Question 1: Finding Information Flashcards
All 23 cards in this deck
How many marks is Paper 1 Question 1 worth, and how long should you spend on it?
4 marks, one for each part. Spend about 5 minutes: it is the shortest question on the paper, and the time is better saved for Questions 2 to 5.
Which assessment objective does Paper 1 Question 1 test?
AO1: identifying and interpreting explicit and implicit information and ideas. It tests careful, accurate reading, not analysis of the writer's methods.
What does Paper 1 Question 1 look like from summer 2026?
Four multiple-choice parts, 1.1 to 1.4. Each is worth 1 mark, has three options, and has one correct answer. The parts follow the order of the text.
What does the 2026 Question 1 tell you to read?
"Read again the first part of the source, from lines … to …." Every answer must come from inside those lines, which are always at the start of the source.
An option is true about the character, but the detail only appears later in the source. Should you choose it?
No. A detail from outside the given lines scores 0 even if it is true. Distractors are often taken from just after the given lines, so draw a box around the lines before you start.
Does the italic introduction above the source count as part of the given lines?
No. It is background written by the examiners, not part of the source. An option that only the introduction supports is a trap.
The right option rarely copies the text's exact words. How do you match it to the text?
Look for a paraphrase or synonym: the text might say 'the frail old dog' and the right option 'It is weak'. Don't pick an option just because it repeats a word from the passage, because distractors often reuse the text's words in the wrong sense.
How can the order of the questions help you on Question 1?
The parts follow the order of the text, so the answer to 1.2 comes after the answer to 1.1, and so on. Use that to find the right sentence quickly.
What is a sensible way to work through each Question 1 part?
- Find the sentence the question is about and read the whole of it.
- Cross out any option from outside the lines or not in the text at all.
- Check the remaining options against the exact wording.
- Choose one.
What mistakes do examiners report most often on Paper 1 Question 1?
Taking details from outside the given lines or from the italic introduction, misreading a word (for example confusing quiet with quite), and choosing an option that guesses beyond what the text says.
How many options can you choose for each part of Question 1?
One. The paper says to choose a maximum of one answer for each question, so a part with two options chosen can't score. If you change your mind, follow the instructions on the paper so your final answer is clear.
What is explicit information?
Information the text states directly, so you can point to the words. In 'The kitchen was freezing', the cold is explicit.
What is implicit information?
Information the text suggests but doesn't state, which you work out from clues. In 'She kept her coat on while she washed up', the cold kitchen is implicit.
What is an inference?
A sensible conclusion you draw from evidence in the text. A good inference can always be backed up by specific words in the passage.
What is over-inference?
A conclusion that goes further than the text supports. 'He checked his watch twice' supports "he is aware of the time", but not "he is late for a job interview".
How can you test whether an inference is safe?
Ask: which exact words prove this? If you can't point to them, or you have to invent part of a story to make it work, it is an over-inference.
What is the difference between a paraphrase and an inference?
A paraphrase says what the text states, in other words (still explicit). An inference works out something the text does not say. 'She sobbed' → "she cried" is a paraphrase; "she is upset" is an inference.
Can Paper 1 Question 1 test implicit information as well as explicit?
Yes: AO1 covers both. But a Question 1 answer must be clearly supported by the given lines, so the correct option is usually a close paraphrase or a small, safe inference, never a guess.
Why do wrong options in Question 1 often sound believable?
They are written to be plausible: a likely guess about the character, a detail from elsewhere in the source, or the text's own words used in the wrong sense. The right option is the one the given lines actually support.
In 'Mrs Okafor's hands, cracked and swollen at the knuckles, never stopped moving', is "her hands are swollen" explicit or implicit?
Explicit, because the text says 'swollen'. That she is a hard worker, or is restless, would be implicit: suggested by 'never stopped moving', not stated.
In 'The shop bell hadn't rung since Tuesday', what can you safely infer?
That the shop has had few or no customers for days. You can't safely infer that the shop is closing down: nothing in the sentence says so.
In 'Rain had found its way through the roof again; three buckets stood in the hall', which is stated and which is suggested?
Stated: rain came through the roof and there were three buckets in the hall. Suggested: the roof leaks often (the word 'again'). Over-inference: "the family can't afford repairs", which the text never hints at.
You don't know a word in the given lines. What should you do?
Check whether the paper has glossed it, then use the rest of the sentence to work out its meaning. Question 1 options often swap a hard word for a simpler synonym, so try putting each option in its place.