References: Google, Oxford

Content

• analysing texts

• narrative features

• persuasive techniques

• comprehension

• verbs

• adverbs

• film techniques

• plot structure

Analysing texts

Figurative language:

• personification - when non-living things are given human traits. Example: “the sun smiled on us”.

• onomatopoeia - a word that names a sound that also sounds like that sound. Example: “bang”, “boom”, “buzz”.

• hyperbole - an exaggeration. Example: “I am so hungry I could eat a horse”.

• alliteration - when two or more words share the first same letter. Example: “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers”.

• simile - comparing two things using ‘like’ or ‘as’. Example: “as brave as a lion”.

• idiom - sayings that don’t particularly mean what is said. Example: “under the weather” (to be understood as sick or ill).

• metaphor - a comparison that is not literally true. Example: “Education is the gateway to success”.

Persuasive language

• ethos - to be credible (give credit). Example: “As a doctor, I am qualified to tell you…”.

• pathos - appeal to emotions (be emotional). Example: A man at a car dealership asks the salesman to offer the best price on a new car because he needs to support his family.

• logos - to be logical (have logic). Example: when debating, we use facts and statistics to win.

Narrative features

• plot - the structure of actions (Exposition/introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution).

• characters - a character is a person, animal, being, creature, or thing in a story. Characters are used to perform actions or speak dialogue.

• point of view - what the character or narrator telling the story can see (their perspective). Depending who the narrator is, they will be standing at one point and seeing the action. (1st person, 2nd person, 3rd person, omniscient).

• setting - location and time when the action of the narrative takes place.

• theme - the main idea, underlying message or moral of the story

• conflict - the problem or obstacle.

• tone - tone is the author’s choice of words to make readers feel.

Persuasive techniques

• alliteration - when two or more words share the first same letter. Example: “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers”.

• allusion - an indirect reference to a person, place, thing or event. Example: “Chocolate is his kryptonite”.

• appeals - appealing a readers emotions (using fairness, compassion and other).

• analogy - a connection of two words that are compared for their shared qualities. Example: “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get”.

• anecdote - a short amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person.

• colloquial language - casual language. Examples: “y’all”, “gonna”, “wanna”.

• cliché - a scenario or expression that is used excessively (overused), to the point that it is considered unoriginal. Example: “as red as a rose'“, “better safe than sorry”, “the grass is always greener on the other side”.

• connotation - the use of a word to suggest a different association that its literal meaning. Example: blue is a colour but also means sadness, “she is feeling blue”.

  Comprehension

• summarising - recalling main points or ideas and paraphrasing.

• sequencing - identifying the components of the story - the beginning, middle and end. It is also the ability to retell the story in chronological order (order in which they occurred).

• inferencing - ability to process written information and understand the underlying (moral) message of the text.

• comparing and contrasting - used to identify how two or more things are alike and different.

• drawing conclusions - using information that is given to state the overall conclusion.

Verbs

• words that describe actions, whether it is physical or mental. Examples: run, walk, talk, eat, breathe, cry, scream, skip, sneeze.

Adverbs

• words that describe the verb. Examples: run slowly, eat faster, travel adventurously, stand awkwardly.

Film techniques

SWAT codes (symbolism, written, audio, text)

• symbolic code - shows what is beneath the surface of what we see. Symbolic codes can be colours, items/objects, and actions. Example: a clenched fist is a symbol of anger, a red rose may be used to symbolise romance.

• written code - any written/typed text. Examples: titles, subtitles, headings, blurbs.

• audio code - any sound. Examples: spoken dialogue, music, sound effects.

• technical code - camera angles and lighting.

  • bird’s-eye shot - when camera is directly above subject.

  • long shot - a shot from far away.

  • medium shot - shows subject from the waist up.

  • close-up shot - frame is filled with the actor/actress’s.

  • extreme-close up shot - frame is filled with the face of the subject.

  • crane shot - the camera is mounted on a crane or another machine is taken up.

  • tracking shot - when the camera follows the subject while the shot is taken.

  • panning shot - when the camera moves from right to left, focusing on the subject.

Plot structure

The plot structure consists of:

• exposition - the introduction to the story, including the character’s name, mood, setting, and time.

• rising action - rising action is when tension begins to build up to the climax.

• climax - the climax is the most intense or exciting and important point of the story.

• falling action - the lead to the conclusion which happens after the climax.

• resolution - the ending of the story.