English Language GCSE
Pathos
What Pathos means in English Language GCSE, as defined for OCR.
Definitions of Pathos
Exam boards and our study guides word this term in slightly different ways. Learn the version your board uses.
Language that evokes feelings of pity, sorrow, or sympathy in the reader.
An appeal to the audience's emotions, often evoking pity or sadness.
Topics that use Pathos
- Presenting information and ideas (OCR GCSE)
- Writing imaginatively and creatively (OCR GCSE)
Related terms
- Connotation
- Cyclical Structure
- Discourse Markers
- Explicit Information
- Implicit Information
- In Medias Res
- Juxtaposition
- Register
Using Pathos in the exam
Definition questions usually carry one or two marks, and examiners look for the precise wording. Write the definition from memory, check it against the version above, and then use the term in a longer answer on the same topic so it sticks.
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