Form & Graphology
What linguistic term refers to the level of formality used in a text?
Register
What term describes words such as “however,” “furthermore,” and “therefore” that connect ideas?
Discourse markers.
What is the term for the literal dictionary meaning of a word?
Denotation.
What sentence type is used to give a command or instruction?
Imperative sentence.
What branch of linguistics studies how context influences meaning beyond the literal words?
Pragmatics.
What is the term for the visual presentation of a text, including headings, fonts, images, and spacing?
Graphology.
What rhetorical technique involves repeating a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses?
Anaphora.
What linguistic term describes the emotional or cultural associations attached to a word?
Connotation.
What grammatical voice is used in “The decision was announced yesterday”?
Passive voice.
What term describes meaning that is suggested rather than directly stated?
Implicature.
A formal letter includes a salutation, structured paragraphs, and a valediction. What are these expected features called?
Conventions.
Identify the structural technique in the following sentence: “We demand justice, we demand equality, we demand change.”
Anaphora and parallelism.
A writer repeatedly uses words such as “battle,” “victory,” “enemy,” and “defeat” when discussing education. Identify the linguistic feature.
A lexical field of warfare or conflict.
Identify the linguistic feature in “The government must act immediately” and explain the level of certainty expressed.
High modality, expressed through the modal verb “must,” communicating strong obligation or certainty.
Identify the pragmatic feature in the statement: “Even the experts were surprised by the results.”
Presupposition. The statement assumes that experts would normally be difficult to surprise or would be expected to anticipate the results.
Explain why a podcast script may contain conversational language even though it is written.
Its mode combines written preparation with spoken delivery, requiring features such as direct address, natural rhythm, and accessible vocabulary.
A writer begins an article with a broad discussion of climate change before focusing on one affected family. Identify the structural technique and explain its effect.
Zooming in. The writer moves from a broad issue to a specific example, making an abstract problem more personal and emotionally engaging.
Explain the difference between a euphemism and a dysphemism.
A euphemism softens an unpleasant meaning, whereas a dysphemism uses deliberately harsh or provocative language to intensify it.
A campaign advertisement states, “You have the power to change tomorrow.” Identify the rhetorical technique and explain its effect.
Direct address through the second-person pronoun “you.” It personally involves the reader and encourages responsibility and action.
A charity advertisement begins, “Imagine if this were your family.” Explain how the writer positions the audience.
The writer encourages readers to identify emotionally with those affected. This audience-positioning strategy promotes empathy and supports the advertisement's persuasive purpose.
A writer transforms a formal report into a blog for teenagers. Identify three linguistic or graphological changes that would make the new text appropriate for its audience.
A more conversational register, direct address using second-person pronouns, and informal headings or shorter paragraphs to increase accessibility and engagement.
A narrative begins with a character returning to an abandoned house and ends with the same character leaving it permanently. Analyse the significance of this structural choice.
Cyclical structure or a framing device. Returning to the opening setting creates structural unity, while the changed circumstances highlight personal transformation and provide thematic resolution.
A journalist describes a protest using words such as “chaos,” “mob,” and “violence.” Analyse how these lexical choices influence the audience's perception.
The negatively charged vocabulary creates threatening connotations and presents the protesters as disorderly or dangerous. It may position readers against the protest and reveal the journalist's attitude or bias.
Compare the effects of these sentences: A. “The company dismissed 200 employees.” B. “Two hundred employees were dismissed.”
A uses active voice, identifying the company as responsible for the action. Sentence B uses passive voice, foregrounding affected employees while obscuring the agent. The difference can influence how readers assign responsibility.
A political speech repeatedly uses “we,” “our,” and “together.” Analyse how these pronouns construct a relationship between the speaker and the audience.
Inclusive first-person plural pronouns establish collective identity, shared responsibility, and solidarity. They position the audience as members of a common group and may encourage agreement with the speaker's political message.