Abbreviations

1
Abbreviations

• letter(s) or shortened word used instead of a
  full word or phraseFor example Isnt instead
  of Is not

2
Accent

• the features of pronunciation which indicate the
  regional or the social identity of a speaker

3
Adjectives

• a word which modifies a noun or a pronoun For
  example The huge giant

4
Adverbs

• a word which modifies a verb, an adverb, or an
  adjective For example The boy walked slowly

5
Alliteration

• the repetition of consonant sounds - usually at
  the beginning of words For example, a tapestry
  of talents

6
Antitheses

• the placing of opposite meanings together, For
  example My only love sprung from my only hate!

7
Apostrophes

• a raised comma used to denote either possession
  or contraction For example Brians ipod or
  Thats instead of That is.

8
Articles

• a word that specifies whether a noun is definite
  or indefinite For example The woman (definite
  article) or A woman (Indefinite article)

9
Assonance

• the repetition of vowel sounds For example,
  Rocks writhe back to sight

10
Audience

• the person or persons receiving a speech or piece
  of writingFor example students in a classroom
  M.Ps in the House of Commons a teenage
  television audience etc.

11
Back-channelling

• is a way of showing a speaker that you are
  following what they are saying and understand,
  often through interjectionsFor example, I see,
  yes, OK and uhu.

12
Balanced phrases

• Phrases in which the end seems to finish or
  complete the beginning. For example, To have
  and to hold

13
Brackets

• curved or square punctuation marks enclosing
  words inserted into a text For example I
  hobbled to the shops (I had twisted me ankle that
  morning) so that I could buy some milk.

14
Capitals

• upper-case letters used to indicate names,
  titles, and important words

15
Clauses

• a structural unit of language which is smaller
  than the sentence but larger than phrases or
  words, and which contains a finite verb

16
Cliché

• an over-used phrase or expression For example
  Wish you were here.

17
Closed question

• invites a yes or no answer For example
  Have you seen it?

18
Colons

• a punctuation mark introducing more
  informationFor example Things so look for
  sharp claws, thick fur, flaring nostrils and long
  tail.

19
Commas

• a punctuation mark indicating the break between
  and main and subordinate clause or separating
  short items in a list For example The man
  walked down the street, as if he was in a great
  hurry. Or I need to buy apples, bananas, pasta,
  tomato sauce and biscuits.

20
Conjunction

• a word which connects words or other
  constructions For example and or because

21
Consonant

• an alphabetic element other than a vowel For
  example c, b, n, r, t etc.

22
Context

• the setting in which speech or writing takes
  placeFor example on the web in the classroom
  on television etc.

23
Dialect

• a form of speech peculiar to a district, class,
  or person. It refers to the distinctive use of
  vocabulary and grammatical structures.

24
Ellipsis

• the omission of words from a sentence For
  example I really dont know what to say... I
  guess...

25
Emotive words

• words which are used deliberately to create an
  emotional response in the reader/listener.For
  example our brave lads rather than the
  soldiers

26
Figure of speech

• expressive use language in non-literal form to
  produce striking effect For example As sharp
  as a razor (Simile) The cats pyjamas
  (Metaphor)

27
Formal address

• addressing another person in a polite way to show
  respect
• For example Sir Alan Sugar

28
Full stop

• a punctuation mark indicating the end of a
  sentence For example The man walked down the
  street.

29
Function

• the role language plays to express ideas or
  attitudesFor example to persuade to inform to
  explain etc.

30
Grammar

• the study of sentence structure, especially with
  reference to syntax and morphology

31
Homonyms

• words with the same spelling or sound but with
  different meanings For example There/
  Their/ Theyre

32
Hyphen

• a short horizontal mark used to connect words or
  syllables, or to divide words into parts For
  example jet-lagged

33
Idiolect

• a persons own personal language, the words they
  choose and any other features that characterise
  their speech and writing. Some people have
  distinctive features in their language these
  would be part of their idiolect, their individual
  linguistic choices and idiosyncrasies.

34
Informal address

• addressing someone in a more casual way to show a
  family or equal relationship For example Mum
  or mate

35
Irony

• saying or writing one thing, whilst meaning the
  opposite For example It is a truth universally
  acknowledged that a single man in possession of a
  good fortune must be in want of a wife.

36
Intonation

• the use of pitch in speech to create contrast and
  variation

37
Jargon

• the technical language of an occupation or
  groupFor example plenary (Education) ISAs
  (banking)

38
Language change

• the development and changes in a language

39
Leading question

• A question which already implies something For
  example Have you stopped taking bribes?

40
Lexis

• the vocabulary of a language, especially in
  dictionary form

41
Metaphor

• a figure of speech in which one thing is
  described in terms of another For example The
  cats pyjamas

42
Morphology

• a branch of grammar which studies the structure
  of words

43
Narrator

• the person (named or unknown) who is telling a
  story

44
Noun

• a word which names an object For example cat,
  boy, London etc.

45
Onomatopoeia

• a word that sounds like the thing it describes
  For example, the sound of feet drumming the
  earth

46
Open question

• invites an unpredictable response
• What do you think of it?

47
Oxymoron

• a figure of speech which yokes two contradictory
  terms For example fuzzy logic

48
Paradox

• a figure of speech in which an apparent
  contradiction contains a truthFor example I
  know that I know nothing.

49
Paragraph

• a distinct passage of writing which is unified by
  an idea or a topic

50
Parenthesis

• a word, clause or even sentence which is inserted
  into a sentence to which it does not
  grammatically belong. It is usually separated by
  either commas, brackets or dashes. Parenthesis
  usually shows an aside or interruption to the
  text/speech.For example I enjoy visiting
  Cornwall (even when it is raining) in September.

51
Phatic speech or phatic communication

• consists of words or phrases that have a social
  function and are not meant literally. When people
  are thankedFor example You're welcome in
  reply is meant to show politeness and not to be
  interpreted as literally welcoming the person you
  say it to.

52
Phonetics

• the study of the production, transmission, and
  reception of speech sounds

53
Phonology

• a study of the sounds in any language

54
Phrase

• a group of words, smaller than a clause, which
  forms a grammatical unit

55
Point of view

• a term from literary studies which describes the
  perspective or source of a piece of writing

56
Preposition

• links nouns, pronouns and phrases to other words
  in a sentence. The word or phrase that the
  preposition introduces is called the object of
  the preposition. A preposition usually indicates
  the temporal, spatial or logical relationship of
  its object to the rest of the sentence.For
  example The book is on the table. The book is
  beneath the table. She held the book over the
  table.

57
Pronoun

• a word that can substitute for a noun or a noun
  phrase

58
Punctuation

• a system of marks used to introduce pauses and
  interruption into writing

59
Received pronunciation

• the regionally neutral, prestige accent of
  British English. It was historically used in the
  media, especially the BBC.

60
Repetition

• a word or phrase is repeated for deliberate
  effect For example We will stand up, we will
  fight, we will win.

61
Rhetorical questions

• questions which are asked for stylistic or
  persuasive effect and do not require an
  answer For example Did this in Caesar seem
  ambitious?

62
Sarcasm

• a form of irony that is widely used in English
  especially when people are being humorous.
  Generally the sarcastic speaker or writer means
  the exact opposite of the word they use, often
  intending to be rude or to laugh at the person
  the words are addressed to.

63
Semantics

• the study of the meaning of words.

64
Semicolon

• a punctuation mark which can link two or more
  main clauses or separate longer items in a
  listFor example the car swerved across the
  road the driver was drunk.

65
Sentence

• a set of words which form a grammatically
  complete statement, usually containing a subject,
  verb, and object

66
Simile

• a figure of speech in which one thing is directly
  likened to another , using the words like or
  asFor example as sharp as a razor

67
Slang

• informal, non-standard vocabulary For example
  innit

68
Speech

• the oral medium of transmission for language

69
Spelling

• the convention governing the representation of
  words by letters in writing systems

70
Standard English

• a dialect representing English speech and writing
  comprehensible to most users. It conforms to an
  agreed standard in grammar and vocabulary. It
  does not refer to the accent used to pronounce it.

71
Structure

• the arrangement of parts or ideas in a piece of
  writing

72
Style

• aspects of writing (or speech) which have an
  identifiable character generally used in a
  positive sense to indicate 'pleasing effects'

73
Superlative

• the form of an adjective or adverb that shows
  which thing has that quality above or below the
  level of the others. It takes the definite
  article and short adjectives add -est and longer
  ones take 'most'For example Mount Everest is
  the highest mountain in the world. Or It is the
  most expensive restaurant I've ever been to.

74
Symbol

• an object which represents something other than
  its self

75
Synonym

• a word which means (almost) the same as another
  For example small and little

76
Syntax

• the arrangement of words to show relationships of
  meaning within a sentence

77
Tag question

• A question which seeks confirmation
• Thats right, isnt it?

78
Tense

• the form taken by a verb to indicate time (as in
  past-present-future)

79
Text

• any piece of writing or object being studied

80
Tone

• an author's or speaker's attitude, as revealed in
  'quality of voice' or 'selection of language'

81
Tripling

• groups of three, used for persuasive effect For
  example Friends, Romans, countrymen

82
Verb

• a term expressing an action or a state of being
  For example walk, run, jump

83
Vocabulary

• the particular selection or types of words chosen
  in speech or writing

84
Vowel

• the open sounds made in speech - as (mainly)
  distinct from consonants For example a, e,
  i, o, u

85
Writing

• the use of visual symbols to represent words
  which act as a code for communication