Paper 1 techniques

Absolutes

words such as "always," "never," "all," and "none."

Ad Hominem

Attacking the person instead of the argument.

Alliteration

repetition of the initial sounds in words

Allusion

an Indirect reference well-known text, event, figure

Ambiguity

The multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage.

Analogy

a direct comparison that explains a concept

Anaphora

The repetition of words at the beginning of successive clauses

Anecdote

A brief personal story illustrating a point

Anthropomorphism

making an animal or object behave like a human

Antithesis

placing contrasting idea's side by side

Aphorism

a concise statement of a truth or wisdom

Appeal to Authority

Persuasion through expert endorsement

Artificial Dichotomy

suggesting only 2 sides of an issue

Asyndeton

mission of conjunctions in a list

Bandwagon Appeal

Urging people to join a crowd

Bribery

promising rewards for compliance with a request

Buzz Words

fashionable or emotionally charged terms

Card Stacking

selective presentation of evidence

Characterization

revealing personality through description or text

Cliché

An overused expression that lost its impact

Colloquial Language

informal conversational language

Conceit

an extended or elaborated metaphor

Connotation

the associations or feelings a word suggests

Contrast

The presentation of opposing elements to highlight differences

Declarative Sentence

a statement that asserts fact or belief

Diction

a writer's choice of words

Direct Address

speaking to the audience using 'you'

Emotive Language

words chosen to evoke strong feelings

Enumeration

listing items separately for emphasis or clarity

Ethos

an appeal to credibility or moral authority

Euphemism

a mild expression for something harsh

Explicit Claims

clear, measurable statements about effect

Faulty Causality

assuming one event directly causes another

Figurative Language

non-literal wording that deepens meaning

Flattery

complimenting the audience to win approval

Focal Point

The area of an image that draws attention first

Foreground

the part of an image closest to the viewer

Framing

what an artist includes or excludes within borders

Gaze

where and how a subject looks in an image

Glittering Generality

using vague but positive language to inspire

Graphic Weight

the visual heaviness or darkness of elements

Hasty Generalization

drawing broad conclusion from limited data

Hyperbole

deliberate exaggeration for emphasis

Iconography

recognisable visual symbols used to convey meaning

Imagery

descriptive language appealing to the senses

Imperative Statement

a command or direct instruction

Implicit Bias

an unstated assumption revealing preference

Inclusive Pronoun

pronouns like "we," "our," that create unity

Interrogative

a sentence that asks a question

Invective

harsh, insulting language

Inverted Syntax

reversal of normal word order

Jargon

specialised language of a profession or group

Juxtaposition

placing two contrasting elements side by side

Layout

the arrangement of elements on a page

Loaded Words

terms carrying strong emotional implications

Logical Fallacies

flawed reasoning that undermines an argument

Logos

appeal to reason through evidence or logic

Masthead

the title or banner identifying a publication

Metaphor

comparison between unlike things without "like" or "as"

Modal Verbs

verbs expressing necessity, possibility, or obligation

Mood

the emotional atmosphere of a text or image

Name Calling

assigning negative labels to an opponent

Narrative Structure

the organised sequence of events in a story

Negative Space

the empty areas surrounding the main elements

Nostalgia

invoking sentimental longing for the past

Onomatopoeia

(a word that imitates the sound it describes

Oxymoron

Joining contradictory words for effect

Paradox

an apparent contradiction that reveals truth

Parallelism

repetition of grammatical structure

Pathos

appeal to emotion

Personification

giving human qualities to nonhuman things

Plain Folks

appealing to ordinary people

Point of View

the perspective from which a story is told

Polysyndeton

Overuse of conjunctions for emphasis

Proportion

relative size of elements in an image

Refutation

denying or disproving an opposing view

Rhetorical Question

a question asked for effect, not answer

Rule of Three

grouping ideas or words in threes for rhythm and impact

Sarcasm

mocking or ironic language to convey contempt

Satire

using humour or exaggeration to criticise

Scapegoat

placing blame on a person or group unjustly

Shading

use of light and dark to suggest tone or mood

Simile

comparison using "like" or "as"

Simple Solution

offering an easy answer to a complex problem

Situational Irony

When the outcome contrasts with the expectation

Slang

very informal, often culture-specific language

Slippery Slope

arguing that one small step will lead to disaster

Slogan

short, catchy phrase summarizing a message

Speech Bubble

frame containing dialogue in comics or infographics

Symbol/Symbolism

an object or image representing a larger idea

Syntax

sentence structure and word order

Synthetic Personalization

creating a false sense of intimacy with the reader

Testimonial

endorsement from a respected or relatable figure

Tone

the author's or speaker's attitude

Transfer

linking a valued symbol to a product or idea

Typography

the style and appearance of printed text

Understatement

downplaying importance for effect

Verbal Irony

(saying the opposite of what is meant

Weasel Words

hedging language that avoids firm commitment