Words for analysis
Half of writing well about a text is having the right word for what it is doing. This is the vocabulary: tone words that are specific enough to defend, verbs that describe a text's actions, and the terms that let you name a structure instead of retelling it.
Why vocabulary changes what you can see
You cannot analyze what you cannot name. A student who only has shows and says will write about what a text contains; a student who has undercuts, withholds and qualifies will write about what it does — and only the second of those is analysis.
A precise word is a claim in compressed form. Saying a passage concedes something asserts that the writer gave ground deliberately, which then has to be supported. Reaching for the exact verb forces you into an argument you can defend, which is why the vocabulary is worth learning even though no question ever asks you to define it.
Tone words work the same way, with the added problem of intensity. Multiple-choice options are often three words from the same family at different strengths, and the answer is decided by how far the text actually goes.
Where it turns up
- Reading anything critically — noticing that a news report concedes one point in order to insist on another is how you read past the surface of it.
- Writing that persuades — the difference between a proposal that sounds considered and one that sounds vague is usually verb choice.
- The exam — twenty to twenty-five Part B questions are specifically about technique and its effect, which is what this vocabulary is for.
- Talking about anything you care about — film, music, games — having words for what a thing does is the difference between liking it and explaining it.
- Why it matters
- 1. Tone words, by family
- 2. Verbs for what a text does
- 3. Naming a structure
- 4. Using them honestly
Tone words, by family
The idea: tone questions are often decided by intensity. Group the words by what they mean and pick the one that matches how strongly the text actually commits.
| Family | Mild | Strong |
|---|---|---|
| Disapproving | skeptical, wry, detached, critical | scathing, bitter, contemptuous, indignant |
| Approving | appreciative, warm, sympathetic | reverent, admiring, celebratory |
| Sad | wistful, melancholy, resigned | anguished, despairing, grief-stricken |
| Uneasy | tentative, guarded, ambivalent | alarmed, foreboding, haunted |
| Assured | measured, matter-of-fact, candid | emphatic, defiant, uncompromising |
| Amused | playful, light, ironic | mocking, sardonic, satirical |
Mood words describe the reader's experience rather than the writer's attitude: tense, claustrophobic, uneasy, elegiac, buoyant, serene, oppressive. Use them when the question asks about atmosphere.
Watch out: a mild complaint is not outrage. When two options sit in the same family, the answer is almost always the less extreme one unless the text earns the stronger word.
Verbs for what a text does
The idea: replacing shows with a precise verb usually forces you to say something analytical, because the precise verb makes a claim.
| When the text… | Verbs |
|---|---|
| Hints without stating | suggests, implies, intimates, gestures toward |
| States plainly | asserts, declares, insists, establishes |
| Works against itself | undercuts, complicates, qualifies, destabilizes |
| Places things side by side | juxtaposes, contrasts, sets against, mirrors |
| Builds over time | develops, accumulates, escalates, foreshadows |
| Holds something back | withholds, defers, obscures, refuses |
| Makes something visible | reveals, exposes, dramatizes, renders |
| Invites a response | positions the reader, aligns us with, distances us from |
Naming a structure
The idea: if you can name a shape, you can analyze it. If you cannot, you end up retelling the plot instead.
| Term | Use it for |
|---|---|
| Frame | A story told inside another story |
| In medias res | Opening in the middle of the action |
| Turn / volta | The point where the thinking or feeling changes |
| Parallel structure | Two threads that echo each other |
| Cyclical structure | An ending that returns to the beginning, changed |
| Climax and falling action | The peak of tension and what follows |
| Frame of reference shift | A change in who is speaking, or when |
| Motif | An image or idea that recurs and gathers meaning |
Using them honestly
The idea: a precise word is only worth something if the text supports it. Vocabulary is a tool for accuracy, not decoration.
- Every tone word needs evidence. If you call a passage sardonic, quote the phrase that is doing it.
- One good word beats three. Stacking adjectives — bitter, angry, resentful — reads as hedging rather than precision.
- Match the register to the text. Calling a gentle reflection scathing is worse than calling it critical, because it shows you were reaching.
- Write the claim first, then reach for the word. Choosing an impressive word and building a sentence around it is how essays end up saying nothing at length.