Level: (hard)

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EXPLAINING A TEXT: Important phrases

1) What the writer does

- The writer tells a story, recounts an incident, gives an account of a situation, narrates an experience.
- He describes, depicts, draws a picture, gives a description of...
- He sketches, portrays, delineates, outlines a character, a situation
- He states, poses a problem, raises a question, an issue, a point
- He takes up a subject, touches upon it, treats it, tackles it
- He concentrates, dwells, harps on it / He reflects, meditates on it, ponders over it
- He places emphasis, lays stress on it, stresses, emphasizes, underlines it
- He examines, considers, discusses a problem, views it as...
- He maintains, asserts, declares that...
- He alludes to the fact that... / He creates, invents / he illustrates, demonstrates
- He expresses, utters, gives vent to his own feelings, ideas, views, opinions
- His purpose is to...
- He considers the arguments, the reasons for and against...
- He analyzes the reasons why...
- He looks at both sides of the question / He considers the questions from all angles.
- He indicates, points out the disadvantages or drawbacks on the one hand, and the advantages on the other hand.
- He objects to, protests against... / He puts forward an idea, and develops it
- He presents, provides the reader with a wide range of examples, views of...
- He awakens, arouses, excites, compels, stimulates the interest.
- He reports, treats, deals with a large number of cases...
- He manages (fails) to bring his subject, the period alive.
- He succeeds in bringing... in conveying to the reader
- He relies on particular devices to achieve his aim (effects, aims).
- By means of particular devices, he manages to involve the reader and makes him participate in the events
- He appeals to, he makes appeals to the reader's imagination.

2) Referring to the writer's opinions or words

- The writer claims that... / would have us believe that...
- This is well illustrated by the following statement. I quote: "..."
- As the writer puts it...
- In the writer's words / The author, to quote his own words, says that...
- This last point can be illustrated by the writer's own words...
- The writer relies on repetitions
- The word occurs five times in the passage
- The capitals signify that ... / in italics
- To sum up / to summarize
- These words are suggestive of, they imply...
- This quotation carries biblical echoes
- The impression is conveyed by...

3) Drawing attention to a particular point

- It is interesting to note / observe / remark that...
- What is particularly striking in this passage is that...
- We can hardly fail to be struck / impressed by...
- It is significant that the scene should be set in...
- The emphasis falls on...
- The character embodies / symbolizes / exemplifies ...
- It is a fact that ... / It is beyond question that / there is no denying that...
- As we read the text closely / On reading the text
- As we have just suggested / hinted / pointed out, ...
- If we pay close attention to the text, we see that...

4) Referring to a particular passage in the text

- At the beginning of our passage
- The opening sentence betrays... (reveals, discloses)
- Midway through the passage / In the middle of the passage
- Towards the end of the passage
- All through the passage / Throughout the passage
- From line... to line ...
- Each of the passage...
- For the whole of the first paragraph...
- Considering the first passage as a whole / let us consider the first passage...
- In the preceding / previous paragraph...
- In the following / next paragraph...