FY12CE English key terms

The marks used in writing, such as full stops, commas, question marks and capital letters, that show where sentences and ideas begin and end and help the reader follow meaning.

The large form of a letter, used at the start of a sentence and for names of people, places, days and months. Also called an upper-case letter.

The dot mark placed at the end of a statement sentence. It signals that the sentence is finished and a new one is beginning.

The mark written at the end of a sentence that asks something. It replaces a full stop and tells the reader the sentence expects an answer.

A group of words that makes complete sense on its own. It begins with a capital letter and ends with a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark.

A naming word. It labels a person, place, thing or idea, such as 'teacher', 'library', 'chair' or 'happiness'.

A doing or being word. It tells what someone or something does or is, such as 'run', 'eat', 'is' or 'seem'.

A describing word that gives more information about a noun, such as 'cold' in 'cold water' or 'friendly' in 'a friendly dog'.

Writing a word with the correct letters in the correct order. Accurate spelling helps a reader recognise words quickly and shows care in writing.

Arranging words by the letters of the alphabet, from A to Z. Used in indexes, lists and dictionaries so that items can be found quickly.

A reference book or online tool that lists words in alphabetical order with their meanings, spellings and sometimes pronunciation and word type.

Reading your own or someone else's writing carefully to find and correct mistakes in spelling, grammar and punctuation before the work is finished.

A block of sentences grouped around one main idea. A new paragraph starts on a new line and is often indented or separated by a blank line.

The sentence, usually first in a paragraph, that states the main point. The other sentences in the paragraph support or explain it.

The most important point a text or paragraph is making. It is what the writer most wants the reader to understand and remember.

Reading quickly to get the general idea of a text without reading every word. Useful for deciding whether a text is useful before reading closely.

Looking quickly through a text for one specific piece of information, such as a date, name or number, without reading everything in detail.

A short title at the top of a section of text. It tells the reader what the section is about and helps them find information.

A smaller title inside a section of text. It breaks a long piece into parts and shows what each part covers.

An alphabetical list at the back of a book giving names or topics with page numbers, so readers can jump straight to the right place.

The people a text is written for. Knowing the audience helps a writer choose the right level of detail, tone and vocabulary.

The reason a text was written, such as to inform, persuade, instruct or entertain. It shapes the content, layout and language of the text.

The feeling or attitude a piece of writing gives, for example friendly, formal, serious or humorous. It comes from word choice and sentence style.

A statement that can be checked and shown to be true, such as 'Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius at sea level'.

A statement of what someone believes, feels or thinks. It may be reasonable but cannot be proved true in the way a fact can.

An unfair leaning towards one side of an issue. A biased text presents some facts but leaves out or downplays others that do not support its view.

A conclusion a reader draws from clues in a text rather than from something stated directly. For example, a character holding an umbrella suggests it is raining.

The details in a text, such as facts, examples or quotations, that support a point or answer. Good answers can be backed up by pointing to evidence.

A short account of the main points of a text, written in your own words and leaving out minor detail.

Restating someone's idea in your own words while keeping the meaning. It is often used to show understanding without copying the original wording.

Words copied exactly from a text or speaker, shown in quotation marks. Quotations must be accurate and credited to their source.

The form of a verb that shows when something happens: past, present or future. Keeping tenses consistent helps a reader follow the order of events.

The rules that govern how words are put together to form sentences, including word order, verb forms and agreement between parts of a sentence.

Language suitable for serious or official situations, avoiding slang and contractions. It is common in letters of complaint, reports and job applications.

Relaxed everyday language used with friends and people you know well. It may include slang and contractions and is not usually suited to official writing.

Writing that tries to change the reader's view or move them to act. It uses reasons, evidence, emotive words and sometimes rhetorical questions.

A set of connected reasons and evidence put forward to support a point of view. A strong argument answers likely objections as well as stating its case.

The way sentences and paragraphs are linked so a text flows as one whole. It is built with connectives, pronouns and repeated key words.

A word or phrase that joins ideas and shows their relationship, such as 'however', 'because', 'in addition' or 'on the other hand'.

The level of formality a writer chooses for a situation, from very casual to very formal. Register should stay consistent and match the audience.

To check a finished piece of writing for errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar, and to confirm that it reads clearly and makes sense.