Embedding quotations into analysis is a key English skill, sometimes referred to as ‘blending’ quotations.

What does it mean to ‘embed’?

The primary definition of embed (v.) is to ‘fix (an object) firmly and deeply in a surrounding mass’. In analysis, the object is the quotation and the surrounding mass is your own sentence of analysis.

A useful secondary definition is to ‘implant (an idea or feeling) so that it becomes ingrained within a particular context.’ In analysis, we are implanting quotations so they fit within the context of our sentence.

How to embed quotations

To embed quotations, describe the original text, using the quotations. Practically speaking, embedding a quotation means placing a quotation within our own sentence of analysis.

Let’s use the example of the natural setting in the picture below, and a line of text used to describe it:

‘The blue bay was nestled between emerald cliffs.’

To describe the scene portrayed in this text, and how the language is working in it, a line of analysis might want to employ the short quotations ‘blue bay’. ‘nestled’ and/or ‘emerald cliffs’.

TOP TIP: Use short quotations—they are much easier to embed into a sentence.

Step 1: Describe what is going on in the text. A useful prompt for this is ‘The text describes______.’

Step 2: When inserting the quotations, make the full analytical sentence flow.

Here are some examples of fluent lines of analysis with the quotations embedded:

The text describes how the ‘blue bay’ lies ‘nestled’ in ‘between emerald cliffs’.
The text describes the ‘blue bay’ as ‘nestled’ in ‘between emerald cliffs’.
The text describes ‘emerald cliffs’ with the ‘blue bay’ lying ‘nestled between’ them.

Step 3: Incorporate language techniques and impressions into the sentence:

The text describes, using vivid colour and zoomorphic imagery, how the ‘blue bay’ is ‘nestled’ in ‘between emerald cliffs’, giving the impression of the water nesting safely between the green hills.

For more help with language analysis, see:
How to Make English Analysis Flow
What is Rhetorical Language?
The Love of Language - Part 1: Sound Effects