Key terminology from the mark scheme

Question 1

What is a semantic field?

Answer 1

A group of words related in meaning

Example: ‘ocean, waves, tide’ in a maritime semantic field.

Question 2

Define proper nouns.

Answer 2

Names of specific people, places, or things

Example: ‘London,’ ‘Shakespeare’.

Question 3

What are modifiers (premodifiers)?

Answer 3

Words that describe or modify nouns before them

Example: ‘beautiful’ in ‘beautiful day’ (positive), ‘ugly’ in ‘ugly scar’ (negative).

Question 4

What does ‘Latinate’ refer to?

Answer 4

Words derived from Latin, often formal or sophisticated

Example: ‘illuminate’ instead of ‘light up’.

Question 5

Explain nouns and verbs with connotations.

Answer 5

Words that carry implied meanings beyond their literal definition

Example: ‘snake’ suggests deception.

Question 6

What is a noun phrase?

Answer 6

A phrase centered around a noun

Example: ‘the tall, mysterious man’.

Question 7

Define comparative.

Answer 7

An adjective or adverb showing a higher degree

Example: ‘bigger,’ ‘faster’.

Question 8

What is a superlative?

Answer 8

An adjective or adverb showing the highest degree

Example: ‘biggest,’ ‘fastest’.

Question 9

What is a metaphor?

Answer 9

A direct comparison stating one thing is another

Example: ‘time is a thief’.

Question 10

Define acronym.

Answer 10

A word formed from the initial letters of a phrase

Example: ‘NASA,’ ‘LOL’.

Question 11

What does colloquial language refer to?

Answer 11

Informal, everyday speech

Example: ‘gonna’ instead of ‘going to’.

Question 12

What is phonetic spelling?

Answer 12

Writing words how they sound

Example: ‘wot’ for ‘what’.

Question 13

Define emoticon.

Answer 13

A symbol representing facial expressions

Example: ‘:)’ for a smile.

Question 14

What is emotive language?

Answer 14

Words chosen to provoke emotion

Example: ‘heartbreaking loss’.

Question 15

What is a neologism?

Answer 15

A newly coined word or expression

Example: ‘selfie’.

Question 16

What is an attributive adjective?

Answer 16

An adjective placed before a noun

Example: ‘red car’.

Question 17

Define simile.

Answer 17

A comparison using ‘like’ or ‘as’

Example: ‘as brave as a lion’.

Question 18

What is an idiom?

Answer 18

A phrase with a meaning not deducible from individual words

Example: ‘kick the bucket’ = ‘to die’.

Question 19

What is repetition in language?

Answer 19

The intentional reuse of words or phrases for emphasis.

Question 20

Define dynamic verb.

Answer 20

A verb that describes an action

Example: ‘run,’ ‘jump’.

Question 21

What is an antonym?

Answer 21

A word with the opposite meaning of another

Example: ‘hot’ and ‘cold’.

Question 22

What are numerals?

Answer 22

Words or symbols representing numbers

Example: ‘one,’ ‘2’.

Question 23

Define collocation.

Answer 23

Words frequently used together

Example: ‘fast food,’ ‘strong tea’.

Question 24

What are noun phrases in juxtaposition?

Answer 24

Two noun phrases placed together for contrast

Example: ‘light and darkness’.

Question 25

What does interrogative refer to?

Answer 25

A sentence or word used to ask a question

Example: ‘Who are you?’.

Question 26

What is a connective?

Answer 26

A word linking clauses or ideas

Example: ‘however,’ ‘because’.

Question 27

Define parallelism.

Answer 27

Repeated grammatical structures for effect

Example: ‘I came, I saw, I conquered’.

Question 28

What is antithetical parallelism?

Answer 28

Two contrasting ideas structured similarly

Example: ‘Many are called, but few are chosen’.

Question 29

What are conditional clauses?

Answer 29

‘If’ sentences expressing conditions

Example: ‘If you study, you will pass’.

Question 30

What is parenthesis in writing?

Answer 30

Extra information within brackets, dashes, or commas

Example: ‘The dog (who was very friendly) barked’.

Question 31

What does listing mean in language?

Answer 31

A series of words or phrases, often separated by commas.

Question 32

Define adverbials.

Answer 32

Words or phrases modifying a verb

Example: ‘quickly,’ ‘in the morning’.

Question 33

What are adverb intensifiers?

Answer 33

Words strengthening adverbs/adjectives

Example: ‘very,’ ‘extremely’.

Question 34

What are verb tenses?

Answer 34

Forms of verbs indicating time

Example: past, present, future.

Question 35

What is a declarative sentence?

Answer 35

A sentence that makes a statement

Example: ‘It is raining’.

Question 36

What does embedding quotes mean?

Answer 36

Integrating quotations into a sentence smoothly.

Question 37

Define imperative.

Answer 37

A command or directive sentence

Example: ‘Sit down’.

Question 38

What is a mitigated imperative?

Answer 38

A softened command

Example: ‘Could you sit down, please?’.

Question 39

What are rhetorical features?

Answer 39

Language techniques used for effect

Example: triadic structure, such as ‘life, liberty, and happiness’.

Question 40

What is 1st person perspective?

Answer 40

Using ‘I’ or ‘we’ for personal perspective.

Question 41

What does 2nd person refer to?

Answer 41

Using ‘you’ to address the audience directly.

Question 42

Define dialect.

Answer 42

Regional or social variations in language

Example: ‘Ain’t got none’.

Question 43

What is an indefinite pronoun?

Answer 43

A pronoun referring to non-specific things

Example: ‘someone,’ ‘anything’.

Question 44

What is sentence type variation?

Answer 44

Using different sentence types for effect.

Question 45

Define modal auxiliaries.

Answer 45

Helping verbs showing possibility, necessity, or ability

Example: ‘can,’ ‘must,’ ‘should’.

Question 46

What is ellipsis in language?

Answer 46

Omission of words for brevity

Example: ‘Want a drink?’ instead of ‘Do you want a drink?’.

Question 47

What is a suffix?

Answer 47

A word ending modifying meaning

Example: ‘-ness’ in ‘happiness’.

Question 48

Define accent.

Answer 48

A way of pronouncing words influenced by geography or background.

Question 49

What does informal pronunciation refer to?

Answer 49

Casual, relaxed speech forms

Example: ‘dunno’ for ‘don’t know’.

Question 50

What is capitalisation?

Answer 50

The use of uppercase letters for emphasis or grammar.

Question 51

Define non-fluency.

Answer 51

Hesitations, fillers, or false starts in speech.

Question 52

What is parodic representation?

Answer 52

A humorous imitation of a speech style or genre.

Question 53

What is alliteration?

Answer 53

Repetition of initial consonant sounds

Example: ‘Peter Piper picked a peck…’.

Question 54

Define interjections.

Answer 54

Short expressions showing emotion

Example: ‘Wow!’, ‘Oh!’.

Question 55

What does intonation refer to?

Answer 55

The rise and fall of voice pitch in speech.

Question 56

What is implied meaning?

Answer 56

The meaning suggested rather than directly stated.

Question 57

What are fillers in speech?

Answer 57

Words used to fill pauses

Example: ‘um,’ ‘like’.

Question 58

Define chronological structure.

Answer 58

Presenting events in time order.

Question 59

What is intertextuality?

Answer 59

Referencing other texts within a text.

Question 60

What are anecdotes?

Answer 60

Short personal stories used for illustration.

Question 61

What does pause for dramatic effect mean?

Answer 61

A deliberate break in speech or writing to emphasize a point.

Question 62

Define humour in language.

Answer 62

Language techniques used to amuse.

Question 63

What is deonticism and epistemy?

Answer 63

Deontic modality expresses obligation (e.g., ‘must’), while epistemic modality expresses certainty (e.g., ‘probably’).

Question 64

What is an allusion?

Answer 64

A reference to another text, event, or person.

Question 65

What is formal discourse structure?

Answer 65

Organized, structured language used in formal contexts.