English Language

1. English Language Paper 1

2. What does the paper look like? 2 hours long; 1 hour for each section • Section A: Reading Students read ONE non-fiction prose passage and answer 4 questions on it using PEE/PQA • Section B Students answer ONE question from a choice of 3

3. Where can I get past papers from? • Class teacher • AQA website: http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/english/aqa-certificate/english-language-8705/past-papers-and-mark-schemes • Central Resource Library at School (print off at school or take a USB stick into school): Start/Computer/Central Resource Library/English/000Past Papers for GCSE and iGCSE

4. Reading Section A

5. Top Tips for the Reading Section • Read the questions first • Use a highlighter (these will be provided) to highlight key words • Ensure you always link back to the question in your answer • Practise reading articles and summarising them using quotes. There are extracts and questions in the booklet all pupils have received from their class teachers • Practise past papers (available from AQA online or from class teachers) in order to ensure timing is accurate

6. Mark Scheme for the Reading Section • Use PEE/PQA • Use short quotes • Ensure you infer meaning from the quotes and develop your explanation or analysis of the quote • Aim for 2-3 paragraphs for the first two questions and 3-4 paragraphs for the last two questions

7. Sample Question (Summer 2012) Text: Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell Question 4: What does this passage tell us about attitudes towards tramps in England in the early 1930s?

8. Sample answer for the Reading Section (Q4)

9. Sample answer for the Reading Section (Q4)

10. Writing Section B

11. Sample Questions (Summer 2012)

12. Writing Options • Story • Description • Writing to argue/writing an argument

13. Top Tips for the Writing Section • Centres should be aware that candidates who offer very brief responses (3 paragraphs or less as a rough guide) are inevitably limiting their potential achievement. • The Mark Scheme is divided into bands with each band containing four bullet points. The first of these is focused on content, the second on structure, the third on sentence structure and variation, and the fourth on technical accuracy. Centres should be aware that each of these four elements is given equal weight in the assessment of writing. • It was noted that comma splicing was a frequent and detrimental feature of some candidates’ work, whilst the achievement of others was hampered by an inability to use commas accurately within sentences. • Spend 5-10 minutes planning a good response – the examiners are looking for a ‘consciously crafted’ piece of work. • Remember to ensure that you are writing for a specific audience and purpose • Spend 5 minutes at the end checking your work You could create a plan that looks like this:

14. Mark Scheme for the Writing Section It is divided EQUALLY into 4 sections: • Content • Structure • Sentence structure and variation • Technical accuracy (SPAG)

15. Content: what are they looking for? • Clear ideas and communication • Conscious decisions made about writing to suit AUDIENCE and PURPOSE; evidence of crafting for a purpose and audience • Selection of vocabulary for effect • Use of discourse markers

16. Structure – what are they looking for? • Paragraphs • Repetition or a cohesive device • Timeline • More than one narrative strand • Connectives (if applicable) • 3rd person, 1st person • Range of appropriate and sophisticated vocabulary • Range of writing techniques used, e.g. similes • Top End: use of a narrative structure and/or genre such as stream of consciousness, epistolary, Martian perspective, Todorov, tragedy, thriller, gothic and so on.

17. What are they looking for - Sentence Structure and Variation? • Simple – short sentence normally with a subject, verb and object. • Compound – 2 or more simple sentences using a connective such as: and, but, or, although etc. • Complex – use of a subordinate clause Vary your use of these sentence types for impact.

18. What are they looking for – Technical Accuracy? • Spelling of common words MUST be correct. This includes homophones (their/they’re/there) as well as words that are commonly misspelt such as successful, necessary, beautiful, beginning and so on. See here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/7930745/Separate-is-most-commonly-misspelt-word.html • Punctuation must be correct – misuse of commas was a common complaint by the exam board. Students should be using a range of punctuation accurately.

19. Sample Question “At about seven o’clock the cell doors were locked on the outside.” Write a story which starts or ends with this sentence. (25 marks)

20. Sample answer for the Writing Section

27. What do I do with this? • Use it as an exemplary piece of writing and it’s only 3 ½ sides long. • It achieved 25/25 despite 1 or 2 glaringly obvious mistakes • You could use the mark scheme on slides 14-17 and highlight evidence of how they achieve this mark, using a different highlighter colour for each strand of the mark scheme

28. Websites to help you with SPAG • http://www.bristol.ac.uk/arts/exercises/grammar/grammar_tutorial/page_41.htm • http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/commasplice.htm • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQfJdhyeQfU • http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/words/grammar/punctuation/commas/game.shtml

29. Writing to Argue: Helpful Hints and Techniques

30. Writing to Argue The purpose of this style of writing is to present a case for or against a point of view to convince the reader. Use the present tense and morality You need to… Use a formal tone Make your writing impersonal. Don’t direct accusations at anyone Write about counter arguments and say why they are wrong Clearly state your point of view in the introduction

31. Writing to Argue Continued… Develop your paragraphs logically You also need to… Use connectives to link paragraphs and within paragraphs Conclude by restating your opinion Use modal verbs to show options Remember to use PEE – make a point, give the evidence and expand upon your ideas Go through A FOREST!

32. Go through A FOREST: A: ANECDOTES - A personal experience & story as proof. F: FACTS – Don’t know any? Then borrow some from Section A of the exam or invent them! O: OPINION - Strong words, such as, ‘It is outrageous that…’ R: RHETORICAL QUESTIONS - Express yourself powerfully with questions that don’t need an answer, but remember to add question marks. E: EXAMPLES & EXPERTS - Give examples as support. Invent an expert and quote from them: for example, ‘Professor Jane Morris of Oxford University says that…’ S: STATISTICS – Invent them! Eg “In a recent survey conducted by York University, 73%…” T: TRIPLES - Lists of three –maybe with alliteration? For example, “It is cruel, callous and criminal to…”