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AQA English Lit - How to answer a question with an A grade structure

Because, the exam is on Monday for (OMAM) AND AN Inspector calls) I;m really nervous because I don't fully know how to structure the answer well, my teacher has said something completely different and my tutor has told me something else. Now I'm all confused and I need a straight answer.
I was told to write PEEEL - Point, Evidence, Explain, language technique (effect on reader and alternative info) isn't that too much time spent on 1 paragraph I have trouble writing my answers in 45 mins. I was told by my tutor to write PEE, but I want an A grade in Literature and I'm really confused.

I also don't understand how to write about language and how to embed it nicely as well as structure for both texts

Can someone help me, I NEED HELP!!!
Reply 1
Original post by laila215
Because, the exam is on Monday for (OMAM) AND AN Inspector calls) I;m really nervous because I don't fully know how to structure the answer well, my teacher has said something completely different and my tutor has told me something else. Now I'm all confused and I need a straight answer.
I was told to write PEEEL - Point, Evidence, Explain, language technique (effect on reader and alternative info) isn't that too much time spent on 1 paragraph I have trouble writing my answers in 45 mins. I was told by my tutor to write PEE, but I want an A grade in Literature and I'm really confused.

I also don't understand how to write about language and how to embed it nicely as well as structure for both texts

Can someone help me, I NEED HELP!!!


If you want an A grade then you'll need to include all of the assessment objectives in your paragraphs. We were taught:
Point
Evidence
Explain
Context
Key word
Language feature
Effect on audience

The hard part of the exam is fitting it all into the time, but everybody is having to do the same so there will be very few people with exquisitely written essays in that time. If you just did 'PEE' for each paragraph and didn't include any analysis of the quote, then you'd be missing out on AO2 and you'd be pushed down two bands.

Focus on quality rather than quantity; it's best to do 3-5 paragraphs, but if you're struggling, focus on doing 3 really really well.

To put this in nicely: 'Steinbeck uses Curley's wife to comment on sexism in 1930s America. This is seen through the treatment of Curley's wife by other characters, but is perhaps most notable by her distinct lack of name and the repeated referral to her as 'Curley's wife'. This passive tone and possessive language implies that Curley owns his wife and that she is of no value without him. As a result, the audience responds with sympathy to Curley's wife, who is given even less opportunity to achieve her American Dream than the ranch workers purely based on her gender, and whose treatment would be unacceptable in the modern day.'

Point: 'Steinbeck uses Curley's wife to comment on sexism'
Evidence: ''Curley's wife''
Explain: 'implies Curley owns his wife'
Context: 'sexism in 1930s America'
Key Word: 'sexism', 'American Dream'
Language feature: 'passice tone', 'possessive language'
Effect on audience: 'responds with sympathy'

That's just a simple paragraph you could probably fluff it out a lot, but it fulfils all of the areas they are looking for. I try to include language/structural features right after the text by saying, 'This ___ imples...' or 'This ___ suggests...' or 'Here, Steinbeck has used ____ to show...'. I hope that helps a bit? :smile:

Note: you don't need context for an inspector calls :smile:
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 2
Original post by CaptErin
If you want an A grade then you'll need to include all of the assessment objectives in your paragraphs. We were taught:
Point
Evidence
Explain
Context
Key word
Language feature
Effect on audience

The hard part of the exam is fitting it all into the time, but everybody is having to do the same so there will be very few people with exquisitely written essays in that time. If you just did 'PEE' for each paragraph and didn't include any analysis of the quote, then you'd be missing out on AO2 and you'd be pushed down two bands.

Focus on quality rather than quantity; it's best to do 3-5 paragraphs, but if you're struggling, focus on doing 3 really really well.

To put this in nicely: 'Steinbeck uses Curley's wife to comment on sexism in 1930s America. This is seen through the treatment of Curley's wife by other characters, but is perhaps most notable by her distinct lack of name and the repeated referral to her as 'Curley's wife'. This passive tone and possessive language implies that Curley owns his wife and that she is of no value without him. As a result, the audience responds with sympathy to Curley's wife, who is given even less opportunity to achieve her American Dream than the ranch workers purely based on her gender, and whose treatment would be unacceptable in the modern day.'

Point: 'Steinbeck uses Curley's wife to comment on sexism'
Evidence: ''Curley's wife''
Explain: 'implies Curley owns his wife'
Context: 'sexism in 1930s America'
Key Word: 'sexism', 'American Dream'
Language feature: 'passice tone', 'possessive language'
Effect on audience: 'responds with sympathy'

That's just a simple paragraph you could probably fluff it out a lot, but it fulfils all of the areas they are looking for. I try to include language/structural features right after the text by saying, 'This ___ imples...' or 'This ___ suggests...' or 'Here, Steinbeck has used ____ to show...'. I hope that helps a bit? :smile:

Note: you don't need context for an inspector calls :smile:


it really does help thank you, would be able to have a look at a past question i wrote on george and lennie? just to sort of help me realise where i am
Reply 3
Original post by laila215
it really does help thank you, would be able to have a look at a past question i wrote on george and lennie? just to sort of help me realise where i am


Glad it helped! :smile:
I can do if you want but I'm not sure how helpful I'd really be!
My English teacher told me not to follow a particular structure, but said top students should be able to embed quotes and make the essay flow as a whole. I don't know how well it works though properly in its full extent, as in my last mock I got a C+ for the novel paper and only after did I find out I had to analyse language along with it all. I want an A, but if I get a B I can live with it.

OMAM you have to bring in context whereas in Inspector Calls you have to mention the effect on the viewers who were middle class folk and talk about what the play would have made these people think. I would have called that context too, but I guess it isn't after reading a post above.
How would you write part b of omam??? Because I am told you don't focus on language but writers ideas
Reply 6
Original post by ameenatariq
How would you write part b of omam??? Because I am told you don't focus on language but writers ideas


You just do the same as part a but find other quotes in the rest of the novel, analyse language, alternate interpretations, writer's ideas, context, detailed analysis of keywords for good marks.
Reply 7
Original post by laila215
it really does help thank you, would be able to have a look at a past question i wrote on george and lennie? just to sort of help me realise where i am


I won't mind looking; if you need help?:smile:
Reply 8
How many paragraphs do you need to do for each question?????
Original post by Eel123
How many paragraphs do you need to do for each question?????

I would definitely recommend to do about 4 paragraphs for the first section. And on the second section do 3 for Part A and 1 long one for Part B. But to be fair, do as many as time allows. 45 minutes is a quite long time to do an essay, especially as other subjects require essays done in shorter amounts of time, so you've really already trained yourself to write fast.
Reply 10
Original post by laila215
Because, the exam is on Monday for (OMAM) AND AN Inspector calls) I;m really nervous because I don't fully know how to structure the answer well, my teacher has said something completely different and my tutor has told me something else. Now I'm all confused and I need a straight answer.
I was told to write PEEEL - Point, Evidence, Explain, language technique (effect on reader and alternative info) isn't that too much time spent on 1 paragraph I have trouble writing my answers in 45 mins. I was told by my tutor to write PEE, but I want an A grade in Literature and I'm really confused.

I also don't understand how to write about language and how to embed it nicely as well as structure for both texts

Can someone help me, I NEED HELP!!!




I've been taught:

Inspector Calls:

OPENING

LANG

STRUCTURE

CLOSING

in this you do PEEC
Point
Evidence
Explanation
Context

Aiming for at least one quote in each section.

Of Mice and Men:

PART A:

Two Paragraphs/ Three for an A star.

Pick out three important bits of the text. Only refer to the text.

Then do three padded out PEE's (point, evidence, explanation) paragraphs.

PART B:

Depending on the question, write two paragraphs surrounding the themes that link to that.
Eg last years paper was on brutality,
so discuss Loneliness and Crooks/Curleys wife

in these paras, follow PEEC again! Context is super important.

I'm aiming for an A* and this is what ive been taught. Makes sense really given time conditions.

Also:

45 mins on first bit, 5/10 Planning!

45 Mins on second, 20 for each bit writing, 5 planning

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