Analytical verbs
Verbs that describe textual effects and analytical relationships rather than simple description. Analytical verbs (suggests, implies, constructs, undermines, reinforces) show how language creates meaning rather than merely recording what texts say.
Real World
A student writing that Fitzgerald 'constructs Gatsby as a critique of the American Dream' scores significantly higher than one who writes Fitzgerald 'talks about the American Dream' — the precise analytical verb signals interpretive sophistication.
Exam Focus
Avoid 'shows' and 'says'; replace them with 'subverts', 'reinforces', or 'implies' to demonstrate how language creates meaning, targeting AO2.
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