Help on how to answer an 8 mark question at national 5

how do you answer an 8 mark question at national 5 english

What Scottish text are you doing? Basically write WHATEVER you know even if you are unsure but write as much as you can.
For the exam last year, I scribbled whatever came to my head, half of it was wrong but I made up for it because I wrote like 4 pages and I got full marks for it. Basically, there is no negative marking in English so anything you remember about anything that can even vaguely relate put it down.

Reply 2

VividBandicoot

18

Yeah, completely agree with above. For my nat 5 I bullet pointed every thing I knew about my scottish text, didn't even write in paragraphs and got almost full marks.

Reply 3

WeekendWrecker

3

It depends, like the above I agree write down as much info you can to gain the maximum number of marks.

For instance I did bold girls last year and my 8 marker was about the lack of male characters and what this showed(something along those lines) basically you had to:

1) you NEED to quote from the extract you are using or you've lost a mark, you also need to explain it.

2) write down as many themes or tones.

3) maybe an idea, so I used the lack of male characters to show strength and power in the female characters but to show tradition as they stayed at home cooking and cleaning etc...

Then after you have written all of that you need to summarise it, I don't think it's mandatory but my teacher said it gives it a nice ending.

Hope that helps!

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Reply 4

Nicolas123

4

My teacher at nat 5 taught us a formula for answering this question.

1) Explain commonality between the 2 poems. (2 marks)

2) 1 quote from text in front of you + explain (2 marks - 1 for quote and 1 for analysis)

3) 2 quotes from other relevant text + explain (4 marks - 1 per quote and 1 per analysis)
Hope this helped!

Reply 5

sophierose4356

3

You need to split your answer into three sections - commonality, extract and elsewhere :

Commonality - 2 Marks Max
(e.g. theme, use of imagery, setting, use of personal experience)

Introduce the poems you intend to write about, identifying the commonality in the question and elaborating on their themes/central concerns. You need to say what the similarities are between the extract give on the exam paper and the extract you have chosen for comparison are. One sentence for each poem/text. The points you make must have a very clear link to the question.

Extract - 2 Marks Max

Look at the named poem you have been given in the exam paper and identify a feature/idea/technique that helps to explore the commonality in the question.

1. Make a quote to the technique/idea/feature (1 Mark)
2. Make an appropriate comment linking it with the question (1 Mark)

You must have both correct to get any marks i.e. you can only get 2 marks or none not 1.

Elsewhere - 4 Marks Max

Detailed reference to at least one other poem/text. 2 references to the text you have chosen, in each case using reference (a quotation or detailed reference) and a brief discussion of how that reference links with the question, as above :

1. Make a quote to the technique/idea/feature (1 Mark)
2. Make an appropriate comment linking it with the question (1 Mark)

Do this twice to get full marks; as before you can only get 4, 2 or no marks not 1 or 3

Hope that this is helpful!

Reply 6

Saph23

3

HELPPP! Do u HAVE to quote from the text not u front of you or can u basically describe without quoting??? I'm Nat 5 and I have 6 short stories(Scottish texts) by Ian Crichton smith. I don't know how to study for it or what to lean etc.. Thanks x

Reply 7

Saph23

3

Original post by Nicolas123

My teacher at nat 5 taught us a formula for answering this question.

1) Explain commonality between the 2 poems. (2 marks)

2) 1 quote from text in front of you + explain (2 marks - 1 for quote and 1 for analysis)

3) 2 quotes from other relevant text + explain (4 marks - 1 per quote and 1 per analysis)
Hope this helped!

Do u have to quote from the other extract or can u just explain.. I have 6 short story's to learn for this! Any tips on how to study for set text would be highly appreciated! X

Reply 8

___Sophie___

12

Original post by Saph23

Do u have to quote from the other extract or can u just explain.. I have 6 short story's to learn for this! Any tips on how to study for set text would be highly appreciated! X

I'm pretty sure that you need to quote. Our teacher advises us to have four quotations memorized per poem. In the exam you will need to use two quotations for the poem that is not in front of you and one quotation for the quotation that is in front of you.

Reply 9

chopinfan

8

Original post by Saph23

HELPPP! Do u HAVE to quote from the text not u front of you or can u basically describe without quoting??? I'm Nat 5 and I have 6 short stories(Scottish texts) by Ian Crichton smith. I don't know how to study for it or what to lean etc.. Thanks x

I didn't quote at all for the 8 marker in Nat 5 and got full marks so it's obviously not necessary. Would definitely help the marker know what you're talking about though!

Reply 10

alana_p

10

Original post by Saph23

Do u have to quote from the other extract or can u just explain.. I have 6 short story's to learn for this! Any tips on how to study for set text would be highly appreciated! X

You get a mark for a quote, so maybe it'll be in your best interest to learn up a few

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Reply 11

kayleigh15x

So confused about the 8 mark question.

I'm doing Edwin Morgan's poems so when I'm doing the commonalities (say it was how the writer uses word choice/imagery to create a striking scene) do I have to use the poem in front of me + another poem which does this? Sorry if that sounds confusing.

Also, how many poems should you include to your answer? Thanks :smile:

Reply 12

Marina1264

2

Original post by kayleigh15x

So confused about the 8 mark question.

I'm doing Edwin Morgan's poems so when I'm doing the commonalities (say it was how the writer uses word choice/imagery to create a striking scene) do I have to use the poem in front of me + another poem which does this? Sorry if that sounds confusing.

Also, how many poems should you include to your answer? Thanks :smile:

Only include one poem, that's what I was told! I'm also doing Edwin Morgan! Hoping Good Friday doesn't come up! And yes, you need to compare poem on page to another on that shares similar/contrasting themes or ideas :smile:

Reply 13

kayleigh15x

Original post by Marina1264

Only include one poem, that's what I was told! I'm also doing Edwin Morgan! Hoping Good Friday doesn't come up! And yes, you need to compare poem on page to another on that shares similar/contrasting themes or ideas :smile:

Thank you! I'm hoping it will be Winter, but for some reason I feel like it will be Slate :frown:

Reply 14

Marina1264

2

Original post by kayleigh15x

Thank you! I'm hoping it will be Winter, but for some reason I feel like it will be Slate :frown:

Yeah I think it will be Slate as well, or maybe Trio

Reply 15

12345552332

1

Commanality - Identify the two poems that you are going to speak about and say why they are same/different in relation to the question
GIve a quick explanation of what the poems show in relation to the question - (2)
Printed poem - Quotes text + Comment x2 (2)
other poem - Quote Text + Comment x2 (2)

I suggest you always speak about 3 poems as you have plenty time in the english exam and it is better to write to much than too little

Reply 16

Nicolas123

4

Original post by Saph23

Do u have to quote from the other extract or can u just explain.. I have 6 short story's to learn for this! Any tips on how to study for set text would be highly appreciated! X

FOR HIGHER:

Correction - quote x3 from other poem for point 3

I recommend it as it shows the marker you understand the extracts and know how to link them with each other

I recommend just reading over your notes and looking up past papers and specimen and exampler papers

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 17

yeolk

7

Honestly we were told that quoting wasn't really needed unless you are given the extract in front of you and it asks you to discuss the theme/topic shown in that extract. For our prelims the question asked us to discuss the development of a character throughout the play and i legit forgot half my quotes but i still got an A because I explained the development clearly. Remember it's all POSITIVE MARKING! so unless you get an extremely harsh marker then not including quotes would be ok as long as you're thorough.

This is for drama though, for poems quotes are inevitable hahhahha

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 18

Jradn89

For the 8 mark question on the Scottish text what does the 2 comparison marks mean? I've only studied Sailmaker (Scottish text) and Dulce et decorum est (poem)

Reply 19

Raichu_x

You don't need too compare because ones a poem and ones a drama

Help on how to answer an 8 mark question at national 5

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