2.1.4

Personification

Test yourself

Personification

Personification is when you give human characteristics to something non-human to create imagery.

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Moaning wind

  • The frosty wind moaned.
    • In this phrase, you are creating an image of the wind making a moaning sound. This is personification because moaning is a human action – the noise is produced from a human mouth. The wind cannot physically produce a moan.
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Groaning stairs

  • The stairs groaned under the weight of the huge monstrosity.
    • In this phrase, you are creating an image of the stairs making a groaning sound. This is personification because groaning is a human action – the noise is produced from a human mouth. Therefore, the stairs cannot actually produce a groan.
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Clawing tree branches

  • The tree branches clawed at her face as she ran past.
    • In this phrase, you are creating an image of the trees making a choice to reach out their branches and claw at the woman’s face. This is personification because clawing is a human action and usually requires a conscious decision – trees cannot actually make the decision to claw at people.

Tips for Using Personification

Personification is when you give human characteristics to something non-human to create imagery.

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Focus on the image

  • Focus on the image you are trying to create.
    • What are you describing and what human quality do you think would suit it?
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Consider tone/atmosphere

  • Consider what kind of tone/atmosphere you are trying to create – for example, if you want to create a positive, happy setting, then you might not want the trees in your sentences to be ‘clawing’ at people. Instead, you could have the leaves ‘tickling’ or ‘caressing’ your skin as you pass them.
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Choose vocabulary carefully

  • Your choice of vocabulary is vital in creating your language devices effectively.

Jump to other topics

1Key Terms

1.1Key Terms

1.1.1Nouns

1.1.2Verbs

1.1.3Sentence Types

1.1.4Words

1.1.5Sound

1.1.6Language

1.1.7Images & Symbols

1.1.8Phrases

1.1.9Mood

1.1.10Key Terms - Other Techniques

1.1.11End of Topic Test - Key Terms

2Language Techniques

2.1Language Devices

2.1.1Metaphors

2.1.2Similes

2.1.3Metaphors & Similes HyperLearning

2.1.4Personification

2.1.5Pathetic Fallacy

2.1.6Pun

2.1.7Oxymoron

2.1.8Hyperbole

2.1.9Alliteration

2.1.10Sibilance

2.1.11Onomatopoeia

2.1.12Emotive Language

2.1.13All Language Devices

2.1.14End of Topic Test - Language Devices

2.2Writing Structure

2.2.1Narrators

2.2.2Paragraphs

2.2.3Present Tense

2.2.4Past Tense

2.2.5Future Tense

2.2.6Present vs Past vs Future

2.2.7Foreshadowing

2.2.8Structure

2.2.9End of Topic Test - Writing Structure

3Paper 1: Reading

3.1Structuring Your Answer - Section A

3.1.1Overview - Section A

3.1.2Answering Question 1

3.1.3Answering Question 2

3.1.4Exam-Style Questions - Paper 1: Reading

3.1.5Answering Question 3

3.1.6Answering Question 4

3.1.7End of Topic Test - Section A

3.1.8Exam-Style Questions - Paper 1: Reading

4Paper 1: Writing

4.1Structuring Your Answer

4.1.1Overview - Section B

4.1.2Descriptive Writing

4.1.3Narrative Writing

4.1.4Answering Section B

4.1.5Answering Section B - Checklist of Techniques

4.1.6End of Topic Test - Writing Section

4.1.7Exam-Style Questions - Paper 1: Writing

5Paper 2: Reading

5.1DAFORESTER

5.1.1Direct Address

5.1.2Alliteration

5.1.3Facts

5.1.4Opinions

5.1.5Repetition

5.1.6Exaggeration (Hyperbole)

5.1.7Statistics

5.1.8Triples (Rule of 3)

5.1.9Emotive Language

5.1.10Rhetorical Questions

5.1.11End of Topic Test - DAFORESTER

5.2Structuring Your Answer

5.2.1Overview - Section A

5.2.2Answering Question 1

5.2.3Answering Question 2

5.2.4Answering Question 3

5.2.5Exam-Style Questions - Paper 2: Reading

5.2.6Answering Question 4

5.2.7End of Topic Test - Section A

5.2.8Exam-Style Questions - Paper 2: Reading

6Paper 2: Writing

6.1Structuring Your Answer

6.1.1Overview - Section B

6.1.2Answering Section B - Punctuation & Plans

6.2Types of Writing

6.2.1Article

6.2.2Essay

6.2.3Leaflet

6.2.4Letter

6.2.5Speech

6.2.6Review

6.2.7Travel Writing

6.2.8Diaries & Journals

6.2.9End of Topic Test - Types of Writing

6.3Writing to...

6.3.1Writing to Inform

6.3.2Writing to Inform - Example

6.3.3Writing to Explain

6.3.4Writing to Explain - Example

6.3.5Writing to Persuade

6.3.6Writing to Persuade - Example

6.3.7Writing to Argue

6.3.8Writing to Argue - Example

6.3.9Writing to Persuade vs Writing to Argue

6.3.10Writing to Advise

6.3.11Writing to Advise - Example

6.3.12End of Topic Test - Writing to...

6.3.13Exam-Style Questions - Paper 2: Writing

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Metaphors & Similes HyperLearning

Pathetic Fallacy