english flashcards

english is my second language

Representation

How people, places, experiences or ideas are constructed through selected details.

Perspective

A viewpoint shaped by context, experiences, beliefs and circumstances.

Voice

The distinctive way a narrator or character expresses themselves through language.

Attitude

The author's or speaker's stance towards a subject.

Values

Beliefs about what is important or desirable.

Tone and mood

Tone is the attitude conveyed; mood is the atmosphere created.

Narrative point of view

The position from which a story is told.

Adjectives and adverbs

Adjectives describe nouns; adverbs modify verbs, adjectives or other adverbs.

Connotation

The associations and implied meanings of a word beyond its literal definition.

Patterns of language

Recurring language choices that create meaning and effects.

Anthropomorphism

Giving non-human beings human behaviours, motives or personalities.

Metaphor

Describing one thing as another to create comparison and meaning.

Metonymy

A related word or object stands for something else (e.g. "the crown" = the monarchy).

Pathetic fallacy

Giving nature human feelings or qualities to reflect a character's emotions.

Personification

Giving human qualities to something non-human.

Simile

Comparing two things using "like" or "as".

Symbol

An object, image or action that represents a deeper meaning.

Synecdoche

Using a part to represent a whole, or a whole to represent a part.

Zoomorphism

Giving a person or thing animal-like qualities.

Alliteration

Repetition of initial consonant sounds in nearby words.

Assonance

Repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words.

Consonance

Repetition of consonant sounds in nearby words.

Euphony

Pleasing, smooth sounds that create a gentle or harmonious effect.

Onomatopoeia

Words that imitate sounds (e.g. buzz, crash, hiss).

Rhyme

Matching sounds, usually at the ends of words or lines.

Caesura

A pause within a line of poetry, often marked by punctuation.

Rhythm

The pattern of stresses, syllables and pauses in language.

Irony

A contrast between what is said and what is meant, or expectation and reality.

Parody

Imitating a text, style or genre for comic or critical effect.

Pun

Wordplay using multiple meanings or similar-sounding words.

Satire

Using humour, irony or exaggeration to criticise behaviour, institutions or society.

Anaphora

Repeating a word or phrase at the start of successive clauses or sentences.

Attacks and praise

Criticising or affirming people and ideas to influence audience judgement.

Colloquialism

Informal, conversational language that creates familiarity.

Cumulation

Building up words, phrases or details for effect.

Emotive language

Words chosen to provoke an emotional response.

Emphasis

Drawing attention to an idea through repetition, placement or accumulation.

Generalisation

Applying a claim from specific examples to a broader group.

Hyperbole

Deliberate exaggeration for emphasis, humour or persuasion.

Inclusive language

Words such as "we", "us" and "our" that create shared identity.

Litotes

An understatement created by denying the opposite (e.g. "not bad").

Repetition

Repeating a significant word, phrase, idea or image.

Rhetorical question

A question asked to make a point rather than get an answer.

Anecdote

A brief personal story used to illustrate a point or appeal to emotion.

Aphorism

A short statement expressing a general truth or principle.

Evidence

Facts, examples or support used to justify a claim.

Expert opinions

Views from knowledgeable or experienced people.

Formal language

A controlled and professional style suited to purpose and audience.

Jargon

Specialised vocabulary used by a particular field or group.

Statistics

Numerical information used to support a claim.

Long shot

Shows a subject at a distance within its surroundings.

Medium shot

Usually shows a subject from the waist up, focusing on expression and gesture.

Close up and extreme close up

A close up focuses on a face or detail; an extreme close up isolates a very small detail for intensity.

Salience

How much an element attracts attention through size, position, focus, colour or contrast.

Framing

What is included or excluded in an image and how subjects are positioned.

Depth of field

The range of distances in focus; shallow focus isolates a subject, deep focus keeps more of the image sharp.

Density

How crowded or sparse a frame is, affecting feelings such as activity or isolation.

Proxemics

The distance between subjects, suggesting intimacy, tension or separation.

Staging positions

The direction subjects face (e.g. front, profile or back to camera).

Foreground and background

The foreground is closest to the viewer; the background provides context behind the subject.

Position

Where words are placed and how placement directs attention.

Ratio

The amount of space given to words compared to images.

Typography

Font style, size, colour and arrangement that create emphasis and tone.

Cumulative sentence

Begins with a main clause and adds extra details afterwards.

Periodic sentence

Delays the main clause until the end for emphasis or suspense.

Sentence fragment

An incomplete sentence used deliberately for effect.

Polysyndeton

Repeating conjunctions such as "and" or "or" for emphasis.

Asyndeton

Omitting conjunctions between words, phrases or clauses.

Listing or accumulation

A series of words, phrases or details used to build an impression.

Refrain

A phrase, line or group of lines repeated throughout a text.

Motif

A recurring image, object, phrase or situation that develops a theme.

Tricolon or rule of three

A series of three parallel words, phrases or clauses for rhythm or emphasis.

Short paragraph

Isolates an idea or moment, creating emphasis or changing pace.

Extended paragraph

Develops an idea, description or sequence of events in detail.

Single sentence paragraph

A one-sentence paragraph used for strong emphasis.

Linking sentence or transition

Connects ideas within or between paragraphs.

Juxtaposition

Places contrasting ideas or images side by side to highlight differences.

Shift in focus

Moves attention to a different character, idea, setting, time or perspective.

Contrast or shading

Differences in light and dark that create emphasis and meaning.

Key lighting

High key lighting creates a bright image; low key lighting creates stronger shadows and contrast.

Environment or setting

The surroundings that establish place, time and context.

Props

Objects in a scene that contribute to setting, characterisation or symbolism.

Costume

Clothing and accessories that help create identity, status or character.

Body language

Posture, gestures and actions that communicate attitudes or relationships.

Facial expression

The way facial features communicate reactions and attitudes.

Low angle and worm's eye view

Looking up at a subject, suggesting power, scale or intimidation.

Eye level

The camera is positioned at the subject's eye level, suggesting equality or familiarity.

High angle and bird's eye view

Looking down at a subject, suggesting vulnerability; a bird's eye view looks directly from above.

Oblique angle

A tilted (Dutch) angle that suggests instability, unease or disorientation.