The Question Format
Question 2 typically asks: "How does the writer use language to describe [character/place/atmosphere]?"
Worth 8 marks, you should spend about 10-12 minutes on this question.
The Method
3-Paragraph Structure
Each paragraph should follow this formula:
- Identify a language technique or word choice
- Quote the specific example
- Analyze the effect on the reader
- Link to the question focus
What to Look For
- Word choices (verbs, adjectives, adverbs)
- Imagery (similes, metaphors, personification)
- Sound devices (alliteration, onomatopoeia)
- Semantic fields (groups of related words)
Model Paragraph
Question: How does the writer use language to create a sense of danger?
"The writer uses violent verb choices to emphasize the threat facing the character. The phrase 'shadows lunged forward' personifies the darkness as an aggressive attacker, creating a sense of immediate physical danger. The verb 'lunged' suggests sudden, predatory movement, making the reader feel the character's vulnerability. This is reinforced by the semantic field of violence running through the extract, with words like 'clawed,' 'snapped,' and 'tore' building a cumulative impression of a hostile, threatening environment."
Terminology You Can Use
- Verb / adjective / adverb
- Simile / metaphor
- Personification
- Alliteration / sibilance / onomatopoeia
- Semantic field / lexical field
- Connotations
- Imagery
Sentence Starters
- "The writer uses... to suggest..."
- "The word choice of '...' creates..."
- "Through the metaphor of '...', the writer conveys..."
- "The semantic field of... emphasizes..."
- "This language creates a sense of..."
- "The connotations of '...' imply..."
Common Mistakes
- Identifying techniques without analyzing effects
- Writing about what happens (content) instead of how language works
- Not using quotations
- Listing techniques without detailed exploration
- Forgetting to link back to the question
Checklist
- [ ] I've identified 3-4 language features
- [ ] I've quoted precisely
- [ ] I've analyzed the effect on the reader
- [ ] I've used subject terminology appropriately
- [ ] I've linked each point back to the question focus
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