GCSE AQA English Language Paper 1 and 2 Revision and Study Chat

I have my eng lang paper one tomorrow - any last minute tips?

Printed this off another schools website today

eng language is so hardd

I did Paper 1 mocks and I'll be doing Paper 2 mocks in February or March. I got:-

Q1 - 4/4
Q2 - 6/8
Q3 - 6/8
Q4 - 12/20
Q5 - 22/40
TOTAL = 50/80
What can I do to improve?

OMG YOU ACED THEM EXAMS!! I really need help with questions 2,3 and 4 one both papers 🤦🏾*♀️. Do you have any tips or methods please.

Well, first of all, you did really well actually! Not much needed to improve. For starters, did you do a narrative or descriptive writing for Q5?

How many marks do you usually get on each of the questions? If we start from there we can see how much you need to improve on and I can pinpoint what I need to give advice on if that makes sense.

i get my mock results tomoroww

Does anyone mind looking at this language paper 2, Section A - mock is on Wednesday

Thanks a ton



Q2) The things to see and do in the Glastonbury Festival and Greenwich Fair are different.
Use details from both sources to write a summary of the differences

A difference between the two is that in source A, Glastonbury is presented as an unpleasant area with bad first impressions whereas Greenwich is more unique and valued. This is evident in the line “My initial reaction was one of undiluted horror.” The use of “undiluted horror” allows readers to infer that the newsagent most certainly did not want to go there. This was perhaps due to the “grip of the heatwave” England was in which presented the conditions of the fair as not being ideal. This different where in source B the writer states “illuminated with lamps.” The use of positive and uplifting imagery conveyed from “illuminated” also gives a literal sense of the place is well lit. Perhaps this is because the people value being able to see the things which occurred at the fair.

This difference in perspectives of the value could exist because of the different frequencies of the fair and festival. In 2005, from when extract A was written, the events had been going on for some time - inferred from “this is my sixth time ” and so it is not as treasured as compared to a more popular “annual event” of the 1800s.








Q3) How does Dickens use language to make you, the reader, feel part of the fair?

One way Dickens uses language to engage the reader is through the use of sensory descriptions and personal pronouns: “you” and “illuminated with lamps.” The use of personal pronouns addresses the reader directly establishing an instant connection between the reader and writer and in doing so the reader responds to the text and descriptions more actively as compared to if a collective noun was used to address his audience as one. Moreover, the use of the verb “illuminated” conveys to the reader the effort that has been put in place for decorations and lighting. Its connotations with light and activity during the day provokes a sense of excitement in the readers’ minds as they “imagine (themselves)” at the Greenwich fair.

As well as Dickens uses multiple complex sentences with a lot of punctuation(caesura) to makes us feel part of the fair. The coupled use of these techniques by him breaks the flow of the writing and so creates a sense of overwhelming distaste - as the reader tries to continue reading and they are interrupted. Perhaps this is utilised by Dickens to mimic the overcrowding and bustling nature of the stalls at the fair - where one might be asking for “half a pound of the real spice nuts” and is rudely interrupted by another individual. It further emphasises the “perpetual bustle” of the crowd evoking a greater feeling of excitement and community for the reader, as they desire to join.





Q4) Compare how the writers have conveyed their different views and experiences of the festival and fair they describe?

Both extracts use different techniques to convey to their readers the different values placed on the experience of the festivals and fair they describe.

In extract A, the event in Glastonbury is presented as repetitive, boring and yet people still feel inclined to go. This is evident in the line “This is my sixth time at Glastonbury and I've never had trouble.” The writer's effective use of the adverb “never” at first may present the events of Glastonbury to the reader as peaceful and “very safe” and this evokes a feeling of calmness as they understand there to be “no trouble.” However, a different interpretation could be to convey the monotonous and repetitive event - especially as the only trouble mentioned is a “Grip of a heatwave.” The personification of weather creates a hyperbolic tone and as a result, the writer and those who attend Glastonbury are presented as people who are never satisfied. Structurally, however, the change in the opinion of the writer from having a highly negative view to a somewhat positive one could cause the readers to consider the event for themselves. The emotional journey that the writer masterfully demonstrates through the article resonates with the readers as they too had the predetermined mindset of it being an “undiluted horror.” Furthermore, by the writer expertly crafting this to be the last line of the article a sense of hope is offered to the reader and that gives them all the more reason to find out more information about the festival.

This is different to extract B, where the writer presents the place with a unique and lively nature. In extract B, Dickens writes ”state of perpetual bustle. ” The lexical use of the adjectival phrase conveys the overcrowded and busy event. More perceptive readers may pick up on the adjective “perpetual” which portrays a never-ending feeling. This is different from the event in source A because in B a much larger proportion of people flock to the fair and a sense of urgency is created through “as soon as possible.” Perhaps the difference exists because of the value that people in the 19th century had for yearly community events. Moreover, the seamless use of complex sentence structures further evokes a feeling that there is not enough time for the people to experience the fair to a point of satisfaction and so as readers, we see the value they have for the fair yet again

Notably, both extracts convey the different values people have for their fairs. One might argue that source B’s extract conveyed a greater sense of value because it was a more popular annual event. Due to the period, it was written(1800s) writings like these were how information spread and so the event must be easily captured by those unable to attend. Those who didn't attend Glastonbury still had video and photos to feel part of fair.

Yes, I didn't frequent this thread. I think you could make a few more short comparisons for Q2. Your Q3 is okay but don't be too wordy. Thete must be more language points you cab make. Your Q4 is quite good but the 'grip of a heatwave' analysis is a bit of a stretch. 4.7.10. I presume you'd get 4 for Q1. 27 is a 7. This seems fair enough.

So, I did Edexcel, but the Section B (i.e. writing sections across Edexcel and AQA) are practically identical and easily comparable. It's basically the same **** but worded differently.

I scored 40/40 in Section B in both papers in 2018. I still help many pupils for writing in GCSE English language today, and I can do so because of how incredibly similar the specs are when it comes to this.

So, if any of you want my help, feel free to drop me a DM. I was able to do this a lot closer to the exams last year because the lower sixth was a sort of a very chilled academic year lol.

I described a picture that was given to me. I personified fruit as being soldiers trying to impress potential purchasers (world leaders) - complex, I know. My sociology teacher/headteacher said she'd expect to see my story in her nightmares lmao.

I get around 4 marks on questions 2
3 or 4 marks on question 3
7 on question 4

Btw you were 14 marks off a 9, so be proud! I'm guessing you got a 7 then. I think ideas that are that complex are too long to attempt to finish within 45 minutes because that's the whole idea - write a short story that has an ending. I went from 24 marks to 37 in a matter of months by just ensuring I write a story that is completed. This is why I attempt a narrative because in my opinion, as long as you have a unique idea inspired by the prompt given in the exam, use the prompt as a springboard for your work and end up with a completed story then you will get the high L4 marks.

I actually got a grade 5😂