Close Reading
Sentence Structure
Sentence Structure
Most students have no problem at all
being able to identify the elements of a
sentence that they can write about in any
given answer.
The hard part is when you need to explain
the effect of the structure on the sentence
or the writer’s argument…
Quick Revision ‘Fun’ Quiz
Colon
:
Semi-colon ;
Single Dash Two Dashes - Inverted Commas
‘’
introduces a quotation, a list or an
explanation of a previous statement.
comes between two statements that are
closely connected, or which balance or
contrast one another. Also separates a
list of phrases.
used to add an extra piece of
information or to indicate the breaking off
of a sentence.
marks off an extra, non essential piece
of information. Brackets also…
(Parenthesis)
enclosed quotes, direct speech or the
title of something.
Quick Revision ‘Fun’ Quiz
Repetition
Used to hammer home a message for a
particular effect.
Climax and Anti-Climax
CLIMAX leaves the most
important statement to the end.
ANTI-CLIMAX builds up the
reader to expect something that
does not happen.
Short Sentence or Minor Sentence
Suggests informality, creates impact. Used very
often in Close Reading passages…
Sentence Structure
Also be on the look-out out for:
• The use of words at the beginning of a
sentence that wouldn’t normally be there…
E.g. ‘And’ or ‘But’
• Inversion…
• Rhetorical questions…
Sentence Structure
Being able to identify the structure is half
the battle – and you don’t even get any
marks at Higher for identifying them!
The important part (and where the
marks come from) is your explanation
of the effect of the structure.
Sentence Structure
The Approach
• Read the question and read again the lines it
asks you to look at.
• Quickly underline any bits of structure that you
think are unusual or interesting.
• Depending on the marks available choose the
ones you feel are the easiest to comment on.
(As a general rule, if a question is worth 2 marks then
you need to make a strong comment on one aspect of
structure. But you may prefer to make two comments on
two separate bits – you’ll also get two marks.
Worked Example
Campaigners for drastic cuts in emissions
fear that talk of ‘adapting’ rather than
‘mitigating’ will ease political pressures on
the big polluters such as the US and
Japan.
Q: Show how the punctuation of this
section helps you to understand the
author’s point of view.
Worked Example
Identify any examples of interesting
sentence structure?
The use of inverted commas around
‘adapting’ and ‘mitigating’.
Identify the author’s opinion?
He’s doubtful that this would work.
Worked Example
Answer:
Inverted commas are used to suggest there is
something doubtful about the substitution of
‘adapting’ which is weaker than ‘mitigating’ which
is a stronger word. The campaigners clearly
have doubts about the use of these terms shown
by putting them in inverted commas. This makes
the reader suspicious and likely to examine
exactly what is happening.
Worked Example
Yet Ireland has managed to attract its young
entrepreneurs back to help drive a burgeoning economy.
We must try to do likewise. We need immigrants. We
cannot grow the necessary skills fast enough to fill the
gap sites. We need people with energy and commitment
and motivation, three characteristics commonly found
among those circumstances prompt them to make huge
sacrifices to find a new life.
Q: Show how the writer’s use of sentence structure
demonstrates her strength of feeling in lines 101-109
(2 marks)
Worked Example
•
•
•
•
Identify any interesting examples of
sentence structure?
Repetition of ‘We’;
Use of ‘and … and’;
Use of imperatives – ‘need’, ‘must’,
‘cannot’ (can be used in conjunction with
the repetition of ‘We’;
Use of short sentences which get
gradually longer.
Worked Example
Answer:
The repetition of ‘We’ involves us all in the argument –
stating that we need immigration for us all to prosper.
Likewise the use of imperatives such as ‘need’ or ‘must’
suggest there is a sense of urgency about this while the
sentences get gradually longer which suggests
increasing passion about this idea. The use of the
repeated ‘and’ in the final sentence suggests her
enthusiasm and commitment because it builds to a
climax and hammers her message home.
You would not need to deal with all of these to get two
marks. If this had been worth 4 marks then that’s
probably what it would have got!