English LiteratureYears 10–11Essay Technique

Critical vocabulary

Use subject-specific terminology accurately (e.g. pathetic fallacy, dramatic irony, enjambment, caesura)

What you'll learn

  1. 1

    Imagine you're a detective reading a poem. The word 'bleak' means cold, empty, and sad — like a lonely beach in winter. 🏖️

  2. 2

    Which picture matches 'bleak' best? 🏖️

  3. 3

    Let's look at this sentence: 'The house stood on a bleak hill.' What does 'bleak' tell us?

  4. 4

    Drag the right mood word to match the sentence: 'The forest was dark and silent.'

  5. 5

    Which word means cold, empty, and sad?

  6. 6

    Now you try: Write a short sentence using 'bleak' to describe a place.

  7. 7

    Which sentence uses 'bleak' correctly?

Practise Critical vocabulary with Whizlo

Free AI-tutored lessons, unlimited practice questions, and progress tracking for ages 14–16. Aligned to the UK National Curriculum.