Writing a commentary AS English

1
Commentary

• Identifying Language Features

2
Passage 4

• Most of the Thames Valley Police personnel were
  ever wont to pounce quickly upon any newspaper
  clipping concerning their competence, or alleged
  lack of competence.

3
Writers Purpose

• To criticize the Thames Valley Police and make
  them seem petty and incompetent.

4
Identifying Vocabulary

• Wont meaning  in the habit of doing something
• Pounce suggestive of an animal jumping suddenly
  on something
• Competence, or alleged lack of competence

5
Effect

• Wont implies an accustomed behaviour. The way it
  is used, preceded by the word ever, seems to
  suggest a petty and puerile attitude towards
  protecting their reputation.

6
Effect

• Pounce is metaphoric an action usually ascribed
  to an animal of prey. In this case it seems to
  suggest an eagerness or rather over eagerness on
  the part of the police in an effort to protect
  their reputation. This makes the reader feel that
  this eagerness should better be applied to
  catching criminals.

7
Effect

• Competence or lack of competence the coupling of
  the word competence in this phrase is a direct
  criticism of the competence of the police. In
  fact the phrase is designed to call into question
  the competence of the police.

8
Sample Response

• This extract is probably from a news paper
  article or editorial. The purpose of the writer
  is to ridicule the Thames Valley Police. The tone
  is lightly critical with a touch of humour. This
  is achieved with the use of the words ever wont
  and pounce to refer to the polices efforts to
  quell criticism against them and in the final
  phrase that suggest that they are incompetent.

9
Sample Response Continued

• The phrase ever wont belittles the behaviour of
  the police and makes their efforts to quell
  criticism against them seem petty and narrow
  minded. Pounce underpins this behaviour and makes
  the Thames Valley Police appear ridiculous. It
  subtly suggest that the police should be applying
  this eagerness to catching criminals.

10
Sample Commentary Continued

• The antithetical  phrase that concludes the final
  sentences completes the writers purpose and
  calls into question the competence of the police
  force though the word alleged cleverly seems to
  suggest that the criticism is someone else's.