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GCSE AQA English Language 29th May 2012

Hey all, I was given this by my teacher to guide me on how to answer the questions on the higher paper:

Question 1 (inferences): spend exactly ten minutes on this question. Make eight points about what you can learn from the text, and make some comments on the language that the writer uses. Simply try to infer meaning from the text. Spend 1 minute on each point that you make.

To gain 7/8 marks, do the following:
offers evidence that the text is fully understood

shows a detailed engagement with the text

makes perceptive connections and comments about concerns and issues raised in the text

offers appropriate quotations or references to support understanding

Question 2 (presentational features): spend exactly 15 minutes on this question. To be successful in this question, make detailed interpretations: analyse the meanings of words in the headline and details in the images. Make direct links between the presentational features and the text to gain the higher marks.

To gain 7/8 marks, do the following:
offers a detailed interpretation of the effect of the headline

presents a detailed explanation and interpretation of what the picture shows and its effect

links the picture and the headline to the text with perceptive comments

offers appropriate quotations or references to support comments

Question 3 (thoughts and feelings): spend exactly 15 minutes on this question. To be successful in this question, infer and make interpretations from the text. Look at the effects of individual words and phrases, punctuation and the general tone, and how they convey the writer’s thoughts/feelings (or what you find to be (e.g. tense and exciting). Make original and perceptive comments on the effect on the reader.

To gain 7/8 marks, do the following:

engages in detail with the events described in the text

offers perceptive explanations and interpretations of the thoughts and feelings expressed

employs appropriate quotations or references to support ideas


Question 4 (comparative): spend exactly 30 minutes on this question. To be successful, compare two texts by analysing the effects of the writer’s use of language. Select interesting, vivid and exciting phrases from the text and ‘unwrap’ their meaning and effect on the reader; then compare this to one from the second text. Make sure you are detailed throughout!
To get 15/16 marks, do the following:

offers a full and detailed understanding of the texts in relation to language

analyses how the writers have used language differently to achieve their effects

offers appropriate quotations or references in support of ideas with perceptive comments

focuses on comparison and cross-referencing between the texts


How many points should you make for each question? Thank youu!

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Reply 1
Thank you!
I'm doing this exam too.

I'd say around 5/6 detailed points for the first question.
Then comment on all you can for question 2 i.e. the image, layout etc
4/5 points (and expansion) on question 3.
12 points with detailed comparisons for question 4

These are guidelines from my English teacher. I'm aware that they give us a lot of blank space to write in, the more you can fill in the more you impress the examiner, which bumps up your marks!

Good luck btw, personally I'm dreading this exam!
Original post by ArtisticFlair

makes perceptive connections and comments about concerns and issues raised in the text


Hi, thanks for the guidline but i'm really confused, what does 'perceptive' actually mean and if you could give an example of a statement that is perceptive i'd really appreciate it. thank you :smile:
Reply 4
Good luck everyone! Thanks for the tips :smile:

Yes - I'm dreading it a bit too.. Mainly because it's my longest exam, on my birthday!
heyy guys, i really need help with the first question- the what you learn question... i mean do i just embed quotations and thats it or do i need to thoroughly explain eveything ????

thanksss
Reply 6
Original post by x-Sophie-x
I'm doing this exam too.

I'd say around 5/6 detailed points for the first question.
Then comment on all you can for question 2 i.e. the image, layout etc
4/5 points (and expansion) on question 3.
12 points with detailed comparisons for question 4

These are guidelines from my English teacher. I'm aware that they give us a lot of blank space to write in, the more you can fill in the more you impress the examiner, which bumps up your marks!

Good luck btw, personally I'm dreading this exam!


My eng. teacher told me to write down only 4 points + evidence for each for the 1st question and then an overall conclusion of what you've learnt at the end :eek: ...?? help? btw im doing higher
Original post by greenmind
My eng. teacher told me to write down only 4 points + evidence for each for the 1st question and then an overall conclusion of what you've learnt at the end :eek: ...?? help? btw im doing higher


The examiner marks the overall piece you've written so if it sounds impressive, you can still get full marks for that question.

However, to ensure you get full marks, I was told 5/6 points would be best. 4 points is sufficient though there may not be enough there to secure you the higher marks.

Good luck! :')
Reply 8
Write a lot about a little - remember that little tip, it's the ultimate guide in my opinion to higher marks. Basically, make a few points, and write in depth about them.
Reply 9
Original post by ArtisticFlair

Question 1 (inferences): spend exactly ten minutes on this question. Make eight points about what you can learn from the text, and make some comments on the language that the writer uses. Simply try to infer meaning from the text. Spend 1 minute on each point that you make.

To gain 7/8 marks, do the following:
offers evidence that the text is fully understood

shows a detailed engagement with the text

makes perceptive connections and comments about concerns and issues raised in the text

offers appropriate quotations or references to support understanding

It's basically regurgititate what the text says, I did that when we covered Jan 2012 in lesson and got full marks for it.
Thankyou :smile:
Reply 11
I find it tight for time by the time I get to section B - question 5 and 6 (descriptive writing and argument one)
Reply 12
Original post by piratefinn
It's basically regurgititate what the text says, I did that when we covered Jan 2012 in lesson and got full marks for it.


I was wondering if you had the link to that paper?
i really don't understand how to do question 4- the comparison language question. if any of you did the poetry exam on thursday,is it anything like that comparison where the topic question could be 'both texts use (e.g) adjectives but for different effects' ???
Original post by Lizy
I was wondering if you had the link to that paper?


Here is the Jan 2012 paper and insert:

Hope it helps :smile: :smile: :smile:
Reply 15
hey guy , im struggling on how to answer question 3 and 4 ? im confused as to what approach or layout to take and what i should talk about , and even how long i should write for each question ? any help would be appreciated

thanks
Guys, I don't think the layout of your answers actually matter. As you can see on the mark schemes, the examiner is simply marking you on your ability to analyse/read texts, deducing meaning, etc.

However, as a guide to be on the absolute safe side, I'd recommend:

Question 1: 10 minutes (8 points)

Question 2: 10 minutes: (Try to comment on as many as the presentation features as possible)

Question 3: 15 minutes (4 points - depends on the length of the text)

Question 4: 30 minutes (6 points - just ensure you analyse in depth)
Reply 17
Section A is all about reading. So as along as your punctuation, spelling and your key English terms are accurate you're fine.
For all of the 4Q mention (in Section A):
•Text-type
•Audience
•Purpose
•Occasion;
Do these all briefly but try to find multiply-purpose and multi-audience.
For:
Q1- just find and select the information relevant to the question and write it out in a good order
Q2- identify the main layout points, so headline, strapline, subheadings, pictures, boxes (with quotes or information) and link the effect of them back to the overall points (text-type etc)
Q3- identify atleast 4 points about language within the text, and mention the effect to the reader, and how it 'fits' in with the the whole idea of the reader (for example, 'saying that Democracy is a 'waste-of-time' forces the readers biased opinion onto the reader and this fits in with the overall purpose of the writer belittling Democracy. However the writer simply could be trying to make a pun to take advantage of his anti-democracy readers').
Q4 - use the information and answer from Q3, and the other text should be the one where you see more difference or is simply more complex and long. For this mention the main points for both, then mention a point about one (use the technique from Q3) say how it differs but is somewhat similar (don't give a simple answer such as 'it is because'; use 'it could be because' or 'the writer may have been' to show overlap) and then link the reasons to the main points of the two texts. Try to mention as many point, at least one linking back to each text-type, audience, purpose and occasion.

As for section B the key thing is to use methods you've seen in section A and elsewhere and implement them within your text as required. Q5 is usually quite broad and allows your to write about anything within a large area, such a protecting the environment or a hard decision you had to make, so you need to either use the inform or possibly explain/argue techniques. For Q6, this will usually be a longer, more detailed writing required such as a piece to change opinions, persuade, so the techniques need to be more 'severe'.

Hope that helps :')
Reply 18
Original post by the A* guy
Here is the Jan 2012 paper and insert:

Hope it helps :smile: :smile: :smile:


Thank YOU sooooooooo much! honestly, you're a life saver¬
BEST of luck for your exams!!
Reply 19
Original post by Student96
Good luck everyone! Thanks for the tips :smile:

Yes - I'm dreading it a bit too.. Mainly because it's my longest exam, on my birthday!


AHHH on your birthday. Try and maintain your excitement on the day coz if you don't you wouldn't be focused enough. And my birthday is next week too. WAHOO finally gonna be 16

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