10 Language & Structure Techniques You'll Find In ANY GCSE English Language Paper 2 Exam (AO2 Marks)

[cloudsoflilac]

(I wrote a list including the meanings, examples, and effects. I hope it's good enough for someone :D )

-LANGUAGE

1. Alliteration
Meaning: repeated use of the the same sound.
Example: "Bob bought the bunch of bundled bags."
Effect: lulling, lyrical, and emotive

2. Simile
Meaning: comparing two things with like/as.
Example: "It hit me like a ton of bricks. / It felt as heavy as a bag of bricks."
Effect: adds depth/creates an image in the reader's mind.

3. Metaphor
Meaning: describing something as if it were something else, even though it isn't really.
Example: "I am drowning in work."
Effect: adds depth/creates an image in the reader's mind.

4. Pathetic Fallacy
Meaning: the projection of human emotions onto non-human things (usually weather/environment).
Example: "The friendly sun shone down on the park."
Effect: creates an atmosphere, such as providing a sense of foreboding or creating a happy and light atmosphere.

5. Oxymoron
Meaning: a figure of speech which doesn't appear to make sense because the words used are contradictory.
Example: Living dead / alone together / awfully good
Effect: adds irony, suspense, or comedy.

6. Semantic/Lexical Field
Meaning:
1. words belonging to the same category. I think this is Lexical.
2. a group of words with associated meanings. I think this is Semantic.
Example: 1. Blue, green, red, and brown are all colours. / 2. Keyboard, mouse, screen, and click are all words associated with a computer.
Effect: keeps a certain image/concept present in the reader's mind.

7. Onomatopoeia
Meaning: a sound written as a word.
Example: The clang of the metal. / The boom of the grenade.
Effect: adds interest, allows the reader to "hear" the writing.

8. Hyperbole
Meaning: an exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally, but used to create dramatic effect.
Example: "I've told you a million times."
Effect: adds exaggeration which creates dramatic effect/emphasis.

9. Personification
Meaning: the projection of human onto non-human things.
Example: "The wind whispered to the trees." / "The stars in the sky winked at us."
Effect: creates imagery/enhances the feel or atmosphere.

10. Imagery
Meaning: use of the senses (auditory, olfactory, tactile) to provide imagery.
Example: "The melody was serene, slow, and soft." / "The soil smelt rich, earthy, and damp." / "The warmth of the sun soaked into his skin."
Effect: creates imagery that not only paints a deeper picture in the mind, but also appeals to the senses.

-STRUCTURE

1. Tenses
Meaning: a form of verb that expresses time.
Example: past - I wrote. / present - I write/I am writing. / future - I will write.
Effect: can show a character's point of view. present tense can provide urgency and tension.

2. Repetition
Meaning: repeated words or phrases.
Example: "I waited. And waited. And waited." / "Money comes, and money goes. Money builds, and money destroys."
Effect: adds intensity and emphasis, stresses a point, (and, may I add, it can create a sort of pace in the reader's mind).

3. Anaphora
Meaning: a form of repetition; repetition of the same word or group of words at the beginning of successive clauses (clauses strung together).
Example: "We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender."
Effect: adds intensity and emphasis, stresses a point.

4. Listing
Meaning: creating a list, with or without commas and/or conjunctions. asyndetic listing is without conjunctions, syndetic listing is with them.
Example: There were yellow ones, blue ones, and white ones. / There were yellow ones and blue ones and white ones.
Effect: adds emphasis, builds a vivid image (I'll add that the repeated use of "and" can make it sound like there is a lot in a list due to the lack of commas).

5. Rhetorical Question
Meaning: a question that is not meant to be answered. the goal is not to receive an answer, but rather to produce an effect.
Example:  "Did you know that rhetorical questions can be used to engage the reader?" / "Don't you think they know that?" / "Do you know what I think?"
Effect: creates dramatic effect, to add emphasis, engages the reader/allows the reader to think, persuades the reader.

6. Hypophora
Meaning: a rhetorical question that is immediately answered by the one who raised it.
Example: "Did you know that rhetorical questions can be used to engage the reader? Well, you do now." / "Don't you think they know that? It was their idea in the first place." / "Do you know what I think? I think..."
Effect: creates dramatic effect, adds emphasis, engages the reader/allows the reader to think, persuades the reader.

7. Declarative Sentence
Meaning: a sentence that makes a statement.
Example: "Lima is the capital of Peru." / "It is raining outside."
Effect: states a fact, conveys information.

8. Circular Structure
Meaning: The last line of a piece takes the reader back to the beginning of it, or a piece ends the way it began (same scene or thought, but doesn't have to be the same words).
Example: -
Effect: interests the reader (and adds impact when the piece as a whole is reviewed? especially if it's a shorter piece such as a poem).

9. Minor Sentences
Meaning: a fragmented/incomplete sentence that still makes sense.
Example: "He's gone. Dead." / "She needs help. Fast."
Effect: quickens pacing of text, adds solid impact or surprise.

10. Ellipses
Meaning: ...
Example: "Are you sure? It is known to be a... dangerous route." / "I don't know about this..." / "Are they...?"
Effect: adds a pause, adds a trail off into silence or unfinished thought/speech, creates suspense, adds uncertainty.

[miacowie]

This woman has absolutely saves my gcse english...i would like to repay her one day i need to give her flowers and a card she is a miracle on earth❤️

[alrightydave]

Fantastic, straight to the point, no waffling and very clear

[RubeVeluv]

I’m only doing my GCSEs next year and already panicking about everything…😅 good luck to everyone doing their GCSEs this year!

[DM-qtbk]

Exam 1 done, thank you so much these techniques were a life saver, some of which I didn’t even get taught in class! Used as many as I could think it went well!😊

[OllieVisuals]

currently doing easter revision for my lit and lang exams haha, thanks so much!

[harriswilson]

I learnt more from you than any teacher in years

[bakugo_supremacy]

Taught me more than any teacher I’ve had. Thank you

[benedetta_Ibude]

Just finished my English language paper 2 this helped me so much ❤.

[Joe-wdrj]

I need to find you and give you a bouquet of flowers or something you’re single handedly saving me I swear 💐

[robinhood]

Thanks again for another awesome, awesome video. Boom. How I wish I had had an awesome teacher like you when I was at school. Alas ...

[_hxsna_]

thank you smm:) can you do a video on what that would create like if i used an anaphora what mood or what would it be suggesting to us in the extract? e.g like sibilance tells us its a tense atmosphere

[teddy]

you woman have saved many lives including mine tq sm i hope I get decent marks. But one question what does an English's LANGUAGE paper like? bcs im supposed to be having one like is it a creative writing or comprehension or story telling idk plz help if u can? I also cant find any examples.

[malvikamanocha]

Can you also please explain the generic effects of these techniques thanks a lot:)

[Aaron-kjcs]

You are the best, you make it look easier ❤🎉

[yqfiqso]

Thank you miss for making english easy for us

[thv_vibezz]

Watching this before my english lit gcse 🥺

[ivineecooray]

could you pl ma'am explain the answering of q5, comparison in 4ea0/01, paper 1.To obtain 22 marks is it necessary to include 12 points or more.How could we balance this at the exam.

[Raihan-cfhm]

Hello
Quick question, can i use some sentences from my insert booklet in my answer for question

[jennyb]

You’re video are brilliant 🤩 but you speak 🗣 too quickly, for someone like me who’s dyslexic, it would be brilliant if you can right the meaning next to the word like for eg Oxymoron the meaning next to it so that I can screen shot because when you speak too fast it’s hard to absorb it. Thank you.