Some key English words & phrases to use when analysing a PROSE text

Question 1

Accumulation

Answer 1

Lists of ideas or words which have the effect of piling up imagery.

Question 2

Alliteration

Answer 2

The same letter at the beginning of words which are close together, eg “bright blue balloon”

Question 3

Anecdote

Answer 3

A short personal story which illustrates the point or idea being discussed.

Question 4

Antagonist

Answer 4

The main ‘villain’ in a story. Eg Darth Vader

Question 5

Antithesis

Answer 5

Using opposite ideas and with parallel grammatical structures, eg “To be, or not to be.”

Question 6

Bathos

Answer 6

A fall from the sublime to the ridiculous in a narrative

Question 7

Clause

Answer 7

A phrase which is one ‘thought’, usually with a subject and verb eg “The tiger growled.”

Question 8

Climax/climactic moment

Answer 8

The point of highest action or tension in a text.

Question 9

Colloquial language

Answer 9

Words which are commonly used in speech (ie slang or ‘chatty’ style) eg “That lesson was so chill.”

Question 10

Compare

Answer 10

When you are examining an aspect of two texts, looking for similarities and differences.

Question 11

Complex sentence

Answer 11

A sentence where at least one clause is dependent on the main clause. Eg “The tiger, which was a particularly fierce one, growled when it saw the keeper approach.

Question 12

Compound sentence

Answer 12

A sentence with two independent clauses eg “The tiger growled but it was not looking for its prey.” and a connective joining them.

Question 13

Contrast

Answer 13

When two things are very different

Question 14

Dialogue

Answer 14

Characters speaking in a text. Speech marks are used to demarcate (separate) the speech from the rest of the text. Eg
“I think I can succeed,” said the student.
“You certainly can!” replied the teacher

Question 15

Emotive language

Answer 15

Words which provoke a reaction in the reader eg “slashed”

Question 16

Extract

Answer 16

A section from a longer text.

Question 17

Formal language

Answer 17

Words which are suited to a serious or more professional setting (not chatty) “The lesson had a relaxed atmosphere, which allowed students to take the opportunity to work at their own pace. ”

Question 18

Imperative verb

Answer 18

Verbs which give orders, eg “Sit! Stand!”

Question 19

Informal language

Answer 19

Words which are suited to a less professional or serious audience eg “The lesson was pretty relaxed so the kids could chat a bit.”

Question 20

Juxtaposition

Answer 20

When two ideas next to or very near each other are sharply contrasted in a text.

Question 21

Metaphor

Answer 21

When something is said to be another thing, for effect eg “Her eyes were blue sapphires.”

Question 22

Narrator - first person

Answer 22

Writing told from the writer’s point of view. Eg “I woke up and I thought about breakfast..”

Question 23

Narrator - omniscient

Answer 23

Writing where the writer reveals the thoughts and feelings of every character: “He/she/they….”

Question 24

Narrator - third person limited

Answer 24

Writing where the writer uses the third person but only reveals the thoughts and feelings of one, usually the main, character. eg “She just could not wait: her mind was full of plans…”

Question 25

Paragraphing

Answer 25

The way paragraphs are organised.

Question 26

Protagonist(s)

Answer 26

The main character(s) in a story. Eg Hercules, Juliet & Romeo

Question 27

Pun

Answer 27

A word joke, which can have two meanings. eg “The horse is a very stable animal.”

Question 28

Register

Answer 28

The formality or informality of a piece of writing. Eg a letter may have an informal register if to a friend, vs a formal register if to a company.

Question 29

Repetition

Answer 29

When a phrase or word is used several times. eg “The dark night gave way to a dark day.”

Question 30

Rhetorical question

Answer 30

When a question is posed, without the expectation of an answer. eg “Do I need to continue?”

Question 31

Simple sentence

Answer 31

A sentence which has a subject, verb and object. Eg “The dog ate a bone.”

Question 32

Stream of consciousness

Answer 32

A writing technique where punctuation is minimised and the writer expresses a flow of thoughts as if s/he is experiencing the event as it happens.

Question 33

Style

Answer 33

Similar to the idea of ‘style’ in clothing, this means the conventions used in a piece of writing to create the ‘type’ of writing that it is, eg comedy, action, romance.

Question 34

Theme

Answer 34

An idea or group of related images which run throughout a text.

Question 35

Tone

Answer 35

The overall feeling of the ‘voice’ in the text.

Question 36

Viewpoint

Answer 36

The perspective or point of view from which a writer is writing. ie 1st, 2nd or 3rd person