How to Answer Paper 2 Question 3 Flashcards
All 12 cards in this deck
How many marks is Paper 2 Question 3 worth, which AO does it test, and how long should you spend on it?
12 marks, testing AO2: how writers use language to achieve effects, using subject terminology. Spend about 12 minutes.
What is the wording of Paper 2 Question 3?
"You now need to refer only to Source [A or B] from lines X to Y. How does the writer use language to describe [the focus]?" There are no bullet points, unlike Paper 1 Question 2.
What counts as "language" in Paper 2 Question 3, even though there are no bullet points?
Words and phrases, language features and techniques (imagery, irony, listing, and so on), and sentence forms. Cover a range of these rather than just techniques.
What happens if you write about lines outside those given, or about the wrong source, in Paper 2 Question 3?
The answer is placed at the bottom of whatever level its quality deserves. Draw a box round the given lines and quote only from inside it.
What does a top-level (10–12 mark) answer to Paper 2 Question 3 do?
It analyses the effects of the writer's language choices, uses a range of judicious (precise, well-chosen) quotations and uses sophisticated, accurate subject terminology.
What must your answer to Paper 2 Question 3 keep doing to reach Level 3 or above?
Stay on the focus in the question, e.g. "to describe the volcano". Analysing interesting language that has nothing to do with the focus can't reach Level 3.
What is "feature spotting", and why does it score so little?
Naming a technique ("there is a simile") without explaining its effect. Examiners reward what the language does to the reader and what it shows about the writer's view, not the label.
What does "say a lot about a little" mean for Paper 2 Question 3?
Zoom in on single words and explore them in depth: their connotations, why that word rather than another, and how they fit the writer's attitude. Depth on a few quotations beats a list of many.
Why should you avoid long quotations in Paper 2 Question 3?
Long quotations are usually followed by comments on content, not language. Short, embedded quotations of one to four words force you to analyse specific choices.
In Paper 2 Question 3, why is it useful to link language to the writer's viewpoint?
Paper 2 is about writers' viewpoints. Saying what a choice reveals about the writer's attitude (awe, contempt, affection) makes your analysis sharper and more perceptive.
What is a good paragraph plan for Paper 2 Question 3?
Three or four paragraphs, each with: the writer's method + short quotation + effect on the reader + what it shows about the writer's view of the focus. Where you can, zoom in on one word.
In Paper 2 Question 3, should you compare the source with the other one or write about whole-text structure?
No. Q3 is one source and language only. Comparison is for Question 4, and whole-text structure earns nothing here.