Adjectives in scary stories

Activity 1


Remember the scary elements of the previous lesson?

Adjectives can be used to describe these elements in more detail, creating or amplifying (versterken) their 'scaryness'.

 

For example:

     "The wind"

is just the wind. It might be refreshingly cool, or warm and blowing Sahara sand in your eye.


Let's create a more specific situation:

"The wind is blowing around the house while Henry waits in the living room after sundown."

This can be creepy in the right context. Or maybe Henry is just waiting for his wife to get her coat so they can take a walk on the beach, which they often do after dinner.


Now, let's add adjectives (and alternative verbs) to really set the scene:

"An unsettling howling wind shakes the crooked wooden shutters in front of the cracked windows, and forces bursts of icy rain through the alarmingly large gap under the locked and bolted front door. You're anxiously waiting in the freezing, dust-covered living room, praying that it is enough to keep the enormous, deadly beasts that roam around the deserted house on moonlit nights like these outside this time."

There is hardly any room for interpretation this time, the adjectives paint the scary picture.

 

 

Activity 2:

Pick a random letter from the alphabet, or divide the letters from the alphabet evenly amongst your classmates.
Find at least three adjectives that begin with your letter.
Share these three adjectives + their Dutch translation + an examplifying sentence in which the adjective is used with your classmates.
Your teacher will tell you if you can share them in a common Excel sheet, Word document or Padlet.

Tip! Want a real challenge? Go for the letters x, y, z or q.

 

Activity 3:

Think of at least 2 nouns with multiple adjectives in front of them (at least 2), to possibly use in your own short story for your portfolio assignment. Be creative.

Tip! Besides using resources like the dictionary and the internet, you can use the list of adjectives you've made with our classmates for the previous activity.