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Vocabulary and Language Use

5 dot points across 5 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

Why do some word pairings sound natural while others sound wrong, and how do you use collocations and phrasal verbs accurately?

Use collocations and phrasal verbs naturally and accurately, choosing word partnerships that sound right to a fluent reader
How to use natural word partnerships (collocations) and phrasal verbs accurately in O-Level English: why 'make a decision' is right but 'do a decision' is wrong, and how to learn and check these combinations.
9 min answer →

What do idioms and figures of speech such as metaphor and simile really mean, and how do you understand and use them well?

Understand and use idioms and figurative language (metaphor, simile, personification) accurately and for effect
How to understand and use idioms and figurative language (metaphor, simile, personification) in O-Level English: reading non-literal meaning from context and using figures of speech for effect without overdoing them.
9 min answer →

How do you choose the most precise and effective word, rather than a vague or repeated one, to lift the quality of your writing?

Choose precise, effective and varied vocabulary, avoiding vague, repeated or wrongly used words
How to choose precise, effective and varied vocabulary in O-Level English: replacing vague words like 'nice' and 'thing' with exact ones, avoiding repetition, and using strong words correctly rather than to impress.
9 min answer →

How do your word choices set the formality and the attitude of a piece of writing, and how do you keep them consistent and suited to the task?

Control register and tone through vocabulary, matching the level of formality and the attitude to the purpose and audience
How vocabulary controls register (how formal the writing is) and tone (the writer's attitude) in O-Level English, how to match both to purpose and audience, and how to keep them consistent across a piece.
9 min answer →

How do prefixes, suffixes and roots let you unlock the meaning of an unfamiliar word and build the right word form for a sentence?

Use word-formation, prefixes, suffixes and common roots to understand new words and choose the correct word form
How to use prefixes, suffixes and Greek and Latin roots to work out unfamiliar words and build the correct word form (noun, verb, adjective, adverb) for a sentence in O-Level English.
9 min answer →