Advanced Language Terminology for GCSE English

Are you aiming for a top grade in English? As you may know, you are assessed on your knowledge of language terminology and your abilty to explain its effect. Advanced terminology for GCSE English will help you to stand out!

Asyndeton: Omission of conjunctions for dramatic effect.

• Example: “littered with broken swords, shattered shields, and bodies.”
• Purpose: Creates a sense of urgency and tension by listing items quickly without conjunctions.

Polysyndeton: The use of many conjunctions in close succession.

• Example: “The enemy came, relentless, and fierce, and without mercy.”
• Purpose: Emphasises the overwhelming force and relentlessness of the enemy by using repeated conjunctions

Hypophora: Raising a question and then answering it.

• Example: “Would this be the end? Would his people remember him as a failed leader? No, he would fight.”
• Purpose: Engages the reader by posing questions and gives an immediate response, guiding them through the character’s thought process.

Epistrophe: The repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses or sentences.

• Example: “And still, they kept coming.”
• Purpose: Reinforces the persistence of the enemy, highlighting the overwhelming odds the king faces.

Euphemism: A mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered too harsh or blunt.

• Example: “He knew many of his men had fallen asleep that day, never to awaken.”
• Purpose: Softens the harsh reality of death in the narrative, making it more palatable for the reader.