Glossary of Language terms

Question 1

Abbreviation

Answer 1

shortened form of a word

Question 2

Accent

Answer 2

distinctive way of pronouncing a language

Question 3

Acronym

Answer 3

series of initials that stand for a much longer group of words

Question 4

Allegorical

Answer 4

symbolic representation of abstract or spiritual meaning through concrete forms

Question 5

Alliteration

Answer 5

repetition of the initial letter in adjacent words

Question 6

Analogies

Answer 6

similar concepts for the purpose of clarification and example

Question 7

Antithesis

Answer 7

words balanced to create contrast

Question 8

Argumentative

Answer 8

designed to convince reader to accept a particular view

Question 9

Assonance

Answer 9

repetition of the vowel sound in neighbouring words

Question 10

Autobiography

Answer 10

account of a person’s life written by him/herself

Question 11

Bathos

Answer 11

lapse in mood from the sublime to the trivial or ridiculous: anti-climax

Question 12

Biography

Answer 12

account of a person’s life written by someone else

Question 13

Blurb

Answer 13

publisher’s brief description of a book, printed on the back cover

Question 14

Brainstorm

Answer 14

immediate thoughts and associations for a particular topic

Question 15

Brochure

Answer 15

pamphlet containing illustrations and information about a product or service

Question 16

Chronological

Answer 16

arrangement of events in order in which they occurred

Question 17

Clause

Answer 17

group of words containing a finite verb

Question 18

Cliche

Answer 18

well-known and overused phrase

Question 19

Climax

Answer 19

point of great intensity in a narrative text

Question 20

Collate

Answer 20

collect and combine information from two or more sources

Question 21

Collocation

Answer 21

habitual juxtaposition of a particular word with another word; fixed phrase

Question 22

Colloquialisms

Answer 22

everyday spoken language

Question 23

Commentary

Answer 23

a descriptive account of an event as it happens

Question 24

Complex sentence

Answer 24

sentence consisting of one main clause and one or more subordinate clauses

Question 25

Compound adjective

Answer 25

two or more adjectives linked by a hyphen to describe the same noun

Question 26

Compound sentence

Answer 26

sentence formed from two simple sentences using “and”, “but”, “so” or “or”

Question 27

Connective

Answer 27

joining word used to form compound or complex sentence

Question 28

Context

Answer 28

surrounding parts or setting of a text

Question 29

Coordination

Answer 29

joining of two sentences to make one using the connective “and”, “but”, “so” or “or”

Question 30

Cue cards

Answer 30

notes to help speakers remember a speech

Question 31

Denotation

Answer 31

literal dictionary meaning of a word

Question 32

Description

Answer 32

attempt to enable the reader to visualise something

Question 33

Dialect

Answer 33

form of a language, including grammatical variations, peculiar to a specific region or social group

Question 34

Dialogue

Answer 34

spoken words between two people; speeches by characters in a narrative or drama text

Question 35

Direct speech

Answer 35

speech reproduced exactly as it was spoken, in inverted commas

Question 36

Discourse markers

Answer 36

adverbials at the start of paragraphs to indicate direction of the discussion

Question 37

Discursive

Answer 37

discusses something informatively from different viewpoints

Question 38

Dramatic irony

Answer 38

when audience knows more than the character concerned

Question 39

Editorial

Answer 39

newspaper or magazine editor’s published comment on a topical issue

Question 40

Embedded clause

Answer 40

a subordinate clause within a sentence, usually marked by commas

Question 41

Emotive

Answer 41

language evoking an emotional reaction

Question 42

Empathy

Answer 42

ability to identify with the experience and feelings of someone else

Question 43

Euphemism

Answer 43

tactful or evasive way of referring to something controversial or distasteful

Question 44

Explicit

Answer 44

stated clearly

Question 45

Figurative

Answer 45

non-literal use of language

Question 46

Finite verb

Answer 46

verb that has a subject

Question 47

Flyer

Answer 47

leaflet distributed to advertise an event or product

Question 48

Genre

Answer 48

category of speech or writing

Question 49

Gist

Answer 49

main ideas contained in a text or speech

Question 50

Gothic

Answer 50

fictional horror or mystery in medieval-type setting

Question 51

Grammatical item

Answer 51

word with no independent meaning which facilitates syntax

Question 52

Hyperbole

Answer 52

deliberate exaggeration to make a point