Using relevant subject terminology

    AQA
    GCSE

    Mastery of subject terminology requires the precise identification and application of linguistic and structural concepts to deconstruct a writer's methods. Candidates must move beyond simple feature-spotting to integrate accurate metalanguage—such as semantic fields, syntactic parallelism, or narrative perspective—into a cohesive analysis of effect. In creative and transactional writing, this skill manifests as the conscious manipulation of rhetorical devices and sentence forms to shape reader response. Assessment prioritizes the relevance and accuracy of the terminology in service of an argument, rather than the density of technical vocabulary.

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    Objectives
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    Exam Tips
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    Pitfalls
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    Key Terms
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    Mark Points

    What You Need to Demonstrate

    Key skills and knowledge for this topic

    • Award marks for the judicious use of terminology; terms must support the analysis of effect, not replace it.
    • Credit accurate identification of word classes (e.g., 'dynamic verb', 'abstract noun') and literary devices (e.g., 'sibilance', 'anaphora') only when linked to specific writer's methods.
    • Ensure terminology is precise; distinguish between 'juxtaposition' and 'oxymoron', or 'personification' and 'zoomorphism' to demonstrate Level 4 conceptual understanding.
    • Reward responses that integrate terminology seamlessly into the sentence structure (e.g., 'The writer's use of violent verbs...') rather than bolting it on.

    Marking Points

    Key points examiners look for in your answers

    • Award marks for the judicious use of terminology; terms must support the analysis of effect, not replace it.
    • Credit accurate identification of word classes (e.g., 'dynamic verb', 'abstract noun') and literary devices (e.g., 'sibilance', 'anaphora') only when linked to specific writer's methods.
    • Ensure terminology is precise; distinguish between 'juxtaposition' and 'oxymoron', or 'personification' and 'zoomorphism' to demonstrate Level 4 conceptual understanding.
    • Reward responses that integrate terminology seamlessly into the sentence structure (e.g., 'The writer's use of violent verbs...') rather than bolting it on.

    Examiner Tips

    Expert advice for maximising your marks

    • 💡Prioritise the effect over the label; if you cannot explain *why* the writer used a metaphor, do not mention it.
    • 💡Use the 'Zoom In' technique: Start with the general device (imagery), then refine to the specific (visual imagery), then the word class (concrete noun).
    • 💡Avoid 'The writer uses...'; instead, make the method the subject of the sentence (e.g., 'The violent verbs accelerate the pace...').
    • 💡Revise high-value structural terminology for Paper 1 Question 3, such as 'cyclical structure', 'narrative shift', and 'focalisation'.

    Common Mistakes

    Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

    • Feature-spotting: Listing devices (e.g., 'The writer uses a simile') without analysing the specific effect on the reader.
    • Using generic labels like 'creating an image in the reader's mind' or 'makes the reader want to read on' without justification.
    • Incorrectly labelling word classes, such as identifying an adjective as a verb, which undermines the credibility of the analysis.
    • Over-complicating analysis with obscure Greek/Latin terms (e.g., 'polysyndeton') when simple identification of sentence structure would suffice.

    Key Terminology

    Essential terms to know

    Likely Command Words

    How questions on this topic are typically asked

    How does the writer use language...
    How does the writer use structure...
    Compare how writers...
    Evaluate the idea that...
    Summarise the differences...

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