## **Learning Outcomes**

After working through this article, you will confidently identify and analyse how writers use lexical fields, figurative language, and sound patterns to create meaning and effects in fiction texts (AO2). You will be able to select and comment on precise textual evidence, use key subject terminology fluently, and write effective exam responses for AQA GCSE English Language Paper 1, Question 2.

## **AQA GCSE English Language 8700 Syllabus**

For AQA GCSE English Language 8700, this article helps you:

- Recognise and interpret writers’ choices of words and phrases (AO1/AO2)
- Explain and analyse the effects of language techniques in fiction (AO2)
- Apply subject terminology, including identifying and explaining lexical fields, figurative language, and sound patterns (AO2)

For AQA GCSE English Language 8700, these are key skills you need for strong marks in language analysis questions on fiction extracts.

## **Test Your Knowledge**

_Attempt these questions before reading this article. If you find some difficult or cannot remember the answers, remember to look more closely at that area during your revision._

1. What is a lexical field, and how does a writer use it to shape meaning in an extract?
2. Identify an example of figurative language in a fiction extract and analyse its effect on the reader.
3. List two types of sound patterning and explain how each one can affect the atmosphere or feeling in fiction.

## **Introduction**

Analysing how writers use language is always a skill tested in Paper 1 of the AQA GCSE English Language exam, especially in Question 2. Fiction writers use specific lexical choices, visual and non-literal language (figurative language), and sound patterns to create atmosphere, set tone, and build meaning. This article breaks down precisely what to look for, how to comment on effects, and how to write the kind of concise, clear analysis needed for the exam.

> **Key Term: lexical field**
> A group of words chosen by the writer that relate to the same topic, theme, feeling, or image, helping to build a unified impression for the reader.
>
> **Key Term: figurative language**
> Non-literal language, such as simile, metaphor, and personification, that creates vivid or imaginative descriptions by comparing or describing things in a creative way.
>
> **Key Term: sound pattern**
> The repetition or arrangement of sounds in language, including devices like alliteration, assonance, and onomatopoeia, which affect rhythm and mood.

## **Lexical Fields in Fiction (AO2)**

A lexical field is a cluster of words linked to a shared topic, emotion, or theme. Writers use these groups of related words to give extra meaning, build mood, and focus the reader’s attention.

For example, a description of a factory might include 'clang', 'iron', 'steam', and 'grit'—all from the lexical field of industry. This not only gives a vivid impression but can suggest an atmosphere of noise, strength, or even harshness.

### **Worked Example 1.1**

A writer describes a forest as: "shadows, moss, tangled roots, whispering leaves, choking vines, ancient trunks."

> **Answer:**
> The repeated use of words belonging to a nature and mystery lexical field ('shadows', 'tangled roots', 'whispering leaves', 'choking vines') creates a sense of the forest as alive, secretive, and threatening. The reader feels uncertainty and tension because every word adds to the impression of a wild, untamed place.
>
> **Key Term: connotation**
> The ideas, feelings, or associations a word suggests beyond its literal meaning.

### **Exam Warning**

> Avoid just listing words from a lexical field—always explain what impression the group creates and how it shapes the reader’s emotional response.

## **Figurative Language – Similes, Metaphors, Personification (AO2)**

Fiction writers create vivid pictures and strong impressions by comparing things or describing them in imaginative ways.

- _Simile_—compares using 'like' or 'as': The street was as silent as a grave.
- _Metaphor_—describes as if it is something else: The street was a sleeping beast.
- _Personification_—gives human qualities to non-human things: The street held its breath.

These techniques make descriptions powerful and help you see, feel, or understand something in a new way.

### **Worked Example 1.2**

From a novel: “Her hopes shattered like glass, sharp and glittering in the dark.”

> **Answer:**
> The simile 'shattered like glass' suggests her hopes are fragile and, when broken, cause pain. The added detail 'sharp and glittering' develops the image, making the effect dramatic and showing both the beauty and hurt of disappointment. Figurative language here intensifies the emotion and makes her experience more vivid for the reader.
>
> **Key Term: imagery**
> Language that appeals to the senses, especially through figurative language such as metaphors, similes, and personification.

### **Revision Tip**

> When analysing a simile, metaphor, or personification, always focus on what is being compared, which senses are being appealed to, and what emotions or ideas this creates for the reader.

## **Sound Patterns: Alliteration, Assonance, Onomatopoeia (AO2)**

Sound patterns influence how a passage feels when read aloud or in your head.

- _Alliteration_: repeated consonant sounds at the start of words ('whispering willows')
- _Assonance_: repeated vowel sounds ('moody gloom')
- _Onomatopoeia_: a word that imitates its sound ('buzz', 'clang', 'whisper')

Writers use these to make scenes memorable, set a rhythm, or express mood.

### **Worked Example 1.3**

“He heard the hiss of rain hitting the hot, hard stones.”

> **Answer:**
> The alliteration of 'h' in 'hitting hot, hard' and the onomatopoeia 'hiss' mimic the actual sound of rain on stone. These sound patterns create a sense of heat, intensity, and suddenness. The reader almost hears the noise and feels the atmosphere as abrupt and sharp.
>
> **Key Term: alliteration**
> The use of the same consonant sound at the start of several words close together to draw attention or create a mood.
>
> **Key Term: onomatopoeia**
> Words whose sound imitates the noise they are describing.

### **Exam Warning (Sound Patterns)**

> Sound effects only matter if you explain how they contribute to the mood, pace, or feeling in the passage. Simply naming a device is not enough to achieve AO2 marks.

## **How to Write About Language Features in Exam Answers**

Follow this structure for Paper 1, Question 2:

1. Choose a specific language feature (e.g., a metaphor, a group of related words, or a piece of sound patterning).
2. Give a short, exact example (quote).
3. Explain the effect or impression—what does it make you visualise, feel, or think? Why did the writer pick it?

Example sentence stem:

- The writer uses the metaphor '\_\_\_' to show...
- The cluster of words like '**_' from the lexical field of _** creates a sense of...
- The alliteration '\_\_\_' makes the description sound...

> **Key Term: analysis**
> Breaking down language and techniques to explain how and why the writer achieves a certain effect.

## **Summary**

Writers select words and phrases carefully to create mood and meaning. Lexical fields unite descriptions, figurative language gives vivid images, and sound patterns affect the way texts feel. Always state the technique, give a short example, and comment on how and why it shapes your response to the text.

## **Key Point Checklist**

_This article has covered the following key knowledge points:_

- Recognise and analyse lexical fields and their effects in fiction extracts.
- Identify and explain the impact of figurative language (simile, metaphor, personification).
- Understand and comment on sound patterns (alliteration, assonance, onomatopoeia).
- Structure exam responses for AO2 using specific examples and focused commentary.
- Use appropriate subject terminology accurately in your answers.

## **Key Terms and Concepts**

- lexical field
- figurative language
- sound pattern
- connotation
- imagery
- alliteration
- onomatopoeia
- analysis

Language analysis (fiction) - Lexical fields, figurative language, and sound patterns