Analysing Written Texts

This lesson brings together everything you have learned about the language levels and applies it to the systematic analysis of written texts. Effective textual analysis is a skill that requires both linguistic knowledge and analytical technique. This lesson provides a framework for approaching written text analysis and demonstrates how to build a sophisticated, evidence-based response.

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A Systematic Approach to Analysis

When faced with a written text for analysis, follow this structured approach:

Step 1: Read and Re-read

Before writing anything, read the text at least twice:

• First reading — get an overall impression. What is the text about? How does it make you feel? What stands out?
• Second reading — begin to identify specific language features. Annotate the text, underlining, circling, and labelling key features.

Step 2: Establish the Context

Before applying the language levels, identify the contextual factors: