© 2010 Steve Campsall
© 2010 Steve Campsall
| grammar and other analytical methods or 'frameworks' |
If you're not taking A-level English Language you can skip this page by clicking here!
For an A-level English Language course, you'll be learning several methods for analysing texts (these used to be called analytical frameworks). An important one of these is grammar but, on this page, you'll find a summary of each method.
TOP-TIP! Many students choose to ignore grammar when they analyse texts. This loses them marks and irritates the examiners because grammar is a fundamental part of language use. So, if you want top grades:
ANALYTICAL
METHODS
Here are the analytical methods
or frameworks you'll need for your course.
You'll find a brief
explanation of each method below, along with a hyperlinked extended explanation if you need it.
Much better, if you haven't already, download the free guides to textual analysis, below!
Download your two free guides
to textual analysis
| GRAPHOLOGY | Concerns... the overall appearance of a text: it's shape on the page and its use of language features such as paragraph length, the use of tables, bullets, sub-headings, font styles and so on. Graphology is often a key stylistic aspect simply because it is the very first thing noticed about a text. It is the graphological aspects that act initially to determine the text's genre as well as the initial reaction to a text. Do we put the text in the nearest bin unread... or stare in abject fear of it? Ignore graphology at your peril - think: how is the graphology helping to create a mind-set of expectations towards the content of the text? Graphology concerns form, layout and visual appearance. |
| LEXIS | ...analysing and discussing important stylistic aspects relating to word choice. Lexis is now combined with semantics in the AQA syllabus (see below). |
| GRAMMAR | ...analysing and discussing important stylistic aspects of a text's syntax and morphology. |
| SEMANTICS | ...analysing and discussing important stylistic aspects at the level of word, phrase and sentence meaning. From 2008-9, in many exam syllabuses, lexis is now combined with semantics. |
| PRAGMATICS | ...analysing and discussing the importance of contextually and socially implied meanings. |
| DISCOURSE | ...analysing and discussing a text at a cultural, social , historical and ideological level. |
| PHONOLOGY | ...analysing and discussing a text at the level of word sounds. |
| DISCOURSE STRUCTURE | ...discussing aspects of a text's fluency, coherence and unity. |
TOP TIP! Never apply all methods to all texts. Work out which methods will be the most subtly revealing of key aspects concerning how the text has been created for a particular genre, context (both of production and reception), audience and purpose.
