12 ATAR English Syllabus

Idea

Understandings, thoughts, notions, opinions, views or beliefs.

Issue

Matters of personal or public concern that are in dispute; considered problems that affect individuals or society.

Perspective

A viewpoint informed by context, shaped by factors like age, gender, social position, beliefs, and values.

Controversy

A prolonged public disagreement or heated discussion, often involving differing opinions or values.

Value

A principle or standard that guides behaviour and judgments; often reflected in texts through characters, themes, or perspectives.

Attitude

An outlook or feeling about something, often expressed through actions, speech, or appearance.

Belief

An acceptance that something is true or exists, often forming the basis of attitudes and values in texts.

Assumption

An idea accepted as true without proof, often underlying arguments or perspectives in texts.

Representation

The way people, events, or issues are presented in a text; texts construct reality through conventions and techniques.

Theme

A recurring idea, concern, or argument developed in a text.

Voice

The distinct personality in a text, shaped by language and stylistic choices; can reflect perspectives, attitudes, and values.

Interpretation

The meaning made of a text, shaped by analysis of language, genre, context, and representation.

Response

The reader’s or viewer’s interpretation, reaction, or engagement with a text.

Empathy

The ability to understand and share the feelings of others, often evoked through narrative and characterisation.

Omissions

Elements deliberately left out of a text, which can shape meaning or bias.

Inclusions

Elements deliberately added to a text to emphasise particular ideas or perspectives.

Emphases

Aspects of a text that are given prominence to highlight importance or influence interpretation.

Marginalisations

The process of pushing certain ideas, groups, or perspectives to the edge of a text’s focus, reducing their visibility or importance.

Genre

Categories of texts based on subject matter, form, and structure.

Adjectives and adverbs

Adjectives are words that describe nouns; adverbs describe verbs.

Connotation

Meaning that is suggested, rather than literal.

Sensory details

Words and phrases that appeal to the reader's senses, typically of sight and hearing, but also of touch, taste and smell.

Anthropomorphism

Giving human qualities to an animal or object.

Metaphor

A comparative device that describes one thing as being another.

Metonymy

Using a word to represent a larger concept to which it is related.

Pathetic fallacy

Crediting nature with human traits.

Personification

Attributing human qualities to an object or phenomenon.

Simile

A comparative device that describes one thing as being like another.

Symbol

An object or phrase that embodies a range of meanings that extend beyond its literal definition.

Synecdoche

Using a part to represent a whole concept, or something specific to represent the general.

Zoomorphism

Giving a human animal-like qualities.

Alliteration

Using words with the same initial sound in quick succession.

Assonance

Using words with the same vowel sounds in quick succession.

Cacophony

Combining words to create or imply a harsh or unpleasant sound.

Consonance

Using words with the same consonant sounds, typically at the end, in quick succession.

Euphony

Combining words to create or imply a pleasing sound.

Onomatopoeia

Words that sound similar to the sound they are meant to depict.

Rhyme

Words that share the same or similar sounds.

Caesura

A break in the rhythm of a line, created by splitting a sentence or interrupting its regular rhythm, resulting in a dramatic pause.

Rhythm

Patterns created through the arrangement of words according to syllables or the natural emphases created by their pronunciation.

Irony

Using words with intended meanings that are different from, or even the opposite of, their literal meanings.

Parody

The deliberate exaggeration of particular textual features of another work for humorous effect.

Pun

A play on words, creating humour or irony through the fact that words have two or more meanings.

Satire

Using humour or parody to draw attention to human flaws.

Allegory

Exploring a complex or abstract concept through the creation of a more concrete example.

Allusion

A casual reference to another literary work or real-world event.

Analogy

Explaining something by comparing it with a similar thing that is more familiar to the audience.

Quotation

Repeating the words of another work or person, to add meaning or authority to a text.

Anaphora

The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses.

Attacks and praise

Strongly affirming one idea or person while strongly criticising their opposite.

Colloquialism

Using vernacular or even slang language, often to appeal to the ‘everyday’ person.

Cumulation

The accumulation of descriptive words or phrases.

Emotive language

Language that is highly emotional, designed to provoke an emotional response in the audience.

Emphasis

The devices of repetition, alliteration or cumulation, used to add emphasis to or reinforce an idea.

Generalisation

A statement that is expanded from a specific situation to a broad one, suggesting that what is true for some is true for most or all.

Hyperbole

A deliberate exaggeration not meant to be taken literally.

Inclusive language

Language, such as personal pronouns, that makes the audience feel included in the writer’s argument.

Litotes

An ironic understatement in which an idea is expressed as not being its opposite.

Repetition

The use of a key phrase, idea or image at multiple points.

Rhetorical question

A question that is posed not to elicit an answer but to encourage the audience to think, or for which the answer is self-evident.

Anecdote

A short, personal story, typically about an experience the writer has had, used to illustrate a point.

Aphorism

A short statement of belief or opinion that is expressed as a truth.

Evidence

Facts or examples used to support an argument.

Expert opinions

The inclusion of quotes or research from those who might be considered credible sources of information on the topic.

Formal language

Language that conforms to the proper rules of grammar and is appropriate to address an educated or unfamiliar audience.

Jargon

Terminology that is specific to or part of the discourse on a particular topic.

Statistics

The presentation and analysis of data, often expressed numerically.

Accent

The ways in which words are pronounced, usually associated with a geographical region.

Back-channel

Words, phrases and non-verbal indicators that suggest the listener is paying attention to the speaker.

Dialect

Grammar and vocabulary that is particular to a specific region.

Diction or lexical choice

Word choice.

Elision

The omission or slurring of syllables or words.

Ellipsis

The omission of part of a sentence to create a casual tone.

Enunciation

The clear pronunciation of words.

Filler

Words and non-verbal indicators that allow a brief time to think or pause.

Fluency

The quality of speech in terms of its fluid and error-free delivery.

Idiolect

An individual person's style of speaking.

Intonation

The expression or tone carried by the voice.

Modality

The degree of uncertainty conveyed through language choices and spoken language features.

Non-verbal features

Features that inform spoken communication, such as eye contact, gesture, posture and movement.

Pace or tempo

The speed at which a person speaks.

Pause

A break or hesitation in speaking.

Pitch

The sound frequency of a voice.

Register

The degree of formality of language used.

Rhythm

The measured flow of speech, established through patterns in diction, pace, intonation, stress etc.

Sociolect

A style of speaking associated with a particular social group.

Stress

Emphasis, created through diction, pauses, intonation etc.

Tone

Language choices that convey emotion or attitude.

Transition markers

Words and phrases that indicate transitions or relationships between ideas.

Volume

The loudness or softness of a speaker.

Colour

Establishes atmosphere and tone through the symbolic associations of certain colours.

Contrast

The juxtaposition of light and dark areas of the image.

Key

High key lighting is bright, leaving few shadows; low key is the opposite.

Environment

The aspects of the surroundings that indicate the time and place of an image and the location of the subjects.

Props

Objects within the image that contribute to the setting and characterisation of the subjects.

Costume

Costumes are essential elements in establishing people's character.