Interactive Literary Worksheet

Excerpt: The Picture of Dorian Gray (adapted)

The room was filled with a strange silence, as though the air itself was waiting. Dorian stood before the portrait, unable to look away. The face in the painting had changed again — the expression was more cruel, more knowing, as if it had learned secrets no human should understand.

He felt a cold shiver pass through him, though the fire behind him burned brightly. How could something so still feel so alive? The eyes of the portrait seemed to follow him, accusing him without words.

Dorian stepped back, his hand trembling. “It is not I,” he whispered, though the room offered no answer. Only the painted face remained, silent and unchanging in its terrible truth.

1. Vocabulary & Meaning (Matching)

Match the words with their meanings:

silence

shiver

accused

portrait

A. To be blamed or judged

B. A painted image of a person

C. Lack of sound

D. A sudden feeling of cold or fear

2. Literary Devices

Identify the literary device in each phrase:

“The room was filled with a strange silence.”

“The eyes of the portrait seemed to follow him.”

Answer: ______________________

3. Tone (IMPORTANT TASK)

What is the tone of the passage?

Choose one and explain:

a) joyful and romantic

b) dark and mysterious

c) humorous and light

Explanation (2–3 sentences):

4. Short Response

What effect does the portrait have on Dorian? (3–4 sentences)

5. Imagery Analysis

Find one example of imagery in the text and explain it.

Example: ______________________

Explanation: ______________________

6. Interpretation

What do you think the portrait symbolizes in this passage? (5–6 sentences)

Complete the paragraph with the correct continuous forms of the verbs in parentheses.

This ESL worksheet allows your advanced students to practice their knowledge of the Past Perfect Simple and the Past Perfect Continuous by completing a fill-in-the-blanks exercise.

communication verbs