BSEH SS English Special key terms

A conclusion drawn from evidence in a text rather than stated directly. Readers combine clues, context, and prior knowledge to work out meaning that the writer implies but never spells out.

Meaning suggested indirectly by a text rather than asserted openly. An implication must be inferred by the reader from wording, tone, or detail, and is therefore weaker than an explicit statement.

The careful, line-by-line examination of a short passage, attending to diction, syntax, imagery, and structure in order to build an interpretation supported by textual evidence rather than by summary or personal opinion.

The central point a passage communicates about its topic. It is broad enough to cover all the supporting details and is usually stated in a topic sentence or implied through the whole text.

A sentence, usually opening a paragraph, that announces the paragraph's controlling idea. The remaining sentences develop, illustrate, or qualify it, so identifying it speeds up comprehension of the passage's structure.

A fact, example, statistic, or reason that develops and proves a main idea. Distinguishing supporting details from the main idea is essential when a question asks what the passage is chiefly about.

The writer's attitude towards the subject or reader, conveyed through word choice and sentence style. Tone may be ironic, nostalgic, indignant, or detached, and is often described with a single adjective in exam questions.

The emotional atmosphere a text creates in the reader, produced by setting, imagery, and rhythm. Mood differs from tone: tone belongs to the writer's attitude, mood to the feeling the writing evokes.

A writer's choice of words, considered for connotation, formality, and precision. Analysing diction means asking why this word rather than a near-synonym was used, and what effect that choice produces.

The associations and emotional colouring a word carries beyond its literal meaning. 'Cheap' and 'affordable' denote similar prices but carry very different connotations, which writers exploit deliberately.

The literal, dictionary meaning of a word, stripped of emotional association. Distinguishing denotation from connotation is the first step in explaining why a writer's word choice shapes a reader's response.

A single sentence expressing the central argument of an essay, placed near the beginning. It must be arguable rather than factual, and every body paragraph should support or develop it directly.

The quality that makes a piece of writing hold together logically, so each sentence follows from the last. Coherence is achieved through clear organisation, consistent focus, and explicit links between ideas.

The linking of sentences and paragraphs through grammatical and lexical devices such as pronouns, repetition, synonyms, and connectives. Cohesion is the surface glue that helps produce overall coherence.

A word, phrase, or sentence that signals the relationship between ideas, such as contrast, addition, cause, or sequence. Effective transitions guide the reader and prevent abrupt shifts in an argument.

A restatement of a source's meaning in the writer's own words and sentence structure, retaining the original sense. Paraphrasing must be substantially different in wording from the source, not a synonym swap.

A condensed account of a text's main points, omitting examples and detail. A good summary preserves proportion, giving most space to the writer's central concerns and no space to incidental illustration.

Presenting another person's words or ideas as one's own, whether by copying, inadequate paraphrasing, or omitting acknowledgement. It is an academic offence even when the borrowing is unintentional.

The formal acknowledgement of a source, giving enough detail for a reader to locate it. Citations mark the boundary between a writer's own argument and borrowed material, and are required for both quotation and paraphrase.

A sentence construction in which the subject performs the action, as in 'The committee rejected the proposal'. Active voice is usually clearer and more direct than passive voice and is preferred in most exam writing.

A construction in which the subject receives the action, formed with a form of 'be' plus a past participle, as in 'The proposal was rejected'. It is useful when the doer is unknown or unimportant.

A verb form used as an adjective or in compound tenses, such as 'broken' (past participle) or 'running' (present participle). Participles often introduce participial phrases that modify a noun in the main clause.

A group of words containing a subject and a finite verb. An independent clause can stand alone as a sentence; a dependent clause cannot, and is marked by a subordinating conjunction or relative pronoun.

A group of related words that functions as a single unit within a sentence but lacks a subject-verb combination, such as 'in the morning' or 'having finished the report'. Phrases cannot stand alone as sentences.

A word such as 'although', 'because', or 'unless' that introduces a dependent clause and shows its relationship to the main clause. It cannot normally be paired with a coordinating conjunction in the same link.

A word, phrase, or clause that describes or limits another element in the sentence. A misplaced modifier sits too far from what it describes, producing ambiguity or unintentional comedy.

An expression whose meaning cannot be deduced from its individual words, such as 'to let the cat out of the bag'. Idioms are fixed in form and often tested through preposition choice and verb collocation.

The habitual pairing of words in a language, as in 'make a decision' rather than 'do a decision'. Collocations are learned as chunks and are a frequent source of error in vocabulary exercises.

The degree of formality a situation demands, ranging from intimate speech to formal written prose. Choosing an appropriate register means matching vocabulary, contractions, and sentence complexity to audience and purpose.

A speech in which a character, alone on stage, voices private thoughts aloud. It reveals motivation and inner conflict to the audience while remaining unheard by other characters, as in Hamlet's 'To be, or not to be'.

A brief remark spoken by a character to the audience, or to one other character, that the rest of those on stage are not meant to hear. It creates dramatic irony and complicity with the audience.

A situation in which the audience knows something a character does not, so that the character's words or actions carry a meaning lost on them. It generates tension, pathos, or dark comedy.

A defect of character in a tragic protagonist that contributes to their downfall, such as pride or indecision. The concept derives from Aristotle's hamartia, though modern criticism treats it as one cause among many.

The final action of a tragedy in which the protagonist's downfall is completed, often involving death. It follows the climax and releases the tension built through the play, producing the effect of tragic pity and fear.

Unrhymed iambic pentameter, the dominant metre of English dramatic and narrative poetry. Each line carries five stressed beats in a rising rhythm, allowing speech to sound natural while remaining metrically regular.

A line of five iambs, each an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed one, producing ten syllables in a da-DUM pattern. It is the standard line of Shakespeare's plays and of much English sonnet writing.

The organised pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in verse, giving a poem its rhythmic shape. Analysing metre involves counting feet per line and identifying the dominant foot type.

Descriptive language that appeals to the senses, creating vivid mental pictures or sensations. Imagery works through figures such as simile and metaphor and often carries the emotional weight of a poem.

A comparison in which one thing is described as if it were another, without 'like' or 'as', as in 'the classroom was a beehive'. It transfers qualities from vehicle to tenor to illuminate the subject.

An explicit comparison using 'like' or 'as', as in 'her voice was like gravel'. The comparison may be brief or extended, and its effect depends on the freshness and aptness of the parallel drawn.

The central character whose fortunes the narrative follows and whose choices drive the plot. The protagonist need not be admirable; what matters is that the reader's interest is anchored in them.

The character or force that opposes the protagonist and creates the central conflict. An effective antagonist is motivated rather than merely wicked, so that the struggle carries moral weight.

The techniques a writer uses to build characters, whether directly through description or indirectly through speech, action, and the reactions of others. Round characters develop; flat characters remain fixed.

The struggle between opposing forces that generates plot, whether internal within a character or external against another person, society, or nature. Conflict is resolved, or deliberately left unresolved, at the story's close.

The point of greatest tension in a narrative, where the central conflict comes to a head and the outcome is decided. It is usually followed by a falling action and a resolution.

The voice that tells a story, distinct from the author. A first-person narrator speaks as 'I' and is limited; a third-person narrator may be omniscient or restricted to one character's perspective.

The perspective from which a narrative is told, such as first person, third-person limited, or third-person omniscient. Point of view controls what information the reader receives and how judgements are shaped.

A hint early in a narrative about events to come, creating anticipation or, on a second reading, a sense of inevitability. It may be delivered through dialogue, symbolism, or a suggestive detail.

The use of a concrete object, person, or event to stand for an abstract idea, as a caged bird might suggest confinement. Symbols gain meaning from repetition and from their place in the story's structure.

The underlying idea a literary work explores, such as the corruption of power or the pain of exile. Theme is expressed through the whole work rather than stated by any single character.

Assessment carried out during learning to inform teaching and give feedback, rather than to assign a final grade. Examples include quizzes, peer review, and observation of pair work.

Assessment that measures achievement at the end of a unit or course for reporting or certification. It is typically graded and compared against a standard rather than used to adjust instruction.

Temporary support that helps a learner complete a task they could not yet manage alone, withdrawn as competence grows. Examples include sentence frames, worked examples, and guided questions.

A scoring guide that lists criteria and describes levels of performance for each, making assessment transparent and consistent. Rubrics help learners understand what a strong response looks like before they write.

The ability to use language appropriately as well as accurately, covering grammatical, sociolinguistic, discourse, and strategic knowledge. It goes beyond correct forms to knowing what to say to whom, and when.

The purpose a stretch of language serves in interaction, such as apologising, requesting, persuading, or giving advice. Teaching functions means teaching the exponents appropriate to each purpose and situation.

The skill of reducing a text to its essential points in one's own words. It tests comprehension of main idea and proportion, and is a common supplementary reader task after a chapter is read.

Reading large amounts of longer text for pleasure and general understanding rather than close analysis. It builds vocabulary, fluency, and confidence, and is the rationale behind the supplementary reader.