Representations
What is a “representation” in a text?
How something (people, ideas, issues) is shown to the audience
What is a language feature?
A technique using words to create meaning
What does a text structure help shape in a text?
How ideas are organised to communicate meaning
What do opinions reveal about an author?
Their values, beliefs, and perspective
What does “effect on the audience” mean?
How the audience feels, thinks, or reacts
A news article shows teenagers as lazy and addicted to phones. What is the representation?
Teenagers are irresponsible / dependent on technology
Identify the feature: “This is a disaster waiting to happen!”
Emotive language
A text begins with a personal story before presenting an argument. What meaning does this suggest?
The issue is personal, relatable, or grounded in real experience
Identify the opinion: “She was glued to her phone all day long, like a moth to a flame.”
Social media is highly addictive and harmful
A text uses statistics. What is the effect?
Builds credibility / makes argument convincing
Give one way an author can create a representation.
Word choice, examples, tone, imagery, statistics, etc
What is the purpose of rhetorical questions?
To guide the audience to a particular obvious answer, which supports the author's perspective
If a text presents one viewpoint and ignores others, what meaning is being constructed?
The issue is one-sided / the author’s perspective is dominant or unquestioned
What’s the difference between fact and opinion?
Fact = provable, Opinion = belief
A writer uses emotive language about climate change. Effect?
Creates concern, urgency, emotional response
If a text only shows one side of an issue, what does this suggest?
Bias / limited perspective / shaping audience opinion
Give an example of inclusive language and its effect.
“We all need to act now” → creates unity, shared responsibility
A text moves from problem → causes → solutions. What meaning does this structure create?
The issue is logical, explainable, and solvable
If an author acknowledges an opposing opinion but dismisses it, what meaning is constructed?
The opposing view is weak, less valid, or not worth serious consideration
Explain the effect of repetition.
Emphasises key idea / makes it memorable for a deeper purpose of representing the topic in a particular way.
Explain how a negative representation can impact an audience.
Encourages judgement, reinforces stereotypes, influences beliefs
Explain how tone can influence meaning.
Tone shapes how the audience feels about the topic (serious, sarcastic, urgent)
A writer places conflicting viewpoints side by side. What meaning does this convey about the issue?
The issue is complex, contested, or open to interpretation
A text presents an issue as urgent and unavoidable. What underlying idea is being communicated?
Action is necessary / the issue cannot be ignored
A text uses both inclusive language and list of 10 reasons why pollution is caused by big businesses. Explain the combined effect.
Builds connection + urgency → audience feels involved and motivated to target businesses.