GCSE English Language

Overview

For parents: Each exam board teaches English Language slightly differently. Ask the school which board they use — it's the key to revising the right content.

Topics

English Language key terms

Original definitions for core course vocabulary, informed by the references below. Not an official or exhaustive board-specific glossary.

40 of 40 terms

Noun

A word that names a person, place, thing or idea, such as pupil or freedom.

Words and grammar

Verb

A word expressing an action, event or state, such as run, happen or seem.

Words and grammar

Adjective

A word that describes a noun, such as restless in a restless crowd.

Words and grammar

Adverb

A word that modifies a verb, adjective, another adverb or a whole clause.

Words and grammar

Pronoun

A word used in place of a noun phrase, such as she, it or somebody.

Words and grammar

Determiner

A word introducing a noun and indicating reference or quantity, such as the or several.

Words and grammar

Preposition

A word expressing a relationship such as position or time, as in beneath the table.

Words and grammar

Conjunction

A word linking words, phrases or clauses, such as and, but or because.

Words and grammar

Modal verb

An auxiliary verb expressing meanings such as possibility, permission or obligation, for example might or must.

Words and grammar

Semantic field

A set of words linked by a shared area of meaning, such as storm, rain and thunder.

Words and grammar

Phrase

A grammatical unit built around a head word, such as the very tall tree.

Sentences and organisation

Clause

A grammatical unit normally containing a subject and a verb.

Sentences and organisation

Main clause

A clause that can stand independently as a complete sentence.

Sentences and organisation

Subordinate clause

A clause that depends grammatically on another clause, as in because it rained.

Sentences and organisation

Simple sentence

A sentence consisting of one main clause and no subordinate clauses.

Sentences and organisation

Compound sentence

A sentence containing two or more coordinated main clauses.

Sentences and organisation

Complex sentence

A sentence containing a main clause and at least one subordinate clause.

Sentences and organisation

Topic sentence

A sentence that introduces or states a paragraph's main idea.

Sentences and organisation

Cohesion

Connections between parts of a text, created through devices such as pronouns, repetition and linking words.

Sentences and organisation

Structural shift

A change in a text's focus, time, place or perspective.

Sentences and organisation

Simile

A comparison using like or as to connect things explicitly.

Language effects

Metaphor

A description that presents one thing as another to suggest a shared quality.

Language effects

Personification

Giving human characteristics or actions to something non-human.

Language effects

Alliteration

Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginnings of nearby words.

Language effects

Sibilance

Repetition of sibilant sounds, such as s or sh, in nearby words.

Language effects

Onomatopoeia

Language whose sound suggests the noise it names, such as buzz.

Language effects

Hyperbole

Deliberate exaggeration used for emphasis or effect.

Language effects

Rhetorical question

A question posed mainly to make a point rather than obtain an answer.

Language effects

Emotive language

Words chosen to encourage an emotional response from the reader.

Language effects

Juxtaposition

Placing contrasting elements close together to make their differences noticeable.

Language effects

Audience

The people a text or speech is intended to reach.

Reading and communication

Purpose

The intended aim of a text, such as persuading, informing or entertaining.

Reading and communication

Register

The style of language selected for a particular situation, relationship or audience.

Reading and communication

Tone

The attitude conveyed by a writer's or speaker's choices of expression.

Reading and communication

Viewpoint

The position or perspective from which ideas or events are presented.

Reading and communication

Inference

An interpretation worked out from textual clues rather than directly stated information.

Reading and communication

Evidence

A relevant quotation or detail used to support an interpretation or judgement.

Reading and communication

Summary

A concise account of the main points without unnecessary detail.

Reading and communication

Synthesis

Bringing relevant information from different sources together into a connected account.

Reading and communication

Evaluation

A reasoned judgement about a text's effectiveness, supported by evidence.

Reading and communication

Exams

Add your exam dates in My Exams and see a countdown for every paper on your dashboard.

Revision

Tell GCSE.es which English Language topics feel weak. Your dashboard then picks a short, timed next step — learn the key idea, check yourself, review mistakes.

Practice

• ✓ Key terms you tap to reveal
• ✓ Quick multiple-choice quizzes
• ✓ 3, 6, 9 and 12-mark exam-style questions
• ✓ Marking with feedback and a model answer

Available free inside your GCSE journey. Questions are written by GCSE.es, not taken from real past papers.

Resources

Short, focused tasks for the English Language topics you find hardest — learn the key idea, check yourself, then try a marked exam-style question.