AQA English Language

Does anyone have any last minute tips for the AQA English Language exam tomorrow?

Q1:

This isn't a language analysis question. Don't waste your time writing about why the writer may have used certain words - save it for question 4!

Look for inconsistencies in the article.

Don't just regurgitate what the article says.

Go into detail and link e.g if the article says ''scientists think animal testing should be banned'', don't just simply write that. Elaborate and try to connect it to other parts of the article

Cover the whole article. Don't just write a paragraph on the beginning and three on the middle, try and write about the whole thing and what it's trying to say.

Q2:

Don't link the headline and picture together

Don't write basic things such as ''the headline is bold so it makes it stand out'' or ''the picture has a dog in it which shows the article is about dogs''. Be perceptive, look for things that no one else will notice.

You don't just have to write about the obvious things for the picture. You can write about things such as colours and what they might symbolise.Don'tte things like ''this may make want the reader want to read on'' or ''it creates in an image in the reader's head'' - this is basic and can be written about any text in the world.

Q3:

Don't pick out things that already show what the reader is feeling/thinking. If there is a part on the extract where the writer states that they're feeling sad, don't just write ''oh this quote shows that the writer is feeling sad''. Like all of the other questions, be perceptive, look for things that others won't see.

There is usually in mood change in all of the extracts, look out for that.

Q4:

Don't feel like you have to just look for DAFOREST/AFOREST techniques. If you see a significant word/s that you think will be worthwhile to write about then write about it.Your linking doesn't have to be exact. Don't feel like that if you see a simile in one text then you have to compare it to a simile in another text. You could just write about how it can make the reader feel e.g if that simile makes the reader feel scared then look for other things in the other article that could also make the reader feel scared. It could be a metaphor, a statistic, etc.

Don't write about sentence length, audience type or purpose. It isn't rewarded so you'll be wasting your time - focus on the language.

Try and go into detail on the effects of what the language might do to the reader. Similar to question 2, don't just write ''it makes the reader want to read on'' or ''it creates an image in your head'' - WHY does it make the reader want to read on and what image does it create in your head and why is that effective?

Q5 & Q6:

Use as many language devices as you can e.g: rhetorical questions, humour, alliteration, repetition, facts, statisitcs, lists, similies, metaphors, hyperbole, personifcation, imperatives, superlatives etc.

Try and use a range of sentence types

Try and use a range of punctuation

I'm sure most of you know this already but what you write doesn't have to be true! You can completely make it up (as long as it isn't too unrealistic)

I would try and do Q6 first as it's worth more marks

Other resources:
https://www.youtube.com/user/chblc40...sort=dd&view=0
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...e2xKF43Rzj7f6O
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBj4Ha7fwGo

Q1:

This isn't a language analysis question. Don't waste your time writing about why the writer may have used certain words - save it for question 4!

Look for inconsistencies in the article.

Don't just regurgitate what the article says.

Go into detail and link e.g if the article says ''scientists think animal testing should be banned'', don't just simply write that. Elaborate and try to connect it to other parts of the article

Cover the whole article. Don't just write a paragraph on the beginning and three on the middle, try and write about the whole thing and what it's trying to say.

Q2:

Don't link the headline and picture together

Don't write basic things such as ''the headline is bold so it makes it stand out'' or ''the picture has a dog in it which shows the article is about dogs''. Be perceptive, look for things that no one else will notice.

You don't just have to write about the obvious things for the picture. You can write about things such as colours and what they might symbolise.Don'tte things like ''this may make want the reader want to read on'' or ''it creates in an image in the reader's head'' - this is basic and can be written about any text in the world.

Q3:

Don't pick out things that already show what the reader is feeling/thinking. If there is a part on the extract where the writer states that they're feeling sad, don't just write ''oh this quote shows that the writer is feeling sad''. Like all of the other questions, be perceptive, look for things that others won't see.

There is usually in mood change in all of the extracts, look out for that.

Q4:

Don't feel like you have to just look for DAFOREST/AFOREST techniques. If you see a significant word/s that you think will be worthwhile to write about then write about it.Your linking doesn't have to be exact. Don't feel like that if you see a simile in one text then you have to compare it to a simile in another text. You could just write about how it can make the reader feel e.g if that simile makes the reader feel scared then look for other things in the other article that could also make the reader feel scared. It could be a metaphor, a statistic, etc.

Don't write about sentence length, audience type or purpose. It isn't rewarded so you'll be wasting your time - focus on the language.

Try and go into detail on the effects of what the language might do to the reader. Similar to question 2, don't just write ''it makes the reader want to read on'' or ''it creates an image in your head'' - WHY does it make the reader want to read on and what image does it create in your head and why is that effective?

Q5 & Q6:

Use as many language devices as you can e.g: rhetorical questions, humour, alliteration, repetition, facts, statisitcs, lists, similies, metaphors, hyperbole, personifcation, imperatives, superlatives etc.

Try and use a range of sentence types

Try and use a range of punctuation

I'm sure most of you know this already but what you write doesn't have to be true! You can completely make it up (as long as it isn't too unrealistic)

I would try and do Q6 first as it's worth more marks

Other resources:
https://www.youtube.com/user/chblc40...sort=dd&view=0
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...e2xKF43Rzj7f6O
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBj4Ha7fwGo