BGCSE English 1234 key terms

A conclusion a reader draws from clues in a text rather than from a statement made outright. It combines evidence with background knowledge, so the answer is suggested but never directly written.

Information stated plainly in a text, so a reader can point to the exact words that carry it. It needs no guessing, unlike ideas the reader must work out from hints.

A word, phrase, quotation or detail from a text used to support an answer or opinion. Strong answers link the evidence directly to the point being made.

The central point a passage or paragraph communicates, summing up what the writer most wants readers to understand. Everything else in the text should relate to and support it.

A sentence, usually first in a paragraph, that announces the paragraph's main point. The remaining sentences develop, illustrate or prove that point with detail and example.

The attitude a writer conveys towards the subject or audience, such as amused, critical, sympathetic or formal. Word choice and sentence structure create it, and readers infer it rather than being told.

The reason a writer produces a text, for example to inform, persuade, entertain, instruct or warn. Identifying it helps a reader judge which details matter and how the text is organised.

The people a text is written for. Their age, knowledge and expectations shape the vocabulary, tone, level of detail and format a writer chooses.

A fact can be checked and shown to be true or false; an opinion expresses a belief, judgement or feeling. Skilled readers separate the two and notice when opinion is dressed up as fact.

An unfair leaning towards or against something, shown by selective facts, loaded words or omitted viewpoints. Detecting bias means asking what the writer left out as well as what was included.

A broad idea about life or human experience explored across a whole text, such as loyalty, loss or ambition. It is communicated through events, characters and repeated images rather than stated once.

The methods a writer uses to build a character: description, speech, actions, thoughts and other characters' reactions. Direct characterisation tells readers; indirect characterisation shows them.

The reasons driving a character's behaviour, such as fear, love, ambition or duty. Understanding motivation explains why events unfold as they do and deepens response to the text.

The central character whose fortunes the story follows and whose decisions usually shape the plot. A story may have more than one, and the protagonist need not be likeable.

Descriptive language that appeals to the senses, helping readers see, hear, smell, taste or feel what is described. It often carries emotional weight and contributes to mood and theme.

A comparison between two unlike things using 'like' or 'as', for example 'her voice was like gravel'. It makes description vivid and can suggest attitude towards what is compared.

A comparison that states one thing is another without using 'like' or 'as', such as 'the classroom was a zoo'. Extended metaphors carry a comparison across several sentences or a whole poem.

Giving human qualities to something non-human, as in 'the wind whispered through the trees'. It can create atmosphere or make an abstract idea easier to picture.

The perspective from which a story is told, including whether a narrator speaks as 'I' or describes events from outside. The choice controls what information readers can access.

A gap between what is said or expected and what is actually meant or happens. It may be verbal, situational or dramatic, and readers must notice the gap to catch the writer's point.

Writing that uses humour, exaggeration or irony to expose and criticise foolishness or vice. Its target is usually social behaviour or institutions rather than a single individual.

Deliberate exaggeration for emphasis or comic effect, as in 'I've told you a million times'. It is not meant literally and often signals strong feeling or a humorous tone.

A word with a meaning close to another, such as 'begin' and 'commence'. Few synonyms are fully interchangeable, since they differ in formality, strength or the contexts they suit.

A word with an opposite meaning to another, such as 'generous' and 'mean'. Antonyms help writers create contrast and help readers work out unfamiliar words from context.

The feelings or associations a word carries beyond its literal meaning. 'Cheap' and 'affordable' describe similar prices but suggest very different attitudes, so word choice shapes response.

The literal, dictionary meaning of a word, stripped of emotional associations. Distinguishing denotation from connotation helps readers explain why one word choice is more effective than another.

Information in the surrounding words, sentence or paragraph that helps a reader work out the meaning of an unfamiliar word. Types include definition, example, contrast and general sense of the passage.

The level of formality a text adopts, ranging from casual speech to formal writing. It depends on audience, purpose and situation, and mixing levels inappropriately weakens a piece of writing.

The way sentences and paragraphs are tied together so a text reads as a whole. Devices include pronouns, repeated key words, and linking words such as 'however' and 'therefore'.

A word or phrase that links ideas across sentences, for example 'firstly', 'in contrast' or 'as a result'. Each signals a relationship such as addition, contrast, cause or sequence.

A shortened account of a text that keeps its main points in the writer's own words. It leaves out examples and repetition, keeps the original order of ideas, and does not add opinion.

Restating a passage in different words while keeping its full meaning and roughly its length. Unlike a summary it does not condense, and unlike a quotation it does not copy the original wording.

Words copied exactly from a text and placed in quotation marks to support a point. A quotation should be brief, accurate and introduced so the reader sees why it is relevant.

A letter following conventions such as the writer's address, date, a polite salutation and a clear sign-off. Its language is impersonal and precise, and its purpose is usually stated early.

Writing that aims to change a reader's view or prompt action, using reasons, evidence, appeals to emotion and rhetorical devices. A clear position and organised argument are essential.

A question asked for effect rather than to obtain an answer, since the answer is obvious or implied. It engages readers and pushes them towards the writer's viewpoint.

A persuasive tactic that bypasses reasoned argument, such as name-calling, bandwagon appeals or testimonials. Recognising these devices helps readers judge a text's claims critically.

Dividing writing into paragraphs, each developing one main idea, with a clear opening and closing sentence. Paragraph breaks guide the reader through changes of topic, time or speaker.

Using marks such as dashes, semicolons, ellipses and exclamation marks deliberately to control pace, emphasis or tone. The same sentence can shift in force depending on the marks chosen.

Mixing sentence lengths and structures, such as simple, compound and complex forms, to keep writing readable and expressive. Short sentences can add impact; long ones can build detail and rhythm.