SACE Stage 2 Essential English key terms

Any spoken, written, visual or multimodal piece of communication that a reader, viewer or listener can respond to, such as a speech, article, film or advertisement.

The person who reads, views or hears a text and makes meaning from it, bringing their own background, expectations and purpose to the experience.

The reason a creator makes a text, such as to inform, persuade, entertain or instruct, which shapes the choices of language, structure and images.

The intended group of people a text is made for, whose age, knowledge, values and needs influence the language, tone and structure chosen by the creator.

The circumstances surrounding a text, including when and where it was made, the events it responds to, and the social or cultural setting of its audience.

The level of formality in language, ranging from casual talk among friends to formal writing in reports, adjusted to suit audience and situation.

The attitude a text conveys towards its subject or audience, for example sarcastic, respectful, urgent or nostalgic, created through word choice and sentence style.

The overall feeling or atmosphere a text creates for its audience, such as tension, calm or unease, built through language, imagery and pacing.

The associations or emotional overtones a word carries beyond its literal meaning, so that 'home' suggests warmth and safety as well as a building.

The literal, dictionary meaning of a word, separate from any emotional associations or implied suggestions it might carry.

The central claim or main idea that a text or essay sets out to establish, usually stated early and supported by evidence throughout.

A sentence, usually first in a paragraph, that announces the paragraph's main point and links it to the overall argument of the piece.

Specific material such as quotations, statistics, examples or observations used to support a claim and make an argument convincing to a reader.

The process of breaking a text into its parts, such as language choices, structure and techniques, to explain how meaning and effect are created.

A judgement about how well or effectively a text achieves its purpose, supported by reasons and evidence rather than personal opinion alone.

A deliberate method a creator uses to shape meaning or affect an audience, such as metaphor, repetition, camera angle or statistics.

Descriptive language that appeals to the senses, allowing readers to picture, hear or feel what is being described and thus strengthening a text's impact.

A comparison that states one thing is another without using 'like' or 'as', helping readers understand an idea through a vivid, unexpected link.

A comparison using 'like' or 'as' to link two unlike things, often to clarify a description or create a striking picture in the reader's mind.

A question asked for effect rather than to obtain an answer, often used to engage an audience, prompt reflection or emphasise a point in persuasive writing.

A strategy used to influence an audience's beliefs or actions, including appeals to emotion, reason or character, repetition, statistics and expert testimony.

A leaning towards one side of an issue, shown through unbalanced selection of facts, loaded language or omission of opposing views.

The quality of presenting information in a fair, neutral way that is not shaped by personal feeling or a particular agenda.

Everyday, informal speech used in relaxed conversation, including slang and contractions, which can create friendliness or signal a casual register.

A fixed expression whose meaning cannot be worked out from its individual words, such as 'break the ice' or 'under the weather'.

The way sentences and paragraphs are linked so a text flows logically, achieved through connectives, pronouns and repeated key words.

The order and organisation of a text's parts, such as introduction, body and conclusion, or the sequencing of scenes in a film.

The division of writing into grouped sentences, each developing one idea, which guides readers through the argument and improves readability.

The skill of weaving another person's words smoothly into your own sentence, using correct punctuation and explaining their relevance to your point.

Acknowledging the source of ideas, words or data used in your work, so readers can locate the original and the creator receives credit.

Presenting someone else's words, ideas or work as your own without proper acknowledgement, which is a serious breach of academic honesty.

The staged process of producing a text, from planning and first attempt through revision, editing and proofreading to a polished final version.

Reviewing a draft to improve clarity, structure and word choice, and to fix errors in grammar, punctuation and spelling before publication.

The final careful check of a text for surface errors such as typos, punctuation slips and formatting problems just before it is submitted.

Giving full attention to a speaker, using eye contact, nodding and clarifying questions, then reflecting back what was heard to confirm understanding.

The conversational convention of allowing each speaker a chance to talk, signalling when you wish to speak and pausing to let others contribute.

Restating another person's idea in your own words while keeping the meaning, useful for checking understanding and for avoiding direct copying.

A text that combines two or more modes, such as words, images, sound and moving footage, for example a website, documentary or television advertisement.

The ability to interpret and evaluate images, including layout, colour, framing and symbol, and to explain how they shape a viewer's response.