ENGLISH // structure & techniques

• Bold/Italics

  •To draw the readers attention to it

  • To emphasise it
  • To show a title or name
  • To show sarcasm or humour
• Ellipsis

  • To leave the reader in suspense
  • To show the list can go on forever
  • To show the story continues

  • To allow the reader to think about what happens next
• contrast


  to show the difference between two things. You must explain both sides of the contrast

  Eg

  big-small

  harrow - wide

  dark -bright

  broad - long
• inversion

  • when the natural order of a Sentence has been changed
  • when the subject of the sentence is delayed to alter the emphasis in the sentence
  • eg Happily, cara walked to

  School
• repetition


  • when a particular word, phrase or Sentence pattern is repeated

  • This is done for emphasis
• climax


  •when the writer places a number of items in ascending order with the most important being kept to the end
• antithesis


  Arranging ideas within a sentence so that opposites ane balanced together to create a contrast

  -Eg those that i fight i do not hate

  Those that I guard I do not love
• sentence structure steps

  T).Sentence Structure (be Specific eg quotation marks)

  Q).Quote

  A).Answer the question, explaining the purpose and effect of the sentence Structure
• anti - climax 


  • The opposite of building up to something important
  • In this instance the writer builds up to something which does not actually come
• informal language


  • usually spoken, or at least a written version of conversation / colloquial expressions
  • Use Shortened forms
  • May use looser sentence structure
  • More common, everyday words, Perhaps non- Standard English
  • Personal - uses first person i and second person you
  • May include feelings
• formal language


  usually written

  • No abbriviations
  • Grammatically correct
  • wider range of word choice

  inc

  complex / technical vocab

  • Tends to be factual
• Question

  statement - eg: Is John sitting down?

  • Questions may be used in emotive or reflective writing
  • Rhetorical question makes the reader think
  • involves the reader
  • To ask a question and then go on to answer
• Minor sentence

  statement - He looked in his rear-view mirror. Nothing coming.

  (verb missing)


  • used to create, Suspense, urgency
  • used to suggest informality
  • used
  • as abbreviations in notes / diaries
• Exclamation

  Statement - eg John is sitting down!

  • used to convey strong emotions eg: Shock
  • used in command
  • To show somoene is Shouting
• Structure

  statement - eg John is sitting down.

  usually used in narative or factual

  writing
• Effective Introduction

  An Intoduction Should -

  Grab readers attention

  • Indicate what the passage is going to be about
  • May be written in a particular style

  Quote and expiain
• Short paragraphs

  may be used for a variety of reasons


  • easy to understand
  • Put emphasis on a statement or idea
  • To show the action and create suspense
• Semi-colon - ;


  • often used to show two statement are closely connected or balance or contrast each other
  • used to seperate a list of phrases
• colon :

  • used to introduce a quotation
  • used to introduce a list
  • used to introduce an explanation or expansion of the previous statement
• inverted commas "___"


  • To indicate the title of a play

  / TV programme etc

  • To indicate direct speech
  • To show a quotation
  • To mark of a particular word or phrase (so called /sarcasm)
• effective conclusion


  • Sum up the ideas of the passage
  • leave the reader thinking
  • Return to an idea from earlier/ the beginning of the passage
  • Include an anecdote
• single dash -

  • can be used to add extra information in theSame way a colon does
  • To indicate a pause / break in the sentence
  •  series of dashes may be used informally to convey an outpouring of ideas or emotions
• commas ,


  • To make a list (shows variety /quantity)
  • To create a pause
• Parenthess

  Two dashes e or brackets

  (____) or -____-

  • we use this to give extra information Eg it cas his birthday (he was twelve)
• imagery - " How does the writers

  imagery in lines _ To _ Show..

  • Go to the correct section of the passage
  • identify the image eg simile (T)
  • Quote the example of imagery (1) (Q)
  • Explain, giving 3 connotations (A)
  • Link back to the question (1)
• simile


  A comparison using the words

  "like" or "as"

  Eg

  He ran like the wind. it was as cold as ice
• alliteration 


  When a series of words begin with the same letter or sound

  Eg the slippery snake slithered

  South
• Onomatopoeia 


  when a word sounds like what

  It is describing

  Eg Bang, crash, splash, boom
• personification


  when an inanimate object is given human qualities

  Eg

  the car coughed as it came to a stop
• metaphor


  when we say something is another thing

  Eg

  the moon was a golden ball in the sky
• Own words - "In your own words explain what the writer means.."


  Go to the correct section of the passage

  Paraphrase/put answer into your own words

  • Check the number of marks
• Summarise - "Summarise what the writer suggests are.."


  go to the correct section of the passage

  •put your answer in to bulletpoints

  •Paraphrase/put your answer in your own words

  •Check the number of marks
• Audience - "Identify the audience of the article ... explain with reference to the text how you came to this understanding"


  who would be interested in this?

  ----------------------------

  Age?

  Gender?

  Interests?

  Background Nationality?

  Identify an audience (1)

  Explain why you have chosen this

  quote to support this (1)
• Context - "From the context of lines _ to _ show what you understand the meaning of _____ to be


  go to the correct section of the passage

  Give the meaning of the word (1)

  Quote and explain from the words round about how you came to this understanding (1)
• Purpose - There are many reasons texts are created


  •To inform

  •To entertain

  •To describe

  •To reflect on personal experience

  •To persuade

  •To criticise

  •To create suspense

  •To raise awareness of a social/moral issue
• Purpose - "Identify the purpose of the article... explain with reference to the text how you came to this understanding"


  Identify purpose (1)

  Explain why you have chosen this

  Quote to support this (1)
• Word Choice - How does the writers word choice in paragraph ___ show... ?


  Go to the correct section of the passage

  Identify word choice (T)

  Quote the word (1) (Q)

  Explain, giving 3 connotations (A)

  Link back to the question (1)
• Link - "Show how lines __ to __ creat a link in the passage."


  • Quote part of the sentence which links back

  Explain what it links back to (1)

  • Quote part of the sentence which links forward

  • identify a "turning word" of there is one