english language year 11 top tips

English Language

Top Tips

May 2017

English Language Paper 1

Section A:

• Question 1: 5 minutes




Section B:


Give yourself 5 minutes to read

through the source.

Make sure you spend 5-10

minutes to plan your writing –

what descriptive writing could you

use?

Question 1 – List 4 things

• Focus on the lines stated

• Highlight the key words in the question –

what are you being asked to identify?

• You can use direct quotes or paraphrase.

If you paraphrase it must be focused on

the question

Question 2 - Language

The effects of the language need to be driving your answer –you need to have multiple and ensure you explain them.

Question 3 - Structure

• Ensure you check what genre the extract is

taken from and where it would be positioned

in the novel as a whole – this will help you to

explain the writer’s choices and effects

produced

• The examiner is looking for the same skill as

Q2 – effect of structural choices should be

driving your answer

• The quality of the effect is the most important

Question 3 – Structural Features

• Zooming in from something big to much smaller (or vice versa)

• Shifting between times or places

• Sudden or gradual introduction of new characters at significant points

• Moving from inside to wider outside world (or vice versa) – like in the Jamaica Inn extract

• Combining external actions with internal thoughts – for example the use of flashbacks

Question 3 – Structural Features

• Switching between different points of view

• Developing and reiterating: focusing on point of view by expanding or repeating it

• Circular structure

• Positioning of key sentences and their impact on the whole text – why is it used at the point? What effect would that have? Why, what contribution does it provide to the extract as a whole?

Question 3 - StructureJust like with Q2, effects need to drive your answer.

Don’t analyse language, this is not what you are being assessed on. It is worth no marks and a waste of time.

Aim to discuss sophisticated structural choices –motif, symbols, cyclical narrative…

Question 4 - Evaluate

• Focus on the statement provided

• ‘What?’ – what is your interpretation of the

content?

• ‘How?’ – how is that created? What

methods does the writer use?

• Approach this question like you do for your

literature – it wants your opinion and for

you to justify through evidence!

Question 4 - Evaluate

Aim to be perceptive with your interpretations – what method does the writer use to give you that impression?

Question 5 – Descriptive/Narrative

Writing• If you choose to complete a descriptive piece

of writing, the picture is there to ‘suggest’ ideas. You don’t just have to stick to the picture. If you do, you could limit yourself.

• The quality of your communication is the most important. Always read back through your writing: are you being clear?

• Use a range of sentence types and, perhaps more importantly, structures – they feature on both parts of the mark scheme for this section (AO5 and AO6).

Question 5 – Descriptive/Narrative

WritingWrite a story about conflict as suggested by this picture.The seagulls never landed any more. They always hoveredabove the camp, always uncertain. As if something was drivingthem away. There was nothing wrong with the camp. It wasperfectly normal.There must have been a mistake. The gulls had nothing to worryabout. So why did they insist on coming back?I knew.It was pure morbid curiosity.We all have it inside us, some more than others. Like the prisonwardens who are curious to see how many more whippings untila prisoner bleeds to death. Or how many innocent people mustbe slaughtered in order to turn the world red.I’d grown almost used to such torture.Almost used to the gunshots. Almost used to the screams thatformed deathly music that played on repeat in my mind forever.Those who escaped, or at least tried to, were shot, obviously. Imean, who in their right mind would ever let a worthless butextremely valuable prisoner spy, who betrayed their country,go?

Creative and effective opening

Effective use of structural devices

Successful linguistic devices

Conscious crafting of language and highly accurate punctuation

English Language Paper 2

Section A:





Section B:


Question 1 – True or False?

• In this question you are to shade in the

box of the 4 true statements

• What if I make a mistake?

– If you make an error cross out the entire box

– If you change your mind and decide you were

right the first time, put a circle around the box

Question 2 - Summarise

• This question can be similarities or differences – read your question carefully to ensure you know which you should focus on

• There is no requirement to mention the writer in this question

• You do not need to analyse methods, doing so is a waste of time and will gain you no marks

• You must interpret quotations - the more developed = the more marks!

• You must use comparative language

• To achieve top band: after you have talked about source A and you bring in your comparative point about source B, you should use comparative language throughout your paragraph. Constantly link and compare back to source A.

Question 2 - Summarise

Make perceptive interpretations – reflect, think outside the box

Focus on differences (or similarities, depending on question) with perceptive interpretations embedded

Precise quotations

Question 3 - Language

• Ensure your point is incredibly clear and focused on how something is presented and the effect this presentation has

• Keep focused on what the question wants you to discuss – link effects back

• If you look at single words as part of a semantic/lexical field you must explore each word within the context of the sentence it has been taken from

• Always link to effect

Question 3 - LanguageUse sophisticated terminology and zoom in on key words

Ensure you focus on the effects produced and analyse the language used

Find patterns with use of language

Question 4 - Compare

• Ensure you focus on writers’ thoughts, feelings and attitudes

• After you have analysed source A, and you are writing about source B, use comparative language throughout this paragraph, constantly making links between the viewpoints and perspectives and the methods used

• If there is a shift in a writers’ viewpoint and perspective, ensure you acknowledge it, but with an awareness of their overall VP/perspective


Show a perceptive understanding of the writer’s ideas and perspectives


Compare the writers’ ideas and perspectives in a perceptive way


Embed precise quotations

Question 5 – Opinion Writing

• Ensure you are clear and that your work makes sense- this is vital to get out of level 2

• Do not make careless SPaG errors

• Vocabulary is hugely important- use a range of ambitious word choices

• Use a range of sentence structures

• Content is key to top bands; adopt a voice; structure it convincingly; give the examiner something a little bit different- something that will stand out from a pile of 500 exams

Question 5 – Opinion Writing‘Snow seems like it is picturesque, exciting and fun but in

reality it causes accidents, inconvenience and economic

disruption.’

Write an article for a broadsheet newspaper in which you

explain your point of view on this issue.

Snow. The joy and/or sorrow that floods into our bodies when we

wake up in the morning to see that cars are camouflaged into the

driveway by a wash of a white substance.

Snow. Thinking of endless things to do on our bucket list of the day

which somehow always manages to include the outdoors, i.e.

building a new friendly snowman (before it melts into the ground

later), sledging down a steep hill for a local (and free) exhilarating

ride, and snowball fights with the ones you love.

Snow. It somehow excites you and motivates you for the most

common thing associated with the cold weather; Christmas time.

“I’m dreaming of a white Christmas,” unless of course the snow

randomly comes in April time (which is no surprise for the British

weather), and Christmas Day ends up looking like any other normal

day. The snow makes the day special, no matter what the occasion.

Use sophisticated language

Ensure you use a variety of sentence structures

Consider the tone you adopt to engage a reader

english language year 11 top tips

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