The Taming of the Shrew Act 2 Activities Shakespeares language

These are three difficult exercises, but they will reveal a lot about Shakespeares
craftsmanship. They will also help you with your own writing.
Sentences in single syllables
Go through Act 2 but read aloud only one-line sentences that only contain single syllable
words in them. The first is line 22,
If that be jest, then all the rest was so.
The last monosyllabic line in the act is line 394,
Yet I have faced it with a card of ten.
Make a list of all of these sentences and their line locations.
Think about when these sentences come up and what they are saying. Why do you think
Shakespeare used them?

The Taming of the Shrew Act 2 Activities Shakespeares language

These are three difficult exercises, but they will reveal a lot about Shakespeares
craftsmanship. They will also help you with your own writing.
Sentences in single syllables
Go through Act 2 but read aloud only one-line sentences that only contain single syllable
words in them. The first is line 22,
If that be jest, then all the rest was so.
The last monosyllabic line in the act is line 394,
Yet I have faced it with a card of ten.
Make a list of all of these sentences and their line locations.
Think about when these sentences come up and what they are saying. Why do you think
Shakespeare used them?

The Taming of the Shrew Act 2 Activities Shakespeares language

These are three difficult exercises, but they will reveal a lot about Shakespeares
craftsmanship. They will also help you with your own writing.
Rhymes
Go through Act 2 but read aloud only pairs of lines which rhyme. Make a list of all these
rhyming couplets and their line location.
Think about when these rhyming couplets come up and what they are saying. Why do you
think Shakespeare used them? How does the sound help you to understand the meaning
and emotions?

The Taming of the Shrew Act 2 Activities Shakespeares language

These are three difficult exercises, but they will reveal a lot about Shakespeares
craftsmanship. They will also help you with your own writing.
Rhymes
Go through Act 2 but read aloud only pairs of lines which rhyme. Make a list of all these
rhyming couplets and their line location.
Think about when these rhyming couplets come up and what they are saying. Why do you
think Shakespeare used them? How does the sound help you to understand the meaning
and emotions?

The Taming of the Shrew Act 2 Activities Shakespeares language

These are three difficult exercises, but they will reveal a lot about Shakespeares
craftsmanship. They will also help you with your own writing.
Know, known, knowledge
Words connected with knowing abound in the play. Read through Act 2 but read aloud
only those sentences which contain words associated with knowing. Make a list of all of
these sentences and their line locations.
Think about when these sentences come up and what they are saying. Why do you think
Shakespeare used them? Why do you think so many of these words occur?

The Taming of the Shrew Act 2 Activities Shakespeares language

These are three difficult exercises, but they will reveal a lot about Shakespeares
craftsmanship. They will also help you with your own writing.
Know, known, knowledge
Words connected with knowing abound in the play. Read through Act 2 but read aloud
only those sentences which contain words associated with knowing. Make a list of all of
these sentences and their line locations.
Think about when these sentences come up and what they are saying. Why do you think
Shakespeare used them? Why do you think so many of these words occur?

The Taming of the Shrew Act 2 Activities Shakespeares language

These are three difficult exercises, but they will reveal a lot about Shakespeares
craftsmanship. They will also help you with your own writing.
Alliteration
This scene contains frequent use of alliteration (the repetition of a sound at the beginning
of words e.g. she sells sea-shells). Read through Act 2 and find any examples of alliteration.
Make a list of all of these examples and their line locations.
Think about when these examples come up and what they are saying. Why do you think
Shakespeare used them? What feeling do the alliterations give?

The Taming of the Shrew Act 2 Activities Shakespeares language

These are three difficult exercises, but they will reveal a lot about Shakespeares
craftsmanship. They will also help you with your own writing.
Alliteration
This scene contains frequent use of alliteration (the repetition of a sound at the beginning
of words e.g. she sells sea-shells). Read through Act 2 and find any examples of alliteration.
Make a list of all of these examples and their line locations.
Think about when these examples come up and what they are saying. Why do you think
Shakespeare used them? What feeling do the alliterations give?