Great Analysis Depends On The Right Words
- Understanding a text is one thing, articulating you understand is another.
- Below, you'll find high-utility vocabulary broken into categories: how to describe characters, express effects, identify purposes, and sharpen your writing with verbs and adjectives.
- You don't need to know all of them, but pick a few to have under your belt so you can apply them straight away.
Describing Characters
These words help you explain how a character is presented, how this shapes meaning or effect
Positive
| Word | Example |
|---|---|
| confident | The speaker’s confident tone strengthens the persuasive power of the speech. |
| authoritative | The authoritative voice of the narrator enhances the credibility of the argument. |
| cheerful | The cheerful tone adds contrast to the underlying darkness of the situation. |
| jovial | The jovial personality of the narrator lightens the satirical critique. |
| hopeful | The hopeful outlook reflects the theme of resilience. |
| optimistic | His optimistic perspective contrasts the bleakness of his environment. |
| imaginative | Her imaginative worldview challenges traditional assumptions. |
Negative
| Word | Example |
|---|---|
| cold | The author constructs a cold and detached narrator to emphasize emotional repression. |
| distant | Her distant attitude underscores her discomfort with vulnerability. |
| arrogant | His arrogant behaviour alienates the audience and invites critique. |
| fearful | The character’s fearful actions illustrate the paralyzing power of anxiety. |
| distraught | The author portrays the mother as distraught to evoke sympathy. |
Neutral (context-dependent)
| Word | Example |
|---|---|
| analytical | The protagonist’s analytical mindset distances him from others emotionally. |
| emotional | Her emotional response reveals the personal stakes of the conflict. |
| fanciful | The fanciful imagery suggests a dreamlike or escapist perspective. |
Hint
Notice how in the examples, the word is always used to explain the author's motive and purpose
Describing Effects on the Audience
Use these to describe the emotional or intellectual response a writer creates in the reader
| Effect | Example |
|---|---|
| shock | The sudden tone shift elicits shock, unsettling the reader’s expectations. |
| anger | The exposure of injustice provokes anger, drawing the audience into the issue. |
| fear | The eerie description invokes fear, mirroring the character’s mindset. |
| sympathy | The personal anecdote evokes sympathy, making the reader more receptive to the speaker’s message. |
| urgency | The short, punchy sentences create a sense of urgency. |
| realization | The narrative shift leads to a slow realization about the narrator’s flaws. |
| humor | The irony produces humour, softening the sting of social critique. |
Exam technique
Always link effect to technique and purpose: “The stark metaphor evokes fear, reinforcing the poem’s theme of loss.”
Stating the Writer’s Purpose
Use these verbs when discussing why the writer uses certain techniques.
| Purpose | Example |
|---|---|
| persuade | The speaker persuades the audience to act against social injustice. |
| convince | The argument convinces the reader of the necessity for reform. |
| educate | The article educates readers on systemic inequality. |
| inform | The speaker informs the audience about cultural traditions. |
| enlighten | The author enlightens the reader about the nuance of bilingual identity. |
| criticize | The satire criticizes hypocrisy in political discourse. |
| satirize | The comic satirizes consumer culture through absurd exaggeration. |
| undermine | The irony subtly undermines the speaker’s authority. |
| encourage | The poem encourages introspection about modern identity. |
Common Mistake
Avoid vague words like "talks about" or "shows."
Hint
- Always follow up with how the writer achieves their purpose:
- “The poem criticizes colonial arrogance through ironic exaggeration.”
Powerful Adjectives
Use these to precisely describe tone, mood, and imagery.
Positive
| Word | Example |
|---|---|
| bright | Bright imagery symbolizes hope and renewal. |
| effusive | The effusive tone conveys uncontainable joy. |
| vivid | Vivid imagery captures the chaos of the battle scene. |
| powerful | The powerful metaphors reinforce the theme of injustice. |
Negative
| Word | Example |
|---|---|
| bleak | The bleak setting reflects internal despair. |
| depressing | The depressing tone intensifies the emotional burden. |
| hopeless | The hopeless mood mirrors the futility of the conflict. |
| eerie | The eerie silence hints at looming danger. |
| unsettling | The repetition creates an unsettling rhythm. |
| uncomfortable | The direct address makes the reader feel uncomfortable, as if complicit. |
| discomforting | The contrast in imagery is discomforting and disorienting. |
High-Precision Verbs To Use
Swap out weak verbs like says, shows, or talks about with these stronger options
| Verb | Use it to... | Example |
|---|---|---|
| portrays | describe a person or situation | The author portrays the speaker as disillusioned. |
| establishes | set up a tone, setting, or idea | The writer establishes a melancholic atmosphere. |
| demonstrates | show a trait or dynamic | The conflict demonstrates the character’s moral dilemma. |
| highlights | draw attention to something | The repetition highlights the theme of guilt. |
| emphasizes | reinforce a point or feeling | The exclamation emphasizes the speaker’s anger. |
| suggests | imply or hint at an idea | The use of passive voice suggests vulnerability. |
| constructs | build tone, character, or world | The speaker constructs a persona of control. |
| produces | create a specific effect | The imagery produces a sense of urgency. |
| conjures | vividly evoke an image or idea | The metaphor conjures images of isolation. |
| elicits | draw out emotion from the reader | The tragic ending elicits sympathy and sorrow. |
| invokes | call forth associations | The setting invokes war-torn landscapes. |
| evokes | stir emotion or mood | The color palette evokes nostalgia. |
| causes | directly result in a response | The plot twist causes the reader to re-evaluate the narrator. |
