Grammar and punctuation
Criterion D is not about knowing grammar rules by name. It is about writing that runs smoothly, where the punctuation guides the reader and the sentences are complete. A handful of common errors cause most lost marks, so it pays to hunt for those specifically.
The three worst offenders are the comma splice, the sentence fragment, and the misused apostrophe. A comma splice joins two full sentences with only a comma. A fragment is a piece pretending to be a sentence but missing a subject or a verb. The apostrophe shows possession or a missing letter, never a plain plural.
| Error | Wrong | Right |
|---|---|---|
| Comma splice | The mood shifts, the reader tenses. | The mood shifts, so the reader tenses. |
| Fragment | Which changes everything. | This changes everything. |
| Apostrophe (plural) | The writer's use of image's. | The writer's use of images. |
| Its vs it's | The poem loses it's calm. | The poem loses its calm. |
- Comma splice
- The mistake of joining two complete sentences with only a comma. Fix it with a full stop, a semicolon, or a joining word such as "and", "but" or "so".
Precise vocabulary
Precise vocabulary means the right word, not the longest. Analytical writing has a small toolkit of verbs that let you name what a writer is doing, and using them exactly makes your analysis sharper. "Suggests", "implies", "emphasises" and "undercuts" each mean something different; reach for the one that fits.
Be careful with words you have only half met. A slightly wrong "big word" reads worse than a correct plain one, because it shows the reader you were guessing. If you are not sure a word means what you think, use one you trust.
Build a small verb bank
Learn ten precise analytical verbs really well: suggests, implies, conveys, emphasises, contrasts, reveals, undercuts, reinforces, evokes, foreshadows. Ten words you use accurately do more for Criterion D than fifty you use loosely.
Register and tone
Register is how formal your language is, and it should match the task. An analytical essay wants a formal, measured register: no slang, no chatty contractions like "don't", and no addressing the examiner directly. A creative or personal task may allow a looser register on purpose, but even then the choice should be deliberate.
- Register
- The level of formality in your writing, chosen to suit the audience and purpose. Analytical essays use a formal register; a piece written as a diary entry or speech may use a different one by design.
Keep the tone steady. Slipping from formal analysis into a casual aside ("which is honestly a bit weird") breaks the register and pulls the reader out. If a task changes the audience or purpose, ask yourself before writing: how would this reader expect to be spoken to?
Where this is assessed
Grammar, vocabulary and register all sit in Criterion D (Using language). The strand rewards accurate, varied language that fits the audience and purpose, so a formal task written in a chatty register loses marks even when the ideas are strong.
Proofreading fast
Save the last few minutes to proofread, and do it with a plan rather than a vague reread. Read once for sense (does every sentence say what you meant?), and once for surface (spelling, apostrophes, full stops). Two focused passes catch far more than one drifting one.
A trick that works under time is to read the final sentence of each paragraph on its own. Endings are where tired writing slips, and a strong last sentence leaves a good final impression on the marker. If you find a run on sentence, the quickest fix is almost always a full stop.
Here is an original rough sentence of mine and the corrected version, so you can see a proofread in action rather than just in theory.
Rough draft sentence to fix under time pressure.
Do not rewrite whole sentences
In the check phase, resist the urge to reword everything, or you will run out of time mid change and leave half a sentence. Fix errors, not style. Cross out cleanly and move on.
Check yourself
1. Rewrite this comma splice correctly: "The silence grows, the reader waits." +
Join the two complete sentences properly, for example "The silence grows, and the reader waits" or "The silence grows. The reader waits." A bare comma cannot hold two full sentences together.
2. Why is a correct plain word often better than an impressive one? +
Because a "big" word used even slightly wrong signals to the reader that you were guessing, which weakens your credibility, while a precise plain word always lands. Accuracy beats ambition in Criterion D.
3. What are the two passes of a fast proofread? +
One pass for sense (does each sentence say what you meant?) and one for surface (spelling, apostrophes, full stops). Two focused reads catch more errors than a single unfocused one.
Part of the English L&L library. Spotted an error or want a topic added? That feedback makes the notes better.