Lesson video

Hi, everyone, and welcome to our lesson.

Today we are going to be planning for our setting and character description based off the first two stanzas of "The Highwayman" narrative poem.

In today's lesson, you will be using some of these key words.

"Adverbial detail," "complex sentence," "figurative language," "atmosphere." Well done.

"Adverbial detail" tells the reader when, where, or how something happened.

A "complex sentence" is a sentence formed of at least one main clause and any type of subordinate clause.

"Figurative language" is the use of simile, metaphor, and personification to create vivid imagery.

"Atmosphere" involves how a writer constructs their writing to convey emotions and mood to the reader.

Today, you will be able to use your understanding of "The Highwayman" to plan an atmospheric setting and character description.

Today, we're planning a setting and character description based on "The Highwayman".

We're going to begin with a recap of complex sentences and then we'll move on to planning the setting and character description.

A "complex sentence" is a sentence consisting of a main clause and a subordinate clause.

A main clause contains a verb and makes sense on its own.

A subordinate clause also contains a verb, but it does not make sense on its own.

There are different types of subordinate clause.

There are three types of complex sentence that we have been learning about across different units.

Firstly, we've learned about an adverbial complex sentence, non-finite complex sentence, and the relative complex sentence.

Match the clause types to their definitions and pause the video while you do that.

Well done if you spotted that a main clause contains a verb and makes sense on its own, whilst the subordinate clause contains a verb and does not make sense on its own.

We can tell the type of complex sentence from the word that starts the subordinate clause.

Let's read this sentence together.

"As the moon illuminated the sky, the howling wind tore the trees' branches." Here, our subordinate clause is highlighted in purple.

"As the moon illuminated the sky." This is a subordinate clause.

It contains a verb, which is "illuminated," but it wouldn't make sense as a sentence on its own.

Here, the first word of our subordinate clause is "as." This is a subordinating conjunction.

Examples of these are "as," "when," "before," "after." Other examples include "because" and "whilst." This is an adverbial complex sentence.

We know this because our subordinate clause starts with a subordinating conjunction.

Here, we've got a different type of complex sentence.

Let's read it together.

"The masked rider, who brandished his pistol, rode rapidly across the moor." This time, our subordinate clause is "who brandished his pistol," and it starts with the word "who." This is a relative pronoun.

We can use "who" or "which" as relative pronouns.

For that reason, we know that this is a relative complex sentence.

The third and final type of complex sentence is here.

Let's read this example together.

"Hiding behind the clouds, the moon hung like a ghostly galleon in the night sky." This time, the first word of our subordinate clause is "hiding." This is a progressive tense verb with the -ing suffix.

We know it's progressive tense because it ends with that -ing.

For that reason, we know that this is a non-finite subordinate clause, which forms a non-finite complex sentence when we add it to a main clause.

Now it's time for your task.

Match the complex sentence types to their examples and pause the video while you do that.

Well done if you spotted that an adverbial complex sentence was "whilst the wind whistled deafeningly, the clouds obscured the moon." We know this because the first word here is "whilst" and this is an example of a subordinating conjunction.

The non-finite complex sentence was "bending against the wind's force, the trees cast eerie shadows along the winding path." "Bending" is a verb in the progressive form and we know that 'cause it's got the -ing suffix, "bending." So therefore, we know this is a non-finite complex sentence.

And finally, the relative complex sentence was "A mysterious figure, who travelled on horseback, rode across the deserted moor." Here, our subordinate clause is "who travelled on horseback" and it begins with the relative pronoun "who," so this means it's a relative clause.

Now, we're going to move on to planning the setting and character description for our writing on "The Highwayman." When we're describing the setting, we will use stanza one from "The Highwayman" poem to inform our writing.

So let's just make that really clear.

"The Highwayman" is a narrative poem, which is a poem that tells a story.

We are going to base our narrative writing off this poem.

We are not writing our own poem.

We are writing our own story based on the events of this poem written by Alfred Noyes.

Let's reread stanza one together.

Remember, this is a really atmospheric poem and stanza one in particular builds lots of suspense and really hooks the reader in.

"The Highwayman" by Alfred Noyce.

The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees.

The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas.

The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor, and the highwayman came riding- riding- riding- The highwayman came riding up to the old inn-door.

Throughout our setting and character description, we will use a range of figurative language to hook the reader in and build atmosphere.

That is the whole purpose of our setting and character description.

We want to make our reader absolutely desperate to read on and find out what happens next.

Figurative language we have learned about includes all these.

"Metaphor," "alliteration," "personification." We can also use linguistic devices such as alliteration and repetition to further create atmosphere in our writing.

Match the figurative language and linguistic devices to their definitions.

Pause the video while you do that.

Well done if you spotted that a metaphor compares two things by saying that one thing is another.

A simile compares two things using "like" or "as." Personification assigns human characteristics to non-human things.

Repetition is the repeating of key words and phrases, and alliteration is when many words begin with the same letter.

We will use the following structure in our setting and character description.

So we're going to start up in the sky.

So when we're describing the sky above, we are going to be describing the sky itself, the moon, the stars, and the clouds.

Then we're gonna come slightly down and focus on the landscape.

So the trees, the moor itself, and the wind.

Then we're gonna come down further, this time focusing on the ground level.

So the path, the heather, and the grass.

And finally, we are going to introduce our main character, the Highwayman.

Now when we are planning our character and setting description, we want to describe what can be seen but also what can be heard because this will really bring our writing to life.

Including adverbial detail in our writing helps the reader understand when, where, or how something happened.

We can do this by including adverbs or adverbial phrases of time, place, and manner.

The only difference between these two is an adverb is one word, whereas an adverbial phrase is a group of words that explains when, where, or how something happened.

But they both have the same purpose.

Here are some examples of adverbials of time.

"Afterwards," "at midnight." So for example, "At midnight, the bell rang." Here now are some adverbials of place.

"Outside," "along the horizon." Outside a car horn could be heard blaring.

And lastly, adverbial of manner.

"Rapidly," "with a wild shriek." "Rapidly, the Highwayman galloped on his horse towards the inn." All of these are really important because they help our reader to understand exactly what is happening in greater detail.

Match the adverbials of time, place, and manner to their examples.

Pause the video while you do that.

Well done if you spotted that an adverbial of time was "in the early hours of the morning." This is an adverbial phrase 'cause it's a group of words explaining when something happened.

An adverbial of place is "through the skeletal trees." This is another phrase because it's a group of words explaining where something happened and an adverbial of manner is "viciously." This is an adverb 'cause it's one word explaining how something happened.

When we plan, we use notes.

Notes are concise and capture vocabulary and information.

The purpose of notes is to help the writer to organise information easily for future use.

We use bullet points when note-taking.

They look like this.

Here's the planning format we are going to use to describe the setting and the character.

So we're gonna, again, start with the sky, coming down to the landscape, down to grind level, and finally, introducing the Highwayman to the scene.

So let's begin with describing the sky.

Writing in note form, record ideas to describe the sky.

Include adverbial detail and figurative language where appropriate.

Also, you should revert back to stanza one to describe what is happening in the sky, focusing on the sky, the moon, the stars, and the clouds.

Pause the video while you do that and then we can share some ideas.

Well done if you've included some adverbial detail and some figurative language.

Here are some of my ideas.

They're gonna be a bit different to yours, but you can also magpie some of my ideas or edit some of yours if you would like to add more to your plan.

So I've gone with a couple of adverbials and I've written them with capital letters and commas after them 'cause I'm gonna use them as fronted adverbial to open some sentences.

So, "In the darkest hour of the night" or "As midnight struck." I really like both of those adverbials of time so I've decided to write them both down, and then when I come to writing, I can choose one.

Now, in the poem, the moon was described as a ghostly galleon.

So I've actually magpied the adjective "ghostly" to describe the moon.

The ghostly moon sailed the sea of clouds.

Now, the ghostly moon didn't actually sail on a sea of clouds, this is a metaphor when we say that one thing is another or one thing is doing something that they aren't actually doing.

But this helps my reader picture the image of the moon almost bobbing among these clouds that are and blowing past 'cause of the wind.

We could also say that the moon was a ghostly silver orb.

I could use that expanded noun phrase.

And again, that's a metaphor.

"The stars dressed the night sky like pearls or diamonds." So this is a nice simile 'cause I'm saying that they dressed the sky like diamonds or pearls.

Remember, comparing two things using "like" or "as" is a simile.

I could also describe the colour of the sky.

I might say that it is pitch black or that it is an ink black sky.

Now, it's time for us to record some language to describe the landscape.

Include adverbial detail and figurative language where appropriate.

So here, we're gonna be focusing on describing the trees.

What were they doing? Remember, there was a very strong wind.

How would that have affected the trees? What sounds might the trees have made with their branches? What sounds might the wind have made? Remember, it's a really stormy night.

And also, the moor.

What did it look like? You know, what size is the moor? Might refer to the purple heather that covered the moor.

Pause the video now while you record ideas to describe the landscape and then we can share some ideas.

Well done, everyone.

Now, I've decided to include an adverbial subordinate clause.

That's why I've written "As" here with a capital A and I've followed it with a comma because I want to make sure that this is how I open one of my sentences.

So that's gonna be a complex sentence.

"As the howling wind swept over the lonely, desolate moor." So I've done a couple of things here.

I've referred to the sound of the wind, 'cause remember, I wanna think about sounds as well.

The howling wind.

So I've personified the wind 'cause the wind doesn't actually howl, does it? But I've brought the wind to life using that term "howling." I've also personified the moor.

You can't actually, a moor can't actually be lonely or desolate because those are feelings that humans have.

But again, I'm personifying the moor to bring this to life from my reader.

"The vast," that means big.

"The vast moor was blanketed by purple heather." So rather than just saying that purple heather grew all over the moor, this is a more poetic way to describe it.

I'm almost, again, personifying purple heather as if it's wrapping the moor up and trying to protect it like a blanket.

I could describe the landscape as the gloomy, blustery land.

So "blustery" would suggest really windy and windswept.

And I've also gone for "The bare, broken trees begged for mercy from the relentless wind." So I included some alliteration here.

"Bare," so they've got no leaves on them and they are broken because of this wind, which is pummeling them and attacking them, so the branches are broken.

So "The bare, broken trees begged for mercy." So that's almost as if I've personified the trees to say they're pleading for the wind to be merciful and give them a break.

Because the wind is so relentless, it means it won't leave them alone.

It's battering them and bashing them as it sweeps across the moor in this storm.

Now, we are going to describe ground level.

So here, we're going to be thinking about the path, the heather, and the grass.

So writing in note form, record ideas to describe the ground level.

Include adverbial detail and figurative language where this is appropriate and then we can share some ideas.

Pause the video now while you do that.

Brilliant work, everyone.

So I'm mindful, for me, that I've included an adverbial subordinate clause.

I would also like to include a non-finite subordinate clause to help me remember to use a non-finite complex sentence.

And remember, a non-finite subordinate clause starts with a verb with the -ing suffix, so it's in the progressive form.

So "winding across the moor," that's something that the path was doing.

So winding across the mirror, I can describe the path as moonlit.

"The moonlit path stretched like a silvery ribbon." So I've used a simile here, "like a silvery ribbon." I'm also gonna refer to the sounds of the grass.

"The grass sighed," (sighs) "and swayed eerily in the darkness." So I've personified the grass, 'cause grass can't actually sigh.

Only people living things can sigh.

"The grass sighed and swayed eerily in the darkness." So I've referred to the sigh the grass is making in the wind and also how it's moving, again, to bring this whole scene to life for my reader.

And now we're gonna bring our Highway man into the poem.

Let's just reread stanza two now.

So when we are describing the Highwayman, we will use stanza two from the poem to inform our writing.

'Cause stanza one was all about the setting and stanza two is all about the Highwayman, so let's reread this bit together.

"He'd a French-cocked hat on his forehead, a bunch of lace at his chin, a coat of the claret velvet, and breaches of brown doe-skin.

They fitted with never a wrinkle.

His boots were up to the thigh.

And he rode with a jewelled twinkle, his pistol butts a-twinkle, his rapier hilt a-twinkle, under the jewelled sky." So now, you are going to write in note form and record some ideas to describe the Highwayman.

Included adverbial detail and figurative language where appropriate.

So when you're describing the Highwayman, you might want to mention that he's got a horse, his appearance, any weapons he has, and also, what's he doing? So we know that he was riding across the moor.

Pause the video now while you do that.

Brilliant work, everybody.

So again, I'm gonna begin with some verbs here to describe the Highwayman and what he was doing.

So I might say "racing" or "charging" or "dashing" or "hurtling." All those words mean travelling at speed.

I'm not gonna be using all four of those progressive verbs in my writing.

Whenever I come to write, I'm just gonna choose my favourite one, but these were four powerful verbs that I thought would work really well and a really sort of dramatic way to introduce the Highwayman.

Rather than starting by describing his appearance, I want to start with him racing across the moor and then describe his appearance afterwards so my reader feels really intrigued and wants to know what exactly he's doing and why.

I also have decided to refer to him as a mysterious figure.

Or maybe you could refer to him as a masked rider.

So not immediately telling our reader that he's a highwayman is quite a nice way to get them engaged and hooked in and maybe ask some questions about who he is.

He rode on horseback.

I could also refer to his horse as a powerful steed.

I'm also going to magpie that word "claret velvet" from the poem itself.

"So his claret velvet," remember claret means dark red.

"His claret velvet coat streamed behind him like a flag." So remember, he's on the horse and the horse is galloping and racing really quickly and he's got a long red coat on.

So whenever he's riding across the moor and that wind and at such speed, the coat is flailing like behind him.

"Like a flag." This is an example of a simile.

"And his pistol and his rapier glinted in the moonlight." You can magpie any ideas from my plan to add to your own plan, or if you've had some additional ideas of your own, make sure you add them now.

Well done, everyone.

And that now brings us to the end of our lesson where we have been planning a setting and character description based on "The Highwayman".

Today, we have learned that a complex sentence consists of a main clause and a subordinate clause, and using a range of different complex sentences, as well as other sentence types, helps our writing flow and keeps the reader engaged.

When planning, we record our ideas in note form and use bullet points.

We can create an atmosphere in our writing by using a range of linguistic devices and figurative language.

Including adverbial detail helps the reader understand when, where, or how something happened.

Well done, everyone.

I have been so impressed with the learning we've done today, and I hope you're feeling really proud of the planning that you've done in our lesson today and excited to put those plans to good use when we come to writing.