Note the
perfect
school tie!
The “Word Choice” Question
In this type of question you will be asked to explain
the effect of the word(s) chosen by the writer.
The word(s) might imply or suggest something:
(connotation). ## This is extremely important ##
tone (critical, questioning, angry, ironic, humorous)
comparison: (simile, metaphor, extended metaphor)
Contrast
create a sound using alliteration or onomatopoeia
create an image for the reader.
You will be asked to look at
individual words, phrases or “word
groups” and identify why they were
used by the writer and what effect
they had in the passage.
1. Connotation/Meaning: (usually implied/suggested meaning – i.e.
connotation)
Writers choose words for a particular effect. Words can suggest or
imply something.
“The policeman strolled into the house.”
The writer has chosen the word “strolled”. This is the key word. The
writer could have used the words: “walked, marched stormed or
charged.”
Why did the writer choose the word “strolled”? The writer is
suggesting he is relaxed, happy, not in a hurry, etc. The word
“strolled” suggests the policeman’s mood, a simple example of
connotation. Try ‘strode’ – how does this change his attitude?
2. Nuance: a subtle difference or very slight
different meaning, feeling or tone
What is the difference between the following
two phrases: “I do not like you” and “I loathe
you”.
The strength of feeling and meaning in the two
phrases is slightly different.
3. Tone: the way in which something is written
/ spoken
The tone of the writer indicates the
attitude and feelings of the writer
towards a topic.
Tone Category 1: Personal nostalgic, disappointed,
reflective, sad, angry
Tone Category 2: Critical mocking, sarcastic, ironic,
derogatory, scornful, hectoring, didactic
Tone Category 3: Humourous light-hearted, gently
mocking, comic,
4. Sound: onomatopoeia, alliteration, soft /
harsh sounding
The writer may use “sound “ words :
at Higher the words will normally create an
image.
5. Emotive
words: words
design to affect
the emotions of
the reader
6. Effect: create humour, ridicule, shock, arouse
sympathy, persuade, create an image, etc.
Word Choice Method
Pick out /identify the most important words.
Quote the words in your answer
Analyse the words in detail –the connotation,
associations the word has, sound or tone etc.
Discuss the effect of the word.
Explain how the word helps you to understand
the writer’s ideas/opinion.
Question:
Read the story the writer tells in lines 9-31. How does the
writer’s word choice in these lines make clear her attitude either to the
teacher or to the social workers?
Extract from text (lines 9-31):
Here’s another story: once upon a time, there was a little boy who got a new pair of
wellies, inside which, around the top, his mother inscribed his name in felt pen. This
child, asserting the inalienable rights of small boys everywhere, then proceeded to go
out and fill his wellies with water. The ink of his name ran, and by the time the bell
rang for school that Monday morning, the small boy had vivid blue smudges, like
vicious bruises, ringing his calves. His teacher, a zealous young woman, ever alert to
the omnipresence of evil, took one look at the marks and lifted the phone to the
social work department. ‘Come quickly,’ she hissed. ‘This boy is clearly being
abused.'
When the social workers rushed to examine the boy and quiz his mother, they could
find evidence of nothing. Soap and water had washed away the dreadful bruises, and
the mother’s relationship with her son turned out to be impeccably healthy. The only
mistake this unfortunate family had made was to fulfil society’s constant, lurking
expectation that all children are in danger all the time.
Example Answers
Words such as : ‘zealous’ suggest to us that the writer is of the
opinion that this teacher is someone who is too keen and
somewhat too smart for her own good.
The writer uses words such as ‘zealous’ and ‘evil’ when referring
to the teacher. This shows her negative attitude towards the
teacher and basically suggest she dislikes her method of dealing
with the situation.
The teacher we are told is ‘zealous’ which gives the impression of
someone who works hard but takes it beyond the requirements to
the point where it is unhealthy. It is as if they are obsessed.
The writer uses the word ‘hissed’ which is the sort of
melodramatic word one would use for a villain in a story. Plus,
hissing is associated with snakes which we tend to dislike and is
indicative of untrustworthiness.