Question 2 Skills: Language Analysis (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE English Language): Revision Note
Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2018
Last exams 2026
Exam code: 0500 & 0990
This revision note is for exams in 2026. If you are sitting your exam from 2027, please switch to the 'First exams 2027' syllabus edition.
Question 2 Skills: Language Analysis
Question 2(d) tests you on your ability to explore, comment on and analyse the language choices a writer has made. This includes considering both the explicit and implicit meanings behind words and phrases, and why a writer might have chosen to use them. This guide will explain in more detail how to analyse language.
Overview of language analysis
To explore, comment on and analyse the language choices a writer has made, you must understand:
What is being described or narrated (understanding the text)
The particular choices the writer has made (subject terminology)
The explicit and implied meanings behind these choices (denotations and connotations)
The overall effect or meaning the writer is trying to convey
The question will ask you to use three examples of words or phrases per paragraph. It is very important that you stick to choosing words or phrases that you have something to say about, not just obvious literary techniques (such as a simile). This is because just being able to “spot” a technique a writer has used will not get you marks.
Instead, you need to be able to consider what is conveyed by the use of that technique. What image is the writer trying to create with their words? Above all, you need to consider why the writer has made the choices they have, and keep your selection of words or phrases compact and precise (do not try to analyse whole sentences).
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Try to practise analysing words and phrases in various texts to strengthen your skills. By consistently practising this skill, you will strengthen your ability to analyse any unseen text.
But do not fall into the trap of “feature spotting” - this is when a student just “spots” techniques a writer has used, such as metaphors or personification, without any consideration of why the writer has used the technique. This type of analysis will not get you a high mark.
Exploring words and phrases
Analysing language means considering the deliberate choices a writer has made: why they have included specific words or phrases in their writing, and for what purpose. In order to do this, you should consider both the denotation and the connotations of particular words:
Denotation = the literal meaning of a word or phrase
Connotation = the associations or implied meanings of the word or phrase
When commenting on words and phrases from the text, you should always try to consider why you think the writer has chosen that particular word to use in their sentences. Below are some questions which you might ask yourself when analysing the words and phrases in a text:
Denotations and connotations | Emotional impact | Formality and informality | |
|---|---|---|---|
How do these layers of meaning add depth to the text? | How do the words evoke emotions or feelings in the reader? Do they create joy, sadness, fear or excitement? | Do the words reveal aspects of a character's personality, background or emotions? | Do the words make the text more relatable or distant? |
The following table provides you with a list of some terms and definitions to use when analysing individual words and phrases:
Term | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
comparative adjectives | Used to compare differences between two nouns, such as “larger”, “smaller”, “faster”, “stronger” | “The new smartphone is faster than the previous model.” |
superlatives | Words used to express something of the highest quality of its kind | “The explorer's journey into uncharted territory was the most courageous expedition of the century.” |
emotive language | Emotive language refers to words and phrases that are intentionally used to evoke strong emotional responses in the reader | “The devastating aftermath of the natural disaster left a trail of destruction, sorrow and misery.” |
colloquial language | Colloquial language is informal, everyday language that is used in casual conversations and familiar settings | “The exam was a doddle; I finished the problems in no time.” |
imperatives | Imperatives are verb forms or sentences that are used to give commands | “Close the door behind you.” |
Once you are able to identify particular words and phrases within a text, you need to develop this skill further by considering why the writer has chosen to include these within their writing.
As an example, we will explore some of the words and phrases from the table above and consider the writer’s intentions.
Words and phrases | Example | Writer’s intentions |
|---|---|---|
emotive language | “The devastating aftermath of the natural disaster left a trail of destruction, sorrow and misery.” | The writer uses emotive language to convey the immense gravity of the situation being described. The words “devastating”, “destruction”, “sorrow” and “misery” are used to depict the immense suffering experienced by those affected, highlighting the destructive nature of the event. |
Remember the goal of analysing words and phrases is to uncover layers of meaning, understand the writer’s intent and explore how language contributes to the overall impact of the text.
Language features and techniques
It is important that you are familiar with key literary terms so that it can help to support your analysis of the text (but should never be used in place of analysis). It is much more important that you clearly articulate the intended effects of any terms that you use.
The table below provides some definitions of key literary terms. This list is not exhaustive, but it is simply a guide to some of the techniques that might be most useful when analysing a text.
Language technique | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
A simile is a figure of speech that directly compares two different things, using "like" or "as" to highlight their similarities | “Her smile was as radiant as the morning sun, casting its warm glow upon everyone she encountered.” | |
A metaphor is a figure of speech that equates or describes one thing in terms of another, asserting that they are the same | “The stormy sea was an untamed beast, its ferocious waves crashing against the shore with unrestrained fury, devouring all in its path.” | |
Imagery | Imagery engages the reader's senses by using vivid and detailed language to create mental images | “The sun-kissed waves crashed against the golden shore, their frothy white caps glistening in the radiant morning light.” |
Alliteration involves the repetition of consonant sounds, usually at the beginning of words or stressed syllables, within a phrase or sentence | “The swirling mist silently settled on the sleepy meadow.” | |
Personification attributes human characteristics or qualities to inanimate objects, animals or abstract concepts | “The weary old oak tree, its gnarled branches outstretched like weathered arms, whispered ancient wisdom to the breeze, as if carrying the weight of centuries on its bark.” | |
Onomatopoeia is using words that imitate or mimic the sounds they represent | “The crackling fire whispered its secrets, its warm embrace accompanied by the gentle pop and sizzle of the logs as they surrendered to the dance of the flames.” | |
Repetition | Repetition involves the deliberate repetition of words, phrases, sounds or grammatical structures to create emphasis, reinforce ideas or establish rhythm | “Through the ebb and flow of life, I have learned to persist, to persist in the face of adversity, to persist in the pursuit of my dreams, to persist in the pursuit of knowledge.” |
Juxtaposition places two contrasting ideas, images or concepts side by side to highlight their differences or create a striking effect | “The elegant ballroom was adorned with exquisite chandeliers and fine artwork, while the servants' quarters below held nothing but bare walls.” |
Once you are able to identify and understand different literary techniques, you need to develop this skill further by considering why the writer has chosen to include these techniques in their writing.
As an example, we will explore one of the language techniques from the table above and consider the writer’s intentions.
Language technique | Example | Writer’s intentions |
|---|---|---|
Metaphor | “The stormy sea was an untamed beast, its ferocious waves crashing against the shore with unrestrained fury, devouring all in its path.” | The writer has used a metaphor in order to convey the intense and powerful nature of the stormy sea. By describing the sea as an “untamed beast” the writer is suggesting the sea embodies the qualities of wildness, unpredictability and also a sense of danger. This comparison helps the reader to feel the magnitude of the storm's force and the chaos it brings. |
In this example, the writer’s use of a metaphor to describe the stormy sea is clearly interpreted and analysed.
The response has considered why the writer may have chosen to use a metaphor and explored its intended effect on the reader.
Examiner Tips and Tricks
It is more important to explore the effects of the writer’s choices than it is to use over-complicated terminology. You can be just as successful in writing about the effect of a specific word choice as you are in writing about complex language features.
Incorporating language analysis into your answer
Remember, you are being tested on your ability to select appropriate words or phrases from the text to analyse. But selecting the right language to comment on is only one part of what you have got to do: you also need to be able to integrate language analysis into your answer in a clear, coherent and concise way.
A high-level response will:
Select relevant and concise words or phrases from the text to comment on
Incorporate these words or phrases into an explanation of meaning
Embed those directly quoted words or phrases into your sentences, giving context to the quote
For example:
Lower level example | Analysis |
|---|---|
The writer uses a verb to show she is like an animal. This is shown by the quote “snarl”. This shows that the writer is like an animal, because an animal snarls | This example does not give any context for the quote; how has the word “snarl” been used? What is the context? The fact that it is a verb is irrelevant to the explanation, which just repeats the initial point. It does not explore what images are created by the use of that particular word |
Higher level example | Analysis |
|---|---|
The writer answers anyone who questions her husband’s choices with a “snarl”, which tells us that she is answering back fiercely. This is reminiscent of a wild animal’s growl when threatened or challenged, and is an instinctive reaction, which suggests the writer is protecting her loved ones. | This example starts by placing the word “snarl” in context: where and when it is used in the text. It comments on the explicit meaning of the word, before considering the implied meaning of the writer’s choice and the images it brings to mind. |
So remember:
Always give the quote you are using context:
In what situation has it been used?
What is it being used to describe?
Consider the obvious meaning behind the word or phrase first
Then explore the implied meaning of the word or phrase, and why the writer has chosen it
Analysis
If you think of the all questions that have come before this as an autopsy, than this Analysis question is like the trial. And just like a lawyer or investigator would do, you need to look at the evidence – in this case, your text extract – and ask three questions in order to interrogate it and get to the truth:
What have they done?
What have they written about? What’s the meaning and purpose of the text?
How have they done it?
What writing techniques have they used? Think of your figurative language techniques.
Why did they do it?
What effect were they hoping to achieve? How do they want you to think and feel?
How do you respond personally to the text – was the writer’s intention successful?
Above all, it is important to ensure your analysis is genuine.
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