English Summer Revision

FILM STUDIES – KEY TERMS & TECHNIQUES

Film is made using different techniques to create meaning and emotion.

Camera Shots:

• Close-up: shows emotions and details

• Medium shot: shows character + surroundings

• Long shot: shows setting and distance

• Extreme close-up: focuses on one small detail

Camera Angles:

• High angle: makes character look weak or small

• Low angle: makes character look powerful

• Eye level: neutral view

Lighting:

• High-key lighting: bright, happy mood

• Low-key lighting: dark, mysterious or scary mood

Sound:

• Diegetic sound: sound characters can hear (speech, footsteps)

• Non-diegetic sound: background music or effects

• Dialogue: conversations between characters

• Soundtrack: music used to set mood

Editing:

• Fast cuts: action, excitement, tension

• Slow cuts: calm or emotional scenes

• Flashbacks: past events shown in story

• Montage: series of quick images to show time passing

Mise-en-scène:
Everything in the frame:

• costume

• setting

• props

• body language

• facial expressions

KEY MOMENTS –

SING STREET

Sing Street is about a boy in 1980s Dublin who starts a band to impress a girl and escape problems at home and school.

Key moments:

• Conor moves to a strict new school and struggles to fit in

• He meets Raphina, who inspires him to start a band

• The band forms “Sing Street” and experiments with different music styles

• Conor’s home life is stressful due to his parents’ arguments

• The band grows in confidence and creativity

• The music videos show imagination and escape from reality

• Conor gains confidence and begins to express himself

• Ending shows hope for his future and creativity

Themes:

• Growing up (coming of age)

• Escape through music

• Family conflict

• Friendship and identity

REVIEWS – KEY FEATURES

A review gives an opinion about something (film, book, game, etc.).

Key features:

• Introduction: what is being reviewed

• Summary: brief description (no spoilers if film/book)

• Opinion: positive and negative points

• Evidence: examples to support opinions

• Language: descriptive and persuasive words

• Conclusion: overall judgement

Useful phrases:

• “One strength is…”

• “However, a weakness is…”

• “This is effective because…”

• “Overall, I would recommend…”

POETRY – UNSEEN POEM

Unseen poetry means you are given a poem you have never seen before and must analyse it.

What to look for:

• Theme (what the poem is about)

• Mood (happy, sad, angry, reflective)

• Imagery (pictures created in your mind)

• Language techniques:

  • simile (like/as)

  • metaphor

  • personification

  • alliteration

• Structure:

  • stanza length

  • rhyme scheme

  • enjambment (lines running on)

How to answer:

• Explain meaning

• Quote short phrases

• Comment on effect on reader

POETRY – STUDIED POEM

This is a poem you have already studied in class.

You should know:

• central theme

• poet’s message

• key quotes

• language techniques

• structure and form

How to revise:

• Pick 5–10 key quotes

• Learn what each quote means

• Explain why the poet used them

• Link to theme

Example sentence:

• “This quote suggests… because…”

READING COMPREHENSION – EXPLORATION OF A TEXT

You will read a passage and answer questions.

Skills needed:

• Find information (retrieval)

• Explain meaning (inference)

• Analyse language (word choices)

• Comment on structure

Tips:

• Use quotes from the text

• Answer in full sentences

• Don’t guess—stick to evidence

• Look for implied meaning (what is suggested, not said directly)

STUDIED NOVEL OR SHORT STORY

You will study a book or short story in detail.

You should know:

• plot (what happens)

• characters (personality + development)

• themes (big ideas like power, friendship, loss)

• key quotes

• author’s message

Answering questions:

• Use PEEL:

  • Point

  • Evidence

  • Explain

  • Link back to question

Example:

• “The character shows bravery when… This is shown when the text says… This suggests…”