English LanguagePaper 1

What does the paper look like?2 hours long; 1 hour for each section

Section A: ReadingStudents read ONE non-fiction prose passage and answer 4 questions on it using PEE/PQA

Section BStudents answer ONE question from a choice of 3

Where can I get past papers from?

Class teacher AQA website: http://

www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/english/aqa-certificate/english-language-8705/past-papers-and-mark-schemes

Central Resource Library at School (print off at school or take a USB stick into school):

Start/Computer/Central Resource Library/English/000Past Papers for GCSE and iGCSE

ReadingSection A

Top Tips for the Reading Section1. Read the questions first2. Use a highlighter (these will be provided) to highlight

key words3. Ensure you always link back to the question in your

answer4. Practise reading articles and summarising them using

quotes. There are extracts and questions in the booklet all pupils have received from their class teachers

5. Practise past papers (available from AQA online or from class teachers) in order to ensure timing is accurate

Mark Scheme for the Reading Section

Use PEE/PQA Use short quotes Ensure you infer meaning from the quotes

and develop your explanation or analysis of the quote

Aim for 2-3 paragraphs for the first two questions and 3-4 paragraphs for the last two questions

Sample Question (Summer 2012)

Text: Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell

Question 4: What does this passage tell us about attitudes towards tramps in England in the early 1930s?

Sample answer for the Reading Section (Q4)

Sample answer for the Reading Section (Q4)

WritingSection B

Sample Questions (Summer 2012)

Writing Options

1. Story2. Description3. Writing to argue/writing an argument

Top Tips for the Writing Section

Centres should be aware that candidates who offer very brief responses (3 paragraphs or less as a rough guide) are inevitably limiting their potential achievement.

The Mark Scheme is divided into bands with each band containing four bullet points. The first of these is focused on content, the second on structure, the third on sentence structure and variation, and the fourth on technical accuracy. Centres should be aware that each of these four elements is given equal weight in the assessment of writing.

It was noted that comma splicing was a frequent and detrimental feature of some candidates’ work, whilst the achievement of others was hampered by an inability to use commas accurately within sentences.

Spend 5-10 minutes planning a good response – the examiners are looking for a ‘consciously crafted’ piece of work.

Remember to ensure that you are writing for a specific audience and purpose Spend 5 minutes at the end checking your work

You could create a plan that looks like this:Idea/part of the story

Technique Technique

Mark Scheme for the Writing Section

It is divided EQUALLY into 4 sections:1. Content2. Structure3. Sentence structure and variation4. Technical accuracy (SPAG)

Content: what are they looking for?

1. Clear ideas and communication2. Conscious decisions made about

writing to suit AUDIENCE and PURPOSE; evidence of crafting for a purpose and audience

3. Selection of vocabulary for effect4. Use of discourse markers

Structure – what are they looking for?1. Paragraphs2. Repetition or a cohesive device3. Timeline4. More than one narrative strand5. Connectives (if applicable)6. 3rd person, 1st person7. Range of appropriate and sophisticated vocabulary8. Range of writing techniques used, e.g. similes9. Top End: use of a narrative structure and/or genre such as

stream of consciousness, epistolary, Martian perspective, Todorov, tragedy, thriller, gothic and so on.

What are they looking for - Sentence Structure and Variation?

Simple – short sentence normally with a subject, verb and object.

Compound – 2 or more simple sentences using a connective such as: and, but, or, although etc.

Complex – use of a subordinate clause

Vary your use of these sentence types for impact.

What are they looking for – Technical Accuracy?

1. Spelling of common words MUST be correct. This includes homophones (their/they’re/there) as well as words that are commonly misspelt such as successful, necessary, beautiful, beginning and so on. See here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/7930745/Separate-is-most-commonly-misspelt-word.html

2. Punctuation must be correct – misuse of commas was a common complaint by the exam board. Students should be using a range of punctuation accurately.

Sample Question

“At about seven o’clock the cell doors were locked on the outside.” Write a story which starts or ends with this sentence.

(25 marks)

Sample answer for the Writing Section

What do I do with this? Use it as an exemplary piece of writing and it’s

only 3 ½ sides long. It achieved 25/25 despite 1 or 2 glaringly

obvious mistakes

You could use the mark scheme on slides 14-17 and highlight evidence of how they achieve this mark, using a different highlighter colour for each strand of the mark scheme

Websites to help you with SPAG

1. http://www.bristol.ac.uk/arts/exercises/grammar/grammar_tutorial/page_41.htm

2. http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/commasplice.htm

3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQfJdhyeQfU4. http://

www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/words/grammar/punctuation/commas/game.shtml

Writing to Argue: Helpful Hints and Techniques

Writing to Argue The purpose of this style of writing is to present a case for or against a point of view to convince the reader.You need to… Use the present

tense and morality

Use a formal tone

Make your writing

impersonal. Don’t direct

accusations at anyoneClearly state your point

of view in the introduction

Write about counter

arguments and say why they

are wrong

Writing to Argue Continued…

You also need to…Develop your paragraphs

logically

Use connectives to link

paragraphs and within

paragraphsUse modal

verbs to show options

Remember to use PEE – make a point, give the evidence and expand

upon your ideas

Go through A FOREST!

Conclude by

restating your

opinion

Go through A FOREST:A: ANECDOTES - A personal experience & story as proof. F: FACTS – Don’t know any? Then borrow some from Section A of the exam or invent them! O: OPINION - Strong words, such as, ‘It is outrageous that…’R: RHETORICAL QUESTIONS - Express yourself powerfully with questions that don’t need an answer, but remember to add question marks.E: EXAMPLES & EXPERTS - Give examples as support. Invent an expert and quote from them: for example, ‘Professor Jane Morris of Oxford University says that…’ S: STATISTICS – Invent them! Eg “In a recent survey conducted by York University, 73%…” T: TRIPLES - Lists of three –maybe with alliteration? For example, “It is cruel, callous and criminal to…”