AQA English - Persuasive Language Techniques - Foundation Paper

This text informs and persuades by using a number of language techniques. First it uses a rhetorical question. “Why don’t you…?” By using this rhetorical question, the reader is encouraged to think about whether they should take part in Sport Relief, this is persuading the reader to take part. The second technique is identifying with a celebrity. It suggests “dress up as their favourite sporting personality.” The reader is encouraged to take part as they can be creative in their choice of dress up. By focusing on your favourite celebrity, these are people that we aspire to be. Another technique is repetition. “Get in the Olympic spirit, your students could come dressed as the Olympic flag or wear the kit of different Olympic sports.” The word Olympic is being repeated, this informs the reader of the theme of the event, but it also, by making stick in their minds, persuades them to take part. The final technique I’m writing about is shocking and emotive language. “£25 could provide ten street children in India with their own bank account to save their earnings securely and work towards a brighter future.” This amount doesn’t seem like a lot to us, but it is to them. The fact they’re on the street and they’re young people like us makes us feel sympathetic towards them. The ‘Work towards a brighter future,’ makes it seem like we can change their lives with this donation.

Presentational Devices

We looked at this article and compared it to yesterday's http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-31428072 We did a step by step in just the same way as yesterday, but we looked at presentational devices. In this question you need to compare and contrast. One presentational feature that both texts used for effect are pictures. In the first article we see Liverpool stadium, it is a shot from behind a commentary table. In the second article we see the two leading stars of 50 Shades of Grey. The pictures are relevant to the text as they show us what the article is going to be about, and give you visual information about the subject. By seeing the behind the scenes shot, it is appropriate to the article as it’s all about sport on TV and how much it costs. The film is central to the LFB’s concerns and so it is appropriate, but ironically by using a promotional picture from the film, the article also promotes 50 Shades of Grey. In contrast, article one uses graphs and tables to display its information, while in comparison article two uses bullet points to do the same job. The bar graph clearly shows how money spent has increased over the years. The bullet points are separated from the article, and while the give extra information, they are not crucial to understanding the article. I prefer the bar and doughnut graphs as it much more visual and uses colour to make it interesting. Another use of colour is in how the picture in article 2 is grey. This links appropriately because of the title of the book / film under discussion: grey. The central character is called Christian Grey. Another presentational feature in article one is its use of bold sub headings throughout the text. This technique helps break up the text and allow the reader to see each section clearly. It helps organise the long argument of the technique.

Question 3 - AQA GCSE English

Writing about Language Features Step by Step 1st - read the article - we chose this one: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/31386483 As you go, use your highlighter to try and identify different techniques. We found a pun, rhetorical questions, facts, opinions, alliteration, group of three, emotive language.... Decided 4 you can write well about... We decided to look at pun, rhetorical questions, facts and groups of three. Then write about them using the PQE structure. Here is what we came up with... One way the writer uses language features is to include the reader in the argument. The writer uses the technique of rhetorical questioning multiple times to keep his reader on board. ‘How can £10.2m per game be good value for money?’ The question provokes the reader to engage with the text / argument. I am eager to find out the answer and so I keep reading. Early on in the article, the writer uses a pun. ‘Changing picture for TV viewers.’ Here the humorous play on words shows two different meanings. ‘Changing picture’ could mean changing the channel, or what we expect to see on TV. The second meaning is the state of football as a game and how much it is valued, is changing. Both of these meanings are relevant, and so the pun makes us aware of this in a fun way. Always make sure that you talk about how the technique makes you respond as a reader - what job is it doing?

GCSE Revision - Mrs E's wonderful resources

I want to alert you to a wonderful blog by Mrs E https://literacydaydreams.wordpress.com there are some great resources (Week 1 - 3) for revising non-fiction questions for your AQA and IGCSE exams.

Pump Earphones

I was asked to try out Pump earphones and here's what I found... The sound quality is awesome, especially compared to my Apple ipod ones. I liked the option of ear support for different ear shapes, and how flattering to find I have very small lug holes! I even found the v smallest painful to use, not an issue I've ever encountered with my ipod ones. For moving around I had some issues with the plugs coming loose. Possibly something to do with not being able to have the ear supports in? And the particularly bright orange wiring is def not a subtle colour! So would I recommend? Well, for audio quality, definitely, but only if you're going to be relatively static.

Some hints on the WW1 essay

P. Today’s technique is alliteration Q. ‘the stuttering rifles’ rapid rattle’ E. Talk about alliteration and how it’s used – what effect does it create on the reader – does it sound like gunfire? Is it positive or negative? Onomatopoeia – links to the title, there’s lots of references to sound. Appeals to our senses and gives us an idea of what it was like in the trenches. Aural – relating to sound as a sense P. Strong feelings / attitudes. Who’s for the Game. Rhetorical questions. Q. Any rhetorical Q from the poem. E. What is the effect of the RQ? How do we react to it as a reader – intimidating, make us think, motivate us? Has the purpose of the poem changed? What is Pope’s attitude to war? P. Jessie Pope uses an extended metaphor in ‘Who’s for the Game?’ to compare the war to…. Q. Line 1, line 2 or line 3 – you choose! E. By comparing the war to a match, it’s showing how masculine the people who go to war are. Just like if you play sport at school, people see you as more manly! Pope doesn’t take the war seriously, she underplays it. She wants to make it seem fun so people join the team!

Wilfred Owen

P. Another way Wilfred Owen creates strong feelings is by using punctuation unusually. Q. ‘GAS! Gas! Quick, boys! –‘ E. Owen uses the punctuation to show strong feelings such as panic, worry and being terrified of the attack. In this quote, the first word is in capitals, which shows how it would have been delivered, with a shout. The exclamation marks and the short sharp sentences have the effect of conveying this emotion. By using the exclamation marks we get a sense of the tone and the panic in his voice. The comma after ‘quick’ separates the words and the idea of Owen calling the men ‘boys’ suggests he feels paternal (like a father) towards his men, suggesting his loyalty. The double dash at the end again is used as a separation between the supposed dialogue and the action that follows. Owen does this later on in the final stanza, where he separates the memory from the ‘now’ of the poem.