English Language Important Terms

English Language AS Level
Important terms to know...
Command Words
Analyze-Examine in detail to show meaning, identify elements and the relationship between them.
Compare-Identify/comment on similarities and or differences.
Discuss-Write about issue(s) or topic(s) in depth in a structured way.
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Form-really another word for text type, but more useful because it relates to the shape and overall
presentation of the text. In other words, to provide the structure. Important questions to answer when
discussing form.
• FOR EXAMPLE:
• What does it do? Does it tell a story, communicate a personal message, etc.?
• How does it do it? Does it use dialogue, images or pictures, bullet points, etc.?
• What is its purpose? Does it inform, persuade, entertain, a combination?
• Who is its audience? It is general or specific?
Example: Is the form used a blog, a short story, or a speech? Is it a brochure, leaflet, or a letter?
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Structure-a familiar word which refers to the way a text is organized and ordered. It can relate both to
the whole text, for example, a story with a beginning, middle and end. Or it can refer to features of a
text, for example, the way in which sentences in a paragraph are ordered, repeating patterns, and so on.
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Language-three key elements of language are lexis, sentence variety, and figurative language.
Lexis refers to all the words in a language (the author’s word choice).
**Register is the particular language and grammar usage appropriate to a group of people, role, or
situation. This might be determined by the level of formality or informality required, or the shared
experience of the speakers/writer and the reader.
Sentence variety refers to the choices a writer makes about the length, type, and style of sentence-and
the order of the words in a sentence.
Figurative language is language used to stand for or represent an idea beyond the literal meaning. For example, the use of metaphor, simile, personification, paradox, hyperbole, etc.
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Context is the situation or background to a text or its writer. Generally, it could be the writer’s childhood
or England in the 1930’s. It could be more specific, like a party which takes place during the Mexican
Revolution.
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Audience is the reader(s) of, or listener(s) to a text. This can apply both to an individual or to a group.
This can be general or specific.
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Point of View refers to who is telling the story or the mode of narration an author uses to let the
readers “hear” and “see” what takes place.
1st POV uses the pronoun “I” or “we.” This occurs when the story is told from his or her standpoint. The
reader ONLY knows what the character knows.
2nd POV occurs when the story is told by the narrator to another character using the pronoun “you.” This
is rarely used in literature. You will find examples of this in “self-help” books, etc.
3rd POV occurs when the narrator remains as a detached observer (outside of the story), telling only the
story’s action and dialogue. The reader only knows what is seen and heard, not what the characters
think and feel.
3rd Person Omniscient occurs when the narrator has unlimited knowledge and can describe every
character’s thought and interpret their behaviors. This is also known as the godlike POV.
3rd POV Limited Omniscient occurs when the narrator has the limited knowledge of only one character-
the reader knows only what that character thinks, sees, hears, and feels