MATSEC AM English key terms

A single sentence, usually near the start of an essay, that states the main claim the writer will defend. Everything else in the piece should support or develop it.

The opening sentence of a paragraph that announces the paragraph's central point. It links back to the thesis and signals what the rest of the paragraph will explain or prove.

The way sentences and paragraphs are held together so a text reads as one continuous whole, achieved through linkers, pronoun reference, repetition of key words and logical order.

The quality that makes a text easy to follow because its ideas are arranged in a clear, logical order that matches the reader's expectations and the purpose of the writing.

A word or phrase such as 'however', 'furthermore' or 'on the other hand' that signals how one part of a text relates to another, guiding the reader through the argument.

The level of formality a writer chooses for a given audience and situation, ranging from casual conversation to formal academic prose. It affects vocabulary, sentence structure and tone.

The attitude a writer conveys towards the subject or reader, for example ironic, sympathetic, urgent or detached. Tone is created through word choice, rhythm and sentence structure.

A writer's choice of words, considered for precision, connotation and appropriateness to the audience. Close analysis of diction often reveals a text's attitude and emphasis.

The associations and emotional overtones a word carries beyond its literal meaning. For instance, 'slender' and 'skinny' share a sense but suggest different attitudes.

The literal, dictionary meaning of a word, stripped of emotional associations. Distinguishing denotation from connotation helps a reader explain why a particular word was chosen.

Language that appeals to the senses, creating vivid mental pictures or sensations. Imagery often carries emotional weight and contributes to a text's mood and themes.

A figure of speech that describes one thing as if it were another, without using 'like' or 'as', in order to highlight a shared quality or create a new way of seeing.

A comparison between two unlike things introduced by 'like' or 'as', used to clarify or enliven a description by linking the unfamiliar to something the reader knows.

Giving human qualities or actions to a non-human thing, such as an object, animal or abstract idea, often to create atmosphere or express an attitude towards it.

The technique of attributing human feelings to nature or weather so that the setting mirrors a character's emotional state or the mood of a scene.

A gap between what is said or expected and what is actually meant or happens. It may be verbal, situational or dramatic, and often invites the reader to judge.

Writing that uses humour, irony or exaggeration to expose and criticise human folly, institutions or behaviour, usually with the aim of prompting reform or reflection.

A description that exaggerates a few distinctive features of a person or group for comic or critical effect, often reducing them to a type rather than a rounded individual.

The methods a writer uses to build and reveal characters, including description, dialogue, action, the reactions of others and direct comment by the narrator.

The central character whose fortunes or decisions drive the narrative forward. The protagonist need not be admirable, but the reader's attention follows them.

The character or force that opposes the protagonist and creates the central conflict. An antagonist may be a person, a group, a society or an internal impulse.

The persona through whom a story is told, shaped by who narrates, what they know and how they speak. It strongly affects how the reader judges events.

The perspective from which a narrative is presented, such as first person, third-person limited or third-person omniscient. It controls what information the reader receives.

A narrator whose account the reader has reason to doubt because of bias, limited knowledge, self-interest or deliberate deception. Spotting this shapes interpretation of the whole text.

The struggle between opposing forces that gives a narrative its tension, whether between characters, between a character and society or nature, or within a single mind.

The point of greatest tension in a narrative, where the central conflict reaches its peak and the outcome begins to be decided. It usually marks a turning point.

The part of a narrative following the climax in which the conflict is settled, loose ends are addressed and the reader sees the consequences of earlier events.

The overall arrangement of a text, including how it is divided, ordered and paced. Analysing structure means asking why material appears where it does.

A group of lines in a poem set off from other groups by spacing, functioning like a paragraph. Stanza divisions often signal shifts in argument, mood or speaker.

The pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables and pauses that gives a poem or prose passage its pace and musical quality, shaping emphasis and emotional effect.

The running of a sentence or phrase past the end of a line of poetry into the next, so that the line break falls mid-thought. It can create speed, suspense or emphasis.

A conclusion a reader draws from evidence in the text rather than from a statement made outright. Comprehension questions often require stating what is implied and how it is implied.

A meaning suggested indirectly rather than stated explicitly. Recognising implications is central to reading between the lines and to explaining a writer's underlying attitude.

Careful, detailed analysis of a short passage, attending to word choice, syntax, imagery and structure in order to build an interpretation grounded in the text itself.

The most important point a passage conveys, which the supporting details explain or illustrate. Identifying it is the first step in summarising or evaluating a text.

To state the central points of a text briefly and in your own words, omitting illustrative detail while preserving the writer's meaning and emphasis.

To restate a passage's meaning in different words while keeping the same level of detail and without adding interpretation. It tests accurate understanding of the original.

A reasoned line of thinking in which claims are supported by evidence and explanation. In writing, an argument must anticipate objections and answer them convincingly.

The intended readers of a text, whose knowledge, expectations and likely objections shape the writer's choices of vocabulary, structure, evidence and level of formality.

The arrangement of words and phrases into sentences. Varying sentence length and order can create emphasis, pace or a particular tone in both prose and poetry.

The marks used to divide and organise written language, controlling pauses, grouping and emphasis. Misused punctuation can change meaning or make a sentence ambiguous.

Agreement between parts of a sentence, especially between a subject and its verb in number and person, and between pronouns and the nouns they refer to.

A phrase that appears to modify the wrong word because the intended subject is missing or misplaced, as in 'Walking home, the rain began', where the rain seems to walk.

The presence of more than one possible meaning in a word, phrase or sentence. It can be an accidental fault in writing or a deliberate effect in literature.

Quotations, examples or facts drawn from a text or wider reading that support a claim. Strong evidence is relevant, accurate and explained rather than simply dropped in.