Paper 2: Non-‐ Fiction Revision Booklet, Assignments of Creative writing

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Year 9 – End of Key Stage 3 English Assessment

Modern Drama and Creative Writing

Name: -­‐

___________________

Tutor Group: _____________

Paper 2: Non-­‐

Fiction Revision

Booklet

2 Class Teacher: ____________ The Exam

• Part of English Language GCSE – 60%
• 2 hour paper – probably the hardest in the course.
• Reading – Questions 1-­‐7 (1 hr 15mins)
• Writing – Choice of Question 8 or 9 (45 minutes)

Reading – Part A

2 unseen non-­‐fiction texts. Text A Question 1 – AO1 (Comprehension) – 2 marks Question 2 – AO1 (Comprehension) – 2 marks Question 3 – AO2 (Analysis) – 15 marks Text B Question 4 – AO1 (Comprehension) – 1 mark Question 5 – AO1 (Comprehension) – 1 mark Question 6 – AO4 (Evaluation) – 15 marks Text A and Text B Question 7a) – AO1 (Synthesis) – 6 marks Question 7b) – AO3 (Comparison) – 14 marks A mark a minute! Completing the paper is

Writing -­‐ Part B

Choice of 2 questions, based on the themes and ideas of the two unseen texts. As such, it is a good idea to do it after having completed Part A. Assesses AO5 (meeting form, audience and purpose, structure and effect) Assesses AO6 (Vocabulary, experimentation with sentences, spelling and grammatical accuracy)

WRITING

PRACTICE EXAM WITH QUESTION BREAKDOWN

Question 1 and 2 – AO1 (comprehension and retrieval of information) – 4 marks

Highlight the key words in the question!

Short, brief answers needed – make sure you read

the question carefully. Do not waste time here: if

you can’t find the answer, move on.

Question 3 – AO2 – ANALYSIS – 15 marks You must analyse and pick out key techniques of language AND structure. This response should be equally weighted between language and structure. If you only talk about 1, you can achieve a maximum of 6 points. Always use terminology and explain the effect of the reader. Alternative explanations will help get the higher grade. Bulk does matter here – short responses will be penalised (aim for at least 4 paragraphs: 2 on language, 2 on structure)

Question 3 Mark Scheme

VOCAB DEVICES SENTENCE STRUCTURE EXPLANATION RELEVANT EXPLORATION DETAILED ANALYSIS DISCRIMINATING COMMENT NOT DEVELOPED

INDICATIVE CONTENT FROM THE EXAM BOARD

Level 2 Response Paragraph (one of 3-­‐4)

The writer effectively engages the reader by beginning with “another

night has passed” and in telling us that he is “still in the trenches and

in good health”. This tells the reader that at that moment he is safe

and engages them to read about his life in the trenches.

Level 3 Response Paragraph (one of 3-­‐4)

In addition, Bailey employs the use of rhetorical questions to interest

and engage his reader. Many examples of rhetorical questions can

be found scattered throughout the text, such as when Bailey

mentions to his wife that she “shouldn’t let [herself] go short, will

you?” The use of the rhetorical questions draws the readers’

attention. Since this letter was only meant to be read by one person,

they may feel like the question is one to consider. By adding “will

you?” to the end of the sentence, Bailey is also softening the

comment “you shouldn’t let yourself go short” and infers that it was

said out of concern for his wife. Bailey’s wife would have probably

felt more connected to her husband, after this direct address.

This is descriptive, instead of analysis. Tips to improve this: -­‐ Don’t translate (‘This tells the reader...’) make sure you pick out individual words. Instead, “The use of the adjective “good” emphasises how the writer is safe...” -­‐ -­‐ Make sure you analyse structure, as well as language! -­‐ There is good understanding of the writer’s techniques, and here is a good example of how to approach analysing structure. TIPS FOR IMPROVEMENT: -­‐ Analyse language and structure at the same time; alternative interpretations!

Level 5 Response

He uses tag questions such as “didn’t you?” as a way of engaging

her as one would engage someone in conversation. Clearly Bailey is

trying to invite his wife to respond to him in future letters with

information, perhaps about her new coat for example. The

conversational tone is reinforced through the use of discourse

markers such as “Now my little Darling” which almost act as if Bailey

can hear his wife getting cross about his previous comments,

perhaps trying to make her feel as if she is with him in his thoughts

despite their geographical distance. Structurally, the fact that the

writer begins and ends with comments about the weather could be

seen as a dull topic of conversation but it could be interpreted that

the banality of the subject could actually be engaging Mrs Bailey as

it may go some way to reassuring her that her husband is safe.

-­‐ This is a sensitive reading that deals with a discriminating range of evidence and techniques – it combines language and structure analysis with ease. It also offers an alternative interpretation! TIPS FOR IMPROVEMENT: Nothing! Full Marks (sustained over 4-­‐5 paragraphs!) -­‐ Analyse language and structure at the same time; alternative interpretations!

Question 4 and 5 – AO1 (comprehension and retrieval of information) – 2 marks

Highlight the key words in the question!

Short, brief answers needed – make sure you read

the question carefully. Do not waste time here: if

you can’t find the answer, move on.

Question 4 and 5 mark Scheme

Question 6 – AO4 (Evaluation) – 15 marks EVALUATION – one of the new elements of the syllabus. Students need to constantly refer to how successfully the writer has presented her ideas – they need to avoid AO (comprehension or explaining what happened) or AO (analysis of language, form and structure). It is not how it works; it is how well. They want to see the language of evaluation so including the following phrases will get them marks!

• The writer successfully presents the idea that....
• This is successful because....
• This is effective because...
• The effective use of the technique XXX allows the writer to....
• This successfully achieves the purpose of the text because...
• This is particularly effective because it appeals to the reader by...

INDICATIVE CONTENT

Level 2 Response (of 3-­‐4 paragraphs)

The writer uses evidence of her friends opinions of her food for example, the phrase “with compliments and “smiles” shows how she has made them happy, therefore effecting people around due to the word “smiles”. Also the writer uses evidence from her online blog and talks about how people ask her to “put them into a cookbook”. This shows that people really enjoy her food and recipes, as they want to pay money to buy her cookbook. This shows how she has improved people’s shopping and eating experience as people approach Jack asking for cook books and “email telling how much they save”.

Level 4 Response (of 3-­‐4 paragraphs)

The writer effectively shows how her son was affected by her experience of becoming unemployed by showing that he was “constantly hungry”, suggesting that this sudden poverty created an unpleasant situation for him. This is an effective device as many parents would emphathise with the guilt and misery Jack Monroe felt as a result of her situation. This idea of the son suffering is further reinforced through the effective use of comparative adjectives in the phrase “healthier, happier” suggesting there was a time when they were neither healthy nor happy as a result of Monroe’s experience of becoming unemployed. -­‐ This is a low Band 2 response – secure understanding is shown and there is some analysis (the word ‘smiles’, which would be rewarded in an AO2 question) but there is NO EVALUATION. -­‐ TIP FOR IMPROVEMENT: -­‐ Use the word “successfully” and “effectively” throughout to make judgements on the text. -­‐ A strong evaluative paragraph – uses the language of evaluation throughout. -­‐ It is also dealing with ‘the bigger picture’ of the text – looking at how Monroe expresses her ideas to the reader and how she builds empathy from her reader through her writing style!

Question 7a) – AO1 (Synthesis) – 6 marks SYNTHESIS – An AO1 (Comprehension) Skills, not an AO (Comparison) Skills. You are being asked THE SIMILARITIES ONLY – they can be very brief and straight-­‐forward. You then need BRIEF quotations from each text. 3 comparisons = 4 Higher quality (though still brief)/ more comparisons = 5/ If you only talk about one text, you cannot access ANY marks.

Level 2 Response (full response – 3 marks)

In both Text 1 and 2 it says “ home cooked” and “home made”. This shows whatever is made at home is a lot nice. They both texts say it is about money “a budget of around £10 per week”, they have to buy everything on a budget. Text 1 says “cash is made up for the sake of keeping proper account”. In text 1 it says “Oh I can only cook a plain dinner” – can only cook something. Text 2 – “No fancy experience experience ingredient” looking with simple things”.

Level 3 Response (high – 6 marks.)

Both writers show that caring for others gives you a sense of responsibility. This is shown when Text 1 writes “don’t let yourself go short” and in Text 2 with “constantly hungry child”. Both writers show the importance of dealing with this responsibility positively such as when Bailey cares for his wife by only talking about the weather and not the war. Similarly Monroe “dusts off [her] apron to care for her child’s needs”. Both writers show that food plays a significant part in caring for others. Bailey shows that butter is “always welcome” and Monroe shows Small Boy is “healthier” as a result of her changes. Both writers suggest that the best way to care for others is through home made foods. Bailey says “home made cake is nice” in comparison to “expensive” bought cakes and Monroe describes her casseroles as “warming”. -­‐ 2 clear synthesis with short quotations. (this is about retrieval of information, not analysis). -­‐ TIPS TO IMPROVE -­‐ The 3rd^ bullet point is unclear. -­‐ Short, but detailed comparisons. Secure evidence throughout. -­‐ This is enough to gain full marks in this question.

Question 7b) – AO3 (Comparison) – 14 marks You must COMPARE both texts to access marks. You must talk about the WRITERS’ IDEAS AND PERSPECTIVES. Read the question carefully – it’s about CHANGES IN THEIR SITUATION – be specific. Use the language of comparison (Both texts... Whilst Text 1 does this, Text 2 does that... Similarly/ In the same way/ likewise.... Differently/ In contrast/ In comparison) You must use a quotation for each text in each comparison. 2 -­‐3 detailed comparisons.

RANGE EXPLANATION RELEVANT WIDE RANGE EXPLORATION BALANCED VARIED ANALYSIS DISCRIMINATIN G

LEVEL 4 Monroe orders the change in chronological order where in the letter home by Bert time is almost static as such with no real development in time. Both of which are effective in presenting the ideas of the characters, for example Bert writes that the walking in the trenches has been ‘greatly improved,’ this shows us that Bert has a very positive outlook on his situation. Diametrically, Jack starts the piece very negatively, she writes – “the ardent foodie in me was utterly miserable”, this shows the reader her true thoughts about the situation and maybe other people could have related to this. LEVEL 5 Both Monroe and Bailey present a contrasting situation as having an impact on their emotional state. Monroe classes herself as an “ardent foodie” who clearly enjoyed expensive foods and her “executive apartment” but was forced to endure hardships as a result of her unemployment. These changes made her “utterly miserable”, which effectively conveys her negative state of mind to the reader. The adverb “utterly” suggests that she was completely devoid of any happiness at that point in time. In contrast to this, Bailey’s change in circumstances as a result of the war are dealt with much more positively, probably as a direct result of the text’s primary audience: Mrs Bailey. He writes that they were “employed... putting down boards” suggesting that he is kept busy doing manual labour rather than fighting. -­‐ A quite sophisticated comparison and clear focus on both. Good evidence. TIP FOR IMPROVEMENT: -­‐ Analyse the language as well. -­‐ A detailed comparison; sophisticated evidence and detailed language analysis, TIP FOR IMPROVEMENT: Sustain it over 3 paragraphs!