How to Analyse an Unseen Text at KS3: A Step-by-Step Guide

To analyse an unseen text at KS3, read it twice — once for overall meaning and once for how language is being used — then choose two or three specific language features, explain the effect of each one on the reader, and support every point with a short quotation. Structure your response around the writer's choices, not just what the text says.

Why does unseen text analysis matter at KS3?

Unseen text analysis is the central skill in GCSE English Language Paper 1 and Paper 2 — which means the foundations need to be built well before Year 10. At KS3, English teachers regularly set unseen extracts to help students practise reading unfamiliar material under time pressure. Students who develop a reliable method for approaching unseen texts in Years 7 to 9 arrive at GCSE with a significant advantage.

The key shift from primary to secondary is this: at primary school, comprehension questions often ask "what happens?" At KS3 and GCSE, the question shifts to "how has the writer created this effect?" That is a very different cognitive task.

Step 1 — Read the whole text once for overall meaning

Before you write a single word of analysis, read the whole extract through without stopping. Ask yourself:

What is this text about?

What is the mood or atmosphere?

What do I think the writer wants the reader to feel?

Do not underline anything on this first read. Your only job is to understand the text broadly. Many students skip this step and start annotating immediately — then write a confused analysis because they analysed individual words without understanding the whole.

Step 2 — Read again with a pencil, looking for technique

On the second read, look actively for language choices — the specific words, phrases and structural decisions the writer made. Ask yourself: "Why this word and not another one?"

Look for:

Vocabulary — strong verbs, vivid adjectives, unusual choices

Figurative language — simile, metaphor, personification

Structure and sentence length — short sentences for impact, long sentences for tension or list effects

Sound devices — alliteration, sibilance, onomatopoeia

Repetition — of words, phrases or sentence structures

Circle or bracket two or three moments in the text that feel particularly effective. You do not need to find every technique — you need to say something genuinely insightful about two or three.

Step 3 — Build your analysis using a structured approach

For each technique you have identified, your analysis needs three things:

The point — name what the writer has done.

The evidence — quote the relevant word or phrase (keep it short).

The effect — explain how it affects the reader.

A common structure in KS3 English is PEEZL:

Point — what the writer has done

Evidence — the quotation

Explain — what the word/phrase suggests

Zoom in — focus on one specific word from your quotation

Link — connect back to the writer's purpose

Example — without PEEZL (weak): "The writer uses a simile. 'The sea was like a wolf.' This is effective."

Example — with PEEZL (stronger): "The writer uses a simile to convey the danger of the sea. 'The sea was like a wolf' suggests the water is predatory and unpredictable. The specific word 'wolf' carries connotations of a wild, untamed creature that cannot be controlled, which creates a sense of threat for the reader. The writer uses this image to make us fear what lies ahead for the sailors."

The difference is the depth of inference — not just what the technique is called, but what it makes the reader think and feel.

Step 4 — Comment on structure and perspective

Many KS3 students focus entirely on individual words and miss structural choices. Consider:

How does the text open? Does it begin in action, with dialogue, with description?

How does it end? Is the ending closed or unresolved?

What changes across the text? Does the tone shift? Does the pace quicken?

Whose perspective are we getting? What is the effect of this point of view?

Structural comments elevate an analysis beyond vocabulary spotting. A student who can say "the writer withholds the identity of the narrator until the third paragraph, which creates a sense of mystery and draws the reader deeper into the text" is thinking at a higher level than one who simply lists techniques.

Step 5 — Stay focused on effect, not identification

The most common error in unseen text responses at KS3 is technique spotting without analysis:

"The writer uses alliteration ('dark and damp') and a simile ('like a cave') and personification ('the walls breathed slowly')."

Listing three techniques with minimal explanation scores far fewer marks than exploring one technique in genuine depth. Teachers and examiners are not rewarding recognition — they are rewarding insight into effect.

A worked example of a short analysis paragraph

Extract: "The attic crouched above her, dark and breathless, every floorboard holding its silence."

Analysis: The writer personifies the attic in a way that transfers a sense of menace onto an inanimate space. The verb "crouched" gives the room animal-like qualities — as if it is deliberately waiting and watching. The word "crouched" specifically carries connotations of something preparing to pounce, which creates an immediate atmosphere of threat. The phrase "holding its silence" continues this idea: silences are not usually held by choice, and giving the room this deliberate quality makes the reader feel that the protagonist is being observed. Together, these choices build a slow, oppressive tension.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best language techniques to look for in an unseen text?

Prioritise techniques where you can say something meaningful about their effect: figurative language (simile, metaphor, personification), strong or unusual word choices (particularly verbs and adjectives), sentence structure and length variation, and repetition. Avoid listing every technique you can name — go deep on two or three rather than shallow on seven.

How long should an unseen text analysis be at KS3?

At KS3, the expectation varies by school and task, but a response covering two or three techniques in genuine depth typically runs to three to five paragraphs (around 200–350 words). Quality of analysis matters far more than length. A focused three-paragraph response that tracks the writer's choices clearly is better than six vague paragraphs that label techniques without explaining effect.

Should I include a short introduction and conclusion?

A brief orientation sentence can help — something like "In this extract, the writer builds a menacing atmosphere through careful word choice and personification." However, elaborate introductions waste time at KS3 and GCSE. Many students skip a conclusion entirely in timed conditions and instead spend that time deepening one of their analytical paragraphs, which is usually the more effective choice.

My child can find techniques but cannot explain the effect. How can we practise this at home?

The key question to ask after any technique is identified is "so what does that make the reader think or feel?" Ask your child to finish the sentence "The effect of this on the reader is..." every time they name a technique. Practice this habit on any short text — a newspaper headline, a book blurb, a film tagline — and the skill of inferring effect will become automatic.

For a Socratic AI English tutor that helps KS3 students build their own analytical voice through guided questioning, see aitutors.me.