ANALYZING FORM

STRUCTURE
AND
LANGUAGE
KEY DEFINITION:

LANGUAGE:

WORDS WITH STRONG CONNOTATIONS THE

AUTHOR USES TO CONVEY HIS IDEAS,
INCLUDING VARIOUS FIGURES OF SPEECH &
LANGUAGE DEVICES.
** CONNOTATION – INFERRED MEANINGS OF
WORDS

EX: BLUE IS A COLOUR BUT IT IS ALSO A WORD

USED TO DESCRIBE A FEELING OF SADNESS
**FIGURES OF SPEECH
IT IS A FORM OF EXPRESSION WHERE WORDS
ARE USED OUT OF THEIR LITERAL MEANING
OR OUT OF THEIR ORDINARY USE.

THEY ENHANCE THE STYLE OF LANGUAGE.

ALL FIGURES OF SPEECH ARE LITERARY

DEVICES. BUT ALL LITERARY DEVICES ARE
NOT FIGURES OF SPEECH.
** LANGUAGE/LITERARY DEVICES –

MANOEUVRES WRITERS USE IN THEIR WRITING

TO DEVELOP THE NARRATIVE STYLE OR PLOT
MECHANISM

# PLOT MECHANISM -
EX: FLASHBACK

EX: IN MEDIAS RES (LATIN)– BEGINNING THE

NARRATIVE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STORY
# CHARACTERISATION –

* ARCHETYPE - RECURRING SYMBOLS OR

MOTIFS EG: HERO, VILLAIN, DAMSEL IN
DISTRESS.

* FOIL – JUXTAPOSING TWO CHARACTERS

TO HIGHLIGHT THE DIFFERENCES IN THEIR
NATURE.

***********************
1. LEXIS (VOCABULARY) – WORD CHOICE/DICTION

**INTERESTING WORDS USED BY THE AUTHOR

WITH PRONOUNCED POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE
CONNOTATIONS (IMPLIED MEANING OF A WORD)

**WORDS THAT BELONG TO THE SAME *SEMANTIC

FIELD (WORDS OR PHRASES RELATED IN
MEANING - ALSO KNOWN AS WORD FIELD,
LEXICAL FIELD, EG: DOMAIN OF COOKING - BOIL,
FRY, SAUTE, STEAM, ROAST, POACH…
THE STUDENT HAS TO ANALYZE WHY THE
AUTHOR USED IT AND TO ACHIEVE WHAT
PURPOSE.
** FIGURES OF SPEECH – METAPHOR, SIMILE,
PERSONIFICATION, ANAPHORA …

IT IS NOT ENOUGH IF THE STUDENT

IDENTIFIES THE FOS AND GIVES A GENERIC
EFFECT (CALLED FEATURE SPOTTING), BUT
SHOULD EXPLAIN WHY THE AUTHOR USED
THAT PARTICULAR FOS.
WHEN READING A PERSUASIVE TEXT LIKE A SPEECH,
ARTICLE, REVIEW, AND OTHERS, LOOK FOR PERSUASIVE
TECHNIQUES.

THESE ARE LANGUAGE TECHNIQUES USED BY THE AUTHOR

FOR MAKING AN ARGUMENT AND FOR CONVINCING THE
READER TO SUPPORT HIS POINT OF VIEW.

# PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES – KNOWING ONE’S AUDIENCE,

HOOKING THE READER’S ATTENTION THROUGH
REPETITION, RHETORICAL QUESTIONS, CAREFUL WORD
CHOICE, A CALL TO ACTION, EMOTIVE WORDS –
ADJECTIVES, ABSTRACT NOUNS, VERBS, EMOTIVE
ADVERBS.
** GRAMMAR, SYNTAX AND PUNCTUATION

THESE ARE OFTEN OVELOOKED BUT THEY PLAY

AN IMPORTANT PART IN EVERY TEXT. THEY
INFLUENCE EMOTION & CREATE A RHYTHM OR
PACE OF THE TEXT.

# LONGER OR SHORTER SENTENCES

# VARIED PUNCTUATION
# USE OF PARTICULAR TENSES

CAN AFFECT HOW THE READER FEELS ABOUT

THE TEXT.
LANGUAGE:

* LITERARY DEVICES

* FIGURATIVE DESCRIPTIONS – FIGURES OF

SPEECH

1. COMPARATIVE DEVICS
# SIMILE, METAPHOR, ANALOGY,
HYPERBOLE, PERSONIFICATION AND
OTHERS
** COMPARATIVE DEVICS
# SIMILE, METAPHOR, ANALOGY, HYPERBOLE,
PERSONIFICATION AND OTHERS.

EXAMPLES
* SIMILE - EXPRESSION THAT USES *LIKE/* AS –

# A SIMILE MAKES WRITING VIVID AND POWERFUL

* AS TOUGH AS NAILS

* HE HAS A VOICE LIKE A FOGHORN

* METAPHOR – A FUSION OF TWO OBJECTS, THE
INTENTION BEING TO CREATE ONE NEW ENTITY THAT
PARTAKES OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF BOTH. 

USES TWO DIFFERENT THINGS TO

* COMPARE

* SYMBOLIZE

* DESCRIBE
1. EXTENDED METAPHOR – A METAPHOR THAT
EXTENDS OVER MANY LINES OR STANZAS OF
PROSE OR POETRY.

EX: CAUSE I AM A CHAMPION AND YOU’RE

GONNA HEAR ME ROAR! – KATY PERRY
2. VISUAL METAPHOR – A METAPHOR THAT
DRIVES A ‘PICTORIAL’ SYMBOLISM OR
ANALOGY.

EG: HARRY POTTER’S SCAR IS A VISUAL

METAPHOR, REPRESENTING MULTIPLE
THEMES – LOVE, SACRIFICE …
3. STANDARD METAPHOR/STOCK METAPHOR –
COMPRESSES TWO UNLIKE THINGS.

EX: HE IS THE ONLY RAY OF HOPE FOR US

ANALOGY – COMPARISON BETWEEN ONE
THING AND ANOTHER FOR THE PURPOSE OF
EXPLANATION OR CLARIFICATION.
EX: DRAWING AN ANALOGY BETWEEN A
PERSON’S BRAIN AND A COMPUTER.

* YOU CAN USE METAPHORS AND SIMILES

WHEN CREATING AN ANALOGY.
HYPERBOLE – EXTENSIVE EXAGGERATIONS
TO MAKE A POINT

EG: FASTER THAN THE SPEED OF LIGHTNING

EG: FOR KIDS, AGES 9 TO 90

PERSONIFICATION – AN OBJECT, IDEA OR
ANIMAL IS GIVEN HUMAN
CHARACTERISTICS.

EX: THE OLD CAR SAT IDLE, LONELY AND

FORGOTTEN

EX: THE ALARM CLOCK SPRANG TO LIFE,

WAKING ME FROM MY SLEEP

EX: ANXIETY IS SITTING ON HER FACE

2. CONTRASTING DEVICES

# CONTRAST, ANTITHESIS, PARADOX,

OXYMORON…
* ANTITHESIS - IRRECONCILABLE OPPOSITES OR STRONGLY
CONTRASTING IDEAS ARE PLACED IN SHARP JUXTAPOSITION.

EX: ART IS LONG, AND TIME IS FLEETING.

EX: MANY ARE CALLED, BUT FEW ARE CHOSEN.

EX: MAN PROPOSES, GOD DISPOSES

* PARADOX – A SELF-CONTRADICTORY STATEMENT, THE UNDERLYING
MEANING OF WHICH IS REVEALED ON CAREFUL SCRUTINY. THE PURPOSE
OF A PARADOX IS TO ARREST ATTENTION AND PROVOKE FRESH THOUGHT.

EX: THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE END

EX: HERE ARE THE RULES: IGNORE ALL RULES

EX: IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH

EX: MY WEAKNESS IS MY STRENGTH

* OXYMORON – A COMPRESSED PARADOX IS AN OXYMORON

EX: AWFULLY GOOD

EX: BITTER SWEET

EX: SAME DIFFERENCE

** SONIC DEVICES
# ALLITERATION, ASSONANCE,
COSONANCE,
ONOMATOPOEIA…
* ALLITERATION - THE REPETITION OF THE SAME OR A SIMILAR
SOUND AT OR NEAR THE BEGINNING OF EACH WORD IN A
SERIES.  AS A METHOD OF LINKING WORDS FOR EFFECT,
ALLITERATION IS ALSO CALLED HEAD RHYME OR INITIAL
RHYME.

EX: "HUMBLE HOUSE", "POTENTIAL POWER PLAY",

"PICTURE PERFECT", "MONEY MATTERS", "ROCKY ROAD",
"QUICK QUESTION".

EX: "PETER PIPER PICKED A PECK OF PICKLED PEPPERS".

** IMAGERY
# DICTION, SENSORY IMAGERY,
KINAESTHETIC IMAGERY, ORGANIC
IMAGERY, ANIMAL IMAGERY…
# SENSORY IMAGERY:

EX: THE AUTUMN LEAVES ARE A BLANKET

ON THE GROUND.

EX: HIS WORDS FELT LIKE A DAGGER IN

MY HEART.

EX: MY HEAD IS POUNDING LIKE A DRUM.

# KINAESTHETIC IMAGERY: GIVES THE
FEELING OF MOVEMENT OR ACTION

EX: A HEARTBEAT, A PULSE, BREATHING

EX: WATER GURGLING IN THE STREAM
EX: SWAYING TO THE TUNES OF A SONG
EX: GALLOPING HORSES
EX: FLIPPING THE PAGES OF A BOOK/…
EX: FLICKERING AND TWINKLING LIGHTS
# ORGANIC IMAGERY – PERSONAL
EXPERIENCE OF A CHARACTER’S BODY
INCLUDING EMOTION & THE SENSE OF
HUNGER, THIRST, FATIGUE & PAIN

EX: HE THREW HIS HANDS IN THE AIR

EX: HE SHOOK HIS HEAD & CLAPPED HIS
PALMS TOGETHER
EX: SLIDING HIS CHAIR BACK, HE LEFT
THE ROOM WITHOUT A WORD
 FORM

WHAT CONSTITUTES FORM?

1. HOW THE TEXT REFLECTS THE

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GENRE.

2. WHAT THE TEXT LOOKS LIKE ON THE PAGE

(1 &2 ARE TRADITIONAL NOTIONS OF FORM IN

WRITING)
3. HOW THE TEXT APPEALS TO ITS INTENDED
AUDIENCE & HOW THE PURPOSE EFFECTS
THE CONTENT & STYLE OF THE TEXT.

(HOW FORM IS DEFINED BY EXAMINERS &

EXAMINER REPORTS FOR 9093)
1. HOW THE TEXT REFLECTS THE
CONVENTIONS OF THE GENRE.
EVERY GENRE HAS ITS RULES/ CONVENTIONS
AND CHARACTERISTICS. THE STUDENT HAS
TO DEMONSTRATE TO THE EXAMINER THEIR
KNOWLEDGE BY COMMENTING ON HOW FAR
IT IS RELATED TO THE GENRE.
IN SOME GENRES, THE FORM IS OBVIOUS EG:
POETRY
EX: SONNET, ADVERTISEMENT, LETTER,
SHORT STORY, LEAFLET …
ADVERTS & LEAFLETS – HAVE A VERY STRONG
VISUAL COMPONENT

# FORM HAS A STRONG INFLUENCE ON HOW THE

READER PERCEIVES THE INFORMATION
LETTER:

IN A LETTER IF THE VISUAL ELEMENTS LIKE THE

ADDRESS & SALUTATION/ SUBJECT ARE
REMOVED, IT IS NO LONGER A LETTER.

# SO ONE OF THE ELEMENTS YOU CAN

COMMENT UPON, IS HOW THE FORM REFLECTS
THE GENRE.
ANOTHER WAY TO COMMENT ON FORM IS
THROUGH DISCUSSING GENERALLY HOW THE
TEXT APPEARS ON THE PAGE. SOME OF THE
ELEMENTS TO LOOK FOR ARE –

* ANAPHORA – THE REPETITION OF WORDS OR

PHRASES AT THE BEGINNING OF NEIGHBOURING
CLAUSES.

EG: ‘I HAVE A DREAM’ SPEECH BY MARTIN

LUTHER KING JUNIOR.
# REPETITION USUALLY SERVES THE PURPOSE OF
EMPHASISING THE POINT BUT ONE MUST BE
CAREFUL TO ANALYSE WHAT POINT IS BEING
EMPHASISED.
* SINGLE LINE SENTENCES – LOOK OUT FOR
THESE THAT STAND OUT FROM THE REST OF THE
TEXT. THEY OFTEN MARK AN IMPORTANT
TURNING POINT IN THE TEXT.

ON IDENTIFYING ONE, STOP AND THINK ABOUT

WHY THE AUTHOR CHOSE TO PUT IT THERE. IT
CAN TELL YOU A LOT ABOUT HOW THE TEXT
PROGRESSES.
* SHORT SENTENCES WITHIN A PARAGRAPH
ARE OFTEN USED FOR EMOTIONAL IMPACT
AND THEY TOO STAND OUT FROM THE
LONGER SECTIONS OF THE TEXT. SO DO *
SHORT PARAGRAPHS AND * STAND ALONE
PARAGRAPHS (A STAND ALONE PARAGRAPH
HAS A TOPIC SENTENCE, SUPPORTING
DETAILS AND CONCLUDING SENTENCE)
THE EMOTIONAL IMPACT OF A SHORT
SENTENCE LIKE – ‘SILENCE’

IS MUCH STRONGER THAN IF THE AUTHOR

WERE TO ELABORATE ON HOW HORRIBLE AND
EXCRUCIATING THE SILENCE WAS, IN A LONG
DESCRIPTIVE SENTENCE.
* ELLIPSIS – WHERE CERTAIN PARTS OF THE
TEXT IS OMITTED EG: FREDRICK
DOUGLASS’ SPEECH

THIS MUST MAKE THE STUDENT WONDER &

ANALYZE WHY THIS SECTION OF THE TEXT
WAS OMITTED.

WHAT WAS THE AUTHOR’S PURPOSE IN

REMOVING THE TEXT.
* DIALOGUE – THIS IS ANOTHER ELEMENT
THAT STANDS OUT ON A PAGE.

THE STUDENT SHOULD ANALYZE WHY THE

AUTHOR CHOSE TO INCLUDE DIALOGUE &
WHAT PURPOSE IT PLAYS IN THE TEXT AS A
WHOLE.
* SUB HEADINGS – THE USE OF
SUBHEADINGS THAT DIVIDE THE TEXT
CLEARLY ITO SUBSECTIONS OR THE USE OF
* BULLET POINT LISTS IS ANOTHER VISUAL
ELEMENT THAT IS OFTEN USED IN ARTICLES
OR LEAFLETS.

THE STUDENT CAN LINK THE SUBHEADINGS

TO THE CONTENT OF THE PARAGRAPH OR
COMMENT ON THE USE OF BULLET POINTS.
WHEN ANY OF THE ELEMENTS UNDER FORM ARE
IDENTIFIED, CONSIDER CAREFULLY WHY THE
AUTHOR CHOSE TO USE THEM. THEN ANALYSE
AND COMMENT ON THEIR USE.

FORM INDICATES THE GENRE OF THE PIECE OF

WRITING AND THE STUDENT SHOULD BE AWARE
OF THE VISUAL ELEMENTS UNDER FORM.
FORM: HOW THE TEXT APPEALS TO THE
INTENDED AUDIENCE/ HOW THE PURPOSE
AFFECTS THE CONTENT AND STYLE OF THE
TEXT.

ANOTHER DEFINITION OF FORM IS THE WAY

THE AUDIENCE AND PURPOSE OF THE TEXT
INFLUENCE THE STYLE OF WRITING.
AUDIENCE - PEOPLE WHO ARE READING THE TEXT.

PURPOSE - THE GOAL WITH WHICH THE WRITER IS

WRITING THE TEXT.

AUDIENCE & PURPOSE ARE ‘WHOLE- TEXT ASPECTS’

MUTUALLY INFLUENCED BY PARTICULAR DEVICES THE
AUTHOR USES.

THE STUDENT HAS TO DEMONSTRATE HOW THESE

‘WHOLE-TEXT ASPECTS’ INFLUENCE THE WRITER’S
INDIVIDUAL WORD CHOICES AND HOW THESE WORD
CHOICES DEMONSTRATE THE AUTHOR’S AWARENESS OF
AUDIENCE AND PURPOSE.
HOW AUDIENCE AND PURPOSE AFFECT THE
TEXT.
EG: VIDEO GAME
IMAGINE ONE AUTHOR IS WRITING AN ARTICLE
ABOUT A VIDEO GAME FOR A GAMING
MAGAZINE. ANOTHER WRITER WRITES
ANOTHER ARTICLE ABOUT THE SAME GAME FOR
WIKIPEDIA. THESE TWO TEXTS HAVE VARIED
AUDIENCES.

THE FIRST ONE BEING GAMERS AND THE

SECOND ONE FOR ANYONE ON THE INTERNET.
THEY ALSO HAVE DIFFERENT PURPOSES.
THE WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE AIMS TO PROVIDE
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE GAME.

THE GAMING MAGAZINE ARTICLE NEEDS TO

PROVIDE MUCH MORE DETAILED INFORMATION
IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE INTEREST OF THE
READERS.

WHAT CAN THE AUTHOR DO TO MAKE SURE HIS

TEXT SUITS HIS AUDIENCE AND FULFILS ITS
PURPOSE ?
ONE OF THE MAIN WAYS TO APPEAL TO AN
AUDIENCE & TO FULFIL YOUR PURPOSE IS
THROUGH TONE & REGISTER.

* TONE – IS THE WRITER’S ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE

SUBJECT.

* REGISTER – IS THE LEVEL OF FORMALITY THE

AUTHOR USES. SO WHETHER HE IS BEING FORMAL
BY USING SOPHISTICATED LANGUAGE OR
INFORMAL USING CHATTY OR COLLOQUIAL
LANGUAGE /STYLE.
IN THE EXAMPLE, THE WRITER WRITING FOR THE
GAMING MAGAZINE WILL USE AN INFORMAL
STYLE TO MAKE HIS PIECE ENTERTAINING FOR
HIS READERS & TO MAKE HIM FEEL CLOSER TO
HIM. THE GAMING COMMUNITY IS RATHER
RELAXED. SO THERE IS NO NEED FOR A HIGH
LEVEL OF FORMALITY.

ON THE OTHER HAND AN ARTICLE ON WIKIPEDIA

NEEDS TO MEET THE STANDARDS OF AN
ENCYCLOPEDIA & NEEDS TO BE WRITTEN IN A
MORE FORMAL REGISTER.
AT THE SAME TIME, THE READERS OF THE
GAMING MAGAZINE PROBABLY HAVE A LOT
OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE SUBJECT
MATTER.

THE AUTHOR WILL NOT SHY AWAY FROM

USING SPECIFIC JARGON/ SPECIALIST
LANGUAGE FOR DESCRIBING THE GAME.
ON THE OTHER HAND, THE WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE
WILL USE MORE STANDARDIZED LEXIS –
STICKING TO WELL KNOWN EXPRESSIONS.

IF SPECIALISED TERMS ARE USED, THEY WILL

BE EXPLAINED & DEFINED. ALSO, WHEN
EXPLAINING CERTAIN CONCEPTS & ISSUES, THE
AUTHORS WILL BE LIKELY TO USE EXAMPLES
THAT ARE CLOSE TO THEIR AUDIENCE.
THE EXAMPLE ABOUT GAMING WILL APPEAL TO
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. HENCE EXAMPLES
HAVE TO BE CHOSEN KEEPING IN MIND THE
AUDIENCE.

ALL WRITERS PAY ATTENTION TO SUCH DETAILS.

THE ANALYZER’S (STUDENT’S) RESPONSIBILITY

IS TO IDENTIFY SUCH ELEMENTS.
 STRUCTURE
** STRUCTURE, REFERS TO HOW PARTICULAR PARTS ARE
CONNECTED TO THE WHOLE.

* IT REFERS TO THE WAY IN WHICH THE WRITER ORGANIZES THE

INFORMATION IN THE TEXT AND

*IN WHICH ORDER HE CHOOSES TO REVEAL IT.

* IT ALSO REFERS TO HOW PARTS OF THE TEXT FIT TOGETHER TO

MAKE A WHOLE.
* STRUCTURE IS CONTENT-DRIVEN.

* IT DEALS WITH HOW INFORMATION IS ORGANIZED IN

THE ENTIRE TEXT AND ALSO WITHIN EACH PARAGRAPH.

# WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN COMMENTING ON

STRUCTURE.

** LOOK AT THE BEGINNING AND ENDING - THESE ARE

THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF A TEXT.  OTHER
IMPORTANT PARTS ARE DEVELOPMENT, CONTRAST,
SHIFTS AND PACE.
# THE BEGINNING OF ANY TEXT IS VERY IMPORTANT
BECAUSE THE WRITER HAS ONLY A FEW SECONDS TO
CREATE INTEREST IN THE READER TO READ THE TEXT.

*AUTHORS USE DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES TO HOOK THE

READER IN, AND DEPENDING ON THE TEXT, THE STUDENT
MAY WISH TO ANALYZE HOW THE AUTHOR ACHIEVES
THAT PURPOSE.
# THE ENDING ON THE OTHER HAND LEAVES THE
BIGGEST EMOTIONAL IMPACT ON THE READER.

* DEPENDING ON THE TOPIC, THE ENDING MAY BE

CONCLUSIVE OR NON-CONCLUSIVE.

* NON-CONCLUSIVE ENDING IN FICTION WORKS CAN BE

CLIFFHANGERS AND

* IN NON-FICTION WORKS THE AUTHOR MIGHT WANT

TO LEAVE A QUESTION OPEN TO DEBATE, WITHOUT
OFFERING A FINAL WORD ON IT.
* A COMMON STRATEGY WRITERS USE TO MAKE THEIR WORK
WELL-ORGANIZED IS BY USING A CYCLICAL STRUCTURE.

IN FICTION, THE STORY ENDS IN THE SAME PLACE IT BEGAN.

IN NON-FICTION, THE AUTHOR USES THE SAME IDEA AT THE

END OF THE TEXT USED AT THE BEGINNING. THIS CAN MAKE
THE TEXT FEEL VERY WELL-ROUNDED.

THE STUDENT SHOULD ANALYSE THE BEGINNING AND ENDING

AND SEE IF THERE ARE ELEMENTS OF CYCLICAL STRUCTURE.
# IN BETWEEN THE BEGINNING AND THE END, MOST TEXTS
PROGRESS IN A LINEAR MANNER.

* THERE IS NATURAL DEVELOPMENT OR PROGRESSION OF IDEAS. 

THE STUDENT SHOULD LOOK AT HOW THE AUTHOR DEVELOPS HIS

IDEAS AND WHAT TOPIC HE DEALS WITH.

ANOTHER ASPECT TO LOOK AT IS WHETHER THERE IS A CHANGE IN

THE INTENSITY OF TONE AND MOOD IN THE TEXT.

EX: WHERE THE TONE MOVES FROM BEING SLIGHTLY

MELANCHOLIC AT THE BEGINNING TO DEPRESSING TOWARDS THE
END OF THE TEXT.
# SOMETIMES THE AUTHORS ORGANIZE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS
OF THE TEXT IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY DON’T GRADUALLY
BUILD UPON ONE ANOTHER, BUT INSTEAD CLASH.

* THIS IS THE USE OF CONTRAST,

CONTRAST IS WHEN TWO NEIGHBOURING PARAGRAPHS IN A

TEXT DISCUSS COMPLETELY OPPOSITE TOPICS OR DEAL WITH A
TOPIC IN A COMPLETELY OPPOSITE MANNER.

* THE JUXTAPOSITION OF DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF A TEXT IS

CONTRAST AND IT MIGHT BE WORTH COMMENTING ON.
# ANOTHER ASPECT TO CONSIDER ARE SHIFTS.

* ANY MAJOR SHIFT IN FOCUS OR TOPIC AND THEME OF THE TEXT SHOULD BE

COMMENTED ON.

* FOCUS REFERS TO WHAT THE AUTHOR IS FOCUSING ON, IN EACH PARAGRAPH.

* THE FOCUS OF THE AUTHOR CAN SHIFT FROM THE EXTERIOR TO THE INTERIOR
OF A BUILDING OR FOCUS CAN SHIFT FROM DESCRIBING THE ENVIRONMENT TO
DESCRIBING A PARTICULAR CHARACTER OR HIS MENTAL STATE AND THOUGHTS.
* THE ENVIRONMENT AND THOUGHTS MIGHT OFTEN BE
INTERTWINED AND REFLECT IT.

THE STUDENT MUST COMMENT ON THAT TOO.

* THE AUTHOR MIGHT ALSO SHIFT FOCUS FROM A GENERAL
DISCUSSION OF AN IDEA TO A SPECIFIC EXAMPLE.

OR

* FROM A GENERIC EXPERIENCE TO AN INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCE

OF A PHENOMENON.

ALL THESE ARE WORTH ANALYZING AND COMMENTING ON.

*
ONE CAN ALSO COMMENT ON THE CHANGE OF
SUBJECT OR THE THEME, WHICH REFERS TO THE
MORE SUBTLE, UNDERLYING MEANING OF THE TEXT.

TO INDICATE SHIFTS, AUTHORS SOMETIMES USE ONE-

SENTENCE PARAGRAPHS. LOOK OUT FOR THEM.
ANOTHER ELEMENT OF STRUCTURE IS PACE.

PACE REFERS TO HOW FAST THE TEXT PROGRESSES.

EX: AN ACTION FILM USUALLY EVOLVES MUCH FASTER THAN A

SLOW ROMANTIC FILM.

# HOW DO AUTHORS SLOW OR SPEED UP THE PACE OF A TEXT?

* FAST PACED TEXTS USUALLY HAVE SHORTER PARAGRAPHS,
AND SHORTER SENTENCES WITH MORE ACTION, DIALOGUE
AND EXCITING EVENTS.
ON THE OTHER HAND, SLOW-PACED TEXTS FEATURE
LONGER SENTENCES AND PARAGRAPHS WITH MORE
NARRATION AND DESCRIPTION THAN DIALOGUE.

* AUTHORS ADD DETAILS AND MAY USE FLASHBACK OR

FORESHADOWING TO SLOW DOWN THE MAIN ACTION.