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The Essential Guide to English Techniques collects all of the Matrix Toolkits for English into one comprehensive and accessible location. Here you’ll find all of the literary, rhetorical, visual, and cinematic techniques you need to complete that Band 6 analysis!
This Guide has been broken into three accessible Toolkits to help you ace your writing tasks:
These toolkits link to other posts that provide detailed explanations of techniques to help you really develop an in-depth understanding of how to analyse and use them in your writing.
If you’re studying English, you need to understand the techniques that composers use in the texts you study.
As English is a compulsory subject that must be included in your ATAR, you will need to have a thorough understanding of English techniques – especially if you study English Advanced or Extension units.
A central part of studying English is analysing texts and writing about how composers represent their ideas in their texts. They do this by employing various English techniques particular to the medium they are using – film, poetry, prose, rhetoric, etc. Therefore, a thorough knowledge of English techniques will help you analyse and then discuss the texts you are studying with greater insight and clarity.
In addition, you need to compose a variety of texts yourself. While you should definitely be cautious about employing figurative devices in your formal essays, in other text types they are an invaluable resource for conveying your ideas.
If you need to write a speech, a discursive essay, or a creative, you’ll need to break out your toolkit of literary devices to convey your ideas effectively to your readers. For example:
Clearly, English is about more than analysing texts and writing persuasive or analytic essays.
It doesn’t matter if you’re beginning Year 7 or preparing to sit Paper 2 of your HSC, these English Toolkits are for all High School students (and uni students).
Just because you’re in Year 7, doesn’t mean that your text isn’t chock full of literary techniques for you, or your child, to unpack. The earlier a student starts exploring these techniques, the stronger their English analysis and writing skills will be in Year 12.
Similarly, it’s never too late to start developing your own repertoire of techniques. Year 12 English is compulsory and has to be counted towards your ATAR, so you should galvanise your knowledge of English Techniques as often and consistently as you can.
We’ve provided this resource to give you a comprehensive and freely accessible set of tools to help you achieve your best.
For each technique, we’ve provided an explanation and an example so you get a clear grasp of it.
You can search these Toolkits to find exactly what you’re looking for. But if you’re in the midst of producing a creative text or writing a discursive essay, you should browse these guides to add to your own writing toolkit.
If you’re looking for other resources to help you with your study of English, you should read our Beginner’s Guide to Acing HSC English. This is a comprehensive Guide that will step you through the Stage 6 Modules and help you do everything from analysing and researching texts to producing speeches, essays, and creatives.
In addition, the Matrix Blog is your must-read resource for sample essays, analysis of prescribed texts, detailed Module Breakdowns, and other in-depth resources.
Studying shouldn’t stop because you’re at home! With Matrix+, we provide you with clear and structured online lesson videos, quality resources, and forums to ask your Matrix teachers questions and for feedback.
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