This document is inclusive of important notes on topics in the AQA English Language course. These in-depth and aesthetic notes were summarised by an A+ student with a passion for the English Language. These high-level notes include notes on:
1. All 6 language levels
2. Child Language Acquisitio...
- Features of spoken language
Tag questions: extra phrases added on to the end of sentences in order to make a question. Could b
sign of speaker support, uncertainty or a request for clarification.
E.g. It was tomorrow, wasn’t it? You did really well, didn’t you?
Back-channelling: A feature to show the listener is supporting or paying attention to the speaker.
E.g. Mmm, yeah, OK
Fillers: Non-verbal sounds that can act as pauses in speech, either naturally or to give a speaker thin
time. May signal speaker uncertainty.
E.g. Er, um
Skip connectors: These return to a previous topic of conversation and act as a type of discourse ma
E.g. Anyway, coming back to our original discussion
Hedging: A strategy used by a speaker to avoid directness or to try to avoid what could be a face-
threatening act.
E.g. kind of, sort of, maybe, perhaps, possibly, could, might
Discourse markers: Words that signal a shift in conversation and topic areas. Can also announce a
counter-argument.
E.g. Ok, right then, so, but
False starts: These are used when a speaker begins to speak, pauses then starts again.
E.g. It began er Arsenal kicked off the second half
Non-fluency features: Parts of speech that are not made of actual words.
E.g. pauses, hesitations, repetitions that occur in spontaneous speech.
Ellipsis: Leaving out words in spoken language because they are not needed.
E.g. Just seen Jack, Tonight, 8pm
Adjacency pairs: An adjacency pair is composed of two utterances by two speakers, one after the o
The speaking of the first utterance (the first-pair part, or the first turn) provokes a responding utteran
(the second-pair part, or the second turn).
Repairs: These are used when a speaker returns to correct a previously stated phrase or sentence.
E.g. He sorry she broke the glass.
Vague expressions: Similar to hedging, these are deliberately non-committal expressions.
E.g. Anything, something, thing, whatsit
- CAMPG
C – context
A – audience
M – mode
P – purpose
G – genre
Language Level 1: Lexis and Semantics
,Word class – a group of words that fulfil the same kind of role.
Nouns – a word that names a thing or concept
- Proper – refers to names of people or places (James, England)
- Abstract – refers to states, feelings and concepts that do not have the physical
existence (love, anger)
- Concrete – refers to objects that have a physical existence (countable / non-
countable)
Verbs – a word that shows a state of being, action or concept
- Material – show actions or event (hit, jump)
- Relational – identify properties or show states of being (appear, become)
- Mental – show internal processes such as thinking (think, believe)
- Verbal – show external processes of communicating through speech (say,
shout)
Adjectives / adverbs – a word that modifies a noun / a word that modifies a verb
- Base – the basic form of an adjective or adverb (big)
- Comparative – a form used to compare two instances (bigger)
- Superlative – identifying the best example (biggest)
Pronouns – a word that substitutes for a noun
- Personal – refers to people in terms of first or second person etc. (I, you, he)
- Demonstrative – orientate a reader towards a person (this, those)
- Indefinite – refers to a person, object or idea that is not specific (someone,
anybody)
Determiners – a word that adds detail or clarity to a noun
- Articles – show that something is definite or indefinite (the, a/an)
- Possessives – shows ownerships (my, your)
- Quantifiers – show either specific / non-specific quantities of a noun (one, two
= specific / few, some = non-specific)
Conjunctions
- Co-ordinating – link words or larger structures such as phrases and clauses
together (and, but)
- Sub-ordinating – link clauses together to show one is dependent on another
(because, although)
Verbs broken down:
, Main – action or doing verbs
Auxiliary – usually placed in front of a main verb to support it
- Primary – determines if something would happen
- Modal – likelihood of happening
o Modal of possibility – ‘I could’
o Modal of obligation – ‘I must’
o Modal of certainty – ‘I will’
Semantic field – a group of words that fulfil the same kind of role
Euphemism = A mild or indirect term which replaces one considered too harsh, blunt
or embarrassing. E.g. Kicked the bucket= dead; downsizing= budget/ staff cuts.
Dysphemism = A derogatory or unpleasant term used instead of a pleasant or neutral
one. E.g. pig= policeman, bullshit= lies
Idiom = A group of words established as having a meaning not easy to work out from
the words. E.g. over the moon.
Language level 2: Grammar
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller mollysophie. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $14.18. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
