New
New
Year 10
Eduqas

Considering and emulating the use of hyperbole in opinion writing

I can use hyperbole in opinion writing to engage readers and craft a relatable written voice.

New
New
Year 10
Eduqas

Considering and emulating the use of hyperbole in opinion writing

I can use hyperbole in opinion writing to engage readers and craft a relatable written voice.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. We can use contextual information to make predictions about what we expect to see in a text.
  2. Forming a personal response to a text involves considering how the writer's attitude changes as a text progresses.
  3. Hyperbole is when writers exaggerate for dramatic effect.
  4. Hyperbole can help readers to empathise with and relate to a writer.
  5. It can also help to build suspense and maintain ready engagement.

Common misconception

Hyperbole and exaggeration are the same thing.

Exaggeration is a broad term for overstating something beyond the truth, while hyperbole is a specific type of exaggeration used deliberately for emphasis or effect, often in a dramatic or humorous way.

Keywords

  • Hyperbole - exaggerated claims not meant to be taken literally, used for emphasis

  • Opinion writing - writing that expresses personal views on a topic, backed by reasoning, to persuade or inform readers

  • Rhetorical question - questions posed for effect, not requiring an answer, to emphasise a point

  • Colloquial - informal language used in everyday conversation

  • Empathise - understanding and sharing the feelings of another person, showing emotional connection

In order to prepare for Task B, you could show students videos of past Glastonbury performances (or other music festivals). This may help those who are unfamiliar with them.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need access to a copy of the Telegraph article 'Are we having fun yet?' by Elizabeth Day (2005). A copy of it can be found in the additional materials.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is opinion writing?
writing that presents unbiased, factual information
writing that tells a fictional story
writing that explains how to complete a task
Correct answer: writing that shares personal views on a topic
Q2.
What is a rhetorical question?
a question asked to get information
a question meant to be answered literally
Correct answer: a question used to make a point or emphasise something
a question that introduces new data
Q3.
Which of these is an example of colloquial language?
Correct answer: "I'll give you a hand with that."
"The hypothesis was proven incorrect."
"The results were conclusive."
"The document was thoroughly reviewed."
Q4.
What does it mean to form a personal response to a text?
to memorise and recite the text word for word
to analyse the text's structure and language
Correct answer: to express your own feelings, thoughts and interpretations about the text
to summarise the main points of the text
Q5.
What does subtle mean?
obvious and straightforward
easily noticeable and clear
Correct answer: not immediately obvious
loud and attention-grabbing
Q6.
When responding to a text, which of the options below could be useful synonyms for 'this suggests'?
Correct answer: this implies
Correct answer: this illustrates
this confirms
this concludes
Correct answer: this hints at

6 Questions

Q1.
What is being described here: 'exaggerated claims not meant to be taken literally, used for emphasis'?
Correct Answer: hyperbole
Q2.
Which of the following contexts is useful to consider when forming your initial response to a non-fiction text?
Correct answer: who has written the text
Correct answer: when it was written
the text's conclusion
how long the text is
Correct answer: what form it is
Q3.
Elizabeth Day's article is called 'Are we there yet?'. What inferences can we make from the title?
this may be a formal, academic article
Correct answer: this article may be about the writer's personal experience
Correct answer: this article may have a cynical tone
this article was written by a parent
Q4.
Which of these is an example of hyperbole?
Correct answer: I have a ton of homework
The results were statistically significant.
She explained the concept clearly.
The meeting was scheduled for 10 a.m.
Q5.
Complete this sentence: We can use contextual information to make about what we expect to see in a text.
Correct Answer: predictions
Q6.
What two effects does Day's use of hyperbole create?
Correct answer: It builds suspense and maintains reader engagement.
Correct answer: It helps readers to empathise with her.
It helps to break up a series of long sentences.
It helps to vary the pace of the text when read aloud.

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