Text Analysis

Analyse texts critically for 11+ comprehension and writing papers.

4articles

Analysing Language and Structure in 11+ Comprehension

How to analyse word choice, sentence structure, and structural features in 11+ comprehension passages using the PEA paragraph method.

9 minIntermediate to Advanced

Identifying Writer's Techniques in 11+ Comprehension

Help students spot and name the techniques writers use in comprehension passages: metaphor, repetition, short sentences for tension, rhetorical questions, emotive language, and contrast. For each technique, explain what effect it creates and provide an example. Then give students a full practice passage and ask them to annotate the techniques they find. Include model annotations showing what a strong response looks like. Emphasise that naming the technique is only half the mark; explaining its effect on the reader is what earns top scores.

11 min readIntermediate

Comparing Fiction and Non-Fiction Texts in 11+ Comprehension

Teach students how to approach comparison questions where they must analyse two different text types. Explain the key differences in purpose, structure, and language between fiction and non-fiction. Provide a paired passage example (one fiction, one non-fiction on a related theme) and model how to identify similarities and differences in language techniques. Cover the comparison framework: purpose, audience, tone, techniques, structure. Include practice questions requiring students to compare and contrast with model answers.

11 min readIntermediate

Identifying Poetic Techniques in 11+ Comprehension

A focused guide to technique-spotting in 11+ comprehension questions that feature poetry. Covers simile, metaphor, personification, alliteration, onomatopoeia, repetition, enjambment, and caesura — with step-by-step explanations of what examiners want to see. Includes a model poem, ten technique-identification questions, and a mistake-avoidance guide.

9 min readIntermediate

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