English GCSE Non Fiction Reading and Understanding_Analysis of Language

How to deal with questions that ask you 

to discuss the writer's techniques:

 'How does the writer try to persuade the reader that exercise is a good thing?'

 'What impression of fitness does the writer create?'

 'How is the article made convincing?'

• In this kind of question, you would need to discuss, for example, the persuasive techniques used by the writer or the way something has been presented in the text.
• This means considering aspects of language, style and structure to show how these work for a specific audience and purpose.
• This type of question tests your awareness of how language can be used for a specific audience and purpose.
• It requires a considered, reflective and insightful response using a mixture of your own words and quotations from the text.

How can you analyse how non-fiction writers use language effectively?

• They use language that sounds convincing - this is called rhetorical language.
• They use language that affects your emotions - this is called emotive language.
• The use of the personal pronoun 'you' is called the direct address pronoun: it can be used to add a personal touch and engages the reader; it sounds friendly, inviting and even confiding (e.g. 'Have faith in us; you just know it makes sense').
• When used as an inclusive pronoun, 'we' can make the reader seem to be a part of a special group of people (e.g. 'We're all in this together, aren't we?') ; as an exclusive pronoun it can separate groups of people (e.g. 'We're working for a better world. Will you help?').
• The use of interesting, short anecdotes adds interest and engages the reader's attention (e.g. 'Let me tell you about John, a poor beggar in Ethiopia...')..
• The use of hyperbole can create a persuasive impact (e.g. 'This earth-shattering event will blow your mind away!').
• Description creates imagery that can be very engaging and involving, even persuasive. It can be made very vivid and used to create mood and emotion (e.g. 'Like a sliver of shiny steel, the white crescent moon cut a gash in the heavens'). Look for the use of effective metaphors, similes and emotive language.
• Facts and opinions are used to support a writer's point of view or argument but you must be able to separate worthwhile from biased facts and facts from factually stated opinions, always recognising how reasonable and effective the evidence really is.
• Rhetorical questions imply their own answer engage and help to persuade the reader. They help make a point in a more powerful and emotional way.
• Repetition and lists of three can be effective persuasive devices.
• Personal viewpoint or 'direct address' (when  I... / We...  speaks to  you... ) can create a friendly tone and involve the reader.
• Structure allows an effective build up of a persuasive series of points.
• Tone - a formal tone can add authority and sound authentic or sincere; an informal, or even conversational tone can add warmth and fun - it can be very persuasive, too.
• Quotations and evidence from expert sources are used to provide support and create added authority.
• Sentence style can be varied to add interest - and a very short sentence can add real impact. Can't it?
• Captions add meaning and guide the reader to respond in a certain way to an illustration or a photograph.  
  
  

  How can you achieve a high grade in this kind of question?
  
  
  
  • Work out how the text has been styled to create certain effects on its reader and especially how these individual effects accumulate and work as a structure.

  • Remember that effects have been created by the writer for a purpose - to persuade the reader towards a certain way of thinking (i.e. the writer's way!).

  
  

  • Always try to identify and discuss a text's significant effects, comment on the methods used to create these effects and then identify the purpose intended.

  •  See if you can work out if the text's genre conventions create some kind of important response in the audience. Some genres can be quite powerful in this way. They act to create a mind-set or guide a response from their audience. The formal headlining and columns of influential newspapers such as The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph and The Times, for example, are instantly recognisable and suggest truthfulness and trust. Some formal business letters use layouts and letter headings that instantly seem authoritative and important. Leaflet genres vary - an information leaflet is easily recognised and instils trust whereas many sales or promotional leaflets ('flyers') have the opposite effect and end up quickly in the bin!