New
New
Year 11
Eduqas

Withholding information and timing revelations

I can explain the narrative techniques of withholding information and timing revelations.

New
New
Year 11
Eduqas

Withholding information and timing revelations

I can explain the narrative techniques of withholding information and timing revelations.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Withholding information is a powerful narrative technique for increasing reader engagement.
  2. You can withhold information about the who, what, where, when and how of a story.
  3. Readers can respond in different ways to the withholding of information.
  4. Timing the revelation of the full information affects how your reader responds to the story.

Keywords

  • To withhold - to keep something back

  • To reveal - to make known or show something that was previously secret

  • Resourceful - skilled at solving problems and making decisions on your own

  • Resilience - the ability to continue to be happy and positive after something difficult or bad has happened

Common misconception

Students often think that they should show or tell the key details of a story immediately.

Encourage them to think about mysteries and thrillers which keep the identify of the villain secret.

Avoid giving context about the book until they have read the extract. You want to keep alive the wonder about what is this amazing machine.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need access to the Prologue to 'The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind' by William Kamkwamba.

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).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following is the best synonym for suspense?
joy
Correct answer: tension
clarity
resolution
Q2.
Which of the following is a synonym for 'secret'?
public
Correct answer: hidden
obvious
transparent
Q3.
Which of the following is the best definition of the function of an adjective?
to connect words, phrases or clauses
Correct answer: to describe or modify a noun or pronoun
to show action or state of being
to show an action or state of being
Q4.
In the following sentence, which two words are adjectives: 'The old house creaked in the stormy wind.'?
Correct answer: old
house
creaked
Correct answer: stormy
wind
Q5.
What word beginning with 'A' describes a first person account of someone's life?
Correct Answer: autobiography, an autobiography
Q6.
Which of the following is the best description of a 'twist' in a story?
a gradual buildup of background information
an elaboration on the characters' motivations
a predictable outcome based on the story's events
Correct answer: an unexpected change in the direction or outcome of the plot

6 Questions

Q1.
If you are able to recover and carry on after setbacks, you are...
innovative.
imaginative.
Correct answer: resilient.
Q2.
Which of the following is the closest synonym for "resourceful"?
Correct answer: inventive
dull
hesitant
rigid
interesting
Q3.
In which African country do the events of 'Harnessing the Wind' take place?
Correct Answer: Malawi
Q4.
In 'Harnessing the Wind,' why does William Kamkwamba build a windmill?
Correct answer: to make electricity for his village
to take part in a national programme of utility building
in order to bring gas to the village
to encourage people to study physics
Q5.
Withholding information from the reader can increase their...
overall understanding of the story.
appreciation of the writer's vocabulary choices.
Correct answer: sense of anticipation and suspense.
answers to the their questions.
Q6.
In a narrative, you can withhold information about who, how, when, what, where and ...
Correct Answer: why