IB English A Lang & Lit Topic A Simple Framework That…

Move from claim to technique to purpose

This three-part formula is a simple framework that works every time:
1. Claim: What you observe. ("The author employs…").
2. Technique: The precise device (diction, alliteration, imperative).
3. Purpose: The impact on meaning or reader (creates urgency, suggests isolation).

1. Claim (what we see)

Start with a claim about what the writer is doing.
This claim acts as the anchor for the analysis.
It should clearly state what’s happening in the quote or what the character/voice/scene reveals.

Example

This is the visible tip of the iceberg. It is what the reader notices first.
- “The speaker presents war as a brutal and senseless experience.”

2. Technique (how it’s done)

Next, identify how the effect is created.
Name the technique that creates the effect and be specific.
1. Language: irony, metaphor, imperative, euphemism
2. Structure: juxtaposition, fragmentation, pacing
3. Visuals: contrast, composition, lighting

Example

This step moves beneath the surface by showing how the writer constructed the claim.
- “This is achieved through the use of jarring imagery as ‘blood slicked the sand’ and fragmented syntax through the 'Shots. Screams. Then silence’.”

3. Purpose (why it matters)

This is the deepest layer and explains why the writer made that choice.
Identify the larger message, emotion, or idea the writer wants to leave the audience with.

Example

“The purpose is to reveal how war doesn’t just cause physical destruction. It corrodes identity, leaving soldiers alienated even from their own memories and sense of self.”

Combine the three steps into one analytical line

Essentially, What’s happening → How it’s done → Why it matters
Here is the framework in a full example:

"He used to whistle on the walk home. Now, he flinches at the sound of his own footsteps. The street hasn’t changed, but he has. Every window feels like it’s watching. Every silence is too loud."

Example

Claim
- The narrator no longer experiences his environment as familiar or safe, revealing a deep internal transformation following trauma.
Technique
- This shift is conveyed through juxtaposition as he “used to whistle” and “flinches,” which externalise his inner paranoia.
Purpose
- The writer uses this to illustrate how trauma warps perception. He turns everyday settings into sites of tension, highlighting that for some, the aftermath of violence is not a return to normalcy, but a permanent state of emotional hypervigilance.

Move from claim to technique to purpose

This three-part formula is a simple framework that works every time:
1. Claim: What you observe. ("The author employs…").
2. Technique: The precise device (diction, alliteration, imperative).
3. Purpose: The impact on meaning or reader (creates urgency, suggests isolation).

1. Claim (what we see)

Start with a claim about what the writer is doing.
This claim acts as the anchor for the analysis.
It should clearly state what’s happening in the quote or what the character/voice/scene reveals.

Example

This is the visible tip of the iceberg. It is what the reader notices first.
- “The speaker presents war as a brutal and senseless experience.”

2. Technique (how it’s done)

Next, identify how the effect is created.
Name the technique that creates the effect and be specific.
1. Language: irony, metaphor, imperative, euphemism
2. Structure: juxtaposition, fragmentation, pacing
3. Visuals: contrast, composition, lighting

Example

This step moves beneath the surface by showing how the writer constructed the claim.
- “This is achieved through the use of jarring imagery as ‘blood slicked the sand’ and fragmented syntax through the 'Shots. Screams. Then silence’.”

3. Purpose (why it matters)

This is the deepest layer and explains why the writer made that choice.
Identify the larger message, emotion, or idea the writer wants to leave the audience with.

Example

“The purpose is to reveal how war doesn’t just cause physical destruction. It corrodes identity, leaving soldiers alienated even from their own memories and sense of self.”

Combine the three steps into one analytical line

Essentially, What’s happening → How it’s done → Why it matters
Here is the framework in a full example:

"He used to whistle on the walk home. Now, he flinches at the sound of his own footsteps. The street hasn’t changed, but he has. Every window feels like it’s watching. Every silence is too loud."

Example

Claim
- The narrator no longer experiences his environment as familiar or safe, revealing a deep internal transformation following trauma.
Technique
- This shift is conveyed through juxtaposition as he “used to whistle” and “flinches,” which externalise his inner paranoia.
Purpose
- The writer uses this to illustrate how trauma warps perception. He turns everyday settings into sites of tension, highlighting that for some, the aftermath of violence is not a return to normalcy, but a permanent state of emotional hypervigilance.

IB English A Lang & Lit A Simple Framework That Works Every Time Notes

IB English A Lang & Lit A Simple Framework That Works Every Time Notes

Move from claim to technique to purpose

1. Claim (what we see)

2. Technique (how it’s done)

3. Purpose (why it matters)

Combine the three steps into one analytical line

Move from claim to technique to purpose

1. Claim (what we see)

2. Technique (how it’s done)

3. Purpose (why it matters)

Combine the three steps into one analytical line

Everything You Need to Know About Analysis

Paper 1 Lang & Lit

Paper 2 Lang & Lit

Individual Oral (IO)

Higher Level Essay

Text Types

Literary Forms

IB English A Lang & Lit A Simple Framework That Works Every Time Notes

IB English A Lang & Lit A Simple Framework That Works Every Time Notes

Everything You Need to Know About Analysis

Paper 1 Lang & Lit

Paper 2 Lang & Lit

Individual Oral (IO)

Higher Level Essay

Text Types

Literary Forms

Move from claim to technique to purpose

1. Claim (what we see)

2. Technique (how it’s done)

3. Purpose (why it matters)

Combine the three steps into one analytical line

Move from claim to technique to purpose

1. Claim (what we see)

2. Technique (how it’s done)

3. Purpose (why it matters)

Combine the three steps into one analytical line