WACE ATAR English as an Additional Language or Dialect flashcards

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

Text type identification

Classifying a text as expository, persuasive, narrative, procedural or multimodal predicts its structure, register and purpose, guiding what evidence a reader should prioritise.

Literal versus inferred meaning

Literal meaning is directly stated in the text; inference combines stated detail with background knowledge and must be defensible by pointing to specific textual evidence.

Salience in images

The element a viewer notices first, produced by size, foregrounding, colour contrast, sharp focus and central placement; usually carries the text's main claim.

Cohesion through reference chains

Pronouns, synonyms and nominalisations that point back to earlier nouns create cohesion, showing readers which ideas are linked and where emphasis accumulates.

Implied reader

The audience a text constructs through assumed knowledge, formality, jargon and direct address; analysing it reveals whom the writer expects and seeks to persuade.

Multimodal meaning making

Written language, image, colour and layout each function as semiotic systems, producing meaning independently and in combination; analysis must address their interaction.

Main idea versus supporting detail

The main idea is the claim the other sentences exist to support; topic sentences often state it, but placement varies and must be verified against the whole text.

Feature-evidence-effect formula

Analytical sentences name a language feature, quote brief evidence, explain the effect on the reader, then link that effect to the text's overall purpose.

Connotation and denotation

Denotation is a word's literal dictionary meaning; connotation is its positive, negative or neutral loading, which writers exploit to shape reader attitude without explicit argument.

Modality strength

High modality (must, certainly, always) asserts certainty or obligation; median (should, likely) hedges; low (may, perhaps, could) signals possibility and weakens commitment.

Ethos, pathos and logos

The three classical persuasive appeals: credibility and shared values (ethos), emotion and vivid anecdote (pathos), and reasoned evidence or statistics (logos).

Register: field, tenor, mode

Register is analysed through topic (field), relationship and power between participants (tenor), and channel such as spoken or written (mode); shifts mark changing stance.

Parallelism

Repetition of grammatical structure across phrases or clauses, creating rhythm, memorability and a sense of balanced, inevitable reasoning in persuasive prose.

Rhetorical question

A question posed for effect rather than answer, positioning the reader to supply the writer's intended response and creating involvement or challenge.

Rule of three

Grouping ideas in threes, which readers perceive as complete and rhythmic; common in slogans and speeches to make claims memorable and apparently comprehensive.

Nominalisation

Converting verbs or adjectives into abstract nouns (decide to decision), increasing formality and information density but risking vagueness and agent deletion.

Analytical thesis statement

A single arguable sentence naming the interpretation the response will defend about how and why the text works, not a summary of its content.

Body paragraph structure

Topic claim, contextual placement, quoted evidence, analysis of feature and effect, then a link sentence returning to the thesis; each part performs a distinct function.

Concede and refute

Persuasive move that states the strongest opposing view fairly, identifies its limitation or faulty assumption, then restates your position with additional evidence.

Persuasive contention

The clear, arguable position a persuasive response defends, stated early and supported by reasons; it must be contestable rather than a statement of fact.

Evidence hierarchy

Ranking of support by strength: verifiable statistics and expert testimony outweigh personal anecdote, which outweighs unsupported assertion; naming the type strengthens analysis.

Integrated quotation

A short quoted fragment woven grammatically into your own sentence, chosen because it displays the feature being analysed rather than merely restating plot.

Comparative organisation

Structuring a two-text response by shared idea or technique rather than text-by-text, using connectives such as whereas, similarly and by contrast to carry comparison.

Signposting

Brief statements in an introduction or between sections that announce the order and logic of the argument, helping readers follow a sustained response.

Paragraph unity

The principle that every sentence in a paragraph serves its topic claim; a sentence introducing a new claim signals that a new paragraph is required.

Synthesising conclusion

A closing section that restates the thesis in light of the evidence presented, states its significance, and introduces no new evidence or claims.

Sentence variety

Deliberate alternation of short declaratives for emphasis with complex subordinated sentences, avoiding consecutive sentences of identical structure and length.

Cohesive devices

Pronouns, demonstratives, lexical repetition and connectives of addition, contrast, cause and concession that link sentences and signal logical relationships.

Comma splice

Two independent clauses joined only by a comma; correct by adding a coordinating conjunction, replacing the comma with a semicolon, or splitting into separate sentences.

Subject-verb agreement traps

Intervening phrases, collective nouns and indefinite pronouns such as each or everyone can obscure the subject; with either-or the verb agrees with the nearest subject.

Imply versus infer

A speaker or writer implies, hinting at meaning without stating it; a reader or listener infers, drawing that conclusion from available evidence.

Australian spelling conventions

Standard Australian English uses -ise (analyse, criticise), -our (behaviour, colour), -re (centre), and -ce for nouns versus -se for verbs (licence, license).