19th century novel — Language and structure

What you'll learn

1. 1

   Imagine your favourite film — the way a director uses music, camera angles and lighting to make you feel scared or happy. That's like language and structure in a novel!

2. 2

   What does 'structure' mean in a story?

3. 3

   Let's look at an opening from 'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens.

4. 4

   Now you try! Read this sentence: 'It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents.' Tap the correct label for each part.

5. 5

   In the sentence 'It was a dark and stormy night', which word is an example of language (a descriptive word)?

6. 6

   Now let's look at structure: how the story is ordered.

7. 7

   Why might a writer start a story with a stormy scene?