VCE English as an Additional Language (EAL) flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Contention

The central claim a persuasive text argues, usually stated near the start. Identifying it correctly is the first step in analysing argument, because all techniques serve it.

Tone versus mood

Tone is the writer's or speaker's attitude towards the subject, such as ironic or alarmed. Mood is the feeling created in the reader or listener, such as unease.

Ethos, logos, pathos

The three classical persuasive appeals: ethos builds credibility and shared values, logos uses reasoning and evidence, pathos targets emotion through anecdote, imagery and emotive wording.

Inclusive language

Use of 'we', 'us' and 'our' to place the writer and reader in the same group, creating solidarity and making disagreement feel like disloyalty to the group.

Anecdote as evidence

A short personal story used to make an abstract issue concrete and emotionally immediate. It persuades through identification rather than statistical representativeness.

Rebuttal

A move in which the writer names an opposing view and then dismisses or corrects it, aiming to make readers see that position as already discredited before they consider it.

Concession

Acknowledging a valid point from the opposing side before restating the main contention. It builds the writer's credibility as fair-minded and reasonable.

Call to action

A closing instruction telling readers what to do, such as sign, write, boycott or donate. It converts the argument's momentum into a specific behaviour.

Visual argument

Meaning carried by images, layout, colour, facial expression or graph axes. These elements can support or contradict the written text and are analysable evidence.

Tone shift

A deliberate change in attitude within one text, for example from measured reasoning to outrage. Naming where and why it occurs demonstrates structural analysis.

Register

The level of formality in language, shaped by audience and purpose. Formal register avoids contractions and slang; informal register uses them to build closeness.

Audience positioning

How a text assumes or constructs its readers, through vocabulary, shared references and appeals. Analysis should test techniques against that assumed audience.

Analytical present tense

The convention of writing about texts in the present tense, as in 'the writer argues', even when the events described happened in the past.

Integrated quotation

A short quotation woven into your own sentence so that grammar flows, followed by comment on specific word choices, rather than a long quotation standing alone.

Text type conventions

The expected structure and features of a form such as editorial, speech, blog or narrative. Recognising them guides what to comment on in analysis.

Command word

The instruction verb in a question, such as discuss, analyse, compare or explain. It determines whether you balance both sides, name techniques or state similarities.

Show, don't tell

A narrative technique replacing stated emotions with observable detail, such as a character rereading an unsent message instead of being described as anxious.

Turning point

The moment in a short narrative where the situation changes direction. A single well-drawn turning point suits a short word limit better than a sprawling plot.

Sensory detail

Concrete description appealing to sight, sound, touch, smell or taste. Detail across several senses builds setting more convincingly than stacked adjectives.

Dialogue punctuation

Each new speaker begins a new line, and spoken words sit inside quotation marks with punctuation such as commas and question marks placed inside them.

Sentence variety

Mixing short declarative sentences for impact with longer complex sentences for reflection. The pattern controls pace and emphasis in created texts.

Strong verbs

Precise action words that carry meaning without adverbs, such as 'sprinted' instead of 'ran quickly'. They tighten prose and sharpen imagery.

Persuasive contention placement

In created persuasive texts, the contention belongs in the opening so the reader knows the position, and is restated in the conclusion without introducing new arguments.

Signpost language

Words such as 'firstly', 'however' and 'to sum up' that signal a talk's structure. In listening tasks they mark where answers are likely to appear.

Note-taking abbreviations

Shorthand symbols and shortened words used while listening, such as arrows for causes and 'gov' for government, so key details are captured before the audio moves on.

Stated fact versus opinion

A distinction listening questions often test: a fact is presented as verifiable, while an opinion reflects the speaker's belief and may be signalled by 'I think'.

Prosodic cues

Features of speech such as stress, pauses, hesitation and rising intonation. They convey certainty, doubt or disagreement beyond the literal words spoken.

Word limit in short answers

A stated maximum number of words for a response. Exceeding it can lose marks, so answers are trimmed to the essential detail rather than copied verbatim.

Distractor

An option or detail that sounds plausible but is contradicted or not supported by the recording. Checking each against what was actually said eliminates it.

Second listening check

Using the replay to confirm answers and fill gaps, focusing on sections where the first hearing was unclear rather than re-listening passively to everything.

Speaker attitude

The stance a speaker takes towards a topic, such as sceptical or enthusiastic. It is inferred from word choice and vocal delivery, not only explicit statements.

Sequencing question

A listening task requiring events or steps to be placed in the order given. Ordinal markers and time expressions in the recording are the key signals.