English

Language Exam
Guide

How will my work be assessed?

English Language will be assessed in the following ways:

60% Exam
40% Controlled Assessment

Controlled Assessment:

OM&M
Two writing pieces
Study of Spoken Language

Exam
English Language (2hrs 15)

Section A: (Spend 1 hour 15mins)

Question 1

8 marks
15-16 minutes

(Including
reading time)

3 points

What do you
learn
*NEVER
MENTION THE
EFFECT ON
THE READER
*NO
ANALYSIS!
JUST INFER
(READ
BETWEEN
THE LINES)!
Use Source 1
Question 2

1. Read the WHOLE question and highlight the key words.

2. Read the article with a highlighter.
3. Where you find a quote that means you LEARN something highlight it.
4. Annotate each quote to highlight what it is you learn.
5. Make sure you have three different points about what you learn. DO NOT
REPEAT THE SAME POINT.
6. Make sure your quote can be interpreted.
(X) E.g. the quote /it was a 13 day journey cannot be interpreted as it tells
you one thing.
(Y) Disneyland like experience shows she enjoyed it and found it a
magical journey.

-Use This quote suggests/implies/hints

1. Read the WHOLE question and highlight the key words.

 8 marks
15-16 minutes

(Including
reading time)

2. Read the article with a highlighter.

3. Find ONE reason why the headline is effective (how does it attract the
reader) and explain the effect on the reader/ how it makes a reader

3 points

Explain how the

headline and
picture are
effective and how
they link to the
text.
*ALWAYS
MENTION THE
EFFECT ON
THE READER
& LINK
ANALYSIS
BACK TO
TEXT.
ANALYZE/
MICRO/WORD
- LEVEL
ANALYSIS!!!

feel.
4. Link the word/technique you picked out to the text. Find a quote from the
text and use it to show how the headline links with what has been written.
5. Find ONE reason why the picture is effective (how does it attract the
reader) and explain the effect on the reader. DESCRIBE WHAT IS
HAPPENING IN THE PICTURE.
6. Link the description you picked out to the text. Find a quote from the text
and use it to show how the picture links with what has been written.
7. Find ONE reason why the picture is effective (colour or scale) and explain
the effect on the reader. Explain the effect of the colours/scale on the
reader.
8. Link the description you picked out to the text. Find a quote from the text
and use it to show how the picture links with what has been written.
Use: This suggests/hints/implies to the reader that / This links to the text as

Use Source 2
Question 3

8 marks
15-16 minutes

1. Read the WHOLE question and highlight the key words.

2. Read the article with a highlighter.

(Including
reading time)

3. Find 3 thoughts or feelings in the text and highlight the quotes that show

What are some

of the thoughts
and feelings

4. Annotate WHAT the thought and feeling is.

3 points

*NEVER
MENTION THE
EFFECT ON
THE READER
Use Source 3

them.
5. The thoughts & feelings always change. FIND WHERE THEY CHANGE.
6. Write about the first thought and feeling. Explain what it is and how the
quote shows it to you.
7. Write about the second thought and feeling. Explain what it is and how the
quote shows it to you.
8. Write about where the thoughts and feelings change. Use TWO quotes to
show the change.
Use: This suggests / hints / implies .

Question 4

16 marks
25 30
minutes

(including rereading time)

3 comparisons
of language.

Compare how
writers in source

1. You are looking for LANGUAGE TECHNIQUES OR WORDS THAT HAVE AN

EFFECT.
2. Decide which source you want to compare to source 3.
3. Look at source 3 Find: rhetorical question / direct address to the reader /
lists / alliteration / repetition / fact / opinion / words that stand out /
4. Be careful of: adjectives / verbs DONT MIX THEM UP.
5. Draw a table. Write down the THREE language techniques and their

effects you will use from source 3.

3 and one other

source use
language for
effect.

6. Do the same for source 1 or 2. Add them to your table.

7. Write about the language effect you found in source 3. EXPLAIN THE

*ALWAYS
MENTION THE
EFFECT ON
THE READER.
ANALYZE/
MICRO/WORD
- LEVEL
ANALYSIS!!!
Use Source 3 and
either Source 1 or
Source 2

EFFECT ON THE READER.

Compare it (use a connective) to a language effect in source 1 or 2. .
EXPLAIN THE EFFECT ON THE READER.
8. Write about the language effect you found in source 3. EXPLAIN THE
EFFECT ON THE READER.
Compare it (use a connective) to a language effect in source 1 or 2. .
EXPLAIN THE EFFECT ON THE READER.
9. Write about the language effect you found in source 3. EXPLAIN THE
EFFECT ON THE READER.
Compare it (use a connective) to a language effect in source 1 or 2. .
EXPLAIN THE EFFECT ON THE READER.
Use: This suggests / hints / implies that . / It makes the reader .

Section B: (Spend 1 hour)

Question 5 inform, explain, describe (25mins)

Question 6 argue or persuade (35mins)
Clear communication

Clearly meet the audience and purpose of the task

Linguistic devices appropriate to task (eg. AFOREST)

Detail

Imaginative ideas (dont be boring, even if the task is!)

Spelling

Range of punctuation

Variety of sentences

Structured piece using paragraphs (a plan will be essential to do this well)

Ambitious vocabulary

Language techniques

Matching the right audience and purpose

English Literature will be assessed in the following ways:

75% Exam (TWO EXAMS)

25% Controlled Assessment

Controlled Assessment:

Shakespeare & Poetry

English Literature Paper 1: (1hr 30)

Answer TWO questions.
1. An Inspector Calls : 45 minutes : ONE QUESTION
2. Of Mice & Men : 45minutes : part (a) AND part (b)

An Inspector Calls
- Write about the LANGUAGE and STAGE DIRECTIONS of the
play.

- The question will ask you to address some of the themes

of the play: class / RESPONSIBILITY / gender/ capitalism /
socialism.
Higher Tier Past Questions for An Inspector Calls.
JUNE 2011
EITHER
Question 17 An Inspector Calls has been called a play of contrasts.
Write about how Priestley presents some of the contrasts in the play. (30
marks)
OR
Question 18 How does Priestley present the change in Sheila during the
course of the play An Inspector Calls? How do you think this change
reflects some of Priestleys ideas? (30 marks)
JAN 2012
EITHER
Question 17 Arthur Birling says, If we were all responsible for everything
that happened to everybody wed had anything to do with, it would be
very awkward, wouldnt it? How does Priestley present ideas about
responsibility in An Inspector Calls? (30 marks)
OR
Question 18 How do you respond to Gerald in An Inspector Calls? How
does Priestley make you respond as you do by the ways he writes? (30
marks)

Of Mice and Men

In the Paper 1 English Literature examination you will be expected to spend 45
minutes on Of Mice and Men. There are two questions:

Part (a) will be based on an extract from the text, which will be on the
paper (20mins)
Part (b) will ask about the whole novel (25mins)

You will be expected to hit three assessment objectives:

q
AO1: respond to texts critically and imaginatively; select and evaluate
relevant textual detail to illustrate and support interpretations
This means it is a good idea to have your own critical ideas about the text and
be able to think imaginatively about what the author does with the story, the
characters, the language etc. Obviously, you have to get good short
quotations to back up any ideas you have about the text!

AO2: explain how language, structure and form contribute to writers

presentation of ideas, themes and settings

This means you have to look in real detail at the words and techniques the
author uses to create the setting, the story and the characters of the novel
form. What literary devices are utilised? How do they impact on the reader? In
addition, you must make a point about the structure of the story. What happens
where? It may be something about how each chapter starts, it could be about
when an event takes place both within a chapter or within the novel as a whole;
it may be about the cyclical nature of the novel the fact it ends where it began.
It could be about what happens in the middle of the novel. Make at least one
point about structure over the two questions.

AO4: relate texts to their social, cultural and historical contexts; explain
how texts have been influential and significant to self and other readers in
different contexts and at different times.

This means you must talk about America at the time. You can bring in things
about the Great Depression; the prejudice shown to black people at the time;
the isolation of the lower social classes and the role of women in 1930s
America.
To get a good grade, try to ensure that your practice answers:
Are relevant you dont need to write everything you know about the text,
only the things that relate to the question
Are sufficiently detailed it is better to give a lot of detail about a small
part of the text than trying to cover lots of different points
Are well structured with a clear introduction which addresses the
question and a clear conclusion that returns to the question
Use effective vocabulary including literary terms where relevant
Use well-chosen evidence/quotations to support points.
In forty five minutes, you will only have time for about 3 or 4
paragraphs per question. Make sure you cover all the Assessment
Objectives!

English Literature Paper 2: (1hr 15)

Answer TWO questions.
1. Poetry Comparison (45 mins)
2. Unseen Poem (30 mins)

Question One: COMPARISON (45 minutes)

You will be asked to compare two poems from the Character & Voice
section of the anthology. ONE will be named, you must chose the other
poem.

TIPS:
1. Read the question and highlight the key words.
2. Chose the poem that you think fits the question.
3. Compare what is similar and what is different
4. Try to have FOUR paragraphs that look at both poems.
5. Use P.E.E.
PAST QUESTIONS

January 2012
Question 1
0 1 Compare the ways poets present ideas about identity in The Clown
Punk (page 4) and one other poem from Character and voice. (36 marks)
OR
Question 2
0 2 Compare the ways poets present isolated characters in The
Hunchback in the Park (page 18) and one other poem from Character
and voice. (36 marks)
June 2012
Question 1
0 1 Compare how poets use language to explore ideas and feelings in
Checking Out
Me History (page 5) and in one other poem from Character and voice.
(36 marks)
OR
Question 2
0 2 Compare the ways poets present ideas about power in Ozymandias
(page 14)
and in one other poem from Character and voice. (36 marks)

Question Two: Unseen Poem (30 minutes)

This question will ask you to look at a poem you have never
seen before and write about it.