1. Deconstructing a text

2. What features make up a text?
Syntax – types of phrase and sentence construction
Sound effects e.g. alliteration and rhetorical devices
Tone – persuasive? Angry? Playful? Sad? Reflective? Ironic?
Diction – choice of vocabulary/lexis
Figures of speech e.g. simile, metaphor,
antithesis or contrast, climax, personification
Structure or cohesion – how the text fits together

3. Linguistic Methods (what to say)
Lexis (including semantics)
Grammar
Phonology
Pragmatics
Graphology
Discourse
Syntax

4. Lexis (including semantics)
Lexis is simply word choice – taken from lexicon. Things to look out for:
Formal / informal
Descriptive / analytical
Modern / archaic
Specialist / colloquial
Literal / figurative
Concrete / abstract
Heavily modified / unmodified
English / Latinate / modern European

5. After looking at words individually you may wish to look for groupings of lexical or semantic fields (remember fields of study)
Cooking, holidays, war, medicine etc
Semantics deal with the meanings of words and should consider connotation / denotation, implication, ambiguity (often purposeful)
Semantics links to purpose words chosen to persuade, words chosen to describe Figurative language: similes, metaphors, personification.
We can put jargon in here specialist vocabulary for work or interest.

6. Grammar The systemization of a language.
What to comment on:
word level, phrase or sentence level and text level.
Word level – know your parts of speech
Nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, conjunctions, prepositions and determiners. Be prepared to comment on their usage.
Phrase or sentence level. There are only 3 types of sentence:
Simple sentence
Compound sentence
Complex sentence
Be prepared to comment on writers’ or speakers’ choice.

7. Sentences have functions
Declarative sentences make statements
Interrogative sentences ask questions
Imperative sentences give instructions or commands
Exclamatory sentences are emphatic and end with an exclamation mark.
Most sentences are SVO so look for deviation
Look at verbs to indicate time or tense
Adjectives for comparison
Nouns for number
Prepositions for relationships.

8. Phonology The sound words and phrases make
The sound words and phrases make 
Rhyme may be used in a text in advertising a slogan may rhyme or a headline in a newspaper. Rhyme aids memory.
Look for:
Alliteration
Sibilance
Assonance
Rhyme
Onomatopoeia
In written speech writers sometimes write phonetically to reproduce authentic accents and voice. Look for elision (the missing out of sounds) to create voice patterns “fish n chips”; contraction “shud’v”
ellipsis where whole words are missed out “wanna drink?”
liaison where words run together “theris no point”

9. Pragmatics Language in use
Language in use
“Pragmatics is all about the meanings between the lexis and the grammar and the phonology...Meanings are implied and the rules being followed are unspoken, unwritten ones.” George Keith
This covers politeness in speech acts in social situations so as not to offend the listener. Not telling people they look awful etc
This also covers forms of address calling someone Mr X because we work for them etc
Also implication “It’s warm in here” may mean can we open a window.

10. Pragmatics
Prosody can be hard to pick up in writing it covers tone of voice, pitch volume and pace and has to be worked out by realizing the relationship of speakers. A simple phrase “ I like your top” could mean all sorts of things:
Envy
Sarcasm
Anger
Genuine compliment
Comparative (to what you normally wear)
Flirting
Ingratiation
We don’t always say exactly what we mean.

11. Features of presentation

12. Features of presentation
Pictures
Fonts
Layout
Language and linguistic choices

13. Playing with form Choose one text and change the format
e.g. use the information in an advertisement and write a short script for a two-voice radion advertisement for the item.

14. Make notes on the differences between the original text and yours, thinking about the change of mode and format