◼ develop skills to ◼ develop

◼ explore links and ◼ use spelling,

Analysis of a analyse how writers transactional writing
connections between punctuation and
range of non- use linguistic and skills for a variety of
writers’ ideas and grammar
fiction texts: structural devices to purposes and
perspectives. accurately.
achieve their effects audiences

 make your points with ‘TEA’: technique, evidence, achievement

• comment on how the author (use his/her name) uses language to achieve his/her aims

• quote lots and lots, but only two or three words at a time: examiners say that weaker candidates rely on
long quotations

• show awareness that there is always more than one way of responding

• “Embed” quotations in sentences

• Quote very often and usually only one or two words

• Develop points (make more than one observation about a quotation, or cross-reference with something
else in the article)

• Do not summarise content

• Remember to comment on how the language contributes to the overall concerns of the article

• Organise your ideas into paragraphs and begin each with a clear ‘topic sentence’ (i.e. a sentence
explaining the focus of the paragraph).

These are the techniques you should be able to identify for your English GCSE:

 Words: are they simple or difficult, formal or informal?

 Sentences: are they short or long?

 Paragraphs: are they short or long? Are they all the same length, or do some stand out for
emphasis or dramatic effect?

 Personal pronouns: does the text use the personal pronoun ‘you’ or ‘we’ to address the reader?
Using ‘we’ is a technique the text could use to create a close personal relationship.

 Persuasive techniques: does the writer use rhetorical questions (eg “Have you ever wondered
what it would be like to be a billionaire?”), groups of three (eg “The good, the bad and the ugly…”)
or alliteration (eg “sizzling sunshine”)? These can all be used to persuade the reader to feel a
certain way about something.

 Discourse markers: does the writer use casual, chatty discourse markers (eg “anyway, you know
what I mean, so”) or more formal ones (eg “nevertheless, therefore, however”)?

 Emotive vocabulary: are the words colourful (eg “extraordinary, teeming, resplendent”) or plain
(eg “good, full of, organised”).
  Exclamations: does the writing sound angry and argumentative (eg “This must stop…” or “We must
think again…”) or is the writing more thoughtful (eg “probably, it might be, on the other hand”).

 Facts and opinions: does the text use lots of facts and statistics or are there more opinions? Is the
text intended to inform or to persuade, review and entertain?

What methods are used:

 They use language that sounds convincing – this is called rhetorical language.

 They use language that affects your emotions – this is called emotivelanguage.

 The use of the personal pronoun ‘you’ is called the direct address pronoun: it can be used to add a
personal touch and engages the reader; it sounds friendly, inviting and even confiding (e.g. ‘Have
faith in us; you just know it makes sense’).

 When used as an inclusive pronoun, ‘we’ can make the reader seem to be a part of a special group
of people (e.g. ‘We’re all in this together, aren’t we?’) ; as an exclusive pronoun it can separate
groups of people (e.g. ‘We’re working for a better world. Will you help?’).

 The use of interesting, short anecdotes adds interest and engages the reader’s attention (e.g. ‘Let
me tell you about John, a poor beggar in Ethiopia…’)..

 The use of hyperbole can create a persuasive impact (e.g. ‘This earth-shattering event will blow
your mind away!’).

 Description creates imagery that can be very engaging and involving, even persuasive. It can be
made very vivid and used to create mood and emotion (e.g. ‘Like a sliver of shiny steel, the white
crescent moon cut a gash in the heavens’). Look for the use of effective metaphors, similes and
emotive language.

 Facts and opinions are used to support a writer’s point of view or argument but you must be able
to separate worthwhile from biased facts and facts from factually stated opinions, always
recognising how reasonable and effective the evidence really is.

 Rhetorical questions imply their own answer engage and help to persuade the reader. They help
make a point in a more powerful and emotional way.

 Repetition and lists of three can be effective persuasive devices.

 Personal viewpoint or ‘direct address’ (when I… / We… speaks to you… ) can create a friendly tone
and involve the reader.

 Structure allows an effective build up of a persuasive series of points.

 Tone – a formal tone can add authority and sound authentic or sincere; an informal, or even
conversational tone can add warmth and fun – it can be very persuasive, too.

 Quotations and evidence from expert sources are used to provide support and create added
authority.

 Sentence style can be varied to add interest – and a very short sentence can add real impact. Can’t
it?

 Captions add meaning and guide the reader to respond in a certain way to an illustration or a
photograph.
https://www.savemyexams.co.uk/igcse/english-language/cie/20/revision-notes/paper-1/analysis/
analysis/

Sentence Length

Look out for when writers vary the length of their sentences. Good writing has varied sentence lengths –
it’s not just one long sentences after another! That would just be boring. Think about why they’ve chosen a
short sentence after a few long ones – is it to emphasise a point? To shock the reader? To increase pace for
excitement or dramatic effect?If the writer has noticeably varied their sentence lengths, then comment on
that as a technique and explain why you think they did it.

Exam Tip

For extra marks in the exam, specify the sentence type. Is it a simple sentence, a compound sentence, a
complex sentence, a compound-complex sentence? Is the short sentence they’ve used actually a fragment
sentence? It’s worth brushing up on these when you’re revising as it might get you a couple of extra marks!

Connotations

The writer has chosen specific words and phrases very carefully – usually because they’re loaded with
connotations which have a particular effect on the reader. A word’s basic connotations
are positive or negative, which is always a good place to start! But try to be more specific about the effect:
does the writer want to make you outraged, or upset, or amused etc? So if the writer uses quite a powerful
and impactful word, cut it out of the sentence and hold it up to the light on its own; what other meanings
can you see there? Does it radiate a particular emotion? Do you think the writer has consciously used these
connotations to influence the reader some how? For example:

“Child badly bitten by dog”

Vs.

“Child savagely bitten by dog”

That subtle but effective difference is down to that hyperbolic word “savagely” which has connotations of
a wild animal, something out of control, evil, and makes the image of the attack far more dramatic. Just
from one word.

“Anger over exam grade boundaries”

Vs.

“Fury over exam boundaries”

The second heading is more sensationalist because the word “fury” has more emotionally charged
connotations; it implies people are besides themselves with rage, and encourages the reader to be
outraged, too. By showing the examiner you understand these techniques and connotations, you’re
demonstrating that you can’t be manipulated by language and you can spot manipulation a mile off! So by
showing the examiner you understand these techniques and connotations, you’re demonstrating that you
can’t be manipulated by language and you can spot manipulation a mile off!

Sounds

Sounds also help to convey and emphasis the meaning of a text. If you’ve noticed the writer has used lots
of consonance, for example, that makes the writing sounds quite hard. Why have they chosen to do that?
Do those repeated hard sounds create a sense of anger or aggression, because the author wants
to provoke and antagonise? And where assonance makes the writing sound soft, does that create
a soothing or gentle tone to emphasise the sensitivity of the topic?
Language Effects

A really important thing to remember when you’re commenting on the effect of the language is to ask
yourself DO YOU REALLY FEEL THAT? It might sound like common sense, but lots of students in the exam
will write something they don’t actually believe, but at least sounds good! Make sure the effect you’re
writing about is genuine. If you spot a word that evokes sympathy, ask yourself if you actually feel
sympathetic? If a phrase encourages the reader to feel outrage – do you actually get that feeling? If so,
great – just make sure you explain why and where that outrage comes from; either a memory or personal
experience of a topic, or just from a broad sense of injustice you share, which you think the writer is
relying on. But if you’re honest with yourself and your answer feels a little contrived, then your examiner
will think so too! You’ll get higher marks when your answer rings true and sounds genuine.

DO NOT...

• begin your analysis at the beginning of the passage, and then work your way through to the end

• simply identify techniques without explaining how, why and to what effect they are used

• summarise content

• try to write everything you said about the passage in class—you don’t have much time, so be
discriminating