Discourse analysis
Analyse spoken and written discourse; understand pragmatics, implicature and politeness strategies
What you'll learn
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Discourse analysis is like being a detective for conversations — you look at how people use language to build meaning, persuade, or show their power.
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What does discourse analysis study?
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Let's analyse a short exchange: A: 'Can I borrow your pen?' B: 'Sure, here you go.' A: 'Thanks!'
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Now you try! Drag the labels to match the discourse features in this chat: Boss: 'Get that report done by 3.' Worker: 'Yes, of course.'
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In the boss-worker chat, what discourse feature shows power?
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Read this ad slogan: 'Because you're worth it.' What discourse trick does it use?
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Why might a speaker REPEAT a word or phrase in a speech?
Practise Discourse analysis with Whizlo
Free AI-tutored lessons, unlimited practice questions, and progress tracking for ages 16–18. Aligned to the UK National Curriculum.