Language level 1: Lexis and semantics

Question 1

What is a word class

Answer 1

• a group of words that fulfil the same kind of role and function in speech and writing

Question 2

What is an open (or lexical) word class

Answer 2

• a word class that is generally open to a new membership

Question 3

What is a closed (or grammatical) word class

Answer 3

• word class that doesn’t readily admit new members; isn’t generally open to new membership

Question 4

What is a ‘determiner’

Answer 4

• word that adds detail or clarity to a noun

Question 5

What are the different types of noun

Answer 5

• proper
• abstract
• concrete

Question 6

3 noun types description

Answer 6

Proper: refers to names of people and places
Abstract: refers to states, feelings and concepts that don’t have a physical existence
Concrete: refers to objects that have a physical existence

Question 7

What are the 4 types of verbs

Answer 7

• material
• relational
• mental
• verbal

Question 8

4 types of verbs description

Answer 8

Material: show actions or events
Relational: identify properties or show states of being
Mental: show internal processes e.g. thinking
Verbal: show external processes of communicating via speech e.g. say, shout

Question 9

What are the 3 adjective/ adverb types

Answer 9

• base
• comparative
• superlative

Question 10

3 adjectives/ adverbs description

Answer 10

Base: basic form of adjective/ adverb, modifying another word
Comparative: used to compare two instances adding ‘-er’ or using ‘more’
Superlative: used to compare more than two instances, identifying a best example

Question 11

What are the 3 types of pronouns

Answer 11

• personal
• demonstrative
• indefinite

Question 12

3 pronoun types description

Answer 12

Personal: refers to people and are differentiated in terms of person e.g 1st, 2nd, 3rd, number (singular or plural) and gender
Demonstrative: orientate reader/ listener towards a person, object, or idea (either nearby or further away)
Indefinite: refers to a non-specific person, object or idea

Question 13

What are the 3 types of determiners

Answer 13

• articles
• possessives
• quantifiers

Question 14

3 determiners types description

Answer 14

Articles: show that something is definite or indefinite
Possessives: show ownership
Quantifiers: show either specific or non-specific quantities of a noun

Question 15

What are the 2 types of conjunctions

Answer 15

Co-ordinating and Sub-ordinating

Question 16

2 types of conjunctions description

Answer 16

Co-ordinating: link words or larger structures (phrases and clauses) together where they’re equal
Sub-ordinating: link clauses together to show one is dependent on the other

Question 17

What is a semantic field

Answer 17

• a group of words that fulfil the same kind of role and function in speech and writing

Question 18

What are collocates

Answer 18

• words that typically appear together

Question 19

What is a fixed expression

Answer 19

• well-used group of words that becomes accepted and used as one long structure

Question 20

What is an euphemism

Answer 20

• a more socially accepted word or phrase

Question 21

What is a dysphemism

Answer 21

• using a blunt or direct word instead of a more polite or indirect alternative, close to taboo

Question 22

What is a hyponymy

Answer 22

• the way of viewing the relationship between more general and specific words

Question 23

5 different types of adverbs explained

Answer 23

Manner: tell us how, or in what manner, something was carried out e.g. beautifully, carefully
Degree: describe how much, or to what degree, something happened e.g. enough, nearly
Frequency: how often something occurs e.g. again, always, each
Place: tells us about where the verb took place - can function as prepositions but prepositions are followed by objects e.g. above, anywhere
Time: details when the verb took place e.g. already, immediately

Question 24

what is a disjunct

Answer 24

• it’s a type of adverbial adjunct that expresses information that isn’t considered essential to the sentence it appears in e.g. Obviously, she lied

Question 25

what are the 5 different types of adverbs

Answer 25

• manner
• time
• place
• frequency
• degree

Question 26

what is a predicate adjective

Answer 26

• you need to connect the adjective to the subject with a linking verb. Linking verbs include all versions of the verb to be etc.
  e. g. the dog appears 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒚

Question 27

what is an attributive adjective

Answer 27

• it ascribes a certain characteristic of the person, place or object represented by the noun e.g. I admired the 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒚 sky

Question 28

what are correlative conjunctions

Answer 28

• They come in pairs, and you have to use both of them in different places in a sentence to make them work – they work together and relate one sentence element to another, like coordinating conjunctions they connect words and phrases that carry equal weight
• they include pairs like both/and either/or neither/nor

Question 29

what is an interrogative pronoun

Answer 29

• An interrogative pronoun is used when asking questions or finding out more information e.g. what, which, whom (also object pronoun), who (also subject pronoun), whose (also possessive)

Question 30

effect of a colloqualism

Answer 30

• ‘gonna’, ‘wanna’ ‘y’all’
• can be idioms as well e.g. ‘raining cats and dogs’
• used in everyday, unconstrained conversation (can create synthetic personalisation)

Question 31

effect of (suspended) multi-clausal complex sentences

Answer 31

• creates tension and makes the text more interesting and paint a more vivid picture in the reader’s head