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Year 10
Eduqas

Considering and emulating onomatopoeia and alliteration in speech writing

I can use alliteration and onomatopoeia in a speech to highlight and emphasise key ideas.

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Year 10
Eduqas

Considering and emulating onomatopoeia and alliteration in speech writing

I can use alliteration and onomatopoeia in a speech to highlight and emphasise key ideas.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Alliteration and onomatopoeia are both types of aural devices because they link to the sounds in a speech.
  2. Alliteration involves repeating the same consonant sounds in adjacent or connected words to emphasise key ideas.
  3. Onomatopoeia is using words that closely resemble the sounds they represent in order to grab the audience’s attention.
  4. These devices are useful in speeches because they allow you to draw attention to key ideas/central messages.

Keywords

  • Onomatopoeia - the use of words that imitate the sounds associated with them, like 'buzz' or 'clang'

  • Alliteration - repetition of the same initial consonant sound in closely positioned words, e.g 'terribly tall trees'

  • Initial response - the first reaction or reply given to a statement or stimulus, often immediate and spontaneous

  • Emphasise - give special importance to something in order to highlight its significance or draw attention

Common misconception

Alliteration and onomatopoeia are devices used only in fiction writing (e.g. stories).

Alliteration and onomatopoeia are both types of aural device because they link to how writers use sounds. This means they are particularly useful for speeches because they are delivered aloud (as opposed to read).


To help you plan your year 10 english lesson on: Considering and emulating onomatopoeia and alliteration in speech writing, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

You may wish to watch examples of famous speeches and identify how they use aural devices for effect.
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Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
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Supervision

Adult supervision required

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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following means 'words used to refer to people without saying their name'?
discourse markers
anaphora
possessive pronouns
Correct answer: personal pronouns
Q2.
Speeches and opinion pieces can be considered what type of writing?
Correct answer: transactional writing
creative writing
essay writing
evaluative writing
Q3.
'When a word or phrase is repeated at the beginning of a number of sentences or clauses.' What device is being described here?
Correct Answer: Anaphora
Q4.
Anaphora and a refrain are both examples of repetitious devices. Why can repetition be effective in a speech?
It confuses the audience and makes the message unclear.
Correct answer: It enhances the audience's engagement and helps reinforce the main message.
It makes you sound like an expert and people are more likely to believe you.
It isn't - in fact, it can make your speech boring and difficult to follow.
Q5.
Lucas was given some feedback to make his speech more engaging and make it seem like he is speaking to an actual audience. Which of the below would be good things for Lucas to include to achieve this?
Correct answer: direct address
Correct answer: personal pronouns
similes
complex sentences
detailed explanations
Q6.
When given a statement to write about a speech about, what is the first thing you should do?
Choose which methods you'll use in your speech and write some examples.
Decide what your counter argument will be.
Decide how many paragraphs you'll need to write.
Correct answer: Make notes about your initial response to the statement.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is onomatopoeia?
The repetition of vowel sounds in a line of text.
Correct answer: Words that imitate sounds.
The use of parallel structure in writing.
A figure of speech where two contradictory terms are combined.
Q2.
What is alliteration?
The use of exaggerated statements for effect.
A comparison using "like" or "as."
The repetition of vowel sounds in a sentence.
Correct answer: The repetition of the same initial consonant sound in closely placed words.
Q3.
Which of these things should you avoid when using onomatopoeia?
Correct answer: using too many examples too close together
using to represent sounds outside of the natural world
using it in the same sentence as alliteration
not matching the words with the tone/subject of the speech
Q4.
Which of these things should you avoid when using alliteration?
Correct answer: using too many examples too close together
Correct answer: distract from your main points by not focusing on the key ideas
using alliteration on the final line of a speech
using alliteration in conjunction with other devices
Q5.
What does it mean to 'emphasise' something?
To briefly mention it without detail.
To completely ignore it in a discussion.
Correct answer: To give special importance or prominence to it.
To confuse it with unrelated topics.
Q6.
Onomatopoeia and alliteration are both aural devices. This means they both link to...
structure
Correct answer: sounds
imagery
opinions