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Year 11 - English

Using context effectively in 'An Inspector Calls' essays

'An Inspector Calls': Priestley's theatrical strategy; politics, genre, and form

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils look at how Priestly uses dramatic forms to present his ideas. They look at naturalism and expressionism, before thinking about how the play fits with Brechtian theatre and the morality play tradition. They finally write about how Priestly uses form to present his ideas.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to use context effectively to elevate your responses on 'An Inspector Calls'.

Key Notes

  • Context refers to historical, social, literary and biographical information.
  • Literary context is often overlooked, but can be an effective way to elevate responses.
  • Context should be woven throughout your essay.
  • Weaving context into your thesis can be a powerful way to start an essay.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • literary: anything related to literature, including writing, analysis, and appreciation of written works
  • thesis: a clear, focused statement in an essay that presents the main argument
  • intergenerational conflict: tension between younger and older people, often in a family, for example a parent and child
  • weave: when you embed context into paragraphs rather than including it as a series of isolated facts

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Context can't be used in a thesis statement. It must be saved for main body paragraphs.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.

Context refers to historical, social, literary and biographical information. Literary context is often overlooked, but can be an effective way to elevate responses.

2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'literary'

anything related to literature, including writing, analysis, and appreciation of written works.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: Context can't be used in a thesis statement. It must be saved for main body paragraphs. Correction: Including context in a thesis statement is a powerful way to start an essay. It shows you understand the writer's intentions with their work.

More Lessons In This Unit

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