How to Answer Paper 1 Question 2 Flashcards
All 12 cards in this deck
How many marks is Paper 1 Question 2 worth, and how long should you spend on it?
8 marks. Spend about 10 minutes on it, after Question 1 and before the 8-mark structure question.
Which assessment objective does Paper 1 Question 2 test?
AO2: explaining, commenting on and analysing how writers use language to achieve effects and influence readers, using relevant subject terminology.
What does the Paper 1 Question 2 question say?
"Look in detail at this extract … How does the writer use language here to describe …? You could include the writer's choice of: words and phrases; language features and techniques; sentence forms." The extract is printed again on the question paper.
What happens if you write about language from outside the extract you are given for Question 2?
It doesn't count. An answer that only analyses language from outside the given lines can't go above Level 2 (4 marks), however good it is.
What does a Level 4 (7–8 marks) answer to Paper 1 Question 2 do?
It analyses the effects of the writer's language choices perceptively, uses a range of well-chosen (judicious) short quotations, and uses subject terminology accurately and precisely.
What is the difference between a Level 2 and a Level 3 answer on Paper 1 Question 2?
Level 2 attempts to comment on effects, with some appropriate quotations and some terminology. Level 3 clearly explains the effects, with a range of relevant quotations and accurate terminology.
What does "say a lot about a little" mean for Question 2?
Pick short quotations, often a single word, and explore them in depth: their connotations, why the writer chose them, and the effect on the reader. That earns more than skimming many long quotations.
What is "feature spotting", and why does it score badly?
Naming a technique without explaining its effect, such as "The writer uses a simile." Terminology only earns credit when it helps you explain what the language does to the reader's impression.
Should you write about structure in Paper 1 Question 2?
No. Structure (the order of the text, shifts in focus, paragraphing) belongs in Question 3. Sentence forms do count as language in Question 2, but only when you link them to meaning.
Do you have to cover all three bullet points in Question 2?
No. The question says you could include them; it is not a checklist. Three or four well-developed points beat a thin answer that covers every bullet.
What is a good shape for each paragraph of a Question 2 answer?
Make a point about how the focus (the thing being described) is presented. Embed a short quotation. Name the method if it helps. Then explain the effect, zooming in on a key word and its connotations.
What are examiners' most common complaints about Question 2 answers?
Long quotations followed by a retelling of the content; naming techniques with no effect; reading imagery literally; and vague effects such as "it makes the reader want to read on".