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DEDICATION:

This guide was written by Georgina Bottomley, part of the mrbruff.com

team, and Andrew Bruff.

Georgina Bottomley is an English teacher from Dorset with 13 years of

teaching experience. She is a happily married mother of one. Georgina
Bottomley would like to thank: Andrew Bruff for his valuable time and
expert advice when proofreading the final draft of this book; Andrew
Hannaford, who spent time reading and commenting on the drafts; Jack Gill
for his helpful contributions; and, last but not least, Neil Bottomley for his
support and artwork.

I would like to start this eBook by thanking those who have helped and
supported along the way:

 Sam Perkins, who designed the front cover of this eBook.

 Sunny Ratilal, who designed the original front cover which was adapted
for this edition.
 Those who helped out financially by pre-ordering the book before it
was completed: Nicholas Shaw, Jon Bourne, Arshad Rasool, Ignacio
Abril, Naheed Ahmed, Tariq Aziz, Sulayman James, Sally Hall, Mrs M
Roberts, Purdip Bahra, Claire Hames, K Walker, Osna Seyed, Victoria
Forester, Anna Joseph, Andrew Bridge and Jeanette Davies.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

This guide is not endorsed by, or affiliated with, any exam boards. The
writers are simply two experienced English teachers who are using their
skills and expertise to help students.
Contents:

Introduction to the iGCSE English course Page 5

Speaking and Listening Page 7

The Coursework Portfolio Page 13

Spelling, punctuation, grammar and how to write in the correct format Page 35

Paper 1 – The Core Reading Paper Page 48

Paper 2 – The Extended Reading Paper Page 71

Paper 3 – Directed Writing and Composition Page 91

How is the course structured?
There are three pieces of written coursework totalling 40% of the overall marks. All
have word limits of 500-800 words. Component 3 is worth the most marks as it is
partly assessed for reading as well as writing.

PLEASE NOTE: You may sit the writing exam, (Paper 4 – Directed Writing and
Composition) INSTEAD of the written coursework. There is advice on how to approach
this paper later in the book.

Coursework Portfolio Style Example

Writing to inform, analyse Produce an information
Assignment 1 or argue. leaflet about a topic of
your choice.
Narrative and/or Describe a memorable
Assignment 2 descriptive journey
Analyse and evaluate the Write a counter-argument
Assignment 3 content of a text such as a to a newspaper article
newspaper article. which suggests that all
‘Brat Camps’ are wrong.

Students can be given general advice from their teachers and can keep improving their
written coursework until it is their best work. One draft of one piece of written
coursework (with your teacher’s general advice) must be submitted to the exam
board, along with the three final drafts so that the ‘general advice’ given by teachers
can be checked.

Speaking and Listening is worth 20% of the overall marks.

The remaining 40% of the marks come from the exam paper which is mainly assessed
for reading. Students might sit the core paper which is graded from C to G, or the
extended paper which is graded from A*-E. Check with your teacher which paper you
are sitting, as both are completely different.
 iGCSE English

SPEAKING AND LISTENING

Preparing for: SPEAKING AND LISTENING

There are two possible routes here. The first is known as COMPONENT 5.

For this component your teacher may give you a selection of topics to choose from or
you may have completely free choice. It is important to choose something that you’re
knowledgeable about and that you can discuss with confidence. There is a 3 month
period during which all candidates’ speaking and listening assessments must be
completed.

There are 30 marks in total for speaking and listening: 10 for the individual
presentation and 20 for the discussion which follows.

PART 1 - Individual task Candidates talk for 3-4 10 marks

A presentation,
monologue or speech
PART 2 - Discussion
minutes on an agreed
subject e.g a celebrity as a
role model.
Candidates discuss a wider 20 marks
issue with their (10 for speaking,
teacher/examiner e.g. the 10 for listening)
lack of privacy given to
celebrities by the media.

POSSIBLE TOPICS:

Sports/Hobbies

If you like Formula 1 you could talk about which team or driver you support and why.
For the discussion you could consider the safety aspects of the sport such as car
design, track layout and the rules set by the FIA.

Favourite TV Programmes

If you have enjoyed a programme such as ‘Educating Essex’ you could talk about a
particular episode first, then go on to discuss the use of cameras in the classroom and
the effect these programmes can have on the teaching profession.

Memorable Experiences

If you have been on a memorable holiday recently you could talk about that and then
be prepared to answer questions on the place you visited and what you learnt or
experienced whilst you were there.

Influential People
If you have a particular role model you could talk about that person then be prepared
to answer questions on, for example, celebrity role models and whether or not their
behaviour means that they should be held in such high esteem.

Current Affairs

If you feel strongly about a current issue such as teenage pregnancy you could talk
about this and then answer questions, taking into account all the possible different
viewpoints on the subjects.

Before the assessment

 Make bullet point notes about your topic. If necessary, research it further but
do pick something you already have considerable knowledge of.

 Practise your speech on your own and with friends or family. Try to avoid
writing it out in full and learning it as this often results in a monotone
presentation. It tends to be obvious when someone has learnt a speech by
heart and that isn’t appropriate for this assessment. Use cue cards instead to
help remind you of the key ideas you wish to include.

 Your teacher should know about your choice of topic before the test but they
might not prepare questions in advance. Just like the first speech, the
discussion should be spontaneous and fresh to achieve the highest marks.

 Aim to use the best possible vocabulary you can, speak in Standard English and
avoid slang as much as possible.

 Practise finishing your sentences! Avoid phrases such as ‘and stuff like that,’
finish what you want to stay; don’t make your listener guess!

Creating Cue Cards...

Once you have chosen your topic you want to be sure that you will be able to talk
about it in enough detail. Creating cue cards will mean that you will be reminded of
key ideas but you can still talk naturally. Cue cards are prompts; they are not
opportunities to write out your speech in full! If you did write it out and read it an
examiner would spot it and you would lose marks as it would sound pre-prepared. It
should appear spontaneous and ‘fresh’ for the highest marks.

Let’s take the topic of the television programme ‘Educating Essex’ as an example.

You could first create 3-5 different sections to talk about. This will keep your speech
moving on and stop you repeating yourself. Create more detailed notes then condense
these into cue cards once you’re happy with the contents.
EXAMPLE:

1. Intro to the programme – started 2011, documentary, unobtrusive, real lives of

teachers/students. School is Passmores in Harlow. Not like scripted reality TV
e.g. ‘The Only Way is Essex’! Teachers and students seem genuine in their
actions and reactions.

2. Example teacher e.g. Deputy Head Mr Drew – a disciplinarian (example of him

confiscating a hoodie), but also very likeable (way he greets students, attention
to detail, fair, wants the best for them etc.). Lead into his work with Charlotte...

3. Example student – year 11 Charlotte – gets into trouble! Funny, cheeky, lack of
respect at times, missed out on the prom and regretted it. Typical teen? Good
student to focus on as lots of current students can relate to her.

4. Effect of the cameras? Are pupils playing up to them? Do teachers teach

differently (better lessons?) I think I’d misbehave more if there were TV
cameras in my classes! 5 minutes of fame.

5. Value of the programme – realise how challenging it is to be a teacher, might

make teen viewers behave next time they’re in lessons? Gives parents greater
understanding of the pressures teaching staff are under.

NEXT STEP: These notes could then be condensed into the following 5 cue
cards...

TOP TIP – Make sure you rehearse your speech both with your detailed notes
and then with your cue cards. Your cards shouldn’t mean that you condense
what you actually say; it just means every word isn’t carefully planned.

1. Educating Essex

2011 Passmores in Harlow

Documentary, real lives

During the assessment

NOT scripted reality TV e.g.
TOWIE

Genuine actions/reactions
 2. Mr Drew – Deputy Head

Disciplinarian - hoodie

Likeable – fair, wants best for

pupils

Charlotte...

3. Charlotte - funny

Trouble – cheeky, lack of respect

Missed prom - regrets

Typical teen so others relate

4. Cameras

Playing up?

Teachers – better lessons?

Students – better or worse

behaviour? (I’d be worse –
FAME!)

5. Value

Challenging to teach

Might make viewers behave?

Parental understanding

Keep calm! There is no need to panic or get nervous; you are talking about a subject
you’re familiar with and your teacher will want to help you get the best marks
possible. They won’t try to pose very difficult questions; their aim is to get you to show
off your ability to speak during the discussion.

Everything will be recorded and the recording needs to run continuously so be

prepared to continue, even if you make a mistake of some sort. It’s very normal to
hesitate or rephrase something so don’t worry about that.
You may well get an opportunity to perform your assessment again if it is not judged to
be your best work the first time round (although you also cannot expect to be given
unlimited chances!)

You will probably be marked at the end of the assessment although your teacher may
wish to review parts of the recording before making a final decision.

Gaining TOP MARKS in the discussion:

Listen Carefully!

Let your teacher/assessor finish asking their question, don’t jump in even
if you know what they are going to ask. Answer in detail; avoid one
word/very short answers.

Use the best possible vocabulary!

Even though you won’t have been able to plan this section as thoroughly,
still think about your replies and the words/phrases you use. Use Standard
English and avoid slang as much as possible. Always finish your sentences
fully, avoid endings such as, ‘and stuff like that.’

Be Critical!

Evaluate others’ ideas if it’s appropriate. Don’t automatically agree or

disagree with any suggestion, really think about it and be honest in your
views. If you disagree, say so! Offering your own interpretation can be
very valuable.

Be confident!

You are talking about a familiar topic; your teacher/assessor is on your

side so go for it!

Speaking and Listening – Component 6 (the alternative route)

Your teacher may decide that rather than Component 5 which is outlined above, you
will sit Component 6.

This means you will be assessed for speaking and listening three times during the
course. The tasks are all different and you may well have more than one attempt at
each of them so that your best marks can be taken forward:
Task 1 is individual and gives you a chance to talk about a topic of your
choice. Alternatively, your teacher may give you a focus e.g. your time on
work experience. See Component 5 for a list of possible topics to choose
from and read through the advice under ‘Before the Assessment’ above.

Task 2 is done in a pair and again there is a range of possibilities. You

could be asked to complete a role play, which can give you an opportunity
to revise any Literature texts you may be studying as you, for example,
imagine you are two of those characters discussing their situation. This
could also be a discussion with your teacher or examiner e.g. about
improvements you’d like to see made around the school before you leave.

Task 3 is a group discussion. Your teacher will provide you with a scenario
and you will have to discuss it. For example, you may be given a character
from a book and asked to argue why your character is or isn’t worthy of
being saved if you are aboard a sinking ship!

See the Gaining TOP MARKS section above for further advice on how to
get the most out of these assessments. Best of luck!
 iGCSE English

THE COURSEWORK PORTFOLIO

 Preparing for the COURSEWORK PORTFOLIO

For those completing coursework, there are three pieces required. Alternatively, you
might sit the writing exam paper and not have to complete any coursework
whatsoever; ask your teacher which route you are taking. If you are sitting the exam
please see the advice on Paper 3 – Directed Writing and Composition.

Since these are pieces of coursework, not controlled assessments, there is no time
limit in which to write these pieces. It is possible to re-draft pieces acting on your
teacher’s advice and you can use a dictionary and word process (and spell check) your
work if you have access to a computer. It is expected that your final draft is a polished
piece of work which reflects your very best efforts.

For the highest marks on all three pieces always:

 Write to suit your audience and to suit the context of the task.
 Write accurately - use sentences and paragraphs correctly.
 Use a variety of sentence types such as short sentences.
 Use a wide range of punctuation.
 Use the best possible vocabulary you can.
 Use linguistic devices such as similes, metaphors and alliteration.

WRITTEN COURSEWORK – ASSIGNMENT 1

Writing to inform, analyse or argue

There are lots of possibilities for this piece of writing. As usual, it is best to write about
something that you have an interest in or knowledge of. Your final piece should be
500-800 words long.

Task titles – here are some suggestions:

 Write an information leaflet on a topic of your choice such as teen pregnancy.

 Write an article on how to become fit and lead a healthy lifestyle.

 Write a review of your school play.

 Write a letter to your Head teacher explaining why you think school uniform
should be banned.

TOP TIPS!
(See the LINGUISTIC DEVICES – DAFOREST TABLE for a summary of techniques)
  Research your chosen topic before you begin. Make sure you don’t plagiarise!
Make notes and then always use your own words unless you are quoting from
another source (in which case use quotation marks).
 Structure your paragraphs in a logical order – again this should be part of your
planning.
 Use connectives (see the SPaG section to help with this).
 Use the best possible vocabulary you can.
 Use a range of punctuation (use the SPaG section to help with this too).
 Use a range of sentence structures e.g. short sentences for effect.

Let’s consider writing a review. I will take you through how to approach the task, step-
by-step:

1. Research your material – gather facts, quotes etc. which might be useful for
your piece of writing.
If your task was to write a review of your school’s production of ‘Hairspray’
your research might include the following information:

 400 people have bought tickets so far

 A limited amount of tickets are still available

 Based on the 1988 John Waters film

 Staff from all faculties are involved

 Students from all year groups are involved

 The Headmaster said, ‘The best musical our school has ever performed!’ at
the end of the opening night.

 John Travolta and Michael Ball have both played Edna Turnblad

 Overall message is one of equality and tolerance.

2. You then need to structure your response, ideally paragraph by paragraph so that it
is fluent.
e.g. Para 1 – Overall response to the production, summing up what I thought of it
(short).

Para 2 – Other people’s responses, focusing on the Head’s quote

Para 3 – What the musical is about, a brief summary

Para 4 – Auditions and rehearsals

Para 5 – Other preparations, how the whole school was involved

Para 6 – What messages is the musical trying to give to its audience?

Para 7 – One student’s experience of playing a lead role for the first time. Other
comments about characters.

Para 8 – The amount of tickets left and something inspiring to encourage readers
to buy one!

Only once you have thoroughly planned your piece of writing can you then
concentrate on using the best possible vocabulary and ensuring you show your ability
to use a range of punctuation and sentence types.

Be prepared to re-draft your work to improve it after feedback from your teacher.
Here is an example of a final piece of work...

3. Your opening line...

Make it clear what you are writing about but try to engage you reader’s interest from
the start. A one word sentence or a quote can work well here...

Imagine you are writing a review praising your school’s production of the musical
‘Hairspray’...

‘Mesmerising!’ or

‘The best musical our school has ever performed!’ cried Mr Smith at the end of last
night’s production of ‘Hairspray.’

is a vast improvement on ‘Last night I saw a very good production of Hairspray in our
school theatre.’

4. LINGUISTIC TECHNIQUES – USING ‘DAFOREST’

Aim to use as many of these techniques as possible in Assignment 1, the acronym
DAFOREST can help!

TECHNIQUE DEFINITION EXAMPLE

Direct address Referring to the reader
directly using the
pronouns ‘we’ or ‘you’.
Alliteration A group of words
beginning with the same
letter or sound.
Fact Something which can be
proven to be true.
Opinion A belief which cannot be
proven to be true.
Rhetorical question Any question in a piece of
writing which does not
require an answer.
Emotive language Words which elicit a
powerful emotional
response.
Statistics Numerical facts and data.
(rule of) three Lists of three things in a
sentence.
‘You need to see this
production before the end
of the week.’
‘Simply splendid’
‘There were participants
from all year groups’
‘This was the best musical
the school has ever
performed’
‘Do you want to miss out
on a rip-roaring sing-along
spectacular?’
‘The youngest performers
make themselves, the
school and their parents
proud’
‘Over 400 people have
already bought tickets for
the remaining
performances’
‘it’s a fun, fast-paced and
fabulous journey’.

5. How to end...

You should aim to sum up your thoughts at the end of this piece of coursework. Always
plan your ending before you begin to write.

A one word sentence can work well, as can directly addressing your reader, possibly by
using a rhetorical question to leave your reader actively thinking about what you’ve
written, e.g. ‘So do you want to miss out on such an experience?’

Remember to also use a range of sentence types and punctuation, see FORMAT and
SPaG sections, plus the EXEMPLAR MATERIALS for further help.

ASSIGNMENT 1 - EXEMPLAR RESPONSE

‘Mesmerising!’ This quote which I overheard on my way out of the theatre last night
exemplifies my thoughts about Tower School’s most recent production, ‘Hairspray -
The Musical.’

Our own Headmaster, Mr Smith, described the performance as, ‘The best musical our
school has ever performed,’ in his speech at the close of the opening night on Monday.
Students who have only attended this school for a couple of years should pay close
attention to this... Mr Smith has been Headmaster here for nearly 16 years, so has
seen a fair few school productions in his time!

‘Hairspray,’ is a musical which is based on the 1988 John Waters’ film of the same
name. It tells the story of somewhat-overweight teenager Tracy Turnblad who dreams
of dancing on the Corny Collins Show. We follow her journey as she tries to make it
onto the show. It turns out she has all the right moves but will she manage to
overcome the other teens who try to stand in her way? It’s a fun, fast-paced and
fabulous journey, a heart-warming story of life in the 60s in Baltimore, Maryland.

Despite the auditions being held in June, it was September before the cast of the
Tower School’s version could get underway with their rehearsals. The lead roles
quickly found that most of their lunchtimes were taken up with learning lines and
songs, and that’s in addition to the rehearsals being called each week for the rest of
the cast. Jonny Evans had the following to say, ‘I wish I’d spent longer learning my lines
over the summer but singing along to the soundtrack from the film in Mum’s car did
help!’ Judging by the audience participation on Monday, he wasn’t the only one who
had been singing along to the soundtrack recently!

Every faculty in the school has contributed to the show in some way, with many
teachers sacrificing hour after hour to ensure that this is the most visually impressive
performance our theatre has ever seen. The Art department directed scores of
students painting the set, the Media department set about creating publicity material
and the Science department have contributed props and sorted through costumes. It
has truly been a team effort!

Although much amusement and fun was had during the rehearsals, the cast were
encouraged never to lose sight of the message that the musical seeks to portray... one
of equality and tolerance. Teens are always under pressure to fit in and this story
reminds the audience that being yourself is totally acceptable; whatever weight or race
you are, so long as you are then tolerant and kind in return. What better way of
making the more insecure members of the audience feel good about themselves than
to have them sing along to ‘I’m big, blonde and beautiful’? Singing along is allowed
apparently, and it’s amazing to see how many of the audience are word perfect!

Tim Horton plays the role of Tracy’s mother Edna in a part which has been previously
played by both John Travolta and Michael Ball. It is his first major role in a production
and what a role to have! The cross-dressing was enough to send the audience into
hysterics on Monday but that, coupled with his fantastic voice, soon brought the house
down every time he appeared. His rendition of ‘You’re timeless to me,’ alongside his
on-stage husband, Wilbur Turnblad played by Chris Dempey was truly unforgettable!

This production has to be seen to be believed. From the lead roles, primarily held by
Sixth Form students, many of whom are relishing their final production at school, right
down to the little year 7s in their first performances; all do themselves, their parents
and the school, proud. From the set, the costumes and of course the performances, do
you really want to miss out on this rip-roaring, sing-along spectacular? There are only 4
more chances to see the show and there are only a very limited number of tickets
available, 400 tickets have already been secured for the remaining performances. The
final night is expected to sell out by the end of tomorrow! So don’t delay, get your
ticket today!

WRITTEN COURSEWORK – ASSIGNMENT 2

Narrative and/or descriptive writing

This component requires you to write in narrative (story) form, or to write to describe
a particular moment in time.

With a 500-800 word limit you cannot write a lengthy story so bear this in mind when
you’re planning.

It is best to use a stimulus of some sort such as an image, a film clip or a text such as a
poem or novel.

Task titles – here are some suggestions:

 Imagine you were tasked with diffusing a bomb in Afghanistan, describe your
experience... (watch the opening of the film ‘The Hurt Locker’ first.)
 Describe a memorable journey you have undertaken (see the exemplar piece
of coursework).
 Imagine you are Curley’s wife from ‘Of Mice and Men’. Write a monologue
describing your life on the ranch, your marriage to Curley and your hopes and
dreams for the future (using a text/character you’re studying for Literature can
be a good revision exercise!)

TOP TIPS
(See the LINGUISTIC DEVICES – FORECAST TABLE for a summary of techniques)
  Try to stay writing in the past tense unless there is a good reason to change
(e.g. deliberate use of flashbacks). If you start in the present you may well slip
into using the past and then may be marked down for tense confusion.
 Use the best possible vocabulary you can.
 Use a range of sentence types e.g. a short sentence for effect.
 Use a range of punctuation – including a quote or short conversation between
characters can help you to do this.
 Decide whether to write in the first (I) or third (he/she) person and stick to it.
 When writing to describe, use as many different senses (see, touch, feel, hear,
smell) as possible. After all,

As I trudged along the road I could smell freshly baked rolls from the baker’s next door then, as
I reached the park, the sound of children laughing contrasted with my sombre mood ...

is far better than

I walked along the road to the park feeling depressed. ..

 Try to use colours in an imaginative way.

The soft, pink sky seemed to stretch on forever...

is better than

The blue sky was clear overhead.

Using ‘soft, pink’ rather than ‘blue’ means that you avoid a cliché and manage to add
atmosphere (romantic, peaceful) and time of day (early morning or evening) just by
add one extra word.

Your coursework pieces aren’t long so need to be packed full of techniques.

How should I start?

There’s a range of ways to start this piece of writing. Here are a few suggestions:

 Use a one word sentence. ‘Intriguing’ or ‘Astounding’ or ‘Breath-taking’ might

sum up the feeling of your piece and make your reader want to find out what is
making you use that word at the very start. You’re also showing you can use a
range of sentence types.
 A rhetorical question can also work well such as ‘Who could believe a day that
started off in such a normal way, would end so tragically?’ or ‘How would you
feel if you were faced with a life and death decision?’
 Alternatively, an excellent simile or metaphor can impress your reader from
the start. Sentences such as ‘The end of my world had arrived,’ or ‘It was like I
was falling and would never stop...’ hook the reader from the start.

How to end...
Here are some suggestions for ways to end your piece of writing; you should plan this before
you begin:

 Refer back to the way you started the piece, either with a key word or idea
from your opening.
 Use a cliff-hanger but be sure to end this with an ellipsis (...) so we know there’s
more to the story.
 AVOID ENDING WITH ‘IT WAS ALL A DREAM’! This invalidates all your hard
work, as if none of it mattered anyway. This is not a unique way of ending and
will not impress your examiner or teacher.

LINGUISTIC TECHNIQUES – USING ‘FORECAST’

Aim to use as many of these techniques as possible in Component 2, the acronym

FORECAST can help:

TECHNIQUE DEFINITION WHY WE USE IT

Fact Something which can be
proven to be true.
Opinion A belief which cannot be
proven to be true.
Rhetorical Any question in a piece of
question writing which does not
require an answer.
Emotive Words which elicit a powerful
language and emotional response, often
imagery using similes/metaphors.
Colours Avoiding the clichés such as
‘blue sky’ and ‘green grass’
Alliteration A group of words beginning
with the same letter or sound.
Senses Go beyond what we see, use
other senses such as touch,
taste, smell or hear.
(rule of) three Lists of three things in a
sentence.
Make the text seem authoritative,
accurate and therefore believable.
Sway the reader towards the
writer’s viewpoint.
Engages the reader to read on as
they feel that, by being addressed
directly, the text is relevant to
them.
Makes the topic of the text seem
overly good or bad, depending on
the purpose of the text.
To show a more impressive range of
vocabulary and create a more
accurate image
Makes the text catchy – it sticks in
the reader’s head.
Creates a more vivid picture for
your reader.
Makes the text catchy – it sticks in
the reader’s head.

Remember to also use a range of sentence types and punctuation, see FORMAT and
SPaG sections, plus the EXEMPLAR MATERIALS for further help.

YOUR TURN!
Read the following exemplar piece of coursework for component 2. How many of the
techniques discussed so far can you spot?

Component 2 Exemplar

‘It’s worth it.’ As I forced one foot in front of the other in a final
push I finally realised that what my father had said to me all those
years ago was true. It was worth it. Have you ever had a similar
moment of revelation?

I had first planned this expedition to Everest when my father had

tried to help me break the vicious cycle of: dead-end job – no
money - depression. I was amazed to find out that he had climbed
Everest a couple of years before I was born as a way of escaping the
difficulties he was facing in his life at the time. He’d sat me down
over a stiff Espresso, intent on giving me some spark of inspiration
to fire me up. I could still remember the aroma of those coffee
beans and that smell would serve to remind me of my father and his
advice for years to come. We’d had these chats before but what he
didn’t realise was that this time it was different, this time I wanted
help, this time I was listening...

As I trudged towards the short, insignificant orange post that

marked the summit I settled in my mind that when my father had
jokingly said, ‘Listen to me son, I’m always right you know,’ that he
actually was.

I was fed up with looking at my feet. I had been looking at my boots

for hour after hour. I knew every snapped eyelet, every worn patch.
It was nearly time to give in and look up, to raise my heavy head
and exhausted eyes, to savour the sight before me. But not yet, not
just yet...

I thought back to the struggle of the last few days, the toil and the
despair. The ground beneath me blanched by snow, matched my
pallid expression as I endured pain that reached all the way into my
bones. But if 80 year old Mr Miura had managed it, so could I.

Trembling, either with cold, exhaustion or anticipation, I raised my

head. Bright light flooded my eyes blinding me just for a moment,
before all was revealed. It’s too cliché to say it was ‘awe-inspiring,’
‘breathtaking’ or ‘amazing;’ it was all of those and more. The air was
still incredibly thin but suddenly I stopped gasping and could
breathe with ease. I was surrounded by other people and could
hear them whooping in celebration but I felt alone and utterly at
peace.

The exhausting journey, plodding stoically on and on, had

culminated in this. The clouds swirled over the crests of other
mountains which rose around me like iced peaks on top of a
Christmas cake. Christmas; it was fast approaching with all of its joy
and family time. I was lucky that, despite my lack of enthusiasm, my
family had always welcomed me back to the fold at Christmas and
provided me with far more than I really deserved. Recently my
family was a jigsaw, with me the missing piece. I’d been detached,
aloof, difficult to reach as I’d wallowed in my self-created pit of
laziness and lack of purpose. In the future I would tell my children
about this journey; the trip that had awakened me. After all, I was
only 22 years old, my actual journey had just begun and as I looked
around I realised that so far, it was worth it. I took my flag out of my
backpack and prepared to tie it alongside the others...

Now fill in the table, using quotes from the text as examples.

When you’re finished check out the possible answers :

TECHNIQUE DEFINITION EXAMPLE WHY WE USE IT

Fact Something which can be proven Make the text seem
to be true. authoritative, accurate
and therefore believable.
Opinion A belief which cannot be proven Sway the reader towards
to be true. the writer’s viewpoint.

Rhetorical Any question in a piece of writing Engages the reader to

question which does not require an read on as they feel that,
answer. by being addressed
directly, the text is
relevant to them.
Emotive Words which elicit a powerful Makes the topic of the
language and emotional response, often using text seem overly good or
imagery similes/metaphors. bad, depending on the
purpose of the text.
Colours Avoiding the clichés such as ‘blue To show a more
sky’ and ‘green grass’ impressive range of
vocabulary and create a
more accurate image
 Alliteration A group of words beginning with Makes the text catchy – it
the same letter or sound. sticks in the reader’s
head.
Senses Go beyond what we see, use Creates a more vivid
other senses such as touch, picture for your reader.
taste, smell or hear.
(rule of) three Lists of three things in a Makes the text catchy – it
sentence. sticks in the reader’s
head.

Short sentence
and quote to grab
Component 2 Exemplar reader’s attention

‘It’s worth it.’ As I forced one foot in front of the other in a final
Rhetorical
push I finally realised that what my father had said to me all those
question to
years ago was true. It was worth it. Have you ever had a similar
involve the
moment of revelation?
reader
I had first planned this expedition to Everest when my father had
tried to help me break the vicious cycle of: dead-end job – no Range of
money - depression. I was amazed to find out that he had climbed punctuation
Everest a couple of years before I was born as a way of escaping the
difficulties he was facing in his life at the time. He’d sat me down
over a stiff Espresso, intent on giving me some spark of inspiration
Sense (smell)
to fire me up. I could still remember the aroma of those coffee
used to
beans and that smell would serve to remind me of my father and his
enhance image
advice for years to come. We’d had these chats before but what he
didn’t realise was that this time it was different, this time I wanted
help, this time I was listening...

As I trudged towards the short, insignificant orange post that

marked the summit I settled in my mind that when my father had
jokingly said, ‘Listen to me son, I’m always right you know,’ that he
actually was.

I was fed up with looking at my feet. I had been looking at my boots

for hour after hour. I knew every snapped eyelet, every worn patch.
It was nearly time to give in and look up, to raise my heavy head
and exhausted eyes; to savour the sight before me. But not yet, not
just yet...
Impressive
I thought back to the struggle of the last few days, the toil and the use of colour
despair. The ground beneath me blanched by snow, matched my
Fact -
pallid expression as I endured pain that reached all the way into my
Research
bones. But if 80 year old Mr Miura had managed it, so could I.
used
Trembling, either with cold, exhaustion or anticipation, I raised my effectively
head. Bright light flooded my eyes blinding me just for a moment, Start with a
verb to vary
before all was revealed. It’s too cliché to say it was ‘awe-inspiring,’
sentence
‘breathtaking’ or ‘amazing;’ it was all of those and more. The air was
types
still incredibly thin but suddenly I stopped gasping and could
breathe with ease. I was surrounded by other people and could
hear them whooping in celebration but I felt alone and utterly at
Power of three
peace.
Sound -
onomatopoei
Using best
a
The exhausting journey, plodding stoically on and on, had possible vocab
culminated in this. The clouds swirled over the crests of other
mountains which rose around me like iced peaks on top of a Simile
Christmas cake. Christmas; it was fast approaching with all of its joy enhances
and family time. I was lucky that, despite my lack of enthusiasm, my imagery
family had always welcomed me back to the fold at Christmas and
provided me with far more than I really deserved. Recently my Opinion
family was a jigsaw, with me the missing piece. I’d been detached,
aloof, difficult to reach as I’d wallowed in my self-created pit of
laziness and lack of purpose. In the future I would tell my children Metaphor
about this journey; the trip that had awakened me. After all, I was enhances
only 22 years old, my actual journey had just begun and as I looked imagery
around I realised that so far, it was worth it. I took my flag out of my
backpack and prepared to tie it alongside the others...

Repetition of opening
adds completeness to
the text.

Your completed table should look something like this:

 TECHNIQUE DEFINITION EXAMPLE WHY WE USE IT
Fact Something which can be proven ‘80 year old Mr Makes the text seem
to be true. Miura climbed authoritative, accurate
Everest’ and therefore believable.
Opinion A belief which cannot be proven ‘I was lucky my Sways the reader towards
to be true. family welcomed the writer’s viewpoint.
me back’
Rhetorical Any question in a piece of writing ‘Have you ever had Engages the reader to
question which does not require an a similar moment of read on as they feel that,
answer. revelation?’ by being addressed
directly, the text is
relevant to them.
Emotive Words which elicit a powerful ‘my family was a Makes the topic of the
language and emotional response, often using jigsaw, with me the text seem overly good or
imagery similes/metaphors. missing piece.’ bad, depending on the
purpose of the text.
Colours Avoiding the clichés such as ‘blue ‘the ground To show a more
sky’ and ‘green grass’ beneath me, impressive range of
blanched by snow’ vocabulary and create a
more accurate image
Alliteration A group of words beginning with ‘heavy head and Makes the text catchy – it
the same letter or sound. exhausted eyes’ sticks in the reader’s
head.
Senses Go beyond what we see, use ‘the aroma of Creates a more vivid
other senses such as touch, coffee beans’ picture for your reader.
taste, smell or hear.
(rule of) three Lists of three things in a ‘awe-inspiring, Makes the text catchy – it
sentence. breath taking, sticks in the reader’s
amazing’ head.

Using another text as inspiration

It is possible to use this assignment as a way of revising other texts that

you may be studying for English Literature. Here is an example of a piece
which uses the poem ‘Nettles’ by Vernon Scannell as a starting point...
The Brave Knight

From my vantage point, I could see everything. I saw the grass of our neglected
garden, yellowing in the immense heat of the summer. The screams of playing children
could be heard, penetrating the thick August air.

From atop my watchtower, I examined our garden. At the right border was a tall
hedge, a towering wall isolating us from our neighbours, barely surviving the heat.
Beneath its great shadow lay our dying lawn; the scorching sun had drained all its
vitality. Behind the back fence was a great oak tree that surveyed all that happened
beneath it. Down the left side there was a flowerbed that looked like the only sign of
healthy life for miles. At the end of those shrubs sat our dilapidated old shed,
deforming in the summer warmth. At this edge of the garden stood an almighty fence
and between this Hadrian’s Wall and our frail old shack, stood a small forest of nettles
and brambles. The jungle of green and brown climbed up the wooden monstrosity.
Opposing this shed in the far right corner was a rusty trampoline that was no longer fit
for use but had be given a new purpose by my son… it was a mighty fort that a great
knight lived in.

Early one evening my son was sat outside, next to his great fort, planning his next
adventure. What would it be today? Perhaps he would slay a dragon or maybe he
would defend his fort from evil goblins. He looked as if he was readying himself for
battle. Who was he going to wage war on? Only time would tell what he had planned.

The boy wandered across the garden, sword in hand. We’d made that sword together
last year, out of two short slabs of pine. He was a noble knight, fearless in the face of
danger. He stopped. Standing in front of the aged shed, he raised his sword above his
head and swung. It was a colossal blow! I was about to shout and stop him but before I
could, the strike connected. However, it connected not with the shed, as I had
expected, but with the nettles beside it. Then I realized; my son wanted revenge for all
the times he had been stung, pricked or cut by them before.

The sword came down again and again, causing the green spearmen to fall but one
little green warrior was to make a final stand, and he struck my son’s leg as he fell. The
knight recoiled. I was about to rush down to help him but the injured knight battled
on. He continued dealing powerful blows until every last green soldier was vanquished.
After every last one had been felled, he retreated back to the house.

I ran down the stairs to help the injured soldier as he returned from battle. I saw him
come in and hold his wounded limbs quietly. I treated his battle wounds, as he told me
of the epic battle I had just witnessed.

YOUR TURN!

Could you use a poem or a novel as inspiration for a piece of creative writing?

WRITTEN COURSEWORK – ASSIGNMENT 3

Analyse and evaluate the context of a text.

This piece of coursework is again 500-800 words but it is worth more marks than the
other two written pieces as it’s firstly marked for writing, but then there are an
additional 10 marks for reading.

The text you need to respond to will be chosen by your school or centre. It will contain
facts, opinions and arguments. It’s up to you to select and analyse points from that
text. You are allowed to write in any form for this e.g. a letter or an article so check
out the FORMAT section for further help if necessary.
Here are some techniques to look out for which may be aiming to sway the reader.
Once you’ve spotted them you can then evaluate their effect and potentially argue
against them. You should also aim to use some of these techniques in your own
writing.

TECHNIQUE DEFINITION EXAMPLE WHY WE USE IT

Fact Something which can be proven ‘60% of teens have Makes the text seem
to be true. tried smoking’ authoritative, accurate
and therefore believable.
Opinion A belief which cannot be proven ‘Everyone hates Sways the reader towards
to be true. people who smoke’ the writer’s viewpoint.
Rhetorical Any question in a piece of writing ‘Do you want to die Engages the reader to
question which does not require an young?’ read on as they feel that,
answer. by being addressed
directly, the text is
relevant to them.
Emotive Words which elicit a powerful ‘Smoking is barbaric Makes the topic of the
language emotional response. and torturous’ text seem overly good or
bad, depending on the
purpose of the text.
statistics Numerical facts and data. ‘8/10 smokers want Makes the text seem
to quit’ authoritative, accurate
and therefore believable.
(rule of) three Lists of three things in a ‘smoking is Makes the text catchy – it
sentence. expensive, harmful sticks in the reader’s
and anti-social’. head.
Repetition Mentioning something more ‘not acceptable to To add emphasis to the
than once the, not acceptable point being made.
to us’
Anecdote Short story to illustrate the point ‘Barbara died a slow Makes the argument
painful death due to seem more personal,
Lung Cancer caused evokes an emotive
by her smoking response from the reader

TASK TITLE
Read the following article which argues that young people are largely
responsible for the problems we face today. Write a counter-argument in
response to what you’ve read, persuading your readers that this is not
the case.

First Step – read the text, getting an idea of what its main arguments are
that you might be able to counter...

Our Polluted Planet – it’s time young people took some responsibility
The youth of today are told that the world is their oyster; they are told
they can be or have anything they choose. There is a price to pay for all
this though...

Whilst we want our offspring to have numerous opportunities and be

able to follow a path in life that will mean they are happy and satisfied,
we are at a stage now where we must consider the attitude of young
people and how their desire to ‘have it all,’ may mean they actually have
less and less.

In a survey of over 60s we found that 75% of them hold young people
responsible for today’s problems. Young people are so concerned with
consumerism, their desire to ‘buy, buy, buy,’ being fuelled by
inescapable media campaigns, that they are creating a world that is
struggling to cope with the amount of waste being produced. Clickety
click, another product ordered which will, no doubt, be delivered
surrounded by twice the amount of packaging that is absolutely
necessary. If we’re lucky, some of that waste will end up being recycled;
if not then our landfills had better brace themselves.

The ‘make-do and mend’ generation were already aware of the need to
save the planet. They picked up a needle and thread and fixed holes in
clothing, they re-used bottles, containers etc that many young people
wouldn’t be able to think of a use for. Cheap prices in stores such as
Primark mean that it’s all too easy to pick up another three-pack of socks
for a pound, rather than bother trying to make the old pairs go that bit
further.

The under 25s need to realise that they cannot carry on behaving in this
way, not if they want a planet in a decent state of repair to leave for
their own children. It’s time they woke up and smelled not only the
coffee, but the decaying rubbish around them.

Second step

Read the text again, this time highlighting any points you want to argue against
in your own response. Don’t go onto the next page until you have had a go!

Our Polluted Planet – it’s time young people took some responsibility
The youth of today are told that the world is their oyster; they are told
they can be or have anything they choose. There is a price to pay for all
this though...

Whilst we want our offspring to have numerous opportunities and be

able to follow a path in life that will mean they are happy and satisfied,
we are at a stage now where we must consider the attitude of young
people and how their desire to ‘have it all,’ may mean they actually have
less and less.

In a survey of over 60s we found that 75% of them hold young people
responsible for today’s problems. Young people are so concerned with
consumerism, their desire to ‘buy, buy, buy,’ being fuelled by
inescapable media campaigns, that they are creating a world that is
struggling to cope with the amount of waste being produced. Clickety
click, another product ordered which will, no doubt, be delivered
surrounded by twice the amount of packaging that is absolutely
necessary. If we’re lucky, some of that waste will end up being recycled;
if not then our landfills had better brace themselves.

The ‘make-do and mend’ generation were already aware of the need to
save the planet. They picked up a needle and thread and fixed holes in
clothing, they re-used bottles, containers etc that many young people
wouldn’t be able to think of a use for. Cheap prices in stores such as
Primark mean that it’s all too easy to pick up another three-pack of socks
for a pound, rather than bother trying to make the old pairs go that bit
further.

The under 25s need to realise that they cannot carry on behaving in this
way, not if they want a planet in a decent state of repair to leave for
their own children. It’s time they woke up and smelled not only the
coffee, but the decaying rubbish around them.

Did you have similar points highlighted?

Step 3 – list the possible counter-arguments

The ingredients of your work are starting to come together. Careful you don’t repeat
the same point several times. Keep moving on.

1. Young people can’t ‘have it all’ – under 25s don’t have enough money for
that!
2. Survey – simply not true!
3. Can’t ‘buy, buy, buy,’ or ‘clickety click’ even if we wanted to
4. Media to blame? Or packaging – we’re not responsible for excess packaging
around items.
5. We DO recycle!
6. ‘Make-do and men’ generation HAD to do so because of the WAR!
7. Under 25s = biggest supporters of Greenpeace
8. We DO want a better world for our own children/grandchildren

Remember...

 As always, use the best vocabulary you can.

 Use a wide range of accurately used punctuation.

 Aim to use some or all of the techniques listed in the table above.
Actively plan to use them as this piece is still primarily marked for
writing. So...

Step 4 – include other techniques.

9. ADD AN ANECDOTE:
Gramps (my grandfather) who is very wasteful – doesn’t recycle and has the
heating on constantly so wastes energy. Use him as a typical example of how
the elderly’s attitude can be damaging.

10. ADD RHETORICAL QUESTIONS:

e.g. Do you, like me, see a world that is full to the brim of rubbish, creating
pollution by the bucket-load?

11. ADD EMOTIVE LANGUAGE

e.g. This is outrageous!

ASSIGNMENT 3 - EXEMPLAR RESPONSE

 PENSIONERS POLLUTE!

A current survey shows that 75% of old people hold young people
responsible for today's problems. This is outrageous! I suggest that today's
youth are not the key offenders; the elderly had this planet ruined before
we even arrived.

Look around you. What do you see? Do you, like me, see a world that is
full to the brim of rubbish, creating pollution by the bucket-load? Do you
see wasteful consumerism gone crazy, an insane, insatiable desire to have
everything? Now look up from this problem; who are those doing these
things? Is it, as a recent survey shows, young people's fault? No way. We
are not the ones using excess packaging around every product. Most of us
are well-aware how to recycle and do so regularly. Most of us don’t have
the money to shop every weekend and ‘clickety-click’ through online
purchases on a regular basis! We are not the media who promote every
product out there so that we start to believe we ‘need’ it.

This article argues that the ‘make do and mend generation’ knew
something about how to save the environment. Of course, what the writer
failed to mention was WHY they were make do and mending in the first
place: World War 2. Oh yes, whilst Grandma was washing her tin-foil,
Grandad was being shipped off to Poland, destroying the natural
landscape with tanks, clogging up the Polish air with fuel emissions from
the machinery of war (not to mention the killing).

I am a young person. I show compassion. I care about the environment, I

care about pollution, I care about maintaining a sustainable planet for my
own children and grandchildren. Old people don’t seem to realise that
80% of members of Greenpeace are under 25: young people care. Old
people are to blame – take my grandfather for example...

Roger Bruff is 81 years old. He lives alone, but refuses to downsize from
the three bedroom house that he brought his family up in. This is common
of many of the elderly – you don’t need a big house unless you have a
family! I visit Gramps once a week. I often check his green and brown bins,
but the recycling one is always empty. His argument is that he’s too weak
to be sifting through his rubbish, yet he’s not too weak to get to the pub
every week. In his driveway is a car – a big beast that guzzles fuel. Like all
old people, he’s stubborn, and refuses to walk anywhere, but drives.
Gramps is not a rare case; he is a typical old person: bordering on selfish.
His house is always bathed in heat with his radiators kicking out toxic
waste 24/7. Some would call him ‘lucky’ since not all the elderly can afford
limitless heat, but I call it wasteful. He often forgets to turn the heating off
so ends up opening up windows and doors to let some fresh air combat
the oppressive atmosphere upstairs.

What’s my point? It isn’t young people who are to blame. We are not the
homeowners, the car drivers, the consumers. We are not those who fly
around the world on holiday. What do we do? We go to school, we see
our friends. It is the elderly who do these things – they torture and destroy
the world. They crucify nature in their desire for satisfaction. Yes, all
young people have mobile phones, but we use them for music, phone calls
and internet, not like the wasteful elderly who make a call once a year.

The youth of today are the most educated people in the world; our
conscience does not allow us to be wasteful.
 iGCSE English

SPELLING, PUNCTUATION, GRAMMAR

HOW TO WRITE IN THE CORRECT

FORMAT

HOW TO WRITE IN THE CORRECT FORMAT

LETTER FORMAT
If you are asked to write a letter you should use the following format:
 Exam Headquarters Your address goes on the right 5 Banana Gate Rd
15 GCSE Street hand side; their address goes on
Hr St Budeaux
the left. It is fine to make up both
London addresses but make sure you use Plymouth
capitals correctly.
SN21 4SQ PL2 6TZ

Today’s date should be placed

under your address.
Dec 30th 2012

Address your reader, then indent

the next line and begin your
Dear Sir / Madam,
letter.
I am writing to you with reference to
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.

If you don’t know the name of the person you are writing
to, sign off with ‘yours faithfully’. If you do know the name
Yours faithfully,
of the person you are writing to, sign off with ‘yours
Andrew Bruff sincerely’.

ARTICLE FORMAT
If you are asked to write an article of any kind (newspaper, magazine, web-page etc.) then you
should use the following format:
Your headline should be short,
Your subheading (first snappy and alliterative. It should
paragraph) should summarise hint at the topic of the story but
the whole article in a few not give too much away.
sentences.
 PENSIONERS POLLUTE!
As current surveys show 75% of old people hold young people responsible for today's
problems, Andrew Bruff suggests today's youth are not the key offenders; the elderly had
the planet ruined before they even arrived.

Look around you. What do you see? Do you, like me, see a world that is full to the brim of
rubbish, creating pollution by the bucket-load? Do you see wasteful consumerism gone crazy,
an insane, insatiable desire to have everything? Now look up from this problem; who are those
doing these things? Is it, as a recent survey shows, young people's fault? No way.

In a recent article the writer argued that her make do and mend generation knew something
about how to save the environment. Of course, what she failed to mention was why they were
make do and mending in the first place: World War 2. Oh yes, whilst grandma was washing her
tin-foil, granddad was being shipped off the Poland, destroying natural landscapes with tanks,
clogging up the Polish air with fuel emissions from the machinery of war (not to mention the
killing).

I am a young person. I care. I care about the environment, I care about pollution, I care about
recycling. Old people don’t seem to realise that 80% of members of Greenpeace are under 25:
young people care. Old people are to blame – take my granddad for example.

Richard Smith is 81 years old. He lives alone, but refuses to downsize from the three bedroom
house that he brought his family up in. This is common of many of the elderly – you don’t need
a big house unless you have a family! I visit granddad once a week. I often check his green and
brown bins, but the recycling one is always empty. His argument is that he’s too weak to be
sifting through his rubbish, yet he’s not too weak to get to the pub every week. In granddad’s
driveway is a car – a big beast that guzzles fuel. Like all old people, he’s stubborn, and refuses
to walk anywhere, but drives. My grandfather is not a rare case, he is a typical old person:
selfish. His house is always bathed in heat with his radiators kicking out toxic waste 24/7.

The rest of your article should go into more

detail about the topic. It should ideally include
quotations from interviews with relevant
people (you make these up).
 THE SPaG SECTION

CAPITAL LETTERS

Capital letters may seem like a very easy place to start, but in actual fact there are
many uses of a capital and if you make mistakes with these supposedly 'simple'
pieces of punctuation then you will struggle to get a high grade. Despite their
hidden complexities, there is little more off-putting and instantly recognisable to
an examiner than the incorrect use of a capital letter.

You should use a capital letter for:

1) The start of a sentence e.g. 'Today is Monday'.
2) Names of people, brands, days of the week and months e.g. 'Andrew, Nike,
Monday, January'.
3) Countries and cities e.g. 'America, Plymouth'.
4) Languages and religions e.g. 'French, Buddhist'.
5) Holidays e.g. 'Christmas, Easter'.
6) Titles. The first and significant words in a title need a capital e.g. 'The Lord of the
Rings'. In this example the words 'of' and 'the' are not significant- they don't hold
the meaning, so they are not capitalised.
7) The personal pronoun 'I' e.g. 'I love Mr Bruff's revision videos'.
8) Abbreviations e.g. 'BBC'.
9) Emphasising words: if you wish to show strong emotion such as anger you can
put whole words or sentences in capitals e.g. 'I HATE YOU!'

As you can see, capital letters are not as simple as you might have thought. Why
not try writing a paragraph which incorporates all nine types?

SPEECH MARKS

Speech marks are used to separate the words in a sentence which somebody actually
says from the rest of the sentence. We call this direct speech:

“I’m going to bed,” shouted James as he ran up the stairs.

The simple rule is to put every word which is actually spoken inside speech marks. You
must remember to start each sentence of dialogue with a capital letter:

“I’m going to bed,” shouted James as he ran up the stairs.

Mum shouted angrily, “Please come here James!”

We need to break the direct speech up from the rest of the sentence, usually using a
comma. However, we can also break up direct speech by adding some information
about who is speaking: “If you think you can just run up to bed,’ Mum said, ‘you can
think again”.

In this example we don’t start ‘you can think again’ with a capital letter as it is not a
new sentence; it’s simply a continuation of the sentence beginning ‘If you think you
can just run up to bed’.

In the following example, what James says is two separate sentences, so each requires
a capital letter:

“I hate you,” he mumbled. “You can’t boss me around.”

Conversations between characters should be easily recognisable in a story or novel as

you need to start a new line and indent, each time a new character speaks.

It should look like this:

James finally arrived home at midnight and slammed the door, just as his mother
appeared.

“I’m going to bed,” shouted James as he ran up the stairs.

“If you think you can just run up to bed,” Mum said, “you can think again.”

“I hate you,” he mumbled. “You can’t boss me around.” Reluctantly James

trudged back down the stairs. If nobody speaks the narrative continues from here....

APOSTROPHES OF POSSESSION (BASIC LEVEL)

Apostrophes of possession show us who or what owns something in a sentence. For
example:

Mr Bruff’s videos are an amazing resource.

Because the videos belong to Mr

Bruff we put an apostrophe after
‘Mr Bruff’.

There is a technique worth learning here, as it makes it all very easy when we get to
advanced level apostrophes:
 1) Ask yourself who the thing belongs to. Whatever the answer is, the apostrophe
goes after that. E.g. who do the revision videos belong to? The answer is Mr
Bruff, so the apostrophe goes after Mr Bruff.

If you can understand that simple technique then we can apply it to the advanced level
of apostrophes of possession.

APOSTROPHES OF POSSESSION (ADVANCED LEVEL)

The thing about apostrophes of possession is that they very quickly become very
difficult. Consider the following two sentences:

 The students work was awesome (when talking about an individual student).
 The students drama show was a real let down (when talking about a group of
students).

Where would you put the apostrophes in these sentences? Well, if you apply the
technique above it’s simple:

In the first sentence who does the work belong to? The answer is the student, so we
put the apostrophe after the word student, making the correct answer: the student’s
work was awesome.

In the second example, who does the drama show belong to? The answer is the
students, so we put the apostrophe after the word students, making the correct
answer: the students’ drama show was a real let down.

This simple reversing technique should help you to work through the following tricky
sentences:

The womens movement was a seminal event in history.

The childrens park was in need of some repair.
The babies hats were so cute.

If you find those these difficult, be sure to watch the video.

APOSTROPHES OF OMISSION
These are the simplest type of apostrophe, used to show where letters or words have
been taken out. Look at the following example:

I didn’t even know that spiders could bite.

Here we have shortened the words ‘did’ and

‘not’ into the one word ‘didn’t’. In doing so,
we have taken out the letter ‘o’, so we put an
apostrophe of omission in its place to indicate
The only tricky bit with apostrophes of omission is that there are some words which
have been shortened for so long that you might not realise it. For example: 8 o clock
should be written 8 o’clock, as it was originally shortened from ‘8 of the clock’.

CONNECTIVES
Connectives are words which link sentences and paragraphs together. You should aim
to use them in your writing to show that there is some cohesion between the different
parts of your answer. Without connectives, it will look like you have simply written a
bunch of random thoughts.

Here are some of the main connectives you can use. I recommend trying to memorise
five or six to use in your written work:

Firstly Secondly Eventually Meanwhile After Next Before

Consequently Because Therefore As a result Likewise Also In the
same way Equally Similarly Although Conversely In contrast
Whereas On the other hand In particular Above all Indeed
Especially Significantly In addition Furthermore What’s more
Moreover For example For instance

So how should you use them? Here is a slightly over the top example, but it gives you
an idea or how your writing will appear so much more cohesive with the use of
connectives.

‘Because of a power-cut, my alarm did not sound at the prescribed hour of 7AM.
Furthermore, a traffic jam on the A38 delayed me by an extra ten minutes.
Consequently, I arrived at the office twenty three minutes later than planned. However,
my boss Michael was also late, meaning that I still arrived before him. Nevertheless, I
threw myself into my work with reckless abandon, working fiercely to redeem the lost
twenty five minutes. As a result, by the time Michael did arrive, I had caught up with
the missed work.

In contrast to this, Kelly arrived at work on time. However, she spent the first forty
‘boss free’ minutes of the day catching up on Facebook and Twitter. Therefore, when
Michael walked in, it was Kelly that was disciplined, not me. Provided that no-one
informs the boss of my blunder, I am now in prime position for a job promotion.’

SENTENCE VARIETY
The following is an absolute must for those students aiming to achieve A and A*
grades. So many students fail to vary their sentence structure, and the result is pure
boredom for the examiner. If you incorporate the following into your answers for
questions 5 and 6, your work will stand out from the rest and impress that examiner.

1) Two adjective beginnings

The aim here is to start your sentence with two adjectives which
describe the subject of the sentence. For example:

Informative and entertaining, Mr Bruff’s eBook was a worldwide

bestseller.

The adjectives ‘informative’ and ‘entertaining’

transform this sentence into something much
more engaging than ‘Mr Bruff’s eBook was a
worldwide bestseller’. Simple but effective.

Here is another example:

Exhausted and frustrated, the students finally finished their GCSE exams.

2) Starting with an ‘ing’ word

What you do here is start your sentence with an ing word, leading
into a clause which tells us more about the subject of the sentence.
For example:

Straining with the effort, Grandma did a back-flip.

Rather than the simple sentence ‘Grandma did a

back-flip’, the ‘ing’ clause at the beginning makes
the sentence so much more interesting.
 3) Beginning with an ‘ly’ word
For this third example of sentence variety, we begin the sentence with an
adverb (an ‘ly’ word) which gives us more detail on how the verb is performed.
For example:

Happily, Mr Bruff wrote a 15,000 word revision guide over the

holiday.
So what would it look like if you were to use these three types of sentence
variety in an exam response? Well, let me take part of the article from earlier in
this chapter and edit the structure of some of the sentences.

This is our starting text:

‘In a recent article the writer argued that her make do and mend generation knew
something about how to save the environment. Of course, what she failed to mention
was why they were make do and mending in the first place: World War 2. Oh yes,
whilst grandma was washing her tin-foil, grandad was being shipped off the Poland,
destroying natural landscapes with tanks, clogging up the Polish air with fuel emissions
from the machinery of war (not to mention the killing).’

Here’s the same text with some sentence variety added in:

Disillusioned and despondent, the writer recently argued that her make do and mend
generation knew something about how to save the environment. Curiously, what she
failed to mention was why they were make do and mending in the first place: World
War 2. Hoping to be economical, grandma was washing her tin-foil whilst granddad
was being shipped off the Poland, destroying natural landscapes with tanks, clogging
up the Polish air with fuel emissions from the machinery of war (not to mention the
killing).

The most notable thing here is that altering the sentence structure does not alter the
content of your answer – the content stays the same, but the quality of written
communication is dramatically improved.

SEMI-COLONS
The semi-colon is the undisputed king of punctuation; use it correctly and you are
bound to impress the examiner. Surprisingly, it is a very simple to use piece of
punctuation. In your answers to questions 5 and 6 you should aim to use one at the
beginning and one at the end; you never want to commit semi-colon overkill.
Semi-colons are used to join two sentences, where both sentences are about the
same topic.

For example:

Mr Bruff’s revision videos are hosted on YouTube; his eBook is hosted on his own
site.

In this example there are two separate sentences:

Mr Bruff’s revision videos are hosted on YouTube.

His eBook is hosted on his own site.

However, both of the sentences share a common topic – they both focus on the
hosting sites of the revision materials created by Mr Bruff. Because of this, a semi-
colon can be used.

Here are some examples where a semi-colon should not be used. Can you work out
why it is not correct to use a semi-colon?

I like Christmas; because I get lots of presents.

It is Thursday today; my Christmas tree is fake.

In the first example, the clause ‘because I get lots of presents’ is not a complete
sentence (it is a subordinate clause). Remember: semi-colons can only be used to join
two complete sentences. A sentence (for those of you asking) is a group of words that
makes sense on its own. It also needs to contain a verb (a doing word). ‘Because I get
lots of presents’ does not make sense on its own and is therefore not a sentence.

In the second example, although they are two complete sentences, the sentences are
not about the same topic. There is no direct link between stating the day in one
sentence and the nature of your Christmas tree in the next.

So there you have it: use a couple of semi-colons in your answers to questions 5 and 6.
Ideally you should use them right at the beginning and right at the end (this way they
stick in the examiner’s head and remind him / her just how great you are).

COMMAS
Commas direct us on how to read a piece of writing and are an incredibly complex
piece of punctuation to use correctly. As with capital letters, there are a number of
uses of commas.

1) Listing commas
 This is the one everyone knows: we use commas to break up the items in a list,
except for in-between the last two items where we use the word ‘and’. The
comma is correct if it can be replaced with the word ‘and’ or ‘or’.

The four flavours of Starburst are: orange, lemon, lime and apple.

2) Commas for joining

Commas are used when two complete sentences are joined using conjunctions
such as ‘and, but’ or ‘so’.

The boys wanted to stay up and see Santa, but they grew tired and fell
asleep.

3) Bracketing commas
This is my own personal favourite use of the comma, largely because it is a
simple way of making your written work seem very impressive. Bracketing
commas are used to mark off the beginning and end of a weak interruption to a
sentence. In other words, you can lift the words out from between the two
commas and the sentence still makes sense. Let me show you what I mean:

MrBruff.com, a brand new website, is being viewed 1000 times a

day.

The above sentence would still make sense if we took the bit out between the
bracketing commas, leaving us with:
MrBruff.com is being viewed 1000 times a day.

Like the previous section on sentence variety, the weak interruption is giving us
more information about the subject of the sentence- in this case MrBruff.com.

4) Commas for subordinate clauses

Commas are used to break up the clauses in complex sentences. The comma
always comes after the subordinate clause:

I am very tired, because I woke up at 5AM this morning.

On either side of this comma is a clause. The independent clause ‘I am very

tired’ makes sense on its own, whereas the dependent clause ‘because I
woke up at 5AM this morning’ requires more information to make sense.
The clauses are divided with a comma.
One of the interesting things about complex sentences is that you can start the
sentence with either clause. If you begin some of your sentences with the subordinate
clause in the exam, it will add more variety to your writing:

Because I woke up at 5AM this morning, I am very tired.

Despite the rearrangement

of sentence structure, the
comma still comes after the
subordinate clause.

PARAGRAPHS
Paragraphs are often misunderstood. Students tend to skip a line when they have
written quite a lot of text, but that is not what paragraphing is all about.

To start with, you should start a new paragraph when you change to a new idea or
focus in your writing. Therefore, it helps if you are following a plan for your answer;
you simply start a new paragraph when you move onto a new part of your plan.

Every paragraph needs a topic sentence. A topic sentence is the first sentence of the
paragraph, which explains what the paragraph will be about. The rest of the paragraph
then goes into more detail on this point. For example:

Here is our topic sentence which explains what

this paragraph is about: the lack of comfort in the
school uniform,

You should be able to wear what you want to school because the uniform is too
uncomfortable. The jumper is 90% asbestos; you don’t stop scratching yourself
the whole day. The ties have you half choked and the trousers – don’t even talk
to me about the trousers; they cut you at the waist and the ankle. It’s a joke.
If you find yourself drifting onto a topic that is not the same as the topic sentence then
it is time to start a new paragraph.
iGCSE English

THE EXAM

CORE PAPER
Preparing for the exam (worth 40% of the marks)

You will either sit the CORE paper (graded from C-G), or the EXTENDED paper (graded
from A*-E).

EXAMINATION PAPER 1 - THE CORE PAPER (grades C-G)

This paper has 3 questions; the time allowed is 1hr 45 mins. There are 2 texts to read.
Passage A will be 5-600 words long and Passage B will be 300-350 words long. It is
expected that you spend about 10 mins just reading the texts.

Question number Max marks awarded Suggested time inc

reading/planning
1 20 marks 35 mins
2 15 marks 30 mins
3 15 marks 35 mins

Top Tips!
THE SPECIFICATION HAS CHANGED FOR 2015 – BE AWARE WHEN USING OTHER PAST
PAPERS/SAMPLE ANSWERS!

E.G. There is now a second passage on this paper, there are fewer sub-questions in
question 1, there is now a summary for question 3 etc. Please consult the specification
for a full list of changes for 2015.

 Take 3 or 4 highlighters into the exam so you can pick out key quotes easily.
 Read around any difficult words/phrases to help you make sense of any
challenging vocabulary.
 Master the art of re-phrasing (putting quotes into your own words) before the
exam. Start by trying out synonyms for different words e.g. a synonym for
‘scared’ is ‘afraid’, gradually try synonyms for more difficult vocabulary.
 Practise honing your inference and deduction skills.
 Remember this is primarily a READING paper.
 Take your time, think carefully and write in detail where necessary. It is
possible to finish this paper quite quickly but you are unlikely to achieve top
marks if you do so.

KEY SKILL – USING SYNONYMS

( a synonym is a word with the same or similar meaning as another

word, e.g. a synonym for ‘scared’ is ‘afraid’).
Question 1 – Comprehension Questions

These are a set of short answer questions, based on the

first printed text called ‘Passage A.’

Planning to answer question 1 – where do I begin?

1. Skim read the whole text first so that you have an idea of what it’s about.

2. Read the questions carefully. Pay attention to the number of marks on offer so
you can judge how much detail to put into your answer.

3. Some questions will be asking for fairly basic information from the passage,
others will ask you to re-phrase what you’ve read to show your understanding.
Make sure you use your own words when asked to do so.

4. Follow all of the instructions, carefully double checking you are analysing the
correct part of the text before you begin writing your answer. Draw a box
round any paragraphs which are referred to keep you focused.

5. Have a go at every question, even if you’re not sure of the answer; don’t leave
any blank spaces.

6. If you don’t understand a word try reading around it a couple of times. Which
meaning would make the most sense?

YOUR TURN!
Read through this next passage and have a go at the questions which
follow...
Passage A – Fred Bruff recounts his first time shark-diving in South Africa with a
company called Great White Experiences.

When my brother, Phil,

first suggested we push
ourselves out of our
comfort zones and swim
with sharks I thought he
was joking. He wasn’t. Two
months and a couple of
thousand pounds later,
here we were, on a boat
heading towards ‘Shark
Alley’, a spot near to the
beautiful Seal Island, off
the coast of South Africa.

There were obvious differences between guests who had done this before and those,
like us, who were on their first shark diving trip. Those that had already survived the
experience were relaxed and chatty, the rest of us were much quieter, contemplating
our lives and loved ones, wondering if this could be our last hour on the planet! One
couple was seasick and had to be looked after by the crew for most of the trip.

There are two types of birds which dominate this area: cormorants and pigeons. For
some reason I expected there to be greater variety and for them to be more exotic.
South Africa is home to such a wider variety of flora and fauna and I expected my
marvel at the land mammals to continue here at sea... Then I remembered I was here
for what was under the water, not on top of it!

All too soon the 25 minute boat trip was nearly over. We were given wetsuits and the
rest of the diving equipment. Efficiently the boat crew from Great White Experiences
came round and checked that everything was in order. My brother and I are both
relatively experienced divers but all of a sudden I became convinced that my
equipment would fail, leaving me drowning and at the total mercy of the predators
below!

We huddled together for some quick safety reminders. The talk settled my nerves, I
remembered the advice we’d been given before setting out. I took a deep breath and
became much more positive about the approaching dive.

I barely remember the pair of us getting into the cage. The water was far more murky
than I’d expected and it took me a few second to adjust and remind myself that I could
breathe and I could see far enough into the distance to clock a shark, or anything else,
approaching.
Surprisingly, after a few minutes, I felt very restricted by the cage. I felt trapped and
unable to escape if I wanted to. I had been used to diving without any barriers. Also, I
kept bumping into the bars and my brother as we jostled for a good view.

Just then, through the bottle-green waters, swimming silently, came one of the
ocean’s greatest predators: a Great White shark. Its mouth slightly open, we were
close enough to see the jagged edges of its teeth. It circled the cage several times as
my adrenaline hit its peak! My heart was pounding; I expected it to attack the cage and
try to make us its next meal! This wasn’t to be and I gradually relaxed as the shark
sampled some of the meat from the boat which was floating in the water.

Then another dark shape appeared through the gloom. This shark was smaller and
seemed more timid, certainly not your typical Jaws! I was amazed at how politely they
interacted with each other, seemingly taking it in turns to hoover up the food on offer.
I suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of respect for these creatures that man has
been afraid of and hunted down for so many years. These are intelligent, curious
beings who just want to go about their business; it is us who insist on invading their
habitat.

Just then we were brought back out of the water and the next pair descended into the
hidden, magical world below the surface. I hoped they would feel the same way I did
about the experience. In fact I hoped we’d all leave the trip with a new appreciation of
the wonders of nature. We don’t know how lucky we are to share this planet with such
stunning and inquisitive souls.

Question 1

a) Using your own words, explain what the writer says about the differences
between the guests who had dived with sharks before and those that hadn’t.

................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................(2)

b) Name the two types of bird that the writer mentions:

 ....................................................................................................................

 ........................................................................................................... (1)

c) i) What does the writer say about the way the process of getting ready was
done by the boat crew?
 ................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................(1)

C) ii) Using your own words, give two effects that the safety talk had on the
writer.

 ..............................................................................................................

 ................................................................................................................(2)

d) How did being in the cage affect the writer’s experience?

..................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................(2)

e) Using your own words, explain what the writer means by ‘certainly not your
typical Jaws!’

.............................................................................................................................................

..............................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................(2)

f) What did the writer hope the rest of the guests would gain from the trip?

.........................................................................................................................(1)
g) Complete the table below to answer gi) and gii)
i) Re-read paragraph 9 ‘Then another dark shape...’ Explain, using your
own words, what the writer meant by the words in italics in THREE of
the following phrases:
a) ‘this shark was smaller and seemed more timid’
b) ‘amazed at how politely they interacted with each other’
c) ‘felt an overwhelming sense of respect for these creatures’
d) ‘these are intelligent, curious beings’

ii) The writer is very keen that other people dive with sharks and have a
similar experience to him. Explain how the words and language in each
of the phrases you’ve chosen help to suggest his feelings about sharks
now.
Phrase selected (a, The meaning of the How the words and
b, c or d) words in italics language in the phrase show
his feelings about sharks
now.

.............................. ................................... ............................................

................................... ............................................

.................................. ............................................

.................................. ............................................

............................... ................................... ............................................

................................... ............................................

.................................. ............................................

.................................. ............................................

................................ ................................... ............................................

................................... ............................................

.................................. ............................................

..............................(3) ........................................(6)
(Total 20)

Now mark your answers to question 1...

 Check you have used your own words where necessary. You don’t
have to include the exact words from the mark scheme but the
ideas should be similar.

Question 1

a) Using your own words, explain what the writer says about the differences
between the guests who had dived with sharks before and those that
hadn’t.

 Those that had done it before were at ease/calm and talkative

 Those who were new to the experience were not as loud and were
thoughtful about their situations.

One mark for each, up to a maximum of 2.

b) Name the two types of bird that the writer mentions:

 Cormorant and pigeon (both required for 1 mark)

c) i) What does the writer say about the way the process of getting ready
was done by the boat crew?

 It was efficient

c) ii) Using your own words, give two effects that the safety talk had on the
writer.

 Calmed him down

 Made him think of the trip as a great experience

I mark per point, maximum of 2.

d) How did being in the cage affect the writer’s experience?

 He felt too enclosed

 He kept bumping into his brother because it was so small
 It was strange. He was used to diving without one.
 1 mark per point, maximum of 2.

e) Using your own words, explain what the writer means by ‘certainly not
your typical Jaws!’

 The shark was not the man-eater portrayed in the film/it didn’t try to attack
people like the shark does in the film/it was calm unlike in the film

2 marks for a clear explanation written in the candidate’s own words. 1 mark for
partial understanding.

f) What did the writer hope the rest of the guests would gain from the trip?

 That they would gain respect and appreciation for sharks and other
creatures.
 They would appreciate nature more.

1 mark for any valid point.

g) Complete the table below to answer gi) and gii)

Re-read paragraph 9 ‘Then another dark shape...’ Explain, using your

own words, what the writer meant by the words in italics in THREE of
the following phrases:

1 ‘this shark was smaller and seemed more timid’

The shark seemed shy/lacking in confidence

2 ‘amazed at how politely they interacted with each other’

They cooperated/communicated with each other

3 ‘felt an overwhelming sense of respect for these creatures’

Large/enormous/profuse amount of respect

4 ‘these are intelligent, curious beings’

The sharks are interested/inquisitive beings

1 mark per explanation in the candidate’s own words, up to a maximum

of 3.
 ii) The writer is very keen that other people dive with sharks and have a
similar experience to him. Explain how the words and language in each of the
phrases you’ve chosen help to suggest his feelings about sharks now.

Award 1 mark for a partial explanation of a phrase.

Award 2 marks for each explanation which is clear and shows full
understanding of the effect of the writer’s use of language.

e.g. The phrase ‘these are intelligent, curious beings’ suggests that the
writer thinks the sharks are clever and should be appreciated is worth
1 mark.

For two marks more detail is needed e.g. The use of the adjective,
‘intelligent’ makes the reader realise that the sharks are not mindless
killing machines. They are thoughtful. The writer’s addition of ‘curious’
suggests they are keen to examine and learn about new additions to
the water, making them seem less intimidating creatures.

Question 2

This writing task will be based on the first printed text,

Passage A. It could ask you to write in any form e.g. a
speech, a report, a letter, a diary entry etc)

 There are 10 marks for reading and 5 marks for writing so pay close attention
to the material you select from the text. You must understand what is
described/felt/imagined and then show this understanding in your writing.
 Write accurately; your work should be well structured and use accurate
spelling, punctuation and grammar (see the SPaG section for help with these
skills).
 Read the question carefully and cover ALL aspects of the bullet points.
 Use information and ideas from the text but USE YOUR OWN WORDS.
 Develop the ideas and add your own imaginative details but never lose sight of
the original text.
KEY SKILL – USING SYNONYMS

( a synonym is a word with the same or similar meaning as another

word, e.g. a synonym for ‘scared’ is ‘afraid’).

Planning to answer question 2 – where do I begin?

1) Read the question carefully, highlighting key words as you go. Pay particular
attention to the three bullet points; they are all looking for different kinds of
information which you will later need to use in your answer.

2) Have 3 different coloured highlighters (or coloured pencils) at the ready. The
reading and planning time is built in; don’t rush through these planning stages
as they are key to gaining the marks in your answer.

3) For each bullet point you are looking for 3 or 4 pieces of information (there
may well more than 3 to choose from that will be relevant!) The first bullet
point should have information that is fairly easy to find... look for these 3 points
using your first coloured highlighter (e.g. yellow).

4) Re-read the second bullet point, change colours and read the text again, picking
out another 3 or 4 quotes (again there will be more than 3 possibilities).

5) Re-read the final bullet point (this one is harder as it tests your skills at
inference and deduction). Use your final colour (e.g. pink) to highlight another
3 points.

6) Double check you have a total of about 10 points highlighted which cover the
whole text. It is essential that you have covered all 3 bullet points.

Writing the answer to question 2...

If your planning has been done accurately and thoroughly actually writing your
response will be fairly easy. The key now is to USE YOUR OWN WORDS. You mustn’t
quote from the text. Often you will be given a phrase or a sentence to start you off.

Reading marks:

There are 10 marks available for you using the information you have identified from
the text so your ability to use synonyms and re-word the information is key. For top
marks your response must show that you have read the text accurately, developed
your ideas and covered all three of the bullet points in detail.

Writing marks:

There are a further 5 marks available for the quality of your writing. You will be
rewarded for writing accurately, expressing your ideas precisely, structuring your
response appropriately and using the best possible vocabulary you can.

Structuring your answer

There are different possibilities here: some schools may suggest bullet point lists
followed by a paragraph but in order to really impress your examiner I recommend
writing your response in full sentences and paragraphs.

YOUR TURN! Imagine this is your question 2...

EXEMPLAR QUESTION 2

Imagine that you are Fred Bruff, the writer of Passage A. At the end of the trip
you decide you want to go back and work as a dive instructor, taking guests on
trips to dive with Great White Sharks in South Africa. When you return home
that evening you write your journal entry for the day.

In your journal entry you should:

 Give your impressions of the dive crew and the guests that you met.

 Explain your reasons for wanting to work as a dive instructor with that
company.

 Express any concerns you may have about working in this job.

Base your journal entry on what you have read in Passage A but do not copy
large chunks of the text. Use your own words. Write 200-300 words.
10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 5 marks for the
quality of your writing.

Begin your journal entry... ‘As soon as I returned from the trip, I knew I wanted
to work as a dive instructor with Great White Experiences...

YOUR TURN – LET’S PREPARE!

Re-read passage A and pick out anything which relates to, or could be developed, to
address each of the three bullet points. Using different coloured highlighters can help
at this stage.

Passage A – Fred Bruff recounts his first time shark-diving in South Africa with a
company called Great White Experiences.

When my brother, Phil, first

suggested we push ourselves out of
our comfort zones and swim with
sharks I thought he was joking. He
wasn’t. Two months and a couple of
thousand pounds later, here we
were, on a boat heading towards
‘Shark Alley’, a spot near to the
beautiful Seal Island, off the coast of
South Africa.

There were obvious differences between guests who had done this before and those,
like us, who were on their first shark diving trip. Those that had already survived the
experience were relaxed and chatty, the rest of us were much quieter, contemplating
our lives and loved ones, wondering if this could be our last hour on the planet! One
couple was seasick and had to be looked after by the crew for most of the trip.

There are two types of birds which dominate this area, cormorants and pigeons. For
some reason I expected there to be greater variety and for them to be more exotic.
South Africa is home to such a wider variety of flora and fauna and I expected my
marvel at the land mammals to continue here at sea... Then I remembered I was here
for what was under the water, not on top of it!

All too soon the 25 minute boat trip was nearly over. We were given wetsuits and the
rest of the diving equipment. Efficiently the boat crew from Great White Experiences
came round and checked that everything was in order. My brother and I are both
relatively experienced divers but all of a sudden I became convinced that my
equipment would fail, leaving me drowning and at the total mercy of the predators
below!

We huddled today for some quick safety reminders. The talk settled my nerves, I
remembered the advice we’d been given before setting out. I took a deep breath and
became much more positive about the approaching dive.

I barely remember the pair of us getting into the cage. The water was far more murky
than I’d expected and it took me a few second to adjust and remind myself that I could
breathe and I could see a far enough into the distance to clock a shark, or anything
else, approaching.
Surprisingly, after a few minutes, I felt very restricted by the cage. I felt trapped and
unable to escape if I wanted to. I had been used to diving without any barriers. Also, I
kept bumping into the bars and my brother as we jostled for a good view.

Just then, through the bottle-green waters, swimming silently, came one of the
ocean’s greatest predators, a Great White shark. Its mouth slightly open, we were
close enough to see the jagged edges of its teeth. It circled the cage several times as
my adrenaline hit its peak! My heart was pounding; I expected it to attack the cage and
try to make us its next meal! This wasn’t to be and I gradually relaxed as the shark
sampled some of the meat from the boat which was floating in the water.

Then another dark shape appeared through the gloom, this shark was smaller and
seemed more timid, certainly not your typical Jaws! I was amazed at how politely they
interacted with each other, seemingly taking it in turns to hoover up the food on offer.
I suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of respect for these creatures that man has
been afraid of and hunted down for so many years. These are intelligent, curious
beings who just want to go about their business; it is us who insist on invading their
habitat.

Just then we were brought back out of the water and the next pair descended into the
hidden, magical world below the surface. I hope they would feel the same way I did
about the experience, in fact I hoped we’d all leave the trip with a new appreciation of
the wonders of nature. We don’t know how lucky we are to share this planet with such
stunning and inquisitive souls.

How did you do?

 Give your impressions of the dive crew and the guests that you met.
GREEN

 Explain your reasons for wanting to work as a dive instructor with that
company.
YELLOW

 Express any concerns you may have about working in this job.
PINK

Your page might look something like this:

Passage A – Fred Bruff recounts his first time shark-diving in South Africa with a
company called Great White Experiences.

When my brother, Phil, first

suggested we push ourselves
out of our comfort zones and
swim with sharks I thought he
was joking. He wasn’t. Two
months and a couple of
thousand pounds later, here we
were, on a boat heading
towards ‘Shark Alley’, a spot
near to the beautiful Seal
Island, off the coast of South
Africa.

There were obvious differences between those guests who had done this before and
those, like us, who were on their first shark diving trip. Those that had already survived
the experience were relaxed and chatty, the rest of us were much quieter,
contemplating our lives and loved ones, wondering if this could be our last hour on the
planet! One couple was seasick and had to be looked after by the crew for most of the
trip!

There were two types of birds which dominated this area, cormorants and pigeons. For
some reason I expected there to be greater variety and for them to be more exotic.
South Africa is home to such a wider variety of flora and fauna and I expected my
marvel at the land mammals to continue here at sea... Then I remembered I was here
for what was under the water, not on top of it!

All too soon the 25 minute boat trip was nearly over. We were given wetsuits and the
rest of the diving equipment. Efficiently the boat crew from Great White Experiences
came round and checked that everything was in order. My brother and I were both
relatively experienced divers but all of a sudden I became convinced that my
equipment would fail, leaving me drowning and at the total mercy of the predators
below!

We huddled today for some quick safety reminders. The talk settled my nerves, I
remembered the advice we’d been given before setting out. I took a deep breath and
became much more positive about the approaching dive.

I barely remember the pair of us getting into the cage, the water was far more murky
than I’d expected and it took me a few second to adjust and remind myself that I could
breathe and I could see a far enough into the distance to clock a shark, or anything
else, approaching.
Surprisingly, after a few minutes, I felt very restricted by the cage. I felt trapped and
unable to escape if I wanted to. I had been used to diving without any barriers. Also, I
kept bumping into the bars and into my brother as we jostled for a good view.

Just then, through the bottle-green waters, swimming silently, came one of the
ocean’s greatest predators, a Great White shark. Its mouth slightly open, we were
close enough to see the jagged edges of its teeth. It circled the cage several times as
my adrenaline hit its peak! My heart was pounding; I expected it to attack the cage and
try to make us its next meal! This wasn’t to be and I gradually relaxed as the shark
sampled some of the meat from the boat which was floating in the water.

Then another dark shape appeared through the gloom, this shark was smaller and
seemed more timid, certainly not your typical Jaws! I was amazed at how politely they
interacted with each other, seemingly taking it in turns to hoover up the food on offer.
I suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of respect for these creatures that man has
been afraid of and hunted down for so many years. These are intelligent, curious
beings who just want to go about their business; it is us who insist on invading their
habitat.

Just then we were brought back out of the water and the next pair descended into the
hidden, magical world below the surface. I hope they would feel the same was I did
about the experience, in fact I hoped we’d all leave the trip with a new appreciation of
the wonders of nature. We don’t know how lucky we are to share this planet with such
stunning and inquisitive souls.

Adding extra notes for yourself can help at this stage... e.g.

One couple was seasick and had to be looked after by the crew for most of the trip!

Your notes could indicate why 3 colours have been used in one sentence...

There are probably guests who become seasick on most of the trips – being able to
help and look after them could be rewarding as an instructor but it could also be a
concern; who want to be the one always looking after the people vomiting?

Once your passage is highlighted and you have chosen your 10 or so points, you
should be ready to begin writing. Don’t forget to use your own words and add in
extra details!
EXEMPLAR ANSWER

As soon as I returned from the trip, I knew I wanted to work as a dive instructor with
Great White Experiences... I’d had an amazing time diving with the powerful and
majestic Great White sharks and I really wanted to play a part in other people having
as good an experience as me.

The guests seemed to be varied in their approach to the dive and whilst we were on
the boat I gained an insight into how people deal with their anxiety. The first-time
divers tended not to talk much, they all seemed deep in thought, as was I. Those who
were more experienced talked away happily! The crew were very practical. They
quickly checked all the apparatus but I think they could have chatted to us on the
outward journey to help us relax.

Once we were in the safety briefing I found my mind stopped running away with me! I
stopped imagining everything which could go wrong and started to focus on what a
breath-taking experience lay in wait for me. I wonder if I would be able to instil the
same confidence in a group of guests if I was to lead that talk?

If I worked for this company I could contribute to keeping them safe, be part of that
well-oiled crew which checks kit with such confidence and speed. It would be a great
responsibility. After all, people do drown at sea and there have been many diving
accidents, but I think the massive rewards outweigh the concerns I have. This company
is first class and there is no reason to expect their exemplary safety record is about to
become tarnished in any way.

Ultimately I want others to marvel at the powerful yet well-mannered beasts which
prowl our oceans. I want to look after those who are unsure, who are sea-sick or who
do get into difficulties in any way. Those cages can feel quite claustrophobic, but
having dived in them myself I am now a prime candidate to explain to others how this
can feel, but that they will soon forget when they see those dark shapes appearing
through the cloudy, bottle-green waters. I think it’s time to fill out that application...

Question 3 – Summarising

NEW FOR 2015!

This question and the extra text did not exist on
previous Core papers so be careful when using past
exams in your revision.
 This question is mainly marked for reading (10 marks), although 5 additional
marks are available for the quality of your writing.
  For Section A use short notes which are mainly quotes from the text. The exam
paper may well have bullet points printed on it to help you with this.
 For Section B use your own words as much as possible. Your skills of re-
phrasing and using synonyms are tested again here (this is how an examiner
can tell if you’ve understood what you’ve read!)
 Find 10 ideas in total.
 Keep your ideas concise; there is no analysis/interpretation needed here.

KEY SKILL – SUMMARISING WHAT YOU’VE READ AND RE-WRITING IT

IN YOUR OWN WORDS IS ESSENTIAL HERE.

TRY READING A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE ABOUT A SUBJECT YOU’RE INTERESTED IN.

SELECT 10 POINTS FROM IT AND WRITE A SUMMARY OF IT TO PRACTISE THIS SKILL.

Planning to answer question 3 – where do I begin?

1. Read the question carefully, highlighting the key words. Remember Section A is
worth 10 marks.
2. Using a highlighter, read the text carefully, picking out 10 points (short quotes).
Don’t write straight onto the answer paper. Highlight the points in the text first
so you can check you’re happy with the 10; you may find more than that and
need to select the best ones after more consideration. Remember, as always,
this planning time is built into the time allocated for this question, there’s no
need to rush.

Writing the answer to question three...

Once you’re happy with your 10 points, write your 10 selected quotes onto your
answer paper. You can use your own words for any of the points if that’s easier. There
is one mark per point you give; there will be more than 10 to choose from in the text!

Next, use those quotes (section B) to write a summary of the article. You should use
your own words, re-phrasing the quotes and using synonyms to show your
understanding of the language used by the writer. There are only 5 marks for this
section.

YOUR TURN – Highlight the following article with this question in mind

Question 3 Section A Notes

What do you learn about smartphones and what are the writer’s thoughts and
feelings about them according to PASSAGE B?
Write your answers in note form. You do not need to use your own words.

Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer.

Since there are two parts to part A of this question, try highlighting them in different
colours. This technique will ensure that you have covered the whole question in
enough detail.

What do you learn about smartphones and what are the writer’s
thoughts and feelings about them according to PASSAGE B?

Passage B

Mobile Phone Master-Class:

Smart Phone = Smart Student
The world of education is changing. Your children need calculators, planners,
cameras and online research skills. In this article, year 11 student Julie Bruff explains
how if your child has a mobile phone, then they’ve already got all that they need.

Schools today are nothing like those of the 80s and 90s: fact. Gone are the blackboards
and OHPs, in are the iPads and interactive white-boards. More than ever before,
students are using technology to help their learning.

An estimated 70 percent of teenagers ages

13-17 now use smartphones. There are tens
of thousands of educational apps out there
to use, but those rely on students accessing
the material in their own time. If teachers
and parents welcomed this technology into
schools everyone would benefit.

Smartphones can be used in the classroom

in a variety of ways. Firstly, imagine your
child is sat in a Mathematics class and needs to use a calculator. Do you know how
many students these days need to carry around those bulky calculators? None!
Students could use the calculators built into their phones. Now imagine it’s homework
time... The homework is written on the board for your lovely son or daughter to copy
up but here’s a quicker solution - they can use their phone to take a photo of it!

A smartphone can perform all of the online functions that you would find on a laptop,
including accessing the internet. Although it gets a bad press, the internet is a
wonderful place these days. Sites such as mrbruff.com are packed with revision
videos, eBooks and podcasts which help thousands of students to achieve their
potential. It is essential that we encourage students to engage with this material as
often as possible. All they need is a phone and they can forget the laptop – they can
even access the school wi-fi to surf for free, meaning they’re not racking up a high bill.
With filters in place, there is no chance of them finding anything inappropriate either
so we can all relax about that possible issue.

I hope that you can see now that buying your child a mobile phone is one of the
smartest things you can do. Please choose to be a smart parent and buy your child a
smart phone.

Check you have highlighted at least 10 points. Your text should look something like
this:

Mobile Phone Master-Class:

Smart Phone = Smart Student
The world of education is changing. Your children need calculators, planners,
cameras and online research skills. In this article, year 11 student Julie Bruff explains
how if your child has a mobile phone, then they’ve already got all that they need.

Schools today are nothing like those of the 80s and 90s: fact. Gone are the blackboards
and OHPs, in are the iPads and interactive white-boards. More than ever before,
students are using technology to help their learning.

An estimated 70 percent of teenagers ages 13-17 now use smartphones. There are
tens of thousands of educational apps out there to use, but those rely on students
accessing the material in their own time. If teachers and parents welcomed this
technology into schools everyone would benefit.

Smartphones can be used in the classroom in a variety of ways. Firstly, imagine your
child is sat in a Mathematics class and needs to use a calculator. Do you know how
many students these days need to carry around those bulky calculators? None!
Students could use the calculators built into their phones. Now imagine it’s homework
time... The homework is written on the board for your lovely son or daughter to copy
up but here’s a quicker solution - they can use their phone to take a photo of it!
A smartphone can perform all of the online functions that you would find on a laptop,
including accessing the internet. Although it gets a bad press, the internet is a
wonderful place these days. Sites such as mrbruff.com are packed with revision
videos, eBooks and podcasts which help thousands of students to achieve their
potential. It is essential that we encourage students to engage with this material as
often as possible. All they need is a phone and they can forget the laptop – they can
even access the school wi-fi to surf for free, meaning they’re not racking up a high bill.
With filters in place, there is no chance of them finding anything inappropriate either
so we can all relax about that possible issue.

I hope that you can see now that buying your child a mobile phone is one of the
smartest things you can do. Please choose to be a smart parent and buy your child a
smart phone.

Writing your answer to section A....

This should be an easy task as you do not need to use your own words (although you
can if necessary,) you need only use notes. You may well find bullet points are printed
on your answer paper to help with this.

Your answer should look something like this:

What we learn about smartphones (5 points)

1. An estimated 70 percent of teenagers ages 13-17 now use smartphones.

2. Smartphones can be used in the classroom in a variety of ways.
3. Students could use the calculators (or cameras) built into their phones.
4. A smartphone can perform all of the online functions that you would find on a
laptop, including accessing the internet.
5. Smartphones could access the school Wi-Fi to surf for free.

The writer’s thoughts and feelings about smartphones...

6. Gone are the blackboards and OHPs, in are the iPads and interactive white-
boards.
7. If teachers and parents welcomed this technology into schools everyone would
benefit.
8. Do you know how many students these days need to carry around those bulky
calculators? None!
9. It is essential that we encourage students to engage with this material as often
as possible.
10. With filters in place, there is no chance of them finding anything inappropriate
either so we can all relax.

Most of your marks (up to 10 out of 15) will now have been awarded for this question.
Section B

This part of question 3 requires you to write a summary of the text, using the notes
you have just made. There are 5 marks available for this.

Here is the task:

Now use your notes to write a summary of what Passage B tells you about
smartphones and what the writer’s thoughts and feelings are about them.

You must use continuous writing (full sentences) and use your own words as much as
possible.

Your summary should include all 10 of the points you made in response to part A.

Again, this should be fairly straightforward if you have read the passage carefully and
become used to re-phrasing points using your own words.

Your answer should look something like this:

Passage B begins with the writer highlighting how schools and education are now
embracing new forms of technology such as iPads. The statistics show that the
majority (70%) of students now use a smartphone so the writer argues that schools
and students alike could take advantage of them in classrooms. They could be used in
many ways e.g. using a calculator in Maths, and using the camera function to take a
snapshot of homework. Students could therefore save time and energy.

The writer insists a smartphone could totally replace a laptop as it can perform most of
the same jobs. Surfing the web could be done without charge since schools already
have wi-fi enabled. The writer insists that students should frequently be encouraged to
access the wealth of resources available online. She rejects fears about children seeing
or reading anything that is not age appropriate since fireguards or other filters are
always in place in schools.

Once you have written your summary check it through as up to 5 marks

are awarded for the quality of your writing.

At the end of the exam...

Always check your work through carefully, using any time you have left.
It can be tempting to rush through the last questions to get it finished
then want to just close the booklet. Try to resist this! Those extra couple
of marks that you could pick up can mean the difference between one
grade and another!
 iGCSE ENGLISH

THE EXAM

EXTENDED PAPER

EXAMINATION PAPER 2 - THE EXTENDED PAPER (grades A*-E)

This paper has 3 questions; the time allowed is 2 hours. There are 2 texts to read
(about 6-700 words long). It is expected that you spend about 15 mins just reading the
texts.
 Question number Max marks awarded Suggested time inc
reading/planning
1 20 marks 45 minutes
2 10 marks 30 minutes
3 20 marks 45 minutes

Top Tips!
QUESTION 3 HAS CHANGED FOR 2015 – BE AWARE WHEN USING OTHER PAST
PAPERS/SAMPLE ANSWERS!

 Take 3 or 4 highlighters into the exam so you can pick out key pieces of
information easily.
 Read around any difficult words/phrases to help you make sense of any
challenging vocabulary.
 Master the art of re-phrasing (putting quotes into your own words) before the
exam. Start by trying out synonyms for different words e.g. a synonym for
‘scared’ is ‘afraid’. Gradually try synonyms for more difficult vocabulary.
 Practise honing your inference and deduction skills.
 Remember this is primarily a READING paper.
 Take your time, think carefully and write in detail where necessary. It is
possible to finish this paper quite quickly but you are unlikely to achieve top
marks if you do so.

Question 1 – Directed writing

This writing task will be based on the first printed text,

Passage A. It could ask you to write in any form e.g. a
speech, a report, a letter, a diary entry etc.)

 Aim to write around 2 sides for this question.

 There are 15 marks for reading and 5 marks for writing so pay close attention
to the material you select from the text. You must understand what is
described/felt/imagined and then show this understanding in your writing.
 Write accurately. Your writing should be well structured and use accurate
spelling, punctuation and grammar (see the SPaG section for help with these
skills).
 Cover ALL aspects of the question.
 You will always be asked to write in the third person, using information and
ideas from the text but completely using YOUR OWN WORDS.
KEY SKILL – USING SYNONYMS

(a synonym is a word with the same or similar meaning as another

word, e.g. a synonym for ‘scared’ is ‘afraid’).

Planning to answer question 1 – where do I begin?

1. Read the question carefully, highlighting key words as you go. Pay particular
attention to the three bullet points, all looking for different kinds of
information which you will later need to use in your answer.

2. Have 3 different coloured highlighters (or coloured pencils) at the ready. The
reading and planning time is built into the 45 minutes you should spend on this
question. Don’t rush through these planning stages, they are key to gaining the
marks in your answer.

3. For each bullet point you are looking for 5 pieces of information (there will be
far more than 5 to choose from that will be relevant!) The first bullet point
should have information that is fairly easy to find... look for these 5 points using
your first coloured highlighter (e.g. yellow).

4. Re-read the second bullet point, change colours and read the text again, picking
out another 5 quotes (again there will be more than 5 possibilities).

5. Re-read the final bullet point. This one is harder as it tests your skills of
inference and deduction. Use your final colour (e.g. pink) to highlight another 5
points.

6. Double check you have a total of 15 points highlighted which cover the whole
text. It is essential that you have covered all 3 bullet points equally.

Only now are you ready to begin your answer to question 1!

Writing the answer to question 1

If your planning has been completed accurately and thoroughly, actually writing your
response will be fairly easy. The key now is to USE YOUR OWN WORDS. You mustn’t
quote from the text. Often you will be given a phrase or a sentence to start you off.

Reading marks:

There are 15 marks available for you using the information you have identified from
the text, so your ability to use synonyms and re-word the information is key. For top
marks your response must show that you have read the text accurately, developed
your ideas and covered all three of the bullet points in detail.

Writing marks:

There are a further 5 marks available for the quality of your writing. You will be
rewarded for writing accurately, expressing your ideas precisely, structuring your
response appropriately and using the best possible vocabulary you can.

Structuring your answer

There are different possibilities her. Some schools may suggest bullet point lists
followed by a paragraph but in order to really impress your examiner I recommend
writing your response in full sentences and paragraphs.

Deal with each bullet point in turn, putting the 5 quotes from one colour into your own
words and expanding on them as necessary. Don’t be too creative; keep your answer
focused on what you’ve learnt from the passage.

When you have a paragraph covering the first bullet point, move onto your next colour
and then the last. Repeat the process. Always being sure to use your own words.

YOUR TURN!
1) Read Passage A and question 1 carefully.

2) When you’re ready, highlight the passage using 3 different colours.

3) Aim to find at least 5 points in response to EACH bullet point.

Passage A

Phil Bruff recounts his experience of

sky-diving for the first time.

Nothing can match the adrenaline

buzz that you feel the first time you
leap out of a plane. Hurtling two
miles towards the ground is
unbelievable. I haven’t felt anything
like it before or since. Nothing else
exists, just you and the sky.
The build-up is the most terrifying aspect: the waiting, the explanation of risk factors,
the suit. All of these delays really serve to heighten the tension. Did I want my jump
videoed? Was it wrong that my first thought was about how my family would have a
record of my last moments if anything went wrong? I decided that yes, I would like a
video; I also decided that I would give my mum a quick ring, just to check how she
was...

I have always been attracted to extreme sports. I love heights and used to enjoy
climbing as a child, but as I progressed to adult walls my shorter-than-average limbs
struggled to reach the next hold and eventually I decided I just wasn’t built to be a
climber. Skiing is fun but it is very expensive and requires travel and correct conditions
to get that buzz. Also, I have always been keen to push boundaries and pursue the next
adventure so sky-diving seemed a logical next step. I think we should all push ourselves
in life; it can be so rewarding. I also planned to make some money for a local charity
while I was at it.

The walk to the plane was over too quickly. With great efficiency I was strapped in and
sat between my instructor Neil’s legs. I tried not to think about the awkwardness of
the situation. My mind went back to when I was sat on my comfy sofa, reading articles
about people who had done this and survived, I tried to recall the headlines but my
mind went blank as the propellers whirred...

As the plane climbed I steeled myself. Statistically this was supposed to be safer than
the drive up the motorway. My mind was in turmoil but that didn’t matter as the big
moment had arrived. I was to go first! There was nobody ahead of me to watch and
take comfort from; I was to be the pathfinder for the anxious faces I knew were seated
behind me. Those others who had also abandoned the comfy sofas we all inhabit too
regularly to fling themselves out of a plane! Those who were also raising money for a
variety of good causes, I remembered the various names I’d seen emblazoned across
their T shirts. It was time...

I scooted over to the edge and had a brief moment to marvel at what was before me.
The clouds, fluffy as fleece but fragile as gossamer puffed around the plane. The
ground below opened up, a yawning chasm into which I was about to fling myself. The
countdown began... Three! Two! One! And out we went, tumbling, deafened by the
wind.

The free fall was only a few seconds long but was completely exhilarating. The initial
moments when my senses were bombarded almost to the point of numbness, were
quickly exchanged for a mesmerising peace when the chute opened. The deafening
roar of the wind became a brief scream, and then the wind merely whispered as we
glided... I found a kind of inner-peace and relished the tranquillity of the flight I had
left.

The landing was similar to one you might experience after a long zipwire at the end of
a high-wire course. My heels slid across the grass as we came to a bumpy halt. Relief
flooded over me as I brushed myself off and turned around to return Neil’s high-five.
My time sky-diving was certainly memorable; I now feel almost like part of an elite club
of extreme sports enthusiasts. I have a funny feeling it won’t be my last trip
plummeting to Earth from a plane...

Question 1

After his experience sky-diving, a reporter for a publication called Extreme Sports
Magazine interviewed Phil and asked him the following three questions:

 What made you choose sky-diving as an activity?

 What were your thoughts and feelings about the experience?
 What are your opinions on people engaging in extreme sports such as sky-
diving?

Write the words of the interview, beginning with the first question.
Base your interview on passage A. Use your own words.

Here is how you might have highlighted the text. Bear in mind there are
some different options though, and always more than 5 possibilities
per bullet point.

Green = first bullet point, ‘Why did you choose sky-diving as an activity’?

Yellow = second bullet point, ‘What were your thoughts/feelings about the
experience?’

Pink = third bullet point, ‘What are your opinions on people engaging in extreme
sports such as sky-diving?’
Passage A Phil Bruff recounts his experience of sky-diving for the first time.

Nothing can match the adrenaline buzz

that you feel the first time you leap out
of a plane. Hurtling two miles towards
the ground is unbelievable. I haven’t
felt anything like it before or since.
Nothing else exists, just you and the
sky.

The build-up is the most terrifying

aspect: the waiting, the explanation of
risk factors, the suit. All of these delays really serve to heighten the tension. Did I want
my jump videoed? Was it wrong that my first thought was about how my family would
have a record of my last moments if anything went wrong? I decided that yes, I would
like a video; I also decided that I would give my Mum a quick ring, just to check how
she was...

I have always been attracted to extreme sports. I love heights and used to enjoy
climbing as a child, but as I progressed to adult walls my shorter-than-average limbs
struggled to reach the next hold and eventually I decided I just wasn’t built to be a
climber. Skiing is fun but that is very expensive and requires travel and correct
conditions to get that buzz. Also, I have always been keen to push boundaries and
pursue the next adventure so sky-diving seemed a logical next step. I think we should
all push ourselves in life, it can be so rewarding. I also planned to make some money
for a local charity while I was at it.

The walk to the plane was over too quickly. With great efficiency I was strapped in and
sat between my instructor Neil’s legs. I tried not to think about the awkwardness of
the situation. My mind went back to when I was sat on my comfy sofa, reading articles
about people who had done this and survived, I tried to recall the headlines but my
mind went blank as the propellers whirred...

As the plane climbed I steeled myself. Statistically this was supposed to be safer than
the drive up the motorway. My mind was in turmoil but that didn’t matter as the big
moment had arrived. I was to go first! There was nobody ahead of me to watch and
take comfort from; I was to be the pathfinder for the anxious faces I knew were seated
behind me. Those others who had also abandoned the comfy sofas we all inhabit too
regularly to fling themselves out of a plane! Those who were also raising money for a
variety of good causes, I remembered the various names I’d seen emblazoned across
their T shirts. It was time...

I scooted over to the edge and had a brief moment to marvel at what was before me.
The clouds, fluffy as fleece but fragile as gossamer puffed around the plane. The
ground below opened up, a yawning chasm into which I was about to fling myself. The
countdown began... Three! Two! One! And out we went, tumbling, deafened by the
wind.

The free fall was only a few seconds long but was completely exhilarating. The initial
moments when my senses were bombarded almost to the point of numbness, were
quickly exchanged for a mesmerising peace when the chute opened. The deafening
roar of the wind became a brief scream, and then the wind merely whispered as we
glided... I found a kind of inner-peace and relished the tranquillity of the flight I had
left.

The landing was similar to one you might experience after a long zipwire at the end of
a high-wire course. My heels slid across the grass as we came to a bumpy halt. Relief
flooded over me as I brushed myself off and turned around to return Neil’s high-five.
My time sky-diving was certainly memorable; I now feel almost like part of an elite club
of extreme sports enthusiasts. I have a funny feeling it won’t be my last trip
plummeting to Earth from a plane...

NEXT you must select which 15 points to use. You could make a quick list or could
draw lines under those you’ve selected. Remember in your answer you must USE
YOUR OWN WORDS!

For example... the planning for your first paragraph might look like this:

Why did you choose sky-diving as an activity?

 For the feel-good chemicals flooding my brain.

 Because I’ve always enjoyed other challenging sports such as skiing and
climbing (no need to find other words for terms such as skiing and climbing!)

 Because I have fun when I am high above the ground.

 I’m keen to find out what my limits are and push them as much as I can.

 To get sponsorship and be able to donate to charities.

Once your planning is complete you should write your answer. As

long as you remember to use your own words as much as possible
this should be easy.

Read the following exemplar answer and compare it to your own...

EXEMPLAR ANSWER

What made you choose sky-diving as an activity?

Well, I have always enjoyed sports which push you mentally and physically. I used to
be a keen skier and have tried climbing too. I was looking for a new challenge, one that
would really test me and one that would send those feel-good chemicals flooding to
my brain again - there’s nothing like a natural high, brought on my endorphins! I love
the sensation of being up high and my aim was to combine all this with an opportunity
to be able to donate to one of my local charities through sponsorship. So sky-diving
seemed the perfect choice of activity for me.

What were your thoughts and feelings about the experience?

Surprisingly it was actually the build-up that was more frightening than the jump itself.
All the preparations made me really nervous! I telephoned my mum, pretending it was
just a courtesy call to check how she was but really it was to make sure I could tell her
that I loved her before risking my life!

I felt really uncomfortable on the plane as I was sat between my instructor’s legs. He
was very businesslike about it all though which helped. During the flight I tried to think
about articles I’d read about sky-diving to try and maintain a positive frame of mind,
but it was really tricky to keep focused. I had to be brave as I was the first one to go; I
knew the other people jumping that day were probably just as nervous as me so I tried
to be strong.

As we were about to jump I finally saw the view and was in awe. The clouds were so
soft and fragile and the ground seemed to open up below me. The freefall was breath-
taking and this was followed by a peaceful soar down to Earth once the parachute had
opened. I was thankful to be in one piece as we landed but I would happily do it all
over again!

What are your opinions on people engaging in extreme sports such as sky-diving?

I think people should test themselves to the limit every now and again as it can be so
rewarding when you achieve like this. My experience was very positive. I felt very safe
both due to the statistics and because of my excellent instructor. People are often
keen to sponsor these kinds of activities so it can be a great way of providing your
favourite charity with some much-needed funding. At the end you feel a sense of
belonging through the experience you have shared with others who have dared to risk
it all for the thrills and to do some good. Overall, I highly recommend it!
Question 2 – Writing for effect

This is an analysis of the writer’s choice of words

and phrases from the first text. You should consider
the effects these words have on the reader.

 Read the question carefully so that you know which parts of the text to focus
on.
 Be able to recognise word types and techniques such as verbs, adverbs,
adjectives, similes, metaphors etc.
 Fully explore the connotations and meanings of the words – exactly what image
is the writer trying to create? Why? How does he/she do it?

KEY SKILL – ANALYSING THE PRECISE EFFECT OF INDIVIDUAL WORDS

OR SHORT PHRASES IS ESSENTIAL HERE SO PRACTISE THIS USING
LOTS OF DIFFERENT TEXTS!

Planning to answer question 2 – where do I begin?

1. Read the question carefully. It will ask you to focus on particular parts of
the text, double check you have the correct part of the text selected!

2. Draw a box around the parts of the text you must focus on so you avoid
commenting on anything that’s unnecessary.

3. Read the text in your boxes several times, underlining powerful/effective

words and phrases as you find them. Aim for the words which have
additional connotations/meanings that you can explore in your answer.

4. Pay attention to the number of words you are asked to select. Pick words
which you understand but that are challenging.
It is helpful if you know the type of word or phrase being used but this is
less important than your ability to explain the possible effects on a reader.
 Try learning the following terms:

 SIMILE – a figure of speech which compares one thing or person to something

else, often using ‘like/as’ (think SIMILE = SIMILAR)
She danced like an angel.
 METAPHOR – a figure of speech which says one thing (or person) IS or WAS
something else (another way of comparing).
She was an angel, dancing on that stage.
 ADJECTIVE – a word which describes a noun (noun = person, place or thing).
The poor, forlorn puppy.
The colossal, derelict house.
 PERSONIFICATION – giving human qualities to something non-human.
The trees waved at me in greeting as I arrived.
The cloud overhead grumbled softly to themselves.
 IMAGERY – use of descriptive words/phrases which allow you to picture a
scene in your mind’s eye. May also use the techniques listed above.
The golden corn swung about me as the wind played with my hair.

Have the following sentence starters up your sleeve to use when

analysing the effect on a reader:

This word suggests... By doing this, the writer has

This phrases implies... achieved a feeling of....
This word creates... This may make the reader
The effect of this word is... feel....
The writer has used this This phrase is used to...
phrase to.....

Practise explaining the effects of powerful words/phrases. Why has the writer chosen
them? What atmosphere do they create? Do they build tension? If so, how? Be precise
and comment on each word or phrase in detail.

What if I’m not exactly sure what a word means?

You can either ignore that word and pick a different one or you can have a guess; you
won’t have marks deducted if you’re completely wrong, but you won’t gain any marks
either. It’s always better to have a go than not to put anything!

What about the punctuation that’s been used? Should I comment on that?
You should if it is significant and affects the reader, e.g. an exclamation mark may be
used to emphasise a word. These comments should be in addition to the number of
words or phrases you have been asked to select. Do not comment on punctuation on
its own; always include it as part of the word/phrase you’re analysing.

Writing the answer to question two...

It is possible to list each word/phrase and write an explanation next to it but it is more
impressive to use full sentences and paragraphs.

Try to write a separate paragraph for each word/phrase you have selected. Go into
some detail when explaining the possible effects on a reader.

Technique/type of Quote Explanation (effect on the reader –

word why used?)
Adjective ‘colossal house’ The adjective ‘colossal’ makes it seem like
the house is immense, towering over the
narrator as he arrives. It seems
intimidating as a structure so we wonder
if anything else threatening could be
inside.
Simile ‘he was like a By using this simile the writer is making
forlorn puppy’ us feel sorry for him but it also seems like
he is being rather weak. ‘Forlorn’ suggest
he is somewhat lost and sad. The word
‘puppy’ emphasises how he is a young
and innocent character who needs
attention and direction. He might also be
seen as hard work to control, just as any
puppy would be.

YOUR TURN!
2. Re-read the following:

a) Phil’s view as he was about to jump out of the plane in paragraph 6

b) His experience of the descent in paragraph 7
(Draw boxes round these as part of your planning)

I scooted over to the edge and had a brief moment to marvel at what was before me.
The clouds, fluffy as fleece but fragile as gossamer puffed around the plane. The
ground below opened up, a yawning chasm into which I was about to fling myself. The

81
countdown began... Three! Two! One! And out we went, tumbling, deafened by the
wind.

The free fall was only a few seconds long but was completely exhilarating. The initial
moments when my senses were bombarded almost to the point of numbness, were
quickly exchanged for a mesmerising peace when the chute opened. The deafening
roar of the wind became a brief scream, and then the wind merely whispered as we
glided... I found a kind of inner-peace and relished the tranquillity of the flight I had
left.

NOW! Select four words/phrases from each section which you consider to be
powerful or important.

(Again there will be far more than four to choose from so pick those you can
understand and that you can say plenty about.)

I scooted over to the edge and had a brief moment to marvel at what was before me.
The clouds, fluffy as fleece but fragile as gossamer puffed around the plane. The
ground below opened up, a yawning chasm into which I was about to fling myself. The
countdown began... Three! Two! One! And out we went, tumbling, deafened by the
wind.

The free fall was only a few seconds long but was completely exhilarating. The initial
moments when my senses were bombarded almost to the point of numbness, were
quickly exchanged for a mesmerising peace when the chute opened. The deafening
roar of the wind became a brief scream, and then the wind merely whispered as we
glided... I found a kind of inner-peace and relished the tranquillity of the flight I had
left.

Now try constructing some paragraphs. Remember to include the

technique used if relevant. Keep your quotes short (a word or short
phrase) and then explain the possible effects on a reader.

When you’re ready, read through the exemplar answer which follows...

EXEMPLAR ANSWER TO QUESTION 2

82
The alliterative simile “fluffy as fleece,” makes the clouds seem like soft wool. The
writer seems to be counteracting the frightening nature of the jump with the
atmosphere outside which is welcoming.

“Fragile as gossamer,’ is a simile that suggests the clouds are almost like cobwebs
which could be easily destroyed. ‘Gossamer’ makes them seem wispy and effectively
portrays how delicate and easily moved by the wind they could be.

The metaphor ‘yawning chasm’ makes the ground seem as if it is stretching out,
getting wider all the time, just like a yawn. ‘Chasm’ creates an image of a deep pit,
effectively emphasising how the ground is so far below Phil just prior to his jump.

Phil describes being “deafened” during his descent. The rushing wind means he can no
longer hear which could be threatening since this is one of our vital senses that we rely
on for survival. It contrasts to the peaceful clouds mentioned earlier.

The idea of senses being lost continues with, ‘my senses were bombarded to the point
of numbness.’ The use of language suggests that it is not only his hearing which has
been compromised. The word ‘bombarded’ suggests that all of his senses were being
attacked at once so that could he barely see, hear or feel anything which could be
overwhelming.

Next he describes a “mesmerising peace” when the parachute opens, providing relief
from the earlier, frightening loss of senses. “Mesmerising” suggests this part of the
descent was almost hypnotic, making his jump truly unforgettable.

The sense of calm continues with, ‘wind merely whispered as we glided.’ The use of
alliteration here draws our attention to the personification used. The wind whispers, as
if sharing the secret of this experience with Phil, which links in with his later feeling of
being part of an exclusive club of sky-divers. The whispering seems gentle, echoing the
peaceful mood as he drops to earth.

The section ends in the same calm way as he “relished” the final moments of the jump.
It suggests he is savouring every last moment, that this has been a happy experience,
one to remember.

83
Question 3 – Summarising

NEW FOR 2015!

You now need to only comment on the second text
in your answer (previously you had to use BOTH
texts).
 This question is mainly marked for reading (15 marks), although 5 additional
marks are available for the quality of your writing.
 For Section A use short notes which are mainly quotes from the text. The exam
paper may well have bullet points printed on it to help you with this.
 For Section B use your own words as much as possible. Your skills of re-
phrasing and using synonyms are tested again here (this is how an examiner
can tell if you’ve understood what you’ve read!)
 Find 15 ideas in total.
 Keep your ideas concise; there is no analysis/interpretation needed here.

KEY SKILL – SUMMARISING WHAT YOU’VE READ AND RE-WRITING IT

IN YOUR OWN WORDS IS ESSENTIAL HERE.

TRY READING A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE ABOUT A SUBJECT YOU’RE INTERESTED IN.

SELECT 15 POINTS FROM IT AND WRITE A SUMMARY OF IT TO PRACTISE THIS SKILL.

Planning to answer question 3 – where do I begin?

1) Read the question carefully, highlighting the key words. Remember Section A is
worth 15 marks.
2) Using a highlighter, read the text carefully, picking out 15 points (short quotes).
Don’t write straight onto the answer paper. Highlight the points in the text first
so you can check you’re happy with the 15; you may find more than that and
need to select the best ones after more consideration. Remember, as always,
this planning time is built into the time allocated for this question - there’s no
need to rush.

Writing the answer to question three...

Once you’re happy with your 15 points, write your 15 selected quotes onto your
answer paper. You can use your own words for any of the points if that’s easier. There
is one mark per point you give, and there will be more than 15 to choose from in the
text!

Next, use those quotes (Section B) to write a summary of the article. You should use
your own words, re-phrasing the quotes and using synonyms to show your
84
understanding of the language used by the writer. There are only 5 marks for this
section.

YOUR TURN – Highlight the following article with this question in mind

a) Notes
What are the reasons for using videos as a way of educating students
according to passage B?
Write your answer in short notes. You DO NOT need to use your own words.

Passage B EDUCATION FOR THE NATION

An English teacher from Devon is revolutionising the way

students learn, utilising web2 technologies such as
YouTube, iTunes and Twitter.

Andrew Bruff began recording lessons in his classroom in

2011: ‘I had spent around eight hours prepping the starter
for a lesson which would only take around ten minutes to
deliver.’ Knowing that the lecture would be missed by absent
students, Andrew looked for a way to gain maximum value
from his efforts. The solution: film the lesson with a handheld camera and upload it
onto YouTube for the absent students to catch up or for classes to re-watch as
revision.

‘I quickly realised that animated videos with voice-over added were engaging for
students as they weren’t distracted by my balding head or untidy classroom!’ He began
uploading to youtube.com/mrbruff.

What quickly became apparent was that Mr Bruff’s students were not the only ones
watching: ‘in that first few months I had just under 5,000 views from across 76
different countries. I received dozens of message of support and from that point on I
was hooked.’ He found that it wasn’t only students who were benefitting; teachers
now had a new way of presenting material to students... Mr Bruff found himself in
classrooms all over the world! Homeworks to watch videos were set and some
students reported finding it far easier to concentrate at home, away from distractions
such as their friends at school. After all, many were using You Tube on a regular basis
anyway, so using it for revision was a logical next step. Students and teachers now
85
readily use social media and so videos were shared using platforms such as Twitter, it
was staggering how many times his videos were shared as the exams approached. The
message of revision was unavoidable, even by students attempting to use social media
as a method of escape! All this was happening without much intervention from class
teachers, all they needed to do was highlight Mr Bruff’s name, maybe show a clip in
class and the students tended to do the rest!

Over the next two years, Andrew created over 200 videos on GCSE and A Level English
which have, to date, been viewed nearly half a million times from across 179 different
countries. But it didn’t stop there.

Last month Andrew launched his own website: ‘mrbruff.com’ and with it his first
eBook, a revision guide based on his videos. Within a month the eBook had been
downloaded over 10,000 times.

In February, he launched a ‘walk to school’ podcast made up of 15 minute episodes

which cover key exam skills and tips. ‘I guess I am motivated by making a difference to
students, making sure that any student anywhere can access outstanding teaching and
learning. Plus if I can save another teacher some time and energy at some point then
that is an obvious bonus!’

Check you have highlighted 15 points. Your text should look something
like this:

Passage B EDUCATION FOR THE NATION

An English teacher from Devon is revolutionising the way

students learn, utilising web2 technologies such as
YouTube, iTunes and Twitter.

Andrew Bruff began recording lessons in his classroom in

2011: ‘I had spent around eight hours prepping the starter
for a lesson which would only take around ten minutes to
deliver.’ Knowing that the lecture would be missed by
absent students, Andrew looked for a way to gain
maximum value from his efforts. The solution: film the lesson with a handheld camera
and upload it onto YouTube for the absent students to catch up or for classes to re-
watch as revision.

86
‘I quickly realised that animated videos with voice-over added were engaging for
students as they weren’t distracted by my balding head or untidy classroom!’ He began
uploading to youtube.com/mrbruff.

What quickly became apparent was that Mr Bruff’s students were not the only ones
watching: ‘in that first few months I had just under 5,000 views from across 76
different countries. I received dozens of message of support and from that point on I
was hooked.’ He found that it wasn’t only students who were benefitting, teachers
now had a new way of presenting material to students... Mr Bruff found himself in
classrooms all over the world! Homeworks to watch videos were set and some
students reported finding it far easier to concentrate at home, away from distractions
such as their friends at school. After all, many were using You Tube on a regular basis
anyway, so using it for revision was a logical next step. Students and teachers now
readily use social media and so videos were shared using platforms such as Twitter, it
was staggering how many times his videos were shared as the exams approached. The
message of revision was unavoidable, even by students attempting to use social media
as a method of escape! All this was happening without much intervention from class
teachers, all they needed to do was highlight Mr Bruff’s name, maybe show a clip in
class and the students tended to do the rest!

Over the next two years, Andrew created over 200 videos on GCSE and A Level English
which have, to date, been viewed nearly half a million times from across 179 different
countries. But it didn’t stop there.

Last month Andrew launched his own website: ‘mrbruff.com’ and with it his first
eBook, a revision guide based on his videos. Within a month the eBook had been
downloaded over 10,000 times.

In February, he launched a ‘walk to school’ podcast made up of 15 minute episodes

which cover key exam skills and tips. ‘I guess I am motivated by making a difference to
students, making sure that any student anywhere can access outstanding teaching and
learning. Plus if I can save another teacher some time and energy at some point then
that is an obvious bonus!’

Writing your answer to section A...

This should be an easy task as you do not need to use your own words (although you
can if necessary) and you need only use notes. You may well find bullet points are
printed on your answer paper to help with this.

Your answer should look something like this:

87
 1. A long time was spent preparing parts of a lesson which would be delivered
quickly
2. Absent students miss vital lessons so can catch up
3. Online videos can be re-watched as revision
4. No distractions like balding head/untidy classroom if watching animation/voice-
over
5. Over 5,000 views so must be popular
6. Dozens of messages of support so must be working
7. Teachers have a new way of presenting material
8. Homeworks can be set which involve the videos
9. Students can find it easier to concentrate at home
10. Many students using YouTube anyway
11. Videos can be shared e.g. on Twitter
12. Revision is unavoidable
13. Not much intervention needed from teachers
14. Any student anywhere can access outstanding teaching and learning
15. Saves time and energy of other teachers.

Most of your marks (up to 15 out of 20) will now have been awarded for this question.

Section B

This part of question 3 requires you to write a summary of the text, using the notes
you have just made. There are 5 marks available for this.

Here is the task:

Now use your notes to write a summary of what Passage B tells you about why
online videos could be seen as an effective way of educating students.

You must use continuous writing and use your own words as much as possible.

Your summary should include all 15 of the points you made in response to part A.

Again, this should be fairly straightforward if you have read the passage carefully and
become used to re-phrasing points using your own words.

Your answer should look something like this:

Passage B begins with Mr Bruff explaining how lots of time can go into preparing even
a short part of a lesson which, ultimately, is over very quickly. Online videos are a way
of allowing absent students to experience work they missed, and for present students
to go back over the material in their own time.

88
Mr Bruff chose a format of animations plus voice-overs so that students weren’t put
off by his appearance or by the state of his classroom! His videos have had over 5,000
views and he has had many encouraging and positive messages so they must effective,
else they wouldn’t be so popular.

Teachers can now present lessons in an alternative way to help them keep their
students interested and they can set homeworks using the videos which may save
them the extra time they might spend creating additional resources.

Students may find it easier to maintain concentration when they are in a home
environment watching these videos, and so may learn more effectively as a result.
They might also use social media to distribute the material further and so enable
others to access the resources online. This may mean that procrastinating students,
hoping to socialise online, might still encounter the videos and so be inspired to do
some revision without that being their initial intention.

Overall there is little that needs to be done by existing classroom teachers, other than
to make students aware of the existence of Mr Bruff and his online materials. Any
student anywhere can experience Mr Bruff’s excellent teaching and teachers
themselves can find their workload reduced. Therefore, online videos can be seen as a
fantastic educational tool for staff and students alike.

Once you have written your summary check it through as up to 5 marks are awarded
for the quality of your writing.

At the end of the exam

Always check your work through carefully, using any time you have left. It can be
tempting to rush through the last questions to get it finished then want to just close
the booklet. Try to resist this! Those extra couple of marks that you could pick up
might mean the difference between one grade and another!

89
 iGCSE English

Paper 3

DIRECTED WRITING AND

COMPOSITION

90
 Paper 3 - THE WRITING PAPER

(If you haven’t completed three pieces of written coursework).

There have been changes made to this paper for 2015, please take note if you’re
revising using old exam papers!

Section 1 - Directed Writing

This is a written task which uses a text (or two) of 650-

750 words as a stimulus.

You will be asked to write an argumentative or discursive letter or article. See the
FORMAT section for help with how to present these.

Select ideas from the information given but USE YOUR OWN WORDS unless you’re
quoting.

There are 10 marks awarded for the content of your answer and up to 15 marks for the
way in which it’s written.

Top Tips!

 Read the text(s) carefully and select details from it/them which you could use in
your own writing.

 Plan carefully before you begin.

 Keep your writing formal throughout, even if the audience is a group of your
peers at school.

 Use elements of the DAFOREST toolkit.

 You may be given two texts and expected to use material from both in your
answer.

Let’s take the discursive task as an example. This is a balanced argument where
you give your overall opinions at the end, having weighed up both sides. You
could be asked to write an argumentative piece in which case you will need to
focus on one side only.

91
Here’s the task:

Imagine that your grandparents are considering buying your older sister a car for her
18th birthday and have asked your views. Your sister is, in your opinion, very lucky
already.

Write a letter to your Grandma and Granddad in which you should explain:

 The advantages of owning a car

 The reasons why it may not be advisable or necessary

 Why you would or wouldn’t support their idea to buy a car for your sister.

Base your letter on the fact file and the magazine article, but use your own words.

Address each of the three bullet points.

Begin your letter ‘Dear Grandma and Grandad...’ and write about 250 to 350 words.

Remember that 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and you can
be awarded up to 15 marks for the quality of your writing.

Read the following two passages carefully:

Fact file: Teens owning cars

Motor vehicles are a leading cause of teenage deaths in

the UK.

One in 5 drivers are involved in a car crash in their first

year of driving.

Research shows that teens who take additional driving

courses are safer on the roads.

Male drivers are more likely to be involved in an

accident than female drivers.

92
 Will Santa bring me my dream present this year?
Once all I longed for was the latest,
most popular ‘toy of the year’ for
Christmas... a Star Wars Lego set, a
BMX bike, a Nintendo Wii... This year is
different however; this year I hope that
Santa and his elves might be able to
create something which will give me a
new level of freedom and
independence. This year top of my list
is A CAR (or money towards one!)

Let’s be honest: no teenager NEEDS a car. We have been walking and getting lifts since
we were about a year old. We are quite capable of catching buses, trains and planes if
necessary. We can even dust off the pushbike (another longed-for present) and use
that!

A recent online poll concluded that 67% of voters said that 18 year olds do not ‘need’ a
car of their own. Plenty of us do have a motor though... often a cheap run-around
which may not be the most mechanically reliable vehicle on the road but is affordable
with our minimum wages. The area designated for student parking at my college is
filled with small cars, many of which have suffered minor bumps and bruises, some of
which were caused in that very car park!

Now we all know that there are risks associated with driving a car and that statistics
show that new drivers are those most likely to be in an accident, due to their
inexperience. But how can you gain experience if you’re never given the chance? One
of the catchphrases at college when someone has a prang is, ‘well, that’s what
bumpers are for!’ But sometimes it is more than a dent in the bumper and that’s when
the expensive insurance policies become totally extortionate. A friend of mine had to
ask her parents for a loan to cover her increased car insurance after she was involved
in a minor accident earlier in the year.

For some teens the primary purpose of owning a car is to use it as a status symbol. It’s
something to cruise around in, shades on, music blaring... but that wouldn’t be my
approach to car ownership. I see a car as a means of transportation, that’s it. I hope
that I will be responsible enough to always drive safely and with consideration for
others. I am always disappointed to hear ‘teenage drivers’ all tarred with the same
brush. We’re not all lunatics trying to break the speed record or trying to run each
other off the road. My brother is in Year 10 and if I could give him a lift to and from
school I would be helping my mum out. She’s working full-time herself and always
93
struggles to get to her office on time. I might even offer to do the weekly shop for her
as I would have a means of carrying our family’s groceries home with me.

I might also be able to help Dad with ferrying materials around. He works for a
construction company and sometimes has to hire a van when actually an extra car
would do. Having another car in the family would also help if one did break down. At
the moment, with Mum and Dad each having a car and there being 4 of us, (all at
school or work full time) our resources are stretched if one is in the garage for a few
days.

Whilst an older car might be cheaper there are the potential repairs to consider, plus
the impact on the environment. Newer cars are certainly more economical and do less
damage so whilst I would never ask for a brand new car (I’ve heard thousands of
pounds are lost the moment you drive it away), I think one that has done under 50,000
miles is preferable. As for the colour, I have no preference. If Santa thinks I’m suited to
a red car with white trim, that’s fine by me! Ultimately I am looking for a safe way of
being able to stretch my wings that bit further. I am hoping to go to University next
year (if these A levels go to plan!) and a car would be a major advantage as I would be
able to return home more freely to see friends and family. For now though, I guess I’ll
have to wait. Surely I’m on Santa’s ‘nice’ list but just how far up I’m yet to find out...!

YOUR TURN!

Re-read the bullet points from the question. There are three sections to cover. Using
different coloured highlighters pick out details from each text under the following
headings:

Advantages of teens owning cars:

Reasons why buying a teen a car might not be recommended:

This information will then inform you and you will be able to make recommendations
for the grandparents – should they buy your sister a car? (Evaluation of the arguments
in the final stage, do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages in your opinion? This
can be considered after the first two bullet points have been prepared.)

Your text should look something like this...

94
 Fact file: Teens owning cars

Motor vehicles are a leading cause of teenage deaths in the UK.

One in 5 drivers are involved in a car crash in their first year of

driving.

Research shows that teens who take additional driving courses

are safer on the roads.

Male drivers are more likely to be involved in an accident than

female drivers.

Will Santa bring me my dream present this year?

Once all I longed for was the latest, most
popular ‘toy of the year’ for Christmas... a Star
Wars Lego set, a BMX bike, a Nintendo Wii...
This year is different however; this year I hope
that Santa and his elves might be able to
create something which will give me a new
level of freedom and independence. This year
top of my list is A CAR (or money towards
one!)

Let’s be honest, no teenager NEEDS a car. We have been walking and getting lifts since
we were about a year old. We are quite capable of catching buses, trains and planes if
necessary. We can even dust off the pushbike (another longed-for present) and use
that!

A recent online poll concluded that 67% of voters said that 18 year olds do not ‘need’ a
car of their own. Plenty of us do have a motor though... often a cheap run-around
which may not be the most mechanically reliable vehicle on the road but is affordable
with our minimum wages. The area designated for student parking at my college is
filled with small cars, many of which have suffered minor bumps and bruises, some of
which were caused in that very car park!

Now we all know that there are risks associated with driving a car and that statistics
show that new drivers are those most likely to be in an accident, due to their
inexperience. But how can you gain experience if you’re never given the chance? One
of the catchphrases at college when someone has a prang is, ‘well, that’s what
bumpers are for!’ But sometimes it is more than a dent in the bumper and that’s when
the expensive insurance policies become totally extortionate. A friend of mine had to

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ask her parents for a loan to cover her increased car insurance after she was involved
in a minor accident earlier in the year.

For some teens the primary purpose of owning a car is to use it as a status symbol. It’s
something to cruise around in, shades on, music blaring... but that wouldn’t be my
approach to car ownership. I see a car as a means of transportation, that’s it. I hope
that I will be responsible enough to always drive safely and with consideration for
others. I am always disappointed to hear ‘teenage drivers’ all tarred with the same
brush. We’re not all lunatics trying to break the speed record or trying to run each
other off the road. My brother is in year 10 and if I could give him a lift to and from
school I would be helping my Mum out. She’s working full-time herself and always
struggles to get to her office on time. I might even offer to do the weekly shop for her
as I would have a means of carrying our family’s groceries home with me.

I might also be able to help Dad with ferrying materials around. He works for a
construction company and sometimes has to hire a van when actually an extra car
would do. Having another car in the family would also help if one did break down. At
the moment, with Mum and Dad each having a car and there being 4 of us, (all at
school or work full time) our resources are stretched if one is in the garage for a few
days.

Whilst an older car might be cheaper there are the potential repairs to consider, plus
the impact on the environment. Newer cars are certainly more economical and do less
damage so whilst I would never ask for a brand new car (I’ve heard thousands of
pounds are lost the moment you drive it away), I think one that has done under 50,000
miles is preferable. As for the colour, I have no preference. If Santa thinks I’m suited to
a red car with white trim, that’s fine by me! Ultimately I am looking for a safe way of
being able to stretch my wings that bit further. I am hoping to go to University next
year (if these A levels go to plan!) and a car would be a major advantage as I would be
able to return home more freely to see friends and family. For now though, I guess I’ll
have to wait. Surely I’m on Santa’s ‘nice’ list but just how far up I’m yet to find out...!

Bullet Point 3 – evaluating the arguments

Either side could be argued for, so long as the judgements are based on what has been
read and evaluated.

So, yes a car is recommended/no, a car is not recommended because...

 Statistics show that having a car as a teen is risky OR an advanced driving

course could be taken to reduce the risk of an accident

 There are many other methods of transport available OR it will allow for
greater freedom/independence

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  Cheaper cars may be affordable but are probably less safe

 Insurance and repairs are expensive OR a newer car may mean fewer repair
bills

 A car could be used as a status symbol and to cruise around OR not all teens are
lunatics trying to impress

 Not helping the environment OR could help other family members out with lifts

How should I begin my answer?

Clearly introduce the situation and the purpose of the task. You may be given an
opening phrase to use.

What techniques could I include?

It is essential that you include details from the passage but you must USE YOUR OWN
WORDS!

In addition you could select from the DAFOREST toolkit to really impress your
examiner:

TECHNIQUE EFFECT ON THE READER

Direct address Engages the reader to read on as they feel that, by being addressed
directly, the text is specifically for them.

Alliteration Makes the text catchy – it sticks in the reader’s head.

Fact Make the text seem authoritative, accurate and therefore believable.

Opinion Sways the reader towards the writer’s viewpoint.

Rhetorical question Engages the reader to read on as they feel that, by being addressed
directly, the text is relevant to them.

Emotive language Makes the topic of the text seem overly good or bad, depending on
the purpose of the text.

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 Statistics Make the text seem authoritative, accurate and therefore believable.

(rule of) three Makes the text catchy – it sticks in the reader’s head.

EXEMPLAR RESPONSE

Dear Grandma and Granddad,

Recently you asked me for my opinions on whether you should fund a car for my sister
Lucy. After careful consideration I have come to the conclusion that she does not
currently need a car and, indeed, it could actually be dangerous for her to have one at
this stage.

Let’s consider the facts... statistics show that car accidents are a leading killer of
teenagers in our country. It turns out that 25% of new drivers actually have a crash in
the year following their test. That’s shocking! Yes, you could argue that Lucy could take
an extra course to improve her chances but ultimately I believe she will lack the
experience and maturity to keep her safe.

After all, what’s the rush? It’s not like she will be stranded in the house! Lucy has
happily caught the bus and had lifts with Mum for years and years; I’m sure she can
continue to do this for a bit longer. I know she will probably say, ‘But Grandma, I’ll
never get any experience if I don’t try...’ but can’t she try in a few years’ time? By then
she will have seen some of her friends get their first cars and, unfortunately, she will
probably have heard about some of their crashes. Hopefully then she might realise
what a dangerous weapon a car can be. They are also no friend to the environment.
Lucy has said she would like to ‘live greener,’ so here’s her chance!

It is true to say that another car in the household could prove useful if one breaks
down, and it would give her a means of travelling home from University, but I can’t see
that any of these minor advantages outweigh the need to keep Lucy safe. Surely her
wellbeing must be the primary concern?

For these reasons I hope you will agree with me that, for now, Lucy should not be
given a car of her own.

I look forward to seeing you both soon,

Love from,

Jemima.
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 Section 2 - Composition

Answer ONE question out of the four (change to

the specification – there used to be 6 questions to
choose from!)

Know your strengths before going into the exam – which type of writing are you best
at?

 Writing to describe?

 Narrative (story)/ creative writing?

There will be a choice for each of these types of writing so it’s perfectly acceptable to
revise one more thoroughly than the other.

Here are some examples of the types of questions you could expect for this part of the
exam. Remember you will only choose ONE to answer from, EITHER Descriptive
Writing OR Narrative Writing:

Descriptive Narrative

 Describe your favourite place  Write a story which has the title
during Winter. The wall and what was behind
it...

 You arrive in a foreign country for  You are walking through a wood
the first time. Describe your when you see a strange shape
experience as you spend an hour appear amongst the trees....
walking around... write the story.

 Describe the person who means  Write a short story which starts
most to you. with someone shouting, ‘I can’t
believe it!’

 Describe your most memorable  You arrive at a deserted house

journey. and start to pass on by but at the

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 last moment can’t resist walking
up to the door... write the story.

Top Tips for either route (descriptive or narrative)!

Many of the skills you need to master for this section are the same whether you
decide on the narrative question or the descriptive option. We’ll explore these first,
then there will be some more specific suggestions for each.

 Try to stay writing in the past tense unless there is a good reason to change
(e.g. deliberate use of flashbacks). If you start in the present you may well slip
into using the past and then may be marked down for tense confusion.
 Use the best possible vocabulary you can.
 Use a range of sentence types e.g. a short sentence occasionally, for effect.
 Use a range of punctuation accurately – including a quote or short
conversation between characters can help you to do this.
 Decide whether to write in the first (I) or third (he/she) person and stick to it.
 Use as many different senses (see, touch, feel, hear, smell) as possible. After
all,

As I trudged along the road I could smell freshly baked rolls from the baker’s next door then, as
I reached the park, the sound of children laughing contrasted with my sombre mood ...

is far better than

I walked along the road to the park feeling depressed. ..

 Try to use colours in an imaginative way.

The soft, pink sky seemed to stretch on forever...

is better than

The blue sky was clear overhead.

Using ‘soft, pink’ rather than ‘blue’ means that you avoid a cliché and manage to add
atmosphere (romantic, peaceful) and time of day (early morning or evening) just by
adding one extra word.

Your piece of writing need only be 350-450 words long so it must be focused on a
moment in time and should be packed full of techniques. Really show off your skills!

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 How should I start?
There are a range of ways to start this piece of writing. Here are a few suggestions:

 Use a one word sentence. ‘Intriguing’ or ‘Astounding’ or ‘Breath-taking’ might

sum up the feeling of your piece and make your reader want to find out what is
making you use that word at the very start. You’re also showing you can use a
range of sentence types.

 A rhetorical question can also work well such as, ‘Who could believe a day that
started off in such a normal way, would end so tragically?’ or ‘How would you
feel if you were faced with a life and death decision?’

 Alternatively, an excellent simile or metaphor can impress your reader from

the start. Sentences such as ‘The end of my world had arrived.’ Or ‘It was like I
was falling and would never stop...’

 You could start in the middle of some action e.g. ‘I held on as tightly as I could
but my fingers were slipping’.

How to end...

Here are some suggestions for ways to end your piece of writing; you should plan this
before you begin:

 Refer back to the way you started the piece, either with a key word or idea
from your opening.

 Use a cliffhanger but be sure to end this with an ellipsis (...) so we know there’s
more to the story.

 Try using a one word sentence.

 Try a rhetorical question to keep your reader involved in your writing.

 AVOID ENDING ANY WRITING WITH ‘IT WAS ALL A DREAM’! This invalidates
all your hard work, as if none of it mattered anyway. This is not a unique way of
ending and will not impress your examiner.
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 LINGUISTIC TECHNIQUES – USING ‘SEACRAFT’

Learn the acronym SEACRAFT and use as many of these techniques as possible in
Section 2:

TECHNIQUE DEFINITION WHY WE USE IT

Senses Go beyond what we see; use
other senses such as touch,
taste, smell or hear.
Emotive Words which elicit a powerful
language emotional response.
Adjectives Words which describe nouns.
Colours Avoiding the clichés such as
‘blue sky’ and ‘green grass’
Rhetorical Any question in a piece of
question writing which does not
require an answer.
Alliteration A group of words beginning
with the same letter or sound.
Figures of Describing by using
speech comparisons e.g. similes,
metaphors, personification
(rule of) three Lists of three things in a
sentence.
Creates a more vivid
picture for your reader.
Makes the topic of the
text seem overly good or
bad, depending on the
purpose of the text.
To add detail and show
off your vocabulary.
To show a more
impressive range of
vocabulary and create a
more accurate image.
Engages the reader to
read on as they feel that,
by being addressed
directly, the text is
relevant to them.
Makes the text catchy – it
sticks in the reader’s
head.
To enhance the imagery
used
Makes the text catchy – it
sticks in the reader’s
head.

Remember to also use a range of sentence types and punctuation, see FORMAT and
SPaG sections, plus the EXEMPLAR MATERIALS for further help.

How familiar are you with these techniques?

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YOUR TURN!

Read the following description. Can you find an example of each of the SEACRAFT
techniques? Fill in the table which follows. There might be more than one example of
some techniques and some words/phrases could be used more than once!

When I finally reached the top of the hill and looked around, I could see
that the island was shaped like a fish. The rough bushes had pricked at me
on my way up and my arms now had tiny spots of blood dotted along
them. The smell of the shrubs was over-powering: a heady, sweet scent
that lingered long after I had emerged into the open ground.

The walk had been exhausting, emotional and exhilarating all at the same
time. I was pleased I had pushed myself and come up here alone as the
view was staggering and I could finally think clearly. What had led me to
this place? How would I escape? I could see the palm trees below, gently
waving their greeting to me. Jeff would be my rock. He said I could depend
on him and now I was sure that was true. I saw a bird swoop by; I had no
idea what species it was but its wings seemed ablaze with reds, oranges
and bright yellows. Its jet black head contrasted with its fiery body and its
dynamism gave me energy. Jeff and I would be fine; we would get off this
island. I turned and headed back down the hill...

TECHNIQUE DEFINITION EXAMPLE

Senses Go beyond what we see, using
other senses such as touch,
taste, smell or sound.
Emotive Words which elicit a powerful
language emotional response.

Adjectives Words which describe nouns.

Colours Avoiding the clichés such as

‘blue sky’ and ‘green grass’.

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 Rhetorical Any question in a piece of
question writing which does not
require an answer.

Alliteration A group of words beginning

with the same letter or sound.

Figures of Describing by using

speech comparisons e.g. similes,
metaphors, personification

(rule of) three Lists of three things in a

sentence.

How did you get on? Your completed table should look like this:

TECHNIQUE DEFINITION EXAMPLE

Senses Go beyond what we see, using Rough bushes pricked at me.
other senses such as touch, The smell of the shrubs was
taste, smell or sound. over-powering, heady sweet
scent
Emotive Words which elicit a powerful Exhausting, emotional and
language emotional response. exhilarating, view was
staggering
Adjectives Words which describe nouns. Rough bushes, bright yellows,
heady sweet scent, fiery body
Colours Avoiding the clichés such as Ablaze with reds, oranges and
‘blue sky’ and ‘green grass’. bright yellows, jet black
Rhetorical Any question in a piece of What has led me to this
question writing which does not place?
require an answer. How will I escape?
Alliteration A group of words beginning Exhausting, emotional and
with the same letter or sound. exhilarating
Sweet scent
Figures of Describing by using The island was shaped like a
speech comparisons e.g. similes, fish, palm trees gently waving
metaphors, personification their greeting, Jeff would be
my rock, wings seemed blaze,
fiery body
(rule of) three Lists of three things in a Exhausting, emotional and
sentence. exhilarating

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 Reds, oranges and bright
yellows

You will notice that some examples appear more than once e.g. ‘exhausting,
emotional and exhilarating’ is emotive as we start to feel some sympathy for the
writer when she reveals her feelings. It is also alliterative due to the repeated letter
at the start and it uses a list of three.

In this way you can see how your writing does not have to be incredibly long to be
packed full of techniques which will impress an examiner.

YOUR TURN!

Let’s pretend we have chosen the task: ‘Describe your favourite place during Winter.’

Top Tips!
PLAN your answer before you begin. Use SEACRAFT to ensure you are using effective
techniques

Your examiner can’t give you any marks for your planning but they are bound to be
impressed to see some so do your planning on your answer paper and just put one
neat line through it.

Begin by jotting down anything that comes to mind – where will your place be? Then
consider SEACRAFT... You might not use all of your ideas from your planning, but pick
the best ones for your piece of writing. Don’t be afraid to be selective.

Step 1 Favourite Place – secluded part of a forest, sledging if snowy, peaceful,

calm, mountains in the distance.

Step 2 - Applying SEACRAFT – not all these ideas need to be used in the final
piece, select the best.

TECHNIQUE IDEAS
Senses Cold, bitter, chilly,
Smell of the pine trees, robins, children laughing while sledging,
Branches crunching beneath heavy feet
Emotive Breath-taking, nest (housing vulnerable chicks) exposed in the
language bare tree branches, children creating early memories
Adjectives Sodden gloves, tiny blades of grass emerging through the snow,

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 Barren landscape, numb fingertips, hard soil, crystalline,
desolate, formidable, dormant shrubs
Colours Silver, white, dappled light, reddened cheeks, light blue lips,
grey, brown
Rhetorical How would you feel if you knew of a place where troubles
question literally melt away?
Alliteration Soft snowflakes, brittle branches breaking underfoot, breath
barely visible, light blue lips
Figures of Mountains rising like fortresses, leaves like crisps, naked trees,
speech icy powder nips at our toes, Wicked Winter?
(rule of) three Soft, fine, powdery snow
Tiny, helpless, baby birds

The aim will also be to include a range of sentences such as short, compound etc. as
well as a range of punctuation.

Read the following exemplar response to get an idea of how long your piece of
writing should be. Look out for the ideas from the planning grid.

EXEMPLAR RESPONSE
How would you feel if you were lucky enough to know of a place capable of melting
away worries, anxieties and concerns? Let me tell you of my Secret Spot...

The forest is the place I always go if I’m looking for solitude, thinking time or stress
relief. In summer it is frequented by dog walkers and families out for a Sunday
afternoon stroll, but in winter the barren terrain attracts few visitors.

It is easy to be intimidated here. The desolate nature of the woodland in winter

could afford some too much alone time. The dormant shrubs, standing resolutely
against the chilly air, mean the path is difficult to navigate in places. Despite the
prickles, it is hard not to be impressed by the crystalline scene which gradually
engulfs you. Tiny blades of grass which peek through the snow are reminders that
Winter is not a killing machine; it just slows Nature’s advance, clearing the way for
new growth and regeneration in the spring.

Some twenty minutes’ walk into the forest is My Spot, a clearing which only reveals
itself when you round a particular corner in the seldom-used bridleway. Here the
snow settles thickly, like a white carpet whose aim is to consume your feet! Each
snowfall I bury my toes in the soft, fine powder, relishing the way it nips at my toes,
tolerating its stealthy, icy attack.

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The bare trees offer little protection to the wildlife in winter. A lone nest sits
precariously on the bronze branches, soon to house vulnerable chicks not yet free to
share their dainty songs with the harsh world. Robins perch nearby, their crimson
chests puffed and proud as they promote Christmas and all its festivities.

The families who walk here in the summer sometimes bring sledges to career down
the steep hills which surround the clearing. Futile shrieks of “Stop!” and “Slow
down!” pierce the still air, but just for a short time. All too soon the chattering
children are exhausted and trudge back to their houses, no doubt welcomed by
piping hot chocolate and a roaring fire to soothe their reddened cheeks and blue lips.
Some form their very earliest memories here, laughing and squealing in delight with
parents, siblings and friends.

Pines are the only evergreen in sight. Aromas can often stoke the fire of memories
and the smell of pine trees now has exactly this effect for me. Whether it’s a scented
candle or a display of Christmas trees at the local nursery, I am immediately
transported to the clearing in winter.

The memories I have made here are now inescapable. A whiff of pine, a shriek of an
excited child or a flurry of soft snowflakes are all that’s needed to take me back to
My Spot. That place, gilded with silver, is where my troubles can literally melt away.
My favourite place is: Harewood Forest.

Narrative Writing

You may prefer to write a mini story for this section of the exam. Remember you must
write EITHER a description, OR a narrative (NOT BOTH!)

What’s the difference?

A description is focused on a moment, a place or a person whereas a narrative has a

storyline. Bear in mind the time limit if you choose narrative writing as it would be easy
to get into your story and run out of time somewhere in the middle. Practise
answering these kinds of questions under timed conditions.

Key elements of a narrative:

There should be a structure – a beginning, middle and end.

There should be some development e.g. a character should learn something/change

their mind/discover something.

There should be a climax to the story (see below).

Use the setting to create atmosphere and build tension.

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Gradually reveal plot details.

Top tips

 PLAN before you begin. That way you can concentrate on the quality of your
writing without worrying about what the next paragraph will contain or how
the story is going to end.

 Use interesting characters – what could be special or strange about them? A

special ability, unique tattoo or unusual appearance can all be intriguing to a
reader.

 Use the best possible vocabulary you can; really show off your use of language.

 Use a variety of sentence structures e.g. short sentences, complex sentences.

 Include dialogue if it’s relevant but keep this to a minimum.

 Stay in the past tense unless you are determined that it should be set in the
present (most candidates slip back to the past and this can lose lots of marks).

 Use a variety of accurate punctuation; check out the SPaG section to help
with this.

 Pay attention to your spelling and grammar. Again use SPaG to help.

Climax in Narrative Writing

Unlike a pure description, narrative writing should build to a climax of some sort. This
should be the most exciting part of the story.

How can I build tension?

 Think carefully about your word choices. Verbs can add action e.g. Crawling
along the floor to avoid the smoke, I started my escape...

 Onomatopoeia can be used to good effect e.g. I heard a crash! Something was
upstairs...

 Short sentences can highlight key moments. I stopped. I’d reached my goal.

 Include characters’ thoughts and feelings e.g. I was devastated.

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Using description

You should find yourself writing to describe at some point in your narrative, whether
it’s a character or a place. This is your opportunity to show off your use of language
and imagery. Re-read the advice above as you could use any of the techniques in
SEACRAFT to enhance your writing.

Where do I start?

Your first job is to choose your question. There will be a choice of two narrative
questions on the paper. Here are some examples again:

Narrative

 Write a story which has the title The Wall and what was behind it...

 You are walking through a wood when you see a strange shape appear
amongst the trees.... write the story.

 Write a short story which starts with someone shouting, “I can’t believe it!”

 You arrive at a deserted house and start to pass on by but at the last moment
can’t resist walking up to the door... write the story.

Once you have decided on a title it’s time to do some planning.

Planning

Decide on 1-3 characters to use (this is plenty for the time you have). Consider their
relationship to each other. Are they family? Friends? Strangers?

Decide on a time. Is this story going to be set in the past, present or future?

Decide on a setting. Where is this story going to take place? Focus on one or two
settings again due to the limited time you have.

What will the plot be? Think this through before you begin writing. You can always
change it as you go if necessary but don’t start with no idea of what the climax of the
story will be.

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TIME! TIME! TIME!

There is planning time built into the exam. Examiners don’t expect you to write non-
stop from beginning to end; planning and thinking time is included and should be used.
Include your planning on your paper so that your examiner can see it. They can’t award
you marks for it but there’s no harm in giving them a good impression from the start!
Just put one neat line through it at the end to show you know it cannot be marked.

Let’s try a question:

You arrive at a deserted house and start to pass on by but at the last moment can’t
resist walking up to the door... write the story.

Planning:

Characters – 1, lone teenage boy seeking independence goes out for a walk to clear his
head after a family row.

Plot – Boy is angry with his family but after challenging himself by visiting the house he
comes to realise how lucky he is to have people who care about him.

Time – set in the past, uses the past tense throughout.

Settings – thick forest, the deserted house.

Linguistic devices – SEACRAFT

TECHNIQUE IDEAS
Senses creaking door/clatters to the floor
bird singing
clang
brambles scratched at my arms
Emotive Comforting lights in the windows – home
language I thought back to my brothers and parents (loving family)
Adjectives Pretty twilight (contrast)
Gentle wind
Heavy door
Verdant ivy
Colours Twilight
Gloom/darkness
Rhetorical What was I doing here?
question
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 Why was I putting myself in danger exploring a building that
might collapse at any moment?
Alliteration Gloom which gathered
Ghouls and ghosts
Door swung slowly
Decrepit, decaying building
Figures of Ambles scratched at my arms in warning
speech House stood like a lone fort
Ivy – verdant fingers invading the house
(rule of) three Ghouls, ghosts, goblins

Remember your finished piece of writing should be 350-450 words long.

EXEMPLAR ANSWER

‘Clang!’ The door slammed behind me, bouncing off the metal surround as I stormed
out of the house. I couldn’t believe how much my parents favoured my brothers over
me. They were allowed to do so much and I, aged 15, was allowed nothing. No
freedoms at all. Life was so unfair.

I walked and walked. Past fields and tracks, on and on into the gloom which gathered
now that the pretty twilight of earlier had petered out. I marched on further than I had
ever ventured alone before, into the forest where I had been warned as a child not to
set foot. There were many tales about the goblins which resided there, about the
ghouls and ghosts which inhabited the trees. But still I continued, determined to prove
that I was turning into a brave man, one who could conquer all beasts.

The path narrowed and I had to force my way past some brambles which scratched at
my arms in warning. Still I continued.

As I blundered on through the near-dark, a house loomed in the distance. It stood like
a lone fort, hidden by the woodland. I hesitated. Nobody would know if I turned back
now... I could pretend that I’d gone in, that I’d spent the night even! No-one would
know.... but me. I’d know. I plodded on.

I approached the door and saw to my surprise that it wasn’t bolted. It swung slowly on
one remaining hinge, creaking in the gentle wind. I pushed... gently at first then
harder, shoving my shoulder against the oak panelling. The remaining hinge sheared
off and the heavy door clattered to the floor.

The noise startled a bird which had been singing nearby. I suddenly felt very alone.
Carefully I stepped over the threshold. Ivy had crept its way through cracks in the
window frames; its verdant fingers invading, crawling their way around the ledges.
There was a broken staircase in the middle of the floor. This must have been a very
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grand house when it was first built. I closed my eyes and redecorated it in all its
splendour.

‘Bang!’ My eyes flew open as I imagined the door had slammed behind me, locking me
forever within the walls of this decrepit, decaying building. But no. I wasn’t sure what
had caused the noise but the door still lay where I’d left it. I was whisked back to
reality. What was I doing here? Why was I putting myself in danger exploring a building
that might collapse at any moment? I thought back to my family, to my brothers and
parents, all wanting to protect me from harm, to shield me from the harsh realities of
life. They were right; I did still have some growing up to do. There was no need to keep
pushing the boundaries, to keep rebelling because my older brothers were allowed
more freedoms than I was.

I spun around and hurried out, hopping over the door on the floor, back to the path. It
was dark now but I could see the comforting lights in the windows as I sprinted
towards home...

 Where is the climax of the story?

 Can you spot a variety of sentences?

 Where is the story enhanced by vivid imagery and use of impressive

vocabulary?

At the end of the exam

Always check your work through carefully, using any time you have left. It can be
tempting to rush through the last questions to get it finished then want to just close
the booklet. Try to resist this! Those extra couple of marks that you could pick up can
mean the difference between one grade and another!

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