Useful Terminology for Analysis of

Unfamiliar Text
Purpose means the reason why the text has been created. This can relate to
themes or messages. It can show that the text is informative, persuasive,
educational or entertaining.
Target Audience means who the text is intended for as its main audience.
Style means the way the text has been created. This can relate to language
features used, sentence structure, layout, and the viewpoint of the author/producer.
Verbal Features are the language features used.
Example means a quote or specific detail.

Verbal Features (Language/Vocabulary)

abbreviation

the shortening of a word

St (street); bike

acronym

forming a new word by using the

abbreviated letters of other words
repetition of consonant sounds at the start
of words
reference, sometimes indirect, to a person
place or object

ANZAC

alliteration
allusion

Peter Piper picked a peck of

pickled peppers.

analogy

presenting a parallel case to help the

readers understanding

assonance

repeated vowel sounds within words

two blue tubes

clich

a trite or overused saying

Thats as good as gold

colloquialism
comparative
adjectives

informal, everyday language

adjectives used to compare two things

mates
better

compound
words
connotation

combining two separate words into one

new word.
implication, refers to qualities,; can be
positive or negative
shortened form of the verb

Greenpeace

iron, to iron
slaughtered (not killed)

hyperbole

using a word as a different part of speech

language used to stir the emotions of the
audience
a more pleasant way of saying something
uncomfortable or to hide the truth
gross exaggeration

idiom

phrases with an understood meaning

imperative
verbs
intensifier

Command form of the verb

on the wagon
watch your tongue
buy now

contraction
conversion
emotive
language
euphemism

irony
jargon

Increases the meaning of the following

word
when statement is contradicted by the
tone, voice or context
words specific to a particular area

Slim, thin , skinny

cant

passed away (not died);

restructuring, collateral
damage
Ive got tonnes of homework

very, rather

The computers hard drive

could not handle the

litotes
metaphor

statement using a negative to express a

positive
idea without using like/as where
A comparison

onomatopoeia

something is compared to something it is

not
words that sound like their meaning

oxymoron
paradox
personal
pronouns
personification

hes not a bad guy

The sun blazed in the sky.
buzz, tinkle, murmur

deliberate use of contradictory words in

juxtaposition
a statement which seems contradictory but
makes sense
Used in place of a persons name

bitter sweet

giving inanimate objects human qualities

The wind danced through the

trees.
fly off tomorrow

deep down hes really shallow

you can count on us

phrasal verbs

Verbs which are made up of a phrase

pun

a play on the double meanings of words

rhyme

The echo effect of sounds between words

When the lights went out, the

students were delighted.
Ball, fall, tall

rhetorical
question
sibilance

slang

A question asked for effect, not requiring

an answer
repetition of s sounds usually at the
beginning of words
a comparison of two unlike things using like
or as
words particular to a social group

How many times have we

heard that?
The sleek snake slithered,
hissing its way through the
soft sun
grass.
The
was like a blazing
fire.
rad, gnarly

superlative
adjectives
tag questions

Adjectives used to compare more than two

things
Added to the end of a sentence

best

simile

hes a bit of alright, isnt he?

Verbal Features (Structure Syntax)

anacoluthon
antithesis
complex sentence

a speaker changing the structure of a

sentence part way
a balanced contrast

compound
sentence

Two or more clauses joined by a

subordinating conjunction
Two or more clauses joined by a
coordinating conjunction

ellipsis

leaving out of part of a sentence

inversion

inverting the normal order of words in

a sentence.
An unfinished sentence

incomplete
sentence
interrogative
sentences
juxtaposition
listing
loosely
coordinated
sentence
minor sentence
nouns in

I wantwould you do this

please?
the spirit is willing, but the
flesh is weak
Nero fiddled while Rome
burned.
The All Blacks lost the rugby
and the silver ferns lost the
netball.
coming? (not Are you
coming?)
Little did I dream
would you?

Sentences which ask questions

are you always tired?

two, often contrasting, things placed

side by side for effect
a list used for effect

a sensitive product with

powerful performance
combining breath-taking views,
affordability, adventure
activities
I took the bus and got off at
the park and waited for my
friend.
picked for freshness

sentences that ramble often with a

number of conjunctions
a sentence in which either the subject
or verb is missing
placing a noun or noun equivalent

Mrs Taylor, the principal,

apposition
parallel structures
repetition
simple sentence

alongside another noun to add

explanation
repeated sentence structures or
patterns
repetition used for effect

jumped out of a cake.

group of words with one finite verb

making complete sense.

The dog was barking for hours

in its kennel.

A dream whereA dream

where
alone, alone, all all alone