AQA GCSE English Language key terms

Writing that tells a sequence of connected events involving characters.

The apparent speed at which a narrative unfolds, shaped by how much attention the writer gives to action, description, dialogue and particular moments.

The perspective from which events are presented, such as a participant telling the story using ‘I’ or a third-person narrator describing a character.

The position from which a text presents events, such as a first-person participant or a third-person narrator.

Writing about real people, experiences, events or ideas. It can include opinions and selective presentation as well as factual information.

A word whose sound resembles the sound it describes.

The speed at which events or information unfold for the reader.

A group of sentences developing a connected idea or focus; a new paragraph signals a meaningful change.

An accurate restatement of information in your own words.

Additional information inserted into a sentence and separated from its main structure, often by commas, dashes or brackets.

A grammatical construction in which the subject receives the action, rather than performs it: for example, ‘The miners were being turned up.’

Describing something non-human as having human qualities or actions.

A writer’s way of seeing a subject, including their attitudes, experiences and priorities.

The perspective from which a text is written, such as a first-person narrator or a writer’s position on an issue.

Letters added to the beginning of a word to form another word, such as ‘un-’ in ‘unnecessary’.

A word used in place of a noun or noun phrase, such as ‘she’, ‘it’ or ‘they’. Its reference should be clear.

Rereading finished writing to identify and correct errors, such as missing words, spelling mistakes and inaccurate punctuation.

What a writer intends a text to achieve, such as explaining a position or persuading readers to act.

A judgement that recognises a limitation or exception instead of making an absolute claim.

A reasoned answer that challenges an opposing argument.

The level and kind of language chosen to suit an audience, purpose and situation, such as formal or informal language.

The deliberate reuse of a word, phrase or structure to emphasise an idea or connect parts of an argument.

Finding information in the relevant part of a text.

A deliberate language or structural choice used to influence an audience, emphasise an idea or make an argument memorable.

A question asked for effect rather than to obtain an answer from the audience.

A group of three words, phrases or clauses used to create rhythm and emphasis.

A sentence in which main clauses are joined incorrectly, without the punctuation or conjunction needed to separate or connect them.