Techniques
"The silence screamed louder than the argument."
Identify two techniques in this sentence
Possible answers:
Oxymoron
Personification
Contrast
Paradox
Sibilance
What are the three main parts of an essay?
Introduction → Body paragraphs → Conclusion
What should you do after identifying a technique?
Name one of the four Year 12 English Standard focus areas.
What has hands but cannot clap?
A clock
“The house watched as she packed her final suitcase.”
Identify the technique and explain why the composer might have chosen this particular image.
Personification. The house is given the ability to “watch”, suggesting that it has witnessed the protagonist's experiences. It may also symbolise memories, belonging or the emotional weight of leaving.
What are the three key things a strong introduction should establish?
What is the difference between describing and analysing?
Describing explains what happens or what is presented.
Analysing explains how and why the composer creates meaning through particular choices.
True or false: In Year 12, you need to support your interpretations with textual evidence.
True
A man walks through heavy rain without an umbrella or hat, but not a single hair on his head gets wet. Why?
He's bald
What is the difference between juxtaposition and contrast?
Contrast highlights differences between ideas, characters or settings, while juxtaposition places contrasting features close together to emphasise their differences.
What is the difference between a topic sentence and a thesis statement?
A thesis presents the essay's overall argument, while a topic sentence introduces the specific argument or idea of an individual body paragraph.
Name three things you should check when editing an English response.
Grammar, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, clarity, evidence, analysis and links to the question.
In Year 12, you will study texts from different forms and modes. What are three things you can analyse in a text besides individual techniques?
Form, structure and language.
A man was born in 2005 and died in 2005 at the age of 80. How is this possible?
2005 was the number of the room/address, not the year.
“Another test. Another failure. Another reason to give up.”
Identify the technique and explain how the sentence structure contributes to its effect.
Repetition/anaphora. The repeated sentence structure creates a rhythmic, cumulative effect, emphasising the character's growing frustration and hopelessness.
Put these elements of a strong body paragraph in the best order:
A. Explain the significance
B. Introduce the main idea
C. Provide textual evidence
D. Analyse the evidence
E. Link back to the question
B → C → D → A → E
You have found a quotation that contains four different techniques.
Should you automatically analyse all three? Explain why or why not.
No. You should focus on the language choices that are most relevant to your argument and the question. Analysing everything can make the response unfocused.
A text was written decades ago but still explores an experience that audiences today can relate to.
What does this suggest about the relationship between context and human experiences?
Although context can influence how experiences are represented, some human experiences and emotions can remain relevant across different times and cultures.
I have cities but no houses, forests but no trees, and rivers but no water. What am I?
A map
“Outside, the city roared with life. Inside, Daniel listened to the silence.”
Identify at least three language choices and explain how they work together.
Contrasts the energy of the outer world with Daniel's internal isolation, suggesting that he feels disconnected despite being surrounded by life.
“I know lots of techniques, so I should be able to write a good English essay.”
Explain why this is not necessarily true.
Techniques are only one part of textual analysis. A strong essay requires students to develop an argument, select relevant evidence, analyse language/form/structure, interpret meaning, consider significance and consistently address the question. Technique knowledge is useful only when it supports a broader interpretation.
A student has written a strong paragraph, but their evidence does not actually support their topic sentence.
What is the problem, and what should they do?
There is a lack of connection between the argument and evidence.
They should select evidence that directly supports their point or revise the topic sentence so it accurately reflects the evidence.
A composer uses a familiar idea but presents it from an unexpected perspective.
Why might this be more powerful than simply presenting an idea the audience already agrees with?
It can challenge assumptions, encourage the audience to reconsider their existing beliefs and develop a more complex understanding of the human experience.
A woman has four daughters. Each daughter has a brother. How many children does this woman have?
5 children
All daughters share the same brother