Main Message of the Text: The main message of Keir Starmer’s speech is one of hope and empowerment for the people of Britain, particularly in the context of the upcoming election.
Faglig kvalitetssikret av lærere og toppstudenter · Følger læreplanen (LK20) · Sist oppdatert 2026-10-03
Identifying the main message of the text requires more than a simple summary; it demands a deep dive into the author's purpose and the rhetorical devices used to persuade an audience, as we will demonstrate with Keir Starmer's political speech.
Task 1 on the English exam frequently asks you to identify the "main message," "purpose," or "intention" of a non-fiction text. This could be a political speech, an opinion piece, or a news article. This skill is fundamental because it moves you from passive reading to active analysis. Examiners want to see if you can look beyond the surface of the words to understand the underlying argument and the techniques used to build it. For example, a past exam might ask you to analyze how a writer argues for or against a specific issue, like in the task "Why 'sensitivity readers' are bad for free speech". Understanding the main message is the first and most critical step in any textual analysis. Without a clear grasp of the central argument, your analysis of language and structure will lack direction and purpose.
To effectively explain how a message is communicated, you need a precise vocabulary. These core rhetorical concepts will elevate your analysis from a simple summary to a sophisticated academic response. Using them correctly demonstrates a higher level of subject competence.
| Concept | Definition | Example from Starmer's Speech |
|---|---|---|
| Main Message / Communicative Purpose | The central idea, argument, or feeling the author intends to convey to the audience. It's the "so what?" of the text. | The main message is one of hopeful empowerment: that ordinary citizens have the power to enact national change through their vote in the upcoming election. |
| Ethos (Credibility) | An appeal to the authority, credibility, or character of the speaker. It seeks to persuade the audience that the speaker is trustworthy. | Starmer's position as Leader of the Labour Party gives him inherent ethos. He builds on this by aligning himself with the common person: "If you’ve been serving our country, whether in scrubs or the uniform of your regiment... this is your year." |
| Pathos (Emotion) | An appeal to the audience's emotions, such as hope, fear, anger, or sympathy. It aims to create an emotional connection. | The phrase "breaking your back to keep trading" evokes pathos by creating a powerful image of struggle and hardship, making the audience feel empathy and a shared sense of grievance. |
| Direct Address | Using second-person pronouns ("you," "your") to speak directly to the audience, making the message feel personal and urgent. | "The opportunity to shape our country’s future rests in your hands." This places responsibility and power directly onto the individual listener. |
| Anaphora | The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences. This creates rhythm and emphasis. | "If you’ve spent the last 14 years... If you’ve been breaking your back... If you’ve been serving our country..." This structure unifies diverse groups of people under a common experience of struggle. |
| Tricolon | A series of three parallel words, phrases, or clauses. It is a powerful rhetorical device for creating a memorable and satisfying rhythm. | "...turn the page, lift the weight off our shoulders, unite as a country..." This creates a sense of completion and forward momentum. |
The text below is an excerpt from a speech given in January 2024 by Keir Starmer, the leader of the British Labour Party, to Labour Party members. He was elected prime minister of the UK 5 July 2024.
State what the main message of the text is and explain how this message is communicated. Use relevant terminology and refer to examples from the text in your answer.
Recommended length for this task is approximately 200–300 words.
But look, there is one thing that we can be sure is coming this year and I’m ready for it. The thought of millions of people, right across our country, putting a cross on that ballot paper.
It’s what we’ve been waiting for, preparing for, fighting for. A year of choice.
A chance to change Britain. A clock that is ticking on this government, because whether it’s in the spring or later in the year, the moment when power is taken out of Tory hands and given, not to me, but to you. That moment is getting closer by the second.
So, if you’ve spent the last 14 years volunteering to keep your park clean, your library open, for children to have opportunities. If you’ve been breaking your back to keep trading, steering your business through the pandemic, the cost-of-living crisis, the challenge of Brexit and the chaos of Westminster. If you’ve been serving our country, whether in scrubs or the uniform of your regiment, and what you want now is a politics that serves you – then make no mistake, this is your year. The opportunity to shape our country’s future rests in your hands.
And that is a new year message of hope. The hope of democracy. The power of the vote. The potential for national renewal. The chance, finally, to turn the page, lift the weight off our shoulders, unite as a country, and get our future back.
References:
Photo of Keir Starmer. © Henry Nicholls — AFP/Getty Images. Encyclopaedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Keir-Starmer#/media/1/2198575/309551 (accessed 2024, 6 September)
Main Message of the Text: The main message of Keir Starmer’s speech is one of hope and empowerment for the people of Britain, particularly in the context of the upcoming election. He emphasizes that the power to bring about change lies in the hands of the voters. The speech conveys a message of optimism, calling on citizens to take charge of the country's future through their vote. It underscores the idea that after years of hardship and challenges, the opportunity to transform Britain is imminent, and that power will be taken from the current government and given to the people.
How the Message is Communicated: Starmer communicates this message through a mix of personal appeal, direct address, and rhetorical techniques. He uses the phrase "The opportunity to shape our country’s future rests in your hands" to directly engage the audience, making the message personal and urgent. This approach empowers the listener, emphasizing that the election is a moment of significant choice. The repetition of "this is your year" and "the opportunity" reinforces the notion that the election is a pivotal moment for change.
The language Starmer uses, such as "The hope of democracy" and "the power of the vote," is charged with emotion and ideals, appealing to the listener’s sense of civic duty. By invoking the struggles of everyday citizens—those who have worked tirelessly through various crises—he makes the message relatable and taps into the collective experience of the electorate. Furthermore, by framing the election as "a year of choice," Starmer highlights the importance of the moment, building anticipation and a sense of inevitability about the coming change.
Many students identify the correct message but fail to score top marks because of a few common mistakes in their analysis. Avoiding these will significantly strengthen your response. …