onomatopoeia adds to your writing because it grabs the reader’s attention, jarring them as the description is interrupted with the literal sound, ‘splat’.

Tips for Using Onomatopoeia

Onomatopoeia is when the way the word sounds imitates the sound it is describing.

Focus on the sound

Focus on the sound

  • Focus on the sound you are trying to create. What are you describing and what sound do you want your reader to actually hear in their heads as they read the sentence?
Consider tone/atmosphere

Consider tone/atmosphere

  • Consider what kind of tone/atmosphere you are trying to create – the right onomatopoeic sound could give you a very tense feeling (‘rumble’, ‘crunch’, ‘clatter’) or could create a more uplifting feeling (‘hum’, ‘jingle’).
Choose vocabulary well

Choose vocabulary well

  • Your choice of vocabulary is vital in creating your language devices effectively.
Jump to other topics
1

Key Terms

1.1

Key Terms

1.1.1Nouns1.1.2Verbs1.1.3Sentence Types1.1.4Words1.1.5Sound1.1.6Language1.1.7Images & Symbols1.1.8Phrases1.1.9Mood1.1.10Key Terms - Other Techniques1.1.11End of Topic Test - Key Terms
2

Language Techniques

2.1

Language Devices

2.1.1Metaphors2.1.2Similes2.1.3Metaphors & Similes HyperLearning2.1.4Personification2.1.5Pathetic Fallacy2.1.6Pun2.1.7Oxymoron2.1.8Hyperbole2.1.9Alliteration2.1.10Sibilance2.1.11Onomatopoeia2.1.12Emotive Language2.1.13All Language Devices2.1.14End of Topic Test - Language Devices
2.2

Writing Structure

2.2.1Narrators2.2.2Paragraphs2.2.3Present Tense2.2.4Past Tense2.2.5Future Tense2.2.6Present vs Past vs Future2.2.7Foreshadowing2.2.8Structure2.2.9End of Topic Test - Writing Structure
3

Paper 1: Reading

3.1

Paper 1: Reading - Section A

3.1.1Paper 1: Reading - Overview - Section A3.1.2Paper 1: Reading - Answering Question 13.1.3Paper 1: Reading - Answering Question 23.1.4Exam-Style Questions - Paper 1: Reading3.1.5Paper 1: Reading - Answering Question 33.1.6Paper 1: Reading - Answering Question 43.1.7End of Topic Test - Section A3.1.8Exam-Style Questions - Paper 1: Reading3.1.9Diagnostic Misconceptions - P1 Q13.1.10Diagnostic Misconceptions - P1 Q23.1.11Diagnostic Misconceptions - P1 Q33.1.12Diagnostic Misconceptions - P1 Q4 13.1.13Diagnostic Misconceptions - P1 Q4 2
4

Paper 1: Writing

4.1

Paper 1: Writing - Structuring Your Answer

4.1.1Paper 1: Writing - Overview - Section B4.1.2Paper 1: Writing - Descriptive Writing4.1.3Paper 1: Writing - Narrative Writing4.1.4Paper 1: Writing - Answering Section B (option 1)4.1.5Paper 1: Writing - Answering Section B (option 2)4.1.6Paper 1: Writing - Answering Section B - Checklist4.1.7End of Topic Test - Writing Section4.1.8Exam-Style Questions - Paper 1: Writing4.1.9Diagnostic Misconceptions - P1 Q5 14.1.10Diagnostic Misconceptions - P1 Q5 2
5

Paper 2: Reading

5.1

Paper 2: Reading - DAFORESTER

5.1.1Paper 2: Reading - Direct Address5.1.2Paper 2: Reading - Alliteration5.1.3Paper 2: Reading - Facts5.1.4Paper 2: Reading - Opinions5.1.5Paper 2: Reading - Repetition5.1.6Paper 2: Reading - Exaggeration (Hyperbole)5.1.7Paper 2: Reading - Statistics5.1.8Paper 2: Reading - Triples (Rule of 3)5.1.9Paper 2: Reading - Emotive Language5.1.10Paper 2: Reading - Rhetorical Questions5.1.11End of Topic Test - DAFORESTER
5.2

Paper 2: Reading - Structuring Your Answer

5.2.1Paper 2: Reading - Overview - Section A5.2.2Paper 2: Reading - Answering Question 15.2.3Paper 2: Reading - Answering Question 25.2.4Paper 2: Reading - Answering Question 35.2.5Exam-Style Questions - Paper 2: Reading5.2.6Paper 2: Reading - Answering Question 45.2.7End of Topic Test - Section A5.2.8Exam-Style Questions - Paper 2: Reading5.2.9Diagnostic Misconceptions - P2 Q15.2.10Diagnostic Misconceptions - P2 Q2 15.2.11Diagnostic Misconceptions - P2 Q2 25.2.12Diagnostic Misconceptions - P2 Q4
6

Paper 2: Writing

6.1

Paper 2: Writing - Structuring Your Answer

6.1.1Paper 2: Writing - Overview - Section B6.1.2Paper 2: Writing - Answering Section B6.1.3Diagnostic Misconceptions - P2 Q5 16.1.4Diagnostic Misconceptions - P2 Q5 26.1.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - P2 Q5 3
6.2

Types of Writing

6.2.1Paper 2: Writing - Article6.2.2Paper 2: Writing - Essay6.2.3Paper 2: Writing - Leaflet6.2.4Paper 2: Writing - Letter6.2.5Paper 2: Writing - Speech6.2.6Paper 2: Writing - Review6.2.7Paper 2: Writing - Travel Writing6.2.8Paper 2: Writing - Diaries & Journals6.2.9End of Topic Test - Types of Writing
6.3

Writing to...

6.3.1Paper 2: Writing - Writing to Inform6.3.2Paper 2: Writing - Writing to Inform - Example6.3.3Paper 2: Writing - Writing to Explain6.3.4Paper 2: Writing - Writing to Explain - Example6.3.5Paper 2: Writing - Writing to Persuade6.3.6Paper 2: Writing - Writing to Persuade - Example6.3.7Paper 2: Writing - Writing to Argue6.3.8Paper 2: Writing - Writing to Argue - Example6.3.9Paper 2: Writing - Writing to Persuade vs Writing6.3.10Paper 2: Writing - Writing to Advise6.3.11Paper 2: Writing - Writing to Advise - Example6.3.12End of Topic Test - Writing to...6.3.13Exam-Style Questions - Paper 2: Writing

Practice questions on Onomatopoeia

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    Which word uses onomatopoeia in this sentence?<br><br><b>Harry smacked his lips as his mother brought out the piping hot pizza.Multiple choice
  2. 2
    Which word uses onomatopoeia? Multiple choice
  3. 3
    Which word uses onomatopoeia? Multiple choice
  4. 4
    Which phrases use onomatopoeia?True / false
  5. 5
    Which onomatopoeic word is most appropriate for creating a tense atmosphere?Multiple choice
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Sibilance

Emotive Language