GCSE English Language and English Literature: Wordbank.
English and English Language
cliché
An over used phrase
cohesion
The ways things hang together and flow
text types
different styles of writing
Multi modal
Text which includes more than one mode eg web pages
subordinate clauses
a phrase, included with the main bit of a sentence, which
gives more detail, an 'extra bit' of a sentence
sentence structure
how the sentences are put together
acronym
the first letters of each word of a phrase
noun phrase
the objects, people, places written about
fact
something which has been proven to be true
opinion
a belief, not proven to be true
abstract
a noun which cannot be seen e.g. love, hate
concrete
a noun that can be touched and is visible e.g. a table
imperative
an order or command to do something
resolution
usually the ending of a story, where problems are solved
anecdote
a short story, to illustrate a point
audience
the viewer or reader of a text
cliff-hanger
when tension builds at the end of a story, leaving the
reader questioning what happens next
compound sentence a sentence which contains a subordinate clause, giving the
reader more detail about the subject
conclusion
the ending of a piece
connective
a joining word, linking sentences and ideas
formal language
following the rules of English, you would use formal
language when writing to someone you don't know
informal language
use of slang or 'everyday' language, more casual
fiction
made-up stories
introduction
the beginning of a piece of writing
complication
within a story, when a problem occurs which has to be
resolved
coherence
the flow of the writing, how the paragraphs link together
engage
to interest the reader
tension
to build excitement to engage the reader
suspense
building anxiety or uncertainty in the story
Analysis
the in-depth study of a texts
appreciation
Criticism or analysis
analyse
to study a text, to look at it very closely
subplot
a secondary story line, aside from the main plot
effectiveness
how successful a text is at putting across the ideas
suggestion
what a writer is trying to say
opinion
your own beliefs, not necessarily true
Literature: Textual Analysis and Study:
argue
to look at one side of an issue
content
what is contained within a story
explore
to investigate and text and really think about what it is
saying
context
relevant circumstances surrounding a piece of literature
moral
a story which tells a tale of right and wrong behaviour
narrative perspective the viewpoint of the writer
critical analysis
in-depth study of a piece of writing
literary techniques
features of a piece of writing, used for deliberate effect
by the writer
parody
a funny, exaggerated imitation of a writer
narrative devices
features of the piece of writing, used for deliberate effect
dialogue
when a character speaks
interpretation
one person's thinking about a text, how they read it
evaluation
how a reader thinks about a text and sums it up once
they have taken it in
identify
to pick out one point
irony
when a text says one thing, but it can mean another
source
where ideas come from
infer
to suggest something
deduce
to work out what something means or what a writer is
saying
lead character
the main character in a story
quotation
an extract from the text, used to back up comments, put
into quotation marks
Poetry Study:
syllabic structure
the number of syllables or 'beats' in a line of poetry
personification
when something non-human is given human characteristics
register
the tone or sound of the poem, is formal or informal
language used?
iambic pentameter
free verse
a poem that does not follow a set pattern
figurative language words and phrases that help to put a picture in the mind of
the reader
haiku
a form of Japanese poetry in 3 lines, containing 5, 7, 5
syllables
sonnet
a poem of 14 lines, usually expressing a single idea or
sentiment
emotive
a feeling
elegy
sequence
the order in which ideas are presented
dialect
a form of language spoken in a particular geographical area
colloquial
informal language used in everyday conversation
narrative
the story of the poem
rhyme scheme
the way in which the poem rhymes, the pattern used
accent
the way in which language is pronounced
lyric
metre
the regular and rhythmic pattern of the syllables in a poem
comparison
Looking at the similarities and differences between poems
stress
where the beat falls in a line of poetry
Shakespeare Study:
Dramatic
Banishment
Enemy
Rhetoric
Suicide
Marriage
Beautiful
Rivalry
Isolation
describing drama/play, theatrical
expulsion from one’s country, as Romeo is
from Verona
a play in which people fall in love
a scene in a play where one person speaks
alone
a play in which characters die: Romeo and
Juliet is a romantic tragedy
a play which contains some humorous scenes
and characters, as A Midsummer Night’s
Dream
the cause/reasons for a situation, who or
what is the reason that Romeo and Juliet die?
when opposite ideas are put in the same
scene or sentence
a nation’s buildings for example, things which
are inherited, passed down
custom, opinion or belief which is handed
down
from the time of Elizabeth 1,
to get back at someone
a fight, normally over a long period of time
Romeo belongs to the Montague family
to compete or fight over something
Juliet is of the Capulet household
Juliet’s father, Capulet, calls her this when she
refuses to follow his orders to marry Paris
the period of time when a couple is together,
before they marry
this refers to the lengthy period of hostility
between the Capulets and Montagues
someone who does not like you
a persuasive way of speaking and writing
a person who kills himself
legal union of two people joining together
of outstanding appearance
someone who competes with another
place apart or alone
Relationship
Hyperbole
emotional connection between two people
Extreme exaggeration
Romantic
Monologue
Tragedy
Comedy
Responsibility
Oxymoron
Heritage
Tradition
Elizabethan
Revenge
Feud
Montague
Competition
Capulet
‘disobedient wretch’
Courtship
‘ancient grudge’