How to Answer Paper 2 Question 7(a) Flashcards
All 10 cards in this deck
What does Paper 2 Question 7(a) ask, and how many marks is it worth?
6 marks, AO1 (synthesis). It names something both texts show ('The two texts show picnics') and asks what similarities it shares in the two extracts, using evidence from both texts.
What happens if a Question 7(a) answer uses only one text?
It scores nothing: you must draw on both texts to access any marks.
Should you include differences in Question 7(a)?
No. It asks only for similarities. Differences earn nothing in 7(a); save them for 7(b).
What are the three levels for Question 7(a)?
Level 1 (1–2): limited understanding of similarities and synthesis. Level 2 (3–4): sound understanding and clear synthesis, perhaps unbalanced. Level 3 (5–6): detailed understanding and synthesis, with appropriate, relevant evidence.
What is examiners' most persistent complaint about Question 7(a)?
Writing about similarities between the texts ('both writers use similes') instead of similarities in the thing the question names (the picnics, the weather events). Methods earn nothing here.
How long should you spend on Question 7(a)?
About 8 minutes. It's 6 marks: three or four well-supported similarities are plenty, and examiners say many students write too much.
What does a strong Question 7(a) point look like?
One shared idea about the focus, supported from both texts in the same sentence: 'Both journeys are uncomfortable: Text 1's carriage is "packed to the doors" and Text 2's bus is "standing room only".'
Why is listing details from each text not enough in 7(a)?
Listing leaves the examiner to find the link. Synthesis means you say what the details have in common, then back it up from both texts.
The question asks 'What similarities do the two journeys share?' Is 'Both texts are written in the first person' a good point?
No. It's about the texts, not the journeys, so it earns nothing. A good point is about the journeys themselves, such as 'both journeys take much longer than planned'.
How is Question 7 laid out on the paper?
As one question with two parts on both texts: 7(a) (6 marks) and 7(b) (14 marks), printed as 20 marks for Question 7 in total.