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Component 02: Dimensions of linguistic variation

4 dot points across 4 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

How do you analyse media texts, and what features and concepts are distinctive to media discourse?

Media discourse analysis: the features of media language (headlines, multimodality, mode of address, register), the concepts of audience positioning and synthetic personalisation, and analysing how media texts make meaning (AO1 and AO3 in H470/02 Section B).
How to analyse media texts for OCR A-Level English Language (H470/02 Section B): the features of media language (headlines, multimodality, mode of address, register), the concepts of audience positioning and synthetic personalisation, and analysing how media texts make meaning across the language levels.
13 min answer →

What are the distinctive features of online and digital language, and how do you analyse computer-mediated communication?

Online and digital language: the features of computer-mediated communication (abbreviation, emoji, non-standard orthography, interactivity), the spoken-written blend, and analysing digital media language (AO1, AO2, AO3 in H470/02 Section B).
The distinctive features of online and digital language for OCR A-Level English Language (H470/02 Section B): computer-mediated communication (abbreviation, emoji, non-standard orthography, interactivity), the spoken-written blend, and analysing digital media language critically.
13 min answer →

How do media texts represent people, groups and events, and how do you analyse media representation critically?

Representation in the media: how media texts construct representations of social groups and events through lexis, transitivity and presupposition, the ideological dimension, and analysing media representation critically (AO2 and AO3 in H470/02 Section B).
How media texts represent people, groups and events for OCR A-Level English Language (H470/02 Section B): constructing representations through lexis, transitivity and presupposition, the ideological dimension, and analysing media representation critically rather than paraphrasing it.
13 min answer →

How do you answer the OCR media question, integrating analysis, concepts and context, and comparing where required?

The media question (H470/02 Section B, 24 marks): integrating cross-level analysis (AO1), media and social-group concepts where relevant (linked to AO2 understanding), context (AO3) and connections across texts (AO4) into a focused response on media language.
How to answer the OCR A-Level English Language media question (H470/02 Section B, 24 marks): integrating cross-level analysis (AO1), media and social-group concepts, context (AO3) and, where required, connections across texts (AO4) into a focused, well-organised response on media language.
13 min answer →