English Language key terms

The connected direction of ideas through a text, so that each section develops the overall message.

Non-fiction that uses crafted description, narrative or other literary techniques to present real experiences or ideas.

Writing organised into sentences and paragraphs rather than verse; literary prose includes novels and short stories.

Words carrying strong emotional associations that encourage a particular judgement.

A clause that can stand on its own as a complete sentence. Also called an independent clause.

An account in which a writer recalls particular experiences or a period of their own life.

A description that presents one thing as another, transferring associations between them.

A choice a writer makes to communicate meaning, such as imagery, repetition, sentence construction, tone or the organisation of information.

A sentence fragment presented as a sentence, without a complete main clause.

Using evidence in a misleading way, for example by treating an assumption as a proven fact or drawing a conclusion that the evidence cannot support.

A memory aid, such as a phrase that helps you remember the letters in a difficult word.

A verb, such as ‘can’, ‘must’ or ‘should’, that expresses meanings including possibility, ability, necessity or obligation.

An extended piece spoken or thought by one character, revealing their experiences, feelings or attitudes.

An emotional atmosphere created by a text, such as unease or excitement.

An image, object or idea that recurs meaningfully within a text.

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 position from which events are narrated, including whose experiences or thoughts the reader can access.

The deliberate arrangement of events, details and shifts in a piece of writing to guide the reader’s experience.

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

The distinctive personality or perspective conveyed by a narrator’s language and observations.

The voice that tells a story; the narrator is not necessarily the author.

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

An approach that distinguishes evidence from personal feelings and presents judgements fairly.

A word whose sound resembles the sound it describes.

A brief account of the pattern or development across a section, showing how individual details contribute to its overall effect.

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