Oxymoron

Test yourself

Oxymoron

An oxymoron is when two contrasting ideas are combined for dramatic effect or to create a comedic effect.

Minor crisis

There was a minor crisis yesterday.
- In this phrase, the two meanings of the words ‘minor crisis’ combine to give the reader pause – oxymorons are not straightforward; they make your reader think.
- A crisis is a time of severe difficulty, and so it cannot be a ‘minor’ event – it literally cannot be a crisis if it is ‘minor’.

Bittersweet

He laughed at the bittersweet memory.
In this phrase, the two meanings of the word ‘bittersweet’ give the reader pause – oxymorons are not straightforward; they make your reader think.
- ‘Bitter’ and ‘sweet’ are antonyms (they have opposite meanings), and so things cannot usually be ‘bitter’ and ‘sweet’ at the same time.

Deafening silence

They stared at each other in the deafening silence.
- In this phrase, the two meanings of the words ‘deafening’ combine to give the reader pause – oxymorons are not straightforward; they make your reader think. Silence, by definition, has no sound – so it literally cannot deafen anyone because there is no noise.

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

3Paper 1: Reading

3.1Paper 1: Reading - Section A

3.1.1Paper 1: Reading - Overview - Section A

3.1.2Paper 1: Reading - Answering Question 1

3.1.3Paper 1: Reading - Answering Question 2

3.1.4Exam-Style Questions - Paper 1: Reading

3.1.5Paper 1: Reading - Answering Question 3

3.1.6Paper 1: Reading - Answering Question 4

3.1.7End of Topic Test - Section A

3.1.8Exam-Style Questions - Paper 1: Reading

3.1.9Diagnostic Misconceptions - P1 Q1

3.1.10Diagnostic Misconceptions - P1 Q2

3.1.11Diagnostic Misconceptions - P1 Q3

3.1.12Diagnostic Misconceptions - P1 Q4 1

3.1.13Diagnostic Misconceptions - P1 Q4 2

4Paper 1: Writing

4.1Paper 1: Writing - Structuring Your Answer

4.1.1Paper 1: Writing - Overview - Section B

4.1.2Paper 1: Writing - Descriptive Writing

4.1.3Paper 1: Writing - Narrative Writing

4.1.4Paper 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 - Checklist

4.1.7End of Topic Test - Writing Section

4.1.8Exam-Style Questions - Paper 1: Writing

4.1.9Diagnostic Misconceptions - P1 Q5 1

4.1.10Diagnostic Misconceptions - P1 Q5 2

5Paper 2: Reading

5.1Paper 2: Reading - DAFORESTER

5.1.1Paper 2: Reading - Direct Address

5.1.2Paper 2: Reading - Alliteration

5.1.3Paper 2: Reading - Facts

5.1.4Paper 2: Reading - Opinions

5.1.5Paper 2: Reading - Repetition

5.1.6Paper 2: Reading - Exaggeration (Hyperbole)

5.1.7Paper 2: Reading - Statistics

5.1.8Paper 2: Reading - Triples (Rule of 3)

5.1.9Paper 2: Reading - Emotive Language

5.1.10Paper 2: Reading - Rhetorical Questions

5.1.11End of Topic Test - DAFORESTER

5.2Paper 2: Reading - Structuring Your Answer

5.2.1Paper 2: Reading - Overview - Section A

5.2.2Paper 2: Reading - Answering Question 1

5.2.3Paper 2: Reading - Answering Question 2

5.2.4Paper 2: Reading - Answering Question 3

5.2.5Exam-Style Questions - Paper 2: Reading

5.2.6Paper 2: Reading - Answering Question 4

5.2.7End of Topic Test - Section A

5.2.8Exam-Style Questions - Paper 2: Reading

5.2.9Diagnostic Misconceptions - P2 Q1

5.2.10Diagnostic Misconceptions - P2 Q2 1

5.2.11Diagnostic Misconceptions - P2 Q2 2

5.2.12Diagnostic Misconceptions - P2 Q4

6Paper 2: Writing

6.1Paper 2: Writing - Structuring Your Answer

6.1.1Paper 2: Writing - Overview - Section B

6.1.2Paper 2: Writing - Answering Section B

6.1.3Diagnostic Misconceptions - P2 Q5 1

6.1.4Diagnostic Misconceptions - P2 Q5 2

6.1.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - P2 Q5 3

6.2Types of Writing

6.2.1Paper 2: Writing - Article

6.2.2Paper 2: Writing - Essay

6.2.3Paper 2: Writing - Leaflet

6.2.4Paper 2: Writing - Letter

6.2.5Paper 2: Writing - Speech

6.2.6Paper 2: Writing - Review

6.2.7Paper 2: Writing - Travel Writing

6.2.8Paper 2: Writing - Diaries & Journals

6.2.9End of Topic Test - Types of Writing

6.3Writing to...

6.3.1Paper 2: Writing - Writing to Inform

6.3.2Paper 2: Writing - Writing to Inform - Example

6.3.3Paper 2: Writing - Writing to Explain

6.3.4Paper 2: Writing - Writing to Explain - Example

6.3.5Paper 2: Writing - Writing to Persuade

6.3.6Paper 2: Writing - Writing to Persuade - Example

6.3.7Paper 2: Writing - Writing to Argue

6.3.8Paper 2: Writing - Writing to Argue - Example

6.3.9Paper 2: Writing - Writing to Persuade vs Writing

6.3.10Paper 2: Writing - Writing to Advise

6.3.11Paper 2: Writing - Writing to Advise - Example

6.3.12End of Topic Test - Writing to...

6.3.13Exam-Style Questions - Paper 2: Writing

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