TASK 2: ANALYSIS
Remember: A good score on one task does not guarantee a good score on another. Doing a good job of
explaining the main idea of the speech and the details that support that main idea will get you a good
Reading score, but now we need to talk about Analysis.
For the Analysis task, you’ll have to determine the pieces of evidence, stylistic elements, or logical
reasoning the author uses to effectively achieve his or her objective.
According to ETS and the College Board, your Analysis score will be based on your ability to:
- analyze the source text and understand the analytical task
- evaluate the author’s use of evidence, reasoning, and/or stylistic and persuasive elements, and/or
features chosen by the student - support claims or points made in the response
- focus on features of the text most relevant to addressing the task
For this task, you will need to explain the author’s choice and use of specific elements in the essay. It’s
not enough to say, “The author uses a quote to appeal to the audience’s reason.” You have to explain how
the quote appeals to the audience’s reason. This task is all about the how and why. Look for facts,
evidence, literary devices, persuasive elements, and other elements the author has used to form his or her
argument.
Here are some common style elements that may show up in the text.
Style Detail Definition Example
Allusion A brief reference to a person,
thing, or idea from history,
literature, politics, or something
with cultural significance.“Don’t ask him for a donation;
he’s a total Scrooge.”
“Chocolate was her Kryptonite.”Comparison Comparing two distinct things; the
author/speaker makes a
connection between them“Juliet is the sun.”
“My love is like a red rose.”Diction The author’s choice of words. “Skinny” instead of “slender”
sounds less flattering.
Slang or vernacular gives a text an
informal feel, while a professional
vocabulary makes a text feel more
formal.
Hyperbole Exaggeration not meant to be taken
literally“I’m so hungry I could eat a
horse.”
Imagery Using language that appeals to our
senses. Visual representation of an
object or idea is a common“The woman walked by, trailing a
thick, cloying cloud of perfume.”
“The percussive thump of the