The gist: Characterisation is how a writer builds a person on the page — and their dialogue is one of the sharpest tools for it.
You already read people this way.
💬 You judge someone by what they do and how they talk long before anyone describes them — a person who says ‘whatever’ and one who says ‘of course, absolutely’ feel completely different.
Writers build characters the same way. Here's how:
One clear example of each
Characterisation
How the writer builds a person — through looks, actions and choices. ‘She always paid in exact coins, counted twice’ tells you she's careful and anxious without ever saying so.
Dialogue
What a character says, and how they say it, reveals them. ‘Fine. Great. Perfect.’ said through gritted teeth shows anger the words deny — the gap between the words and the feeling is the point.
The key move: Don't just describe the character. Pick a detail — an action or a line of dialogue — and say what it shows about who they are, and how the writer made us feel it.
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Why it matters in the exam: Characterisation earns marks when you show HOW a person is built, not just what they're like. Quote a small action or a line of dialogue, then say what it reveals — the reveal, not the label, is what Criterion B rewards.
Analyse how the writer builds this character: “‘Sit anywhere,’ he said, then watched to see which chair I chose. He had already decided what my choice would mean.”
Model answer plan
See the mark-by-mark plan — for / against / judgement, with marking guidance — in study mode.
Watch out: Don't just say ‘he is controlling’. Point to the detail — the line of dialogue or the action — that shows it, then say what it makes the reader feel.