§-English Language Q&A
VIC · VCAA← English Language
English Language Q&A by dot point
A short Q&A bank for every VIC English Language syllabus dot point. Each question and answer is drawn directly from our worked dot-point page, so you can scan key concepts before opening the long-form answer.
Unit 3: Language variation and social purpose
the features of discourse that create coherence and cohesion, including reference, conjunction, lexical chains and conversational conventions
the concepts of positive and negative face, face-threatening acts and politeness strategies in informal and formal contexts
features of formal language across the subsystems, and the role of Standard English as a prestige variety
features of informal language at the phonological, morphological, lexical, syntactic and discourse levels
prosodic features including stress, intonation, pitch, tempo, volume and pause, and their role in spoken texts
how formal language can clarify, manipulate, obfuscate and persuade, including through jargon, euphemism, nominalisation and doublespeak
the concept of register and how situational and social context shape the formality of a text along a continuum
the social purposes and contexts of formal language, including reinforcing authority, expertise, social distance and politeness
the social purposes and contexts of informal language, including the functions of encouraging intimacy, solidarity and equality
the metalanguage needed to discuss language across the subsystems of phonetics, phonology, morphology, lexicology, syntax, discourse and semantics
Unit 4: Language variation and identity
the features and functions of Aboriginal English as a systematic variety that constructs and maintains Indigenous identity
public attitudes towards language variation, including prescriptivism, linguistic prejudice and the social consequences for speakers
how Australian English reflects and shapes national identity through its distinctive lexicon, accent and cultural values
the features and functions of ethnolects in Australian English, including transfer, borrowing and the construction of cultural identity
how language is used to construct individual and group identities, including identities of region, age, gender, occupation and culture
how language is used to build and maintain social cohesion and to mark group membership through in-group features
the role of political correctness, inclusive language, taboo and euphemism in reflecting and shaping social attitudes and identity
the distinction between Standard and non-standard Australian English, including overt and covert prestige and the social meanings of each
the features and functions of teen speak, including slang, innovation and the construction of youth identity and solidarity
the varieties of English used in contemporary Australian society, including Aboriginal English, ethnolects and migrant varieties