BSEH Secondary English key terms

A conclusion a reader draws from clues in the text rather than from a statement made outright. It combines evidence with background knowledge, and it must be defensible by pointing to specific words or details.

The central point a passage develops and returns to, expressed as a full sentence rather than a topic label. Supporting details, examples, and reasons in the text all work to explain or prove it.

Information in the surrounding sentence or paragraph that helps a reader work out the meaning of an unfamiliar word. Clues may be definitions, examples, contrasts, synonyms, or the general sense of the passage.

The reason a writer produces a text: to inform, persuade, entertain, explain, or warn. Purpose shapes word choice, structure, and the amount of detail given, so identifying it guides interpretation.

The writer's attitude towards the subject, conveyed through word choice, sentence length, and detail. Tone differs from mood, which is the feeling created in the reader.

A fact can be checked and proven; an opinion expresses a belief, judgement, or feeling that can be argued. Unseen passages often mix both, and questions ask you to separate them.

Restating a short passage in your own words at roughly the same length and with the same meaning. It proves comprehension without copying the original wording.

A brief restatement of the main points of a longer text, stripped of examples and repetition. A good summary keeps the original order of ideas and stays neutral.

A short, formal announcement displayed on a board or circulated to a group. It carries a heading, date, issuer, and the essential details in a few lines, with no salutation.

A letter written in a polite, impersonal register to an official, editor, or institution. It follows a fixed layout: sender's address, date, receiver's address, subject, salutation, body, and closing.

The single line placed below the salutation in a formal letter that states the purpose of writing in a few words. It lets a busy reader see the matter at once.

The level of formality in language, chosen to suit audience and situation. Formal writing avoids contractions, slang, and personal chat, while informal writing may use them freely.

The quality that makes a piece of writing hold together so each sentence leads logically to the next. Linking words, consistent pronouns, and orderly paragraphing create it.

A group of sentences developing one controlling idea. It usually opens with a topic sentence, supports it with detail or example, and closes with a link to what follows.

A factual account of an event or investigation, written for readers who were not present. It answers what, when, where, who, why, and how, and stays impersonal.

A piece of writing for a magazine, newspaper, or school publication that presents a topic with a title, byline, and opinion or analysis, organised in paragraphs.

The form of a verb that shows when an action happens relative to the moment of speaking: present, past, or future, each with simple, continuous, perfect, and perfect continuous aspects.

The sentence pattern in which the subject performs the action, as in 'The boy broke the window'. It is generally clearer and more direct than the passive.

The pattern in which the object of the action becomes the subject, as in 'The window was broken by the boy'. Formed with a form of 'be' plus the past participle.

Conveying what someone said without quoting the exact words. Pronouns, tense, and time or place words usually shift back one step from the original utterance.

A word placed before a noun to specify which one or how much: articles, possessives, demonstratives, quantifiers, and numbers. It comes before any adjective.

A helping verb such as can, may, must, should, or might that expresses ability, permission, obligation, or possibility. It is followed by a bare infinitive and never takes -s.

A word showing the relation between a noun or pronoun and another element, typically place, time, or direction; examples include in, on, at, under, between, since.

The rule that a verb must match its subject in number and person. Singular subjects take singular verbs; intervening phrases do not change the agreement.

The convention that the tense of a reported clause usually follows the tense of the reporting verb, so a present remark becomes past when introduced by a past verb.

The central idea or comment on life that a literary work develops, such as courage, loss, or the value of freedom. It is implied through events and characters rather than stated directly.

A description of a fictional person built from what they say, do, what others say about them, and how they change. It supports judgements with textual evidence.

The struggle between opposing forces that drives a story forward, whether person against person, society, nature, or self. It builds tension and leads to the climax.

The use of a concrete object, place, or action to stand for a larger idea, such as a letter standing for faith. Meaning depends on context and repetition within the text.

The point of highest tension in a narrative, where the main conflict comes to a head and the outcome turns. What follows is falling action and resolution.

A group of lines in a poem set off by a space, working like a paragraph. Stanza length and pattern often signal shifts in mood or argument.

The ordered pattern of end rhymes in a poem, written as letters, so that the first rhyme sound is 'a', the next different sound 'b', and so on.

A figure of speech giving human qualities to an animal, object, or idea, as when fog comes on little cat feet. It creates vivid pictures and often carries emotional weight.

The repetition of the same initial consonant sound in nearby words, as in 'wild and windy'. It produces rhythm and can emphasise a particular phrase.

A comparison stating that one thing is another, without using 'like' or 'as'. It works by transferring qualities and shapes how the reader sees the subject.

Language appealing to the senses that builds a picture in the reader's mind. Effective imagery is specific and often supports the poem's mood or theme.

A gap between what is said or expected and what actually happens or is meant. Situational irony reverses expectations; verbal irony says the opposite of what is intended.

A final turn in a story that reveals information reversing the reader's earlier understanding. It should be surprising yet fairly prepared by details planted earlier.

The reasons behind a character's actions: desires, fears, loyalties, or needs. Identifying motivation explains behaviour and helps judge whether a choice is believable.

The lesson about behaviour or values that a story invites the reader to draw. In fables and moral tales it is often stated; in modern stories it stays implied.