Y07W34VC Theme Words — Language & power

The power to have an effect on someone or something, or to cause change in their actions or beliefs.

Word Breakdown: -ence (suffix forming abstract nouns meaning ‘the state or quality of’)

Word family: influential (adj.), influencer (n.)

Example: The campaign used carefully chosen language to influence public opinion on the issue of climate action.

Synonyms: impact, effect, sway

Collocations: have an influence, political influence, under the influence of

The art of using language persuasively and effectively, or language that sounds impressive but lacks real substance.

Word family: rhetorical (adj.), rhetorically (adv.)

Example: The politician’s speech was widely praised for its rhetoric but criticised for failing to offer specific policy detail.

Synonyms: persuasion, oratory, language

Collocations: political rhetoric, use rhetoric, hollow rhetoric

The group of people who watch, read, or listen to a particular performance, text, or form of communication.

Word Breakdown: audi- (root meaning ‘to hear’)

Word family: audiences (n. plural)

Example: An effective speech carefully considers who the audience is and adapts its tone and vocabulary accordingly.

Synonyms: readership, viewers, listeners

Collocations: target audience, engage an audience, appeal to the audience

A remark expressing an opinion or reaction, or the act of making one.

Word family: commentary (n.), commentator (n.)

Example: The article did not comment on the long-term consequences of the policy change.

Synonyms: remark, note, observe

Collocations: comment on, no comment, brief comment

To observe or record something as worthy of attention, or a short written observation.

Word family: notable (adj.), notably (adv.)

Example: The reviewer noted several instances where the author used language to downplay the severity of the issue.

Synonyms: observe, mention, record

Collocations: note that, note of importance, note the difference

To notice or pay careful attention to something, or to watch and study something closely.

Word Breakdown: ob- (prefix meaning ‘towards’ or ‘in the direction of’)

Word family: observation (n.), observant (adj.)

Example: The researcher observed that students who slept well consistently performed better on analytical tasks.

Synonyms: notice, watch, remark

Collocations: observe behaviour, carefully observe, observe a pattern

A spoken or written comment expressing a thought or reaction about something.

Word family: remarkable (adj.), remarkably (adv.)

Example: The judge made a pointed remark about the inconsistency between the data presented and the conclusion drawn.

Synonyms: comment, observation, note

Collocations: make a remark, passing remark, noteworthy remark

To give an account of the characteristics, qualities, or features of someone or something.

Word Breakdown: -scribe (root meaning ‘to write’)

Word family: description (n.), descriptive (adj.)

Example: The historian described the conditions faced by factory workers in the nineteenth century with vivid, precise detail.

Synonyms: depict, explain, characterise

Collocations: describe the process, describe in detail, difficult to describe

Used to introduce a reference to an author or speaker addressing a particular topic or idea in a text.

Example: Smith (2019) comments on the way digital platforms have fundamentally shifted the dynamics of public discourse.

Synonyms: X notes that, X observes that, X remarks on

Collocations: X comments on the role of, X comments on the significance, X briefly comments on