English Language GCSE

Revision Book

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When are my English Language exams?

Unit 1: non examination assessment: Group

discussion:
Individual researched contribution:
dates to be added by school

Unit 2 exam: 6th June am

Unit 3 exam: 12th June am

Acknowledgements
Bryn Hafren English Faculty
Where texts have been found on the internet, the website address has been given.
Some content included is from:
 Navigating KS4 (written by CSCJES and EASJES)
 WJEC English Language Teachers’ Guide (http://www.wjec.co.uk/wjec-gcse-eng-lang-
wales-teachers-guide-teaching-from-2015-e.pdf?language_id=1)
Resources created for the WJEC by Aberystwyth University (http://re-
sources.wjec.co.uk/Pages/ResourceSingle.aspx?rIid=691 and http://re-
sources.wjec.co.uk/Pages/ResourceSingle.aspx?rIid=690)

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What does English Language involve?
Unit 1 Non Examination Assessment
Oracy 20% 2 hours
Task 1 (10%) – Individual Presentation
Research a theme and give a presentation to the class.
The presentation should last between 5 – 7 minutes including questions.
Themes:
Wales
Leisure
The World of Work
The World of Science/Technology
Citizenship

Task 2 (10%) – Responding and Interacting

One group discussion based on the pre-published resources.
The discussion should last for about 10 minutes per group

Unit 2 Exam 40% 2 hours

Reading and Writing Description, Narration and Exposition
Section A (20%) – Reading (40 marks)
Answer questions on different extracts.
There will be at least three texts, could be up to five or six.
Editing task focusing on understanding short texts (2.5% of qualification total).

Section B (20%) – Writing (40 marks)

One writing task from a choice of two: description (describe a moment in time or a travelogue),
narration (story) or exposition (discursive essay).
One proofreading task focusing on writing accurately (2.5% of qualification total).
20 marks for this section will be awarded for content (meaning, purpose, readers and structure) and
15 marks for writing accurately (language, grammar, punctuation and spelling).

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Unit 3 Exam 40% 2 hours Reading and Writing
Argumentation, Persuasion and Instruction

Section A (20%) Reading (1 Hour)

Answer questions on different extracts.
There will be at least three texts, could be up to five or six

Section B (20%) Writing (1 Hour)

Two writing tasks (Letter/article/speech/review etc.)
No choice.
Linked thematically to Section A.
10 + 10 for each task
Half of the marks for this section will be awarded for content (meaning, purpose, readers and
structure) and the other half for writing accurately (language, grammar, punctuation and spelling).

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 Contents
Page number Red, Amber.
Green
Dates 2
What does English Language involve 3
Making a revision plan 6
What does revision look like? 7
Punctuation 8
Paragraphs and spelling 9
Varying words to open sentences and sequence ideas 19
Homophone check 11
Better ways to say ‘shows’ and ‘effective 12
Skills and suggested resources 13
Skills ladder 14
Introduction: Question Types 15
Reading strategies 16
Unit 2 and 3 reading: Multiple choice 17
Unit 2 and 3 reading: Word /phrase meaning 20
Unit 2 and 3 reading: Text purpose 22
Unit 2 and 3 reading: Explain 23
Unit 2 and 3 reading: Analysis of writer’s technique 25
Unit 2 and 3 reading: Evaluation / reflection 27
Unit 2 and 3 reading: Summary questions 30
Unit 2 and 3 reading: Synthesis questions 34
Unit 2 and 3 reading: Comparison questions 37
Editing 42
Proofreading 44
Vocabulary practice 45
Words to describe tone 46
Writing assessment criteria 47
Writing 48
Unit 3 Writing: Letter 49
Unit 3 Writing: Speech 5o
Unit 3 Writing: Article 51
Unit 2 Writing: Narrative writing 52
Unit 3 Writing: Report 53
Unit 2 Writing: Descriptive writing 54
Give your writing some flair 55
Exposition - questions 56
Argumentation – questions 58
Persuasion - questions 59
Recap on basic skills 60

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 Making a Revision Plan

Create a Revision Timetable

You should start revising at least a couple of months before your exams are due to start. Do be realis-
tic about the goals you set in the time you have available, and remember you need to allow for
breaks.

Balance your subjects

Allocate topics to days, and make sure you have enough time for everything you want to revise. Bal-
ance the time you have available between your various courses. Do not neglect courses that you find
particularly easy or difficult.

Identify key topics

For each course, identify which topics to revise. At the very least, you should cover twice as many
topics as the number of questions you need to answer (e.g. 6 topics for a 3 essay exam). Select top-
ics based on:
 Teacher guidance
 The content of the course
 Past examination papers
 Your own interests and abilities

Arrange your revision material

You will have your own notes from books and essays with your teacher's feedback, as well as any
handouts and other photocopies and references. You will also need textbooks, past exam papers etc.
Arrange to have everything you need well in advance.

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 What does revision look like?

Research suggests that the most effective way to revise is by spreading out revision over time and by
completing practice tests.
Self explanation – explaining the steps taken to answer a question or the success criteria for a task is
also very effective.
You might work with a study partner and ‘teach’ them how to answer questions.
You might make revision ‘how to videos’ on specific question types (Explain Everything, Snitch.)
Record your success criteria / writing layout on a mobile phone / tablet and play back when you are
doing something else.
Summarise success criteria for various reading questions.
Summarise formats for different types of writing
Work with a partner and teach one another the success criteria for different question types.
Complete practice papers / questions - electronic and paper form
Complete proof reading tasks
Complete editing tasks
Short burst tasks using revision guides: CGP (Spelling, punctuation and grammar packs for GCSE)
Examine modelled answers for D/C and A/A*
Learn key words or phrases for responses
Use spider diagrams or mind maps
Make revision cards
Use mnemonics to remember information
Useful websites:
BBC Bitesize

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 Punctuation
Full stop . Indicates that a sentence has finished.

Comma , Shows a slight pause in a sentence, separates clauses in a

complex sentence and items in a list.

Question ? Goes at the end of a question instead of a full stop.

mark

Exclamation ! Goes at the end of a dramatic sentence instead of a full stop to

show surprise or shock. Only one is required at the end of a
mark
sentence if you are using it.

Apostrophe ‘ Shows that letter(s) have been left out or indicates possession.

Speech “” Indicates direct speech - a character is talking. Remember to

marks start a new line for a new speaker.

Quote marks When writing non-fiction texts, words inside quotation marks are
ones you have taken from another source.

Colon : Introduces a list, a statement or a quote in a sentence.

Semicolon ; Separates two clauses that are related and of equal importance.

Dash - Separates extra information from the main clause by holding

words apart.
Used as a linking device in a sentence (e.g. 1914-1918).
Can be used in dialogue when a speaker is interrupted.

Brackets () They separate extra information from the main clause and can
be used like dashes to hold words apart.

Ellipsis … To show a passage of time, to hook the reader and create

suspense.
Used in speech when the speaker does not finish their sentence.
Also used when quoting in an essay to skip over irrelevant
evidence.

Hyphen - Used to divide, combine and join words. Used to create

compound adjectives (top-class) and for all compound numbers
from twenty-one to ninety-nine.

Single ‘’ The titles of books, poems, movies, plays, games and television
inverted shows should be placed in single inverted commas.
commas

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 Paragraphs

I understand and can use the TIPTOP rule.

You move onto a new paragraph when you change:

Time: hours later, days later - even years later!

Place: moving from one location to another.
Topic: when the focus of your writing changes.
Person: when you focus on a different person or when a new person speaks.

To start a new paragraph, go to the next line and indent your first word. Do not skip a
whole line.

Spelling
• Sound out the word.
• Think about how it looks.
• Think about a similar word.
• Is there a memory sentence for the word?
• Big elephants cannot always use small exits.

• Are there words you recognise within the word?

• There is a ‘lie’ in ‘believe’.

• Find the word, check:

• the key words list,
• the classroom display,
• your own word bank,
• a dictionary or spell checker.

• Ask a friend or teacher.

• To learn it: look, cover, write & check.

• Once you’ve solved it add the correct spelling to your own word bank.

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I can vary the words I use to open sentences and sequence ideas

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 Homophone check

Have – means to own or experience something.

Of – expresses the relationship between a part and a whole.
Never use ‘of’ in place of ‘have’.

Your is in relation to someone the speaker is addressing.

Your dog has run away.

You’re is short for you are.

You’re always chasing your dog.

To - indicates intention, direction or status.

I am going to the shop.

Two – is the number ‘2’.

There are two owls in the tree.

Too - indicates something extreme or in addition to.

There are too many owls.
Can I come too?

There shows position or indicates something.

Your seat is over there.
There are five boys in the class.

Their shows that ‘they’ own something

Their blazers are navy.

They’re is short for they are.

They’re revising every day.

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 Better ways to say ‘shows’

accentuates implies
conveys indicates
describes infers
displays introduces
emphasises portrays
establishes presents
evokes proves
exhibits reinforces
explains reveals
exposes suggests
highlights symbolises
hints tells
illuminates unveils
illustrates

Better ways to say ‘effective’

accurate inventive
apt original
clever sensational
disturbing sensual
dramatic successful
dynamic thought-provoking
eye-catching unique
graphic unusual

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 How can you hone your writing skills? Here are
Red,
Amber,
Green
some useful websites to help you:
Varying sentence structure (RELIC)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czXZD-fhg7M&feature=share
Skillswise: Is this is compound sentence: http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/game/en28conn-game-is-this-a-
compound-sentence
Apostrophes for omission and possession
Very basic resources designed for KS2 but they teach the rules and test understanding:
apostrophe for possession: https://hwb.wales.gov.uk/resources/resource/0ba56b22-de0d-4394-90b2-
9cb44d2b286e/en
apostrophe for omission: https://hwb.wales.gov.uk/resources/resource/845dd633-2100-4d57-8814-9eaa2c6c9935/en
https://hwb.wales.gov.uk/resources/resource/1900a06f-c1be-4372-a2f4-d442f6fc80e1/en
Apostrophes for contraction and possession
Skillswise: http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/game/en29punc-game-beat-the-clock-apostrophes
When to use a comma and when to use a full stop

Apostrophes for omission and possession

Very basic resources designed for KS2 but they teach the rules and test understanding:
apostrophe for possession: https://hwb.wales.gov.uk/resources/resource/0ba56b22-de0d-4394-90b2-
9cb44d2b286e/en
apostrophe for omission: https://hwb.wales.gov.uk/resources/resource/845dd633-2100-4d57-8814-9eaa2c6c9935/en
https://hwb.wales.gov.uk/resources/resource/1900a06f-c1be-4372-a2f4-d442f6fc80e1/en
Apostrophes for contraction and possession
Skillswise: http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/game/en29punc-game-beat-the-clock-apostrophes

How can you hone your reading skills? Here are some
useful websites to help you:
Super short stories that will take you just minutes to read:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/22/short-story-read_n_4220181.html

Reading exercises with questions:

http://www.helpteaching.com/free-grade-11-ela-math-science-worksheets.htm#section-1

For learners of English, but there are some useful exercises and you can change the level to
make it harder:
http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/skills/reading-skills-practice

Book suggestions:
http://www.booktrust.org.uk/books/teenagers/

Daily comprehension exercises:

http://www.englishdaily626.com/comprehension.php?455

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 Reading Skills Explained
Reading Skill Explanation
Retrieve Navigating a text to locate and retrieve one (or more) distinct piece of information.

Explain Giving reasons for why something has occurred; explaining details of a process or
connections.
Summarise Capturing the main ideas of a text in a shorter way using own words.

Synthesise Fusing multiple elements, often from different areas, into something new
(A+B+C=D).
Verbal Reasoning as to the effect or meaning of words / phrases / texts.
reasoning
Compare Exploring similarities and/or differences of information, presentation, point of view,
etc.
Infer Exploring what is suggested by words, phrases and images.

Evaluate Providing a critical, detached response that includes overview.

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Introduction: Question Types

Throughout your examination you will be asked a series of different question

types on various texts that you will have to read. You will be very familiar
with each of the question types. There will be up to five or six text on each
paper so you must have the stamina to keep going.
The resource materials and the questions will be in different books so that
you can have them side by side to refer back and forth from the question to
the resource materials.
Make sure that you are looking at the correct text for each of the questions
as it is easy to get confused.
Make sure that you keep going and attempt every question – be resilient!
Timing will be difficult to judge. We know that there are 40 marks available
for the reading sections so aim to spend 1 minute per mark available for
each of the questions. So for example, spend ten minutes on a ten mark
question and one minute on a one mark question. Don’t get to caught up
and spend too long on the shorter one mark questions as you will not have
time to complete the higher tariff questions. You will also have ten minutes
reading time and ten minutes to check your answers.
Read the questions carefully, identify how many marks are available and
highlight key words in the question. Find the corresponding text and mark
off the section that you need to focus on for the answer. Actively read
the text using a highlighter to highlight any key words / quotes that answer
the question. For longer answers, keep quotations short and briefly annotate
what they imply. Make sure that you use key words from the question
throughout your answer. Make sure that you track through the text carefully
as you make your point.

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Unit 2 and 3 reading: Multiple Choice Questions

• You will be asked approximately three multiple choice questions on both Units 2 and 3.
• Multiple choice questions can test a range of different reading skills and you will be given be-
tween four or five possible answers to choose from.
• Multiple choice questions can be used to test a number of different skills including:
• Locating correct information
• Deducing word meaning
• Using verbal reasoning skills
• Understanding of texts (in context)
• Purpose of text
You should always locate the correct text/area of a text before attempting to answer a multiple
choice question. Once you have done this, if the information is contained within the text, you must,
as a minimum, read the sentence in which the information can be found so you are able to contex-
tualise what you have read and detect any possible clues that may help when answering a ques-
tion.
Sometimes you may pick up on the correct answer almost immediately and may only need to
have a cursory glance at the options included as answers for the question. Sometimes you may
have to work through all of the possible answers and eliminate those which are not correct.

Possible Question Types:

• Only one of the following is a fact about woodlands, which one is it?
• What does the following word mean…?
• How many people have been known to travel by train at any given time in the UK?
• What is the purpose of this text?
• Which category of people cycle to work most frequently?

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Strategies for answering multiple choice questions

Read the directions.

Are you being asked to find the best response or a correct response?

Answer each question in your head first before you look at the possible
answers.
Read the stem and all of the choices before selecting your answer. If
you aren't sure of the correct answer:
Eliminate alternatives that are absurd, silly, or obviously incorrect.

Cross off answers that are clearly not correct.

Make sure the stem and the choice you've chosen agree
grammatically.

Choose the alternative that is most inclusive.

The longest choice is usually correct. It contains elaborations

necessary to make it correct.

The correct choice will usually contain relative qualifiers such as

usually, generally, sometimes, often, etc. These words allow for
exceptions.

The correct choice will usually not include absolute qualifiers such as
always, never, at no time, etc. These words do not allow for
exceptions.

Be alert for choices that are identical (they are usually both incorrect)
or opposite (often one of them will be the correct choice).

Be careful when asked which is not true or all of the following apply
except. These are asking you to pick an incorrect answer. If there is no
penalty, guess if you don't know the answer! You have a 20-25%
chance of choosing the correct response on most multiple choice
questions

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Read the following text:

RSPCA Key Information

 We have approximately 340 RSPCA inspectors, 50 animal welfare officers

(AWOs) and 88 animal collection officers (ACOs) working to prevent cruelty and pro-
mote kindness to animals in England and Wales.
 Our inspectors now investigate more than 140,000 complaints of cruelty and ne-
glect every year.
 In 2007, the Animal Welfare Act became law in England, shortly after it was imple-
mented in Wales. Described as the single most important piece of animal welfare
legislation for nearly 100 years, the Act places a legal obligation on owners and
keepers of animals to care for them properly.
 We have a network of 162 RSPCA branches around England and Wales, and we
work with many animal welfare organisations abroad through our interna-
tional team.

During 2015 the RSPCA...

 rescued and collected 118,994 animals
 found new homes for 47,651 animals
 microchipped 51,337 animals
 neutered 68,298 animals
 treated 153,605 animals
 investigated 143,004 cruelty complaints
 secured 1,781 convictions by private prosecution to protect animals against those
who break the laws
Taken from http://media.rspca.org.uk/media/facts

How many RSPCA branches are there around England and Wales?
 340
 140, 000 This a locating correct information question. It’s pretty
simple, really! How do you know which is the correct
 162
answer? Use your scanning skills to search for a key
 118, 994
word/symbol. You could scan for each number offered in
the choices and check to what they refer. Or, you could
scan for the word branches. Don’t rush and move on
without checking all of the information first.

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Unit 2 and 3 reading: Word /phrase meaning
How do you work out the meaning of a word you don’t know?

Strategies
 CLUES from CONTEXT
 TRY OTHER WORDS (SYNONYMS)
 PREFIX/SUFFIX
 SOUNDS LIKE

Clues From Context

Read the whole sentence. How does the word fit in to that sentence? (context) What is the meaning
of the sentence as a whole? Guess what the word might mean inside the sentence.

Try Other Words (Synonyms)

Try placing every word you are given into the sentence to see if it makes sense.

The dog ________ at the postman.

barked folded swallowed meowed

The dog barked at the postman. ONLY THIS ONE MAKES SENSE
The dog folded at the postman.
The dog swallowed at the postman.
The dog meowed at the postman.

Prefix/Suffix
Look at the prefix or suffix added to the word. (set of letters added to the start or end of a word.)

What does unhygienic mean?

Hygienic = clean
Un in front of a word means `not’/the opposite of so unhygienic means the opposite of hygienic
(clean). Therefore, unhygienic means `dirty’.

Sounds Like
This one doesn’t always work but have a think if the word you are stuck on
reminds you of another word you do know.

What is emotive language?

Emotive reminds me of the word emotion.
Emotions are feelings so emotive language must be words that make you feel something.
Emotion also reminds me of emoticons. I use emoticons and emojis on my phone to show people
how I am FEELING.

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What is meant by the word implemented in the text?
 put into effect
 achieved
 became law
 finalised

This a deducing word meaning question. It’s a bit more complicated.

First, ignore the choices and scan to find the word in the text. Are there any clues?

Word in the question

In 2007, the Animal Welfare Act became law in England, shortly after it was implemented in Wales.

Clue phrase

What do you think the word means, without looking at the choices? Were you right? Make sure by
following the next step:
Try using the different choices instead of the word. Do they all make grammatical sense? If not,
disregard them straightaway. Do those that are left make sense, meaning-wise? If not, get rid of
them too!
Be careful that you check it makes sense in this particular text. Often, the distractors (the wrong
answers) are closely related to the word but they do not necessarily make sense in the text you’ve
read.
What is meant by the word obligation in the text?
 right
 duty
 debt
 agreement
What is meant by the word abroad in this text?
 travelling
 away
 holiday
 overseas
We’ve only really practised word meaning questions here. You could be asked about text purpose

and other ideas in a multiple choice question. Just remember: Beware Distractors!

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Unit 2 and 3 reading: Text purpose

You will be asked to identify the purpose of a text using one of the following labels.
PERSONAL: texts that PUBLIC: texts that OCCUPATIONAL: EDUCATIONAL:
are intended to satisfy relate to activities and related to work. usually designed
an individual’s personal concerns of the larger For example: job specifically for the
interests. society. advertisement in a purpose of instruction.
For example: For example: public newspaper or online For example:
letters, fiction, diary- notices, news websites text books, interactive
style blogs learning software).

Can you determine which purpose best suits these texts?

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Unit 2 and 3 reading: Explain questions

This question tests the ability to refer to evidence within texts, to evaluate and reflect on the ways in
which texts may be interpreted differently according to the perspective of the reader and
distinguishing between facts or evidence and opinions, bias and argument.
• An explain question asks you to make (an idea or situation) clear to someone by describing it
in more detail or revealing relevant facts
• An explain question asks you to give a reason so as to justify or excuse (an action or event)

Example questions:
1. Explain the relationship between ... [1]
This question tests the ability to interpret ideas and information.
2. Use the text to explain what has happened to … [2]
This question tests the ability to refer to evidence within texts and use inference and deduction skills
to retrieve and analyse information.
3. Explain how ... [5]

Explanations are all about ‘cause and effect’. It is therefore helpful to have the vocabulary to explain
these relationships:

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Question:

TEXT D
7. Explain how this payday loan company makes itself sound responsible and trustworthy. [5]

Add the main points of the explanation to the table below and complete the second columns:

Point from the text Effect / Consequence

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Unit 2 and 3 reading: Analysis of writer’s technique

Key Points:

• You must ensure that they constantly refer to the question to make sure they remain on task.
• Every claim made should be supported by a reference to the text/textual evidence.
• Where relevant (and to access the top bands), you need to comment on effect of the writer’s
techniques.
• Make sure that you track through the text.
• You should avoid using technical terminology instead of answering the question (e.g.
alliteration makes me read on etc.) and commenting on short sentences.
• You should never allow yourselves to be driven by a devices spotting approach, instead you
should try to answer the question and refer to techniques that complement the points they
make.
• You should use: Point, Quotation, Analysis.

You can comment on the following areas when referring to a writer’s techniques:
Content – learners should look closely at what is said (facts, figures, examples, quotations etc.) and,
if they can, explain and/or comment on these.
Structure – learners should think about the way in which the writer has organised or structured their
points. They should think about the ‘steps’ in the argument, do they follow a logical sequence? Does
the writer present the problems and then solutions? Do they structure their points to enable the
reader to see a contrast or comparison?
Language/Tone – learners should look for the key words and phrases (ensure quotations are clear
but not too long) that contribute to the overall effect of the text. They should try to comment on or
analyse the effect of the words/phrases they have selected while focusing on the question asked.
When focusing on tone they may examine the overall tone created by individual words or an entire
section.
Method – learners should try to identify the ways in which the writer is trying to achieve effects
(comparison, scare tactics, putting a positive case, painting a picture of something, using anecdotes
etc.)
Pictures – learners often find it difficult to refer to pictures as they are unable to use quotations. When
commenting on pictures they should say what is in them and what the effect is.

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Example Question: TEXT D UNIT 3 SAMs: ‘Health and Safety’

TEXT D is a webpage entitled ‘How Safe is Flying?’.

1. Pilots are professionals. Pilots strive to give you (the passenger) the smoothest flight
possible because that’s how they know they are doing a good job.

2. Commercial pilots are thought to be boring people. Before Airlines hire a pilot, the pilot
must take rigorous psychological tests to ensure he/she is someone who is detailed oriented
and takes little or no risks in life. Nice people, but boring :)

3. Pilots often go a full career without ever experiencing an engine failure.

4. Airplanes can fly safely to their destination if one engine fails. If flying on a two engine
plane, one engine went out, the aircraft could fly with just one.

5. If all engines were to stop at cruising height (35,000 feet) an aircraft can glide for 30 minutes
before it lands on the ground. An aircraft has the ability to glide 120 miles because all the
controls work as if the engines were still going.

6. No flying bird can stop a jet engine. During the testing phase, testers throw whole dead
chickens through the jet engines to ensure they maintain full functionality.

A8. How does this text try to persuade the reader that flying is safe? [5]

Refer to the language used by the writer to influence the reader.

This question tests the ability to use inference and deduction skills to retrieve and analyse information
from written texts and reflect on the ways in which texts may be interpreted.

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Unit 2 and 3 reading: Evaluate and reflect
To evaluate / evaluation means e.g. to judge or assess the worth of; to appraise.
You might need to evaluate what others have written (writer’s viewpoint).
You might have to evaluate what you think about what you’ve read (your personal viewpoint). Or you
might have to evaluate how a writer has achieved a particular effect.

Key Points:
• As part of the reading assessment, you will be asked to critically evaluate a nonfiction text.
• Every personal judgement should be supported by appropriate textual references.

Your responses to evaluation questions will require a considered personal judgement, which is
informed and evidenced through apt references to the text. At higher levels, responses will also
require a degree of critical overview and summation.
The following are question types that may introduce the need for evaluation skills:
• What do you think and feel about a subject?
• What do you think and feel about a writer’s views?
• What does the writer think about horse-riding? How far do you agree with him?

These types of questions often have how in them and call for you to use evidence from the text to
support your points.

How does the writer feel about Britain’s performance at Rio 2016 and how do you know? [5]

This question tests your ability to interpret meaning, ideas and information in challenging writing and to
refer to evidence within texts.
Start with providing an overview. What’s the writer’s general feeling? Overall, the writer is very happy
about Britain’s performance at Rio 2016.
Then, track though the extract. You’ll need to widen your vocabulary and use different words to illustrate his
feelings. With each different feeling, you’ll have to provide a piece of evidence from the text and explain
how it helped you decide how he’s feeling. Some evidence you might like to use is highlighted. Perhaps
you can practise writing this up into a paragraph?

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Example Question:

Let the Rio Olympics be a lesson to all those who doubt Britain's greatness

It was fitting that an extraordinary fortnight for the British Olympic team in Rio de Janeiro should have
culminated in another gold medal for Mo Farah, the country’s greatest ever long-distance runner. In many
ways Farah sums up what Britain has become: a vibrant nation of many ethnicities, backgrounds and faiths
united by a desire to be the best in the world.
Just 20 years ago, when the Olympic team won a solitary gold medal in Atlanta, this was considered a
national disgrace, and rightly so.
To produce champions in events as diverse as dressage and canoe sprinting shows a country where unsung
and dedicated individuals in many walks of life are sacrificing almost every waking hour in pursuit of their
one shot at glory. It has been truly inspirational.
From http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2016/08/22/let-the-rio-olympics-be-a-lesson-to-all-those-who-doubt-britains/

IT’S A MAD, MAD WORLD

Welcome to Mad Sunday on the Isle of Man. Yesterday was the serious Formula 1 stuff, but today is
for the crazy amateurs. They will be at it soon after dawn and the TT circuit will, as usual, be ridden
by any wildcat on two wheels who fancies his chances of surviving an encounter with the bumps and
banks, the poles and pillars of these 38 twisting miles. No fairground switchback is more erratic, no
wll of death more deadly. And many of the riders will, in their wild enthusiasm, try to hurl themselves
around it at 120 mph, even 150 mph on the straights - whatever they can force out of their powerful
machines. The authorities do their best to reduce the numbers indulging in this chaos by staging al-
ternative entertainments, but they will not dissuade the determined. There was even a serious sug-
gestion this year that a speed limit be imposed, but such interference was dismissed. Nothing on the
motorcycling calendar so excites the real enthusiast as these two weeks on the Isle of Man, which
calls itself the road racing capital of the world. The nine races have attracted 540 entries from 19 na-
tions, but that is only the magnet. The iron filings fill the ferry from Lancashire for days on end. Last
year the outrageously expensive boats carried 11,500 bikes, 2,700 cars and 30,000 passengers. That
doubles the population, and hoteliers, who struggle to keep their heads above water through the rest
of the year, rub their hands, air the beds, whack up the prices and tolerate being overrun by black
leather and gleaming metal.
This is the oldest racing circuit in the world. The first TT race was in 1907 when the fastest lap speed
was less than 43 mph. Steve Hislop, this year’s favourite, averaged more than 123 mph – close to the
record – on a practice lap on Monday. Last year, Mark Farmer rode his Yamaha to the eighth fastest
lap in history on the Thursday afternoon. But by Thursday evening he was dead, ending a bright ca-
reer in a horrific crash at Bedstead Corner.
A local journalist believes that more than 170 have died on the Isle of Man since the races began.
There were 10 last year, including spectators, the blame for which is shared between organisers, the
riders, and those who dangle perilously close to the action. Crashes are too frequent to count, and
this year there were six in the first practice on Monday. The local hospital is on emergency alert,
served by a helicopter at the course that brings in at least 20 serious injuries each year. Death is dis-
creetly parcelled away and statistics are not kept, they say.

28
“Dangerous? Yes, it’s very dangerous,” says Steve Hislop, who travels at close to 200 mph on some
sections of the course. “At that speed your eyeballs are jumping about in their sockets and you can
see a dozen of everything. Anyone who says he isn’t glad when it’s over is telling lies. But it is still the
biggest challenge of the lot, to man and machine. And it’s the only event in the UK with decent prize
money.”
David Hunn

How does David Hunn persuade us that the TT riders are mad?
You should comment on:
• What is said;
• How it is said.
You must refer to the text to support your comments. [10]

Personal response / evaluation

Example questions:

 What is the writer’s attitude towards … ?

• What is the writers opinion of … ?

• What are the writers feelings about … ?
• Explain – pick out the main points and rewrite them in your own words – using a
short quotation as evidence.
• Summarising is similar to the above but requires more of an overview of your un-
derstanding.
• Attitude means identifying what the writer is suggesting / point of view / opinion.
This might not be the same as yours.

29
Unit 2 and 3 reading: Summary questions

How to produce a summary:

• Read through the text closely and highlight any key or main ideas
• Look at topic sentences as these may help summarise the information within a paragraph
• Look at the highlighted words and phrases and see if any of these are duplicated or can be linked
together
• Try to combine the highlighted words/phrases into your own words
• Do not add any additional information/ideas or opinions
• Keep notes brief or use bullet points

How to ‘use your own words’

You may have to read a text then answer a question like: In your own words, summarise…
Let’s practise this surprisingly challenging skill! How would you write this sentence out in your own
words?

What does this mean? It is a truth universally Change ‘single man’?

Universally = by everyone Change ‘in possession of’?
acknowledged, that a Change ‘a good fortune’?
Acknowledged = accepted
single man in possession
of a good fortune, must Different word for ‘must’?
be in want of a wife. What does the rest mean?

So, what do we end up with? Everyone accepts that a rich, unattached man ought to desire a bride.
Now, you try:
As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed
into a monstrous vermin. 
………………………………………………………….………………………..…………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I’ve been tuning over
in my mind ever since. 
…………………………………………………………….…………………………………………,.……………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Of all the things that drive men to sea, the most common disaster, I've come to learn, is women. 
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

30
Read the following text and summarise the boy’s actions in your own words.
……………………………………………
The boy stretched his body full length, touching the wall
at his head with his hands, and the bedfoot with his toes; …………………………………………..
then he sprung out, like a fish leaping from water. And it …………………………………………..
was cold, cold. He always dressed rapidly to try and …………………………………………..
conserve his night-warmth till the sun rose two hours
…………………………………………..
later; but by the time he had on his clothes his hands
…………………………………………..
were numbed and he could scarcely hold his shoes.
These he could not put on for fear of waking his parents, …………………………………………..
who never came to know how early he rose. He …………………………………………..
imagined them turning in their beds, and he smiled …………………………………………..
scornfully.
…………………………………………..
From Sun on the Veld by Dorothy Lessing …………………………………………..
…………………………………………..

Read the following text and summarise, in your own words, why Grace Dent think Pokémon
Go is a good thing.
Pokémon Go is the break from reality we all need
Scenes of a euphoric Vaporeon stampede at 11pm in Central Park, New York, this weekend made me
laugh. It was a balmy night, cars sat in the road abandoned, as excited onlookers and jubilant Pokémon Go
hunters swarmed through the park in Pied Piper-style processions. But we need pointless joy right now, more
than ever before. If it’s found during a seven-mile urban ramble in search of a nigh-mythical pink fluttering
Mew, then so be it.
Pokémon Go is a particularly ‘good news’ story as, according to the mood of constant peril we live in, it
really should be a very bad one. This is a free-to-download augmented reality game which is so intoxicatingly
hewn and prettily presented that it compels people to leave their homes and wander in a zombie-like stupor, out
in the fresh air, into areas they’d never normally go. Sounds dangerous doesn’t it? Risky?
They end up in cemeteries, meadows, back alleys and unfamiliar housing estates. Pokémon Go even
provokes conversation with strangers! It leads to inter-generational, mixed-gender, interracial, cross-cultural
willy-nilly mingling! Yet as country after country was given access to Pokémon Go, there was not a vast global
outbreak of theft, pillaging, mugging, child abduction, sexual violence or other signs of the four horsemen of the
Pokémon Go-related apocalypse.
In fact, aside from a few stories of absent-minded enthusiasts walking off cliffs, it appears much of the
world simply left their homes and had a lovely time.
From: http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/pok-mon-go-is-the-break-from-reality-we-all-need-a7142716.html

.................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................................

31
Example Question: TEXT D Unit 2 SAMs ‘Travel’

TEXT D is taken from an article published in the TES magazine about the challenges and benefits of
organising school trips.

School trips can be particularly daunting for teachers, but the benefits are worth it
Summer term for many teachers means taking children out of the classroom. For teachers this can be
worrying, particularly if you have never organised a school trip before.
Whatever the destination, teachers agree that the benefits of taking pupils on a trip compensate for the
worries. A report from Ofsted called Learning outside the classroom revealed that pupils’ participation
and achievement can benefit significantly from getting involved with activities outside the classroom.
While some schools are put off by financial and workload concerns, the report shows schools that
have curricular provision classed as *outstanding or *improving have overcome these barriers so it’s
worth going the extra mile.
Careful planning is required, which can be time consuming, but involving other members of staff can
make it easier for teachers to organise school trips. Any time spent planning is worthwhile as the ben-
efits are immense. One teacher noted that, “It’s a powerful experience to give the child.”
Another teacher added, “Cost is a problem. But all children have to be able to go.” She introduced a
weekly savings scheme which helped pupils pay for a trip at the end of term. The cost of school trips
can also be reduced by visiting places that are free of charge.
*The terms ‘outstanding’ and ‘improving’ are Ofsted classifications of school performance.

A9. Identify two challenges that teachers may face when organising school trips. What advice does the
article give to help teachers overcome each of these challenges? [4]
This question tests the ability to summarise information and link ideas within the text.

Example Question: TEXT C UNIT 3 SAMs ‘Health and Safety’

TEXT C is a report on safety in schools and colleges written by the Association of Teachers and
Lecturers (ATL).

Thirty-one per cent of education staff said that they have taken the pupils they work with on fewer
school trips and activities over the last three years.
A head of department at a school in England said: "I get all excited about organising a new trip and
then my heart sinks when I realise how much paperwork it entails. I reckon about 100 hours of
planning to organise a five-day trip abroad. Risk assessments for every moment of the day and night
are ridiculous."
A house leader at an independent secondary school in England stated: "The form filling to run a
school trip and the costs that are passed onto pupils as a result of having to pay for supply cover are
more off-putting than what could go wrong."
There continue to be concerns from some staff over accountability. A primary school teacher in
Northern Ireland said: "In spite of fears of litigation I will continue to take trips, as I do it for the
children's sake―but it is a very real fear for me."
A teacher at a primary school in Wales added: "I don't fear being sued but I do worry if something were
to go wrong I would be held accountable."
The pressure on exam results, taking pupils out of other examination subjects and less time actually
available due to existing examination systems has also contributed to a decline in the number of trips
and activities in some schools.

A6. In your own words, summarise five main reasons in this report why pupils are being taken on fewer
school trips and activities. [5] This question tests the ability to synthesise and summarise information.

32
 Top Tips
• Skim the text to get the basic idea of what the text is about.
• Mark/highlight key words and details using online tools, Post-It notes, and so on.
• Ignore details that are not important.
• Create a topic sentence to begin the summary.
• Take notes along the way.
• Review and organize the notes.
• Draft the summary and revise based on feedback.

Common Mistakes What you should do

Read the text word for word Skim the text

write down everything pull out main ideas

write down next to nothing focus on key details

Copy out complete sentences use key words and phrases

Write way too much break down the larger ideas

Don't write enough write only enough to convey the gist

Copy word for word take succinct but complete notes

Run your finger down the centre of the text and read the words to get the gist.
Write a list of the words that you can remember.
Repeat the process.
Write a summary of the text ‘in a nutshell’ based on what you can remember.

33
Unit 2 and 3 reading: Synthesis questions

Key Points:
• Synthesis is to bring material together from more than one text to create new material.
• You will be asked to synthesise from two or more texts in either Unit 2 or Unit 3. The word synthesis
won’t always be in the question. It’s more an implicit skill.
• You are not required to compare / make comparisons.
• There is no need to integrate but you can.
• It is fine to summarise one text at a time (focusing on the question)
• OVERVIEW – bring it all together at the end. E.g. So…

Example Question:

Read the two texts. Synthesise what the two texts say about the Rio Olympic Games. [10]
You must refer to both texts to support your comments on the language the writers have used.
This question tests the ability to synthesise information effectively from more than one text, interpret themes,
meaning and ideas in a text and to use inference and deduction skills to retrieve and analyse details.

Text A: A letter to the Guardian from a student in Brazil in which he writes about Rio’s Olympic
Games.

Rio does not need the Olympics

The Olympic Games is a nightmare for Rio as a city and for the citizens, who suffer as a result of the
precarious situation of the education and transport systems, and in particular the health system,
where people die from not having medical staff, basic tools for procedures and blood transfusions.
Rio de Janeiro is flooded with projects to revitalise the south zone, central Rio and Barra da Tijuca
(where most of the Games are taking place) to create that image of the “Wonderful City” to the
international media and tourists. Behind all this, people die in the favelas in the north and west zones
in Rio because of police confrontations with drug traffickers. They become just statistics.
The Olympic Games is a dream that became a nightmare. We, from Rio and the favelas, used to watch
the Games and dream for it in 2016. This nightmare has come, and meanwhile, our mayor, Eduardo
Paes, continues to cite the “Olympic legacy”. The only legacy I see is the blood of the poor people who
are removed from their home to build stadiums (like Vila Autódromo), and the blood in the favelas as
an attempt to [exert] control during the Games. I see the millions and billions spent on overpriced
Olympics construction, which should be spent on education, health and projects for people of the
favelas to have opportunities to grow and participate in the development of the whole city.
Rio does not need the Olympics. We need basic things that, unfortunately, are not in the interests of
the politicians, who live in Leblon and Ipanema, facing the beach.
Lucas Rodrigues Alves, Escola Superior de Marketing e Propaganda, Rio de Janeiro (in a letter to the Guardian)

34
Text B: An report from Amnesty International on violence in Brazil during the Games
Brazil: Rio’s Olympic legacy shattered with no let-up in killing by police

According to the Institute for Public Security of the State of Rio de Janeiro, police in the city
killed 35 people in April 2016, 40 in May and 49 in June – an average of more than one every single
day.
Violent police operations took place throughout the Games (5-21 August) in several areas of Rio
de Janeiro. People who live in those areas have also reported other human rights violations such as
home invasions, direct threats and physical and verbal aggressions by the police.
Brazil’s “war on drugs” and heavily armed approach to the security operations has also been
putting police at risk. At least two police officers were killed during the first 10 days of the Games.
Protesters have been harshly repressed by the police, both inside and outside sports arenas.
Peaceful public demonstrations that took place in Rio de Janeiro on 5 and 12 August were met with
police violence, including the use of less lethal weapons such as tear gas and stun grenades; several
people were detained. Several others were removed from competition areas for holding banners or
wearing T-shirts with messages of protest, a violation of their right to freedom of expression.
“We ended the Olympic Games with even more militarized public security policies, focused on a
very selective repression, excessive use of force and combat-like police operations in favelas. The
outcome has been clear – a rising death toll and other human rights violations of the residents,
especially young black men,” said Atila Roque, Executive Director at Amnesty International Brazil.
“Once again, the legacy of a major sporting event in Brazil has been tainted by police killings
and abuses against peaceful protesters.”

From: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2016/08/brazil-rio-s-olympic-legacy-shattered-
with-no-let-up-in-killings-by-police

What to do:
 make brief notes relating to the question (Rio Olympics)
 what’s the general message and tone of each piece? Are they similar?
 identify any common areas/ideas
 collate the information economically in your response (you do not need to try to compare the
information here)
Text A Text B

Now, write up your answer. Remember to start talking about each text by stating an overview: What’s
the general message/tone? Then go on to elaborate. Hand in for marking.
35
Example Question:

TEXT B is an extract taken from Bill Bryson’s travel writing about his experiences in the different
states in America, a book called ‘The Lost Continent’. Here he describes the scene of a recent forest
fire in Nevada.
The road was steep and slow and it took me much of the afternoon to drive the hundred or so miles to
the Nevada border. Near Woodfords I entered the Toiyabe National Forest, or at least what once had
been the Toiyabe National Forest. For miles and miles there was nothing but charred land,
mountainsides of dead earth and stumps of trees. Occasionally I passed an undamaged house
around which a firebreak had been dug. It was an odd sight, a house with swings and a paddling pool
in the middle of an ocean of blackened stumps. A year or so before the owners must have thought
they were the luckiest people on the planet, to live in the woods and mountains, amid the cool and
fragrant pines. And now they lived on the surface of the moon. Soon the forest would be replanted
and for the rest of their lives they could watch it grow again inch by annual inch.
I had never seen such devastation – miles and miles of it – and yet I had no recollection of having
read about it. That’s the thing about America. It’s so big that it just absorbs disasters, muffles them
with its vastness. Time and again on this trip I had seen news stories that would elsewhere have
been treated as colossal tragedies – a dozen people killed by floods in the South, ten crushed when a
store roof collapsed in Texas, twenty-two dead in a snowstorm in the east – and each of them treated
as a brief and not terribly important diversion between ads for soap powder and cottage cheese.
Partly it is a consequence of that inane breeziness common to local TV newsreaders in America, but
mostly it is just the scale of the country.
TEXT E is taken from a short story, ‘The Shah of Blah’, by Salman Rushdie. It is about a boy named
Haroun and his father, Rashid, and his mother, Soraya. It is set in an imaginary country called Alifbay.
There was once, in the country of Alifbay, a sad city, the saddest of cities, a city so ruinously sad that
it had forgotten its name. It stood by a mournful sea full of glumfish, which were so miserable to eat
that they made people belch with sadness even though the skies were blue.
In the north of the sad city stood mighty factories in which (so I’m told) sadness was actually manu-
factured, packaged and sent all over the world, which never seemed to get enough of it. Black smoke
poured out of the chimneys of the sadness factories and hung over the city like bad news.
And in the depths of the city, beyond an old zone of ruined buildings that looked like broken hearts,
there lived a happy young fellow by the name of Haroun, the only child of the storyteller Rashid
Khalifa, whose cheerfulness was famous throughout that unhappy metropolis, and whose never-
ending stream of tall, short and winding tales had earned him not one but two nicknames. To his
admirers he was Rashid the Ocean of Notions, as stuffed with cheery stories as the sea was full of
glumfish; but to his jealous rivals he was the Shah of Blah. To his wife, Soraya, Rashid was for many
years as loving a husband as anyone could wish for, and during these years Haroun grew up in a
home in which, instead of misery and frowns, he had his father’s ready laughter and his mother’s
sweet voice raised in song.
A12. How do the writers present the places of Toiyabe National Forest in Nevada and the city
of Alifbay in Text B and Text E? [10]

You must refer to both texts to support your comments on the language the writers have used.
This question tests the ability to synthesise information effectively from more than one text, interpret
themes, meaning and ideas in a text and to use inference and deduction skills to retrieve and analyse
details.
36
Unit 2 and 3 reading: Comparison questions

Key Points:
• When comparing texts, it is likely that you will be focusing on points of similarity for the most part,
but it is expected that differences will be focused on where relevant.
• It is essential that you make it clear from which text you get your information.
• You will be asked to compare content and ideas/perspectives across two or more texts in either Unit
2 or Unit 3.

Question stems for this type are: In your answer, always

make it clear from which
 Compare how the writers present...
text you get your
 Compare what the writers say about... information.
 Compare the writers’ attitudes to...
 Compare how the writers try and persuade the reader to...
You’ll need your trusty connectives for this type of answer, so why not try sorting these connectives
into the correct columns?

on the other hand likewise similarly conversely

in contrast however in the same way whereas
equally alternatively unlike like

Comparing Contrasting

37
Read the two texts on exercise. Compare the writers’ attitudes to health and safety and how they
get across their ideas. [10]

Text A: A newspaper article about an older runner

Silver Sprinter
The marathon runner in his 70s – what’s his secret? Rebecca Armstrong finds out how this senior
sportsman keeps running. John Starbrook, 76, competed in his first triathlon earlier this year ‘for a
bit of a challenge’. This gruelling event would be enough of a challenge to most people, but
Starbrook also runs two marathons a year. ‘I’ve done about 40 marathons in total.’

According to NHS guidelines, everyone, regardless of age, should aim to do at least 30 minutes of
moderate physical activity five times a week to improve mobility and reduce the risk of heart
disease. But while it can be all too easy to find excuses to avoid starting an exercise routine,
Starbrook proves that age shouldn’t stand in the way of fitness. So what are his secrets? Starbrook
eats a normal diet and doesn’t believe in pills of any kind. He says, ‘I don’t eat much rubbish food –
no burgers or any of that. Just good stuff. I don’t take any vitamins. I don’t even like taking an
aspirin.’

As we age, our bodies start to change. ‘The first thing is that you get a reduction in muscle strength
and an increase in body fat,’ says Lorenzo Masci, a sports physician. ‘The second thing is that you
get a reduction in heart rate and in your body’s ability to take in oxygen.’ Masci also warns that
older people have a reduced capacity to recover from injuries. But it is not all bad news. ‘A lot of
these changes can be helped by exercise,’ he says.

According to Help the Aged, we can’t store the benefits of exercise. If you were sporty until your
thirties, it won’t help in your seventies. But if you had an active lifestyle like Starbrook, you are
more likely to continue exercise as you get older. ‘It’s never too late to start exercising,’ says
Masci. However, it’s important to speak to your doctor before embarking on a fitness kick.

‘The important thing is to do things you enjoy. People who do activities they enjoy are more likely
to stick with them,’ says Masci.

38
Text B: An essay by Candida Crewe
The Revenge of the Couch Potato
I have hated exercise all my life, but recently I have felt the need to reconsider my entrenched
views against physical activity. This would almost certainly never have been the case had obesity
not been in the news daily of late and, more crucially, had I not given birth to three boys who
have no truck whatever with keeping still. It occurred to me that if I wanted to keep up with them,
then I was going to have to become a degree fitter than the useless couch potato I had always
been.
The following morning, I put them on my running shoes and closed the front door behind me. I
took a deep breath and ran the five minutes to the park, the mile or so round its outer ring, and
then the five minutes home. It was a form of torture beyond my worst imaginings. I gasped for air
as if I were trapped in a large plastic box. Dog walkers took fright, some of them giving me a look
as if to say should they call an ambulance, and I nearly let them. When I got home I had to lie
down for an hour.
The next day matters were just as bad, and the next and the next, but I wouldn’t give up.
Somehow, a year passed by. It was still torture and the fitness everyone promised never seemed
to come. I just became more accustomed to it.
Then, a few weeks ago, in a moment of total lunacy, I entered myself in the London Marathon. It’s
a crazy venture. I have dodgy knees, an aching back, a dependency on precisely the wrong kinds
of foods, and a lifelong love affair with sofas. And the stuff my new ‘marathon friends’ tell me
about blisters, Vaseline in very odd places, and the endurance gels you have to swallow to avoid
collapsing, are enough to make me want to take to my bed for the next three months with a
serious supply of chocolate. They also tell me, “You’ll enjoy it. It’s fun.” No, it is not fun. Not
sweaty tennis, not swimming virtuous lengths, not treading mills, not forcing dull slabs of metal
hither and thither, not trudging up hills, not cycling distances that require plastic water bottles
and shorts with padded bums. They are all disagreeable.
Show me a woman sweating around the parks or pavements who says she’s in it purely for the
fitness and fun of it, and you are showing me a liar. All the women I’ve met who exercise are
doing it because they want to contain their bodies against the relentless onslaught of rogue
pounds.

Articles’ attitude Essay’s attitude

How the article gets points across How essay gets points across

39
You need to be considering language, tone and devices used for the second part of the question.
Look at your table. Are there any similarities? Highlight these in one colour. Are there
any differences? Highlight these in another colour.

Another idea is then to number the points you’ve made to denote the order in which
you’ll write about them.

All of your answer is relevant. You

track through the texts and ensure
full coverage. You use connectives.
You don’t just Top Band descriptor:
observe the
obvious Give 9-10 marks to those who make comparisons that are sustained and
similarities detailed, showing clear understanding of how the writers convey their
and attitudes.
differences. You can see the similarities and
You notice differences in tone, and the language
subtleties. and devices used to create that tone.

Write up your answer. Remember to start talking about each text by stating an overview: What’s the
general message/tone? Hand in for marking.

40
Contrast Comparison
a clear difference after all
a distinct difference along the same lines
a striking distance also
a strong distinction analogous to
against as compared with
although as well as
although this may be true balanced against
an opposing view by comparison
and yet comparable
another distinction comparatively
balanced against compared to
but consistent with
by contrast conversely
contrarily correlate
contrary to correspondingly
conversely equal
counter to equally important
despite equivalent
despite the fact that however
different from identical
even though in a similar fashion
for in comparison
however in contrast
in contrast in like manner
in opposition to in the same manner
nevertheless in the same way
nonetheless like
on the contrary likewise
on the other hand matching
opposing meanwhile
otherwise nevertheless
regardless of little difference
the antithesis of parallel to
the reverse of relative to
to differ from relatively
to differentiate resemble
to oppose resembling
up against similarly
whereas synonymous
while the next likeness
yet to the same extent
too
uniformly
where
whereas

41
Editing
In Unit 2, you will be required to complete an editing section worth 5 marks. It focuses on verbal
reasoning skills. Verbal reasoning is, in a nutshell, thinking with words. Generally speaking, it
involves thinking about text, solving word problems, following written instructions to come up with a
solution, spotting letter sequences and cracking letter- and number-based codes.
In this section of the exam, the questions appear as multiple choice cloze questions.

Read the sentence below, then answer the Read the sentence with each of the choices.
questions that follow. Which makes sense?
The teacher (demonstrated / rearranged) the You might have to choose from the next set
actual process in order to (elaborate / prove) that first as it’s easier: Does ‘...in order to elaborate
the experiment would work. The pupils that the experiment would work’ make sense?
_______________ drew up their stools as they NO! So it must be ‘prove’. Then, it has to be
________________ awaited the appearance of ‘demonstrated’ in the first gap to match up with
the volcano of foam in the ‘Marshmallow ‘prove’.
Experiment’.
a. Circle the word that best fits gaps 1 and 2. This type of question requires you to think of
words from your own brains! Eek! What would
b. Insert a word of your choice in gaps 3 and 4. fit and still make sense in the context of the
sentence? How are the children feeling about
the experiment do you think? Excited
Circle the two words that best fit the meaning of probably. So you could say: The pupils quickly
the sentences below. drew up their stools as they eagerly awaited
the appearance of the volcano of foam in the
Until the eighteenth century, English spelling was ‘Marshmallow Experiment’. Or you could say:
not (accurate / standardised) on either side of the The pupils hurriedly drew up their stools as
Atlantic. Then, in 1755, Samuel Johnson they excitedly awaited the appearance of the
(published / circulated) his Dictionary of the English volcano of foam in the ‘Marshmallow
Language. Experiment’. The examiner will reward you for
understanding the tone of the sentence.

Circle the two words that best fit the meaning of the sentences below.
(Unless/While) I trust him, I dislike his companions. (Whether/If) you like him or not, I will have to
offer him a lift.

Choose the correct pair of words to fit each of the following sentences:
Connie felt a growing ____________ as the stranger drew closer. But as she spun to confront her
pursuer she recognised his face and laughed in sudden ____________.
distress terror []
dread relief []
anticipation boredom []
happiness relief []

42
You will also be required to put a text into the correct sequence. For example:

Read the text below which consists of sentences in Read all of the sentences first.
the wrong order and show your understanding by
Look for clues that might help you:
answering the questions that follow.
 Are there any proper nouns used
1. When she got to her grandma’s, she found the
wolf in bed. which are replaced by pronouns in
other sentences?
2. As she was walking, she met a wolf who asked her  Look at the tenses – do they
where she was going. change?
3. A passing woodcutter saved her before the wolf  What do the connectives tell you
could eat her. about the sequence?

4. She took a short-cut through the woods. So, what’s the correct order?

5.Little Red Riding Hood left to visit he grandma. 5, 4, 2, 1, 3

Therefore:
a. Which sentence should come second? Write the a. 4
number in the blank space. ________ b. 1
b. Which sentence should come fourth? Write the It’s worth putting them all into the
number in the blank space. ________ correct order first, then working out
what’s needed to answer the question.

Read the text below which consists of Read the text below which consists of sentences in the
sentences in the wrong order and wrong order and show your understanding by answering
show your understanding by the questions that follow.
answering the questions that follow.
1. Suddenly, a dark shape materialized from the crowd
1. Curious, he bent down to pick it and headed towards her. Her breath caught in her
up. throat.
2. Now the question was what 2. The room was filled with the sound of music and the
should he do with it? movement of dancers blocked her view. She craned
3. Lloyd trundled down the street to her neck to see over their heads.
meet his friends in the usual spot. 3. She pushed through the open door and felt a twitch of
4. On closer inspection it turned out anxiety as her eyes scanned the crowded room.
to be a roll of £50 notes. 4. The party was already in full swing when Carrie arrived
5. His eyes caught sight of a small and entered the house.
bundle on the ground. 5. But as she recognised the figure she sighed in relief;
perhaps this night wouldn’t be so terrible after all.
a. Which sentence should come first?
a. Which sentence should come first? Write the number in
Write the number in the blank space.
the blank space. ________
________
b. Which sentence should come fourth? Write the number
b. Which sentence should come
in the blank space. ________
third? Write the number in the blank
space. ________ c. Which sentence should come fifth? Write the number in
the blank space. ________

43
Proofreading
In Unit 2, you will also be asked to proofread and correct a text. It will be worth five marks, so it’s
more than likely that there will be five mistakes to spot and correct.
Top Tips (from CSCJES). These are useful for checking your own writing too!
• Look closely at prepositions – under, to, around, through, etc. – as these can be misused or
confuse the sentence.
• Check for content/spelling /tenses on one read-though and punctuation on a separate read-
through. Read aloud in your head.
• Read work backwards. You tend to see spelling mistakes this way.
• Create a personal checklist of things that you tend to get wrong. Your teacher’s careful mark-
ing will help you.
• Time. You need to leave yourself enough time to read your work thoroughly in examinations or
timed assessments.
• Behold the 100 most commonly misspelled words in English – learn them: http://www.yourdic-
tionary.com/library/misspelled.html

Have a go!

The following text is to be posted on a school website. Identify and correct the 5 errors.
ROADWORKS
We have been informed by the Counsel that extensive road works are scheduled to
take place along Llanfair Road starting on 12th October. Access to the school
sight will continue for safety reasons for staff and for visitors, but it will
not be possible for parents to park opposite the school for the duration of the
road works. I hope that this will not effect your child’s travel arrangements
too seriously and I know that we can relie on your co-operation.

The following is part of a draft of letter sent to the customers of a water supply company. Identify
and correct five errors in the text.

Dear customer

Our job is to provide you with the best quality water and sewerage services. Some customers in
your area have experienced discoloration to the water supply. We would like to apologise if you
have been effected.

We would like to reasure customers that discoloured water is unlikely to be harmful to health but
we wouldn’t expect anyone to drink it when it looks unpleasant. Please be assured that we carry
out regular sampling and analysis to insure your water supply meets the highest standards.

44
Vocabulary Practise
There are different levels of words: relevant, interesting and ambitious, however this doesn’t mean
you have to fill your work with exceptionally long words. Often the most interesting work uses a
variety of all these words.
Using a thesaurus (these can be found online), fill in the blanks in the table below:
Relevant Interesting Ambitious
said

sad

happy

evil

moody

barbaric

cascade

brutal

nice

Language can be loaded. Even though the words might be synonyms, they might suggest a different
thing about the subject or have a different effect on the reader. For example:
Positive Connotations Negative Connotations
plan scheme
prosperous loaded
leisurely lazy
honest blunt
assertive aggressive

Can you think of any more combinations like these?

45
Words to Describe Tone
To get the higher marks in the higher-tariff reading questions you’ll have to comment on the writer’s
tone and how this is created and conveyed. Tone can be very difficult to describe, especially if your
vocabulary is limited. Why not try and learn some of these words to use on your answers?
Tone Meaning

Apologetic sorry
Appreciative grateful; thankful
Concerned worried or interest
Critical finding fault
Curious wanting to find out more
Defensive defending
Direct straightforward; honest
Disappointed discouraged; unhappy because something went wrong
Encouraging optimistic
Enthusiastic excited; energetic
Formal respectful; appropriate behavior
Frustrated angry because of not being able to do something
Hopeful looking forward to something; optimistic
Humorous funny; comical
Informal not formal; relaxed
Inspirational uplifting; reassuring
Ironic different from what is expected or the opposite of what is meant
Judgmental judging others; critical
Lighthearted happy, carefree
Mocking scornful; ridiculing; making fun of someone
Negative unhappy; pessimistic
Neutral neither good nor bad; neither for nor against
Nostalgic thinking about the past; wishing for something from the past
Objective without prejudice; without discrimination; fair
Optimistic hopeful; cheerful
Pessimistic seeing the bad side of things
Sarcastic scornful; mocking; ridiculing
Satirical making fun of something to show its weakness or teach a lesson
Sentimental thinking about feelings, especially when remembering the past
Sincere honest; truthful; earnest
Sympathetic compassionate; understanding of how someone feels
Urgent insistent; saying something must be done soon
From https://dickesryan.wordpress.com/la/tone/
Incidentally, a lot of the adjectives in the ‘Meaning’ column can be used to describe tone too!

46
GCSE English Language Writing Assessment Criteria
Band Communicating and organising Band Writing accurately
5 The writing is grown up. 5 Lots of interesting and unusual words are used correctly and for
There is a range of clever rhetorical/literary devices and the effect.
9/10 piece is very engaging. 9/10 You vary your sentence structure to achieve a particular effect.
You’ve adapted what you say and how you say it to suit the You can use capital letters . , ‘ ? ! : ; - () … correctly all of the
purpose and audience. time.
You have used your imagination and how you write is original. All spelling, including harder and more complex words, is correct.
The writing is organised into paragraphs and they are linked You don’t switch between tenses and always make sense.
by concluding and topic sentences. FLAIR
FLAIR
4 The content is well-judged (you’ve picked the best things to 4 Lots of interesting and unusual words are used correctly.
say). You vary your sentence structure to achieve a particular effect.
7/8 You’ve adapted what you say and how you say it to suit the 7/8 You can use capital letters . , ‘ ? ! : ; … correctly all of the time.
purpose and audience. All spelling, including harder words, is correct.
Lots of rhetorical/literary devices are used for effect. You don’t switch between tenses and always make sense.
The writing is organised into paragraphs and they are linked
by concluding and topic sentences.
3 The sentences make sense and most of it is interesting. 3 Lots of interesting words are used correctly.
There is a clear awareness of purpose and audience. You start sentences in different ways and use subordinate clauses.
5/6 Some rhetorical/literary devices are used for effect. 5/6 You can use capital letters . , ‘ ? ! : ; … correctly most of the time.
The writing is organised into paragraphs and they link Most spelling, including harder words, is correct.
sequentially. You don’t switch between tenses and always make sense.
2 The sentences make sense. 2 Some interesting words are used.
It kind of suits the purpose/audience. You sometimes start sentences in different ways.
3/4 The examiner can see you’ve tried to make it interesting. 3/4 You can use capital letters . , ‘ ? ; correctly most of the time.
There are paragraphs. Most spelling is correct.
You don’t switch between tenses.
You usually make sense.
1 The sentences make sense. 1 Everyday words are used.
There is organisation (e.g. one point leads on to another). Most sentences are structured in the same way.
1/2 It kind of suits the purpose and audience but not always. 1/2 You can use capital letters . , ‘ ? correctly sometimes.
Some spelling is right.
You sometimes switch between tenses.
Some of your grammar is awkward. You don’t always make
sense.

47
 Writing
Firstly, what types of texts might you be asked to write? *

Unit 2 Unit 3
Diary Essay Letter Blog
Travelogue Biography Leaflet Speech
Short story News report Review

*These aren’t exhaustive; they serve as examples.

The most important thing about your writing is that it suits the purpose and audience.
Planning tool from CSCJES

• Why am I writing this? • Who am I writing this

• What do I want to for?
achieve? • What does the reader
• What do I want the need to know?
reader to do as a result • How should I
of reading my text? address the
reader? Direct
address or more
detached?
Purpose Audience

Format Tone
• What type of text • Should my writing
am I being asked to be lively, serious
write? or entertaining?
• What would be the • Should I be writing
expected features of this formally or
kind of text? informally?
• What sort of
language should I
use?

On the following pages, there are a number of different tasks for you to plan using the tool featured
above. Set yourself a five-minute timer for each one and get going! You could also try writing them
up properly. Give yourself 30 minutes. Hand to your teacher for marking.

48
Your family has just returned from the holiday from Hell. Write a letter of complaint to the
holiday company arguing that you should have a refund.
Purpose: Audience:

Format: Tone:

Generate a list of vocabulary or phrases you’d like to use

(make them ambitious):

49
You have been invited to give a speech to some old aged pensioners to persuade them of the
merits of using the internet. Write what you would say.
Purpose: Audience:

Format: Tone:

Generate a list of vocabulary or phrases you’d like to use

(make them ambitious):

50
Articles C and D were about zoos. Write an article for News First in which you aim to per-
suade your teenage readers that animals should be released from any form of captivity.

Purpose: Audience:

Format: Tone:

Generate a list of vocabulary or phrases you’d like to use

(make them ambitious):

51
Write a narrative that begins with the line: “I wish I’d never...”
Purpose: Audience:

Format: Tone:

Generate a list of vocabulary or phrases you’d like to use

(make them ambitious):

52
A family fun day was held in your local area and hundreds of people attended. Write a report
of the event for your local newspaper.
Purpose: Audience:

Format: Tone:

Generate a list of vocabulary or phrases you’d like to use

(make them ambitious):

53
Think about a place that is special or memorable. Write a description of the place and what
makes it special or memorable.
Purpose:; Audience:

Format: Tone:

Generate a list of vocabulary or phrases you’d like to use

(make them ambitious):

54
Examples of Good Writing (from https://missryansgcseenglish.wordpress.com/2014/04/25/english-language-exam-writing-tips/)

55
Unit 2: Exposition

1. “Education is supposed to be its own reward, but now one Newcastle school is putting a price
on attendance.”
Write an essay to explain the extent to which you agree that children should be paid for going to
school?

2. “Pupils could be banned from taking mobile phones and iPads into class under a major government
crackdown on disruptive behaviour at school. “
Write an essay to explain the extent to which you agree that mobile phones be banned in classrooms?

3. “Alcohol is the cause of a large number of disputes and distress in society; it alters the mind of a person
and can cause such individuals to take actions which they would not take otherwise. It is the obligation
of the government to protect the citizens from the ill effects of harmful substances like alcohol.”
Write an essay to explain the extent to which you agree that alcohol should be made illegal?

4. “Television in the home is the greatest source of visual violence for children. The average child watches
8,000 televised murders and 100,000 acts of violence before Year 9. That number more than doubles
by the time he or she reaches age 18. The media plays a heavy role in influencing people to commit
crime.
Write an essay to explain the extent to which you agree that television is the leading cause of violence
in today's society.

5. “Dogs show so much loyalty, love and affection, plus they are really smart and always able to make you
laugh–no matter what! I love cats and people as well, but there is something extra special about dogs.”
Write an essay to explain the extent to which you agree that dogs make better companions than cats.

6. "The smoking ban is one of the most important public health acts in the last century. There's no ques-
tion it's been hugely beneficial." Amanda Sandford, research manager from Action on Smoking and
Health (Ash).
Write an essay to explain the extent to which you agree that smoking should be banned in public
places.

7. “Hunting with dogs was banned in 2005 in a reaction to the strength of public feeling against the cruelty
of wild animals being chased, often to the point of exhaustion, before being purposely set upon by
packs of dogs, for so called ‘sport’. Ten years on, the Act is under threat as the Government seeks to
repeal the Hunting Act 2004.” RSPCA.
Write an essay to explain the extent to which you agree that fox hunting should be banned.

8. “It is often said if smoking was invented today it would never be legalised.” Nick Triggle BBC Health
correspondent.
Write an essay to explain the extent to which you agree that smoking should be banned.

56
9. “Too much time is wasted in schools making sure that pupils wear the correct uniform: the right colour
shirt, the correct black shoes and a tie done up to the neck. This time should be spent on learning.”
Write an essay to explain the extent to which you agree that pupils should be allowed to wear whatever
they like to school.

10. “No one ever had to pay for recorded music—it was always "free" on the radio—and the home taping of
LPs, the copying of cassettes, and, later, burning CDs made buying music optional. Then Napster and
other file-sharing sites kicked it up a notch and made it very easy to assemble a 10,000-song collection
without spending a dime. Paying for recorded music is now, more than ever, a voluntary act.” Steve
Guttenberg.
Write an essay to explain the extent to which you agree that music downloads should be free.

11. “The Restore Justice campaign, spearheaded by Paul Staines, calls for the death penalty to be brought
back for child and police officer murderers“ Rebecca Café BBC News.
Whereas human rights lawyer and former senator Rene Saguisag calls the death penalty “judicial
murder."
Write an essay to explain the extent to which you agree that the death penalty should be brought back
in Britain.

12. “School rules help maintain order in a large group of people. School rules also lay the ground-
work for adult responsibilities. By learning to follow rules as a child, a person may be better
prepared for following laws as an adult. It also helps the student get used to adhering to poli-
cies and procedures that they will face as an employee once they reach adulthood.”
Write an essay to explain the extent to which you agree that rules in schools are necessary?

13. “The National Farmers Union lobbied hard for a badger cull - in spite of substantial scientific
evidence suggesting that culling badgers would not have any significant impact on reducing
the disease in cattle, and could even make it worse. Thousands of badgers have so far been
killed in what we, along with numerous independent scientists and animal welfare organisa-
tions, believe is a totally unjustified slaughter of a protected species.” League Against Cruel
Sports.
Write an essay to explain the extent to which you agree that badgers should be culled?

14. “Drivers must concentrate on the road ahead, not their phones and the endless apps they con-
tain. What is clear is that drivers [are] still ignoring the ban on the use of hand-held mobiles,
they are putting others at risk, and putting themselves at odds with overwhelming public opin-
ion.”
Write an essay to explain the extent to which you agree that using mobile phones whilst driving
including hands-free kits should be made illegal.

57
Unit 3: Argumentation

1. Articles D and E are about the use of homework to extend learning. Write an article for a magazine
read by parents in which you argue the case for the abolition of homework.

2. Articles C and D are about homeless people in Wales. Write an article for a teenage magazine in
which you argue the case for more help to be given to the homeless.

3. Articles D and E are about the influence of the media on young people. Write an article for a magazine
aimed at parents. Argue the case either for or against children being allowed to have a television in
their bedrooms to watch whatever they like, whenever they like.

4. Articles B and E are about animal experimentation. Write a letter to your MP in which you argue either
for or against animal experimentation.

5. Articles C and D are about childhood obesity in Wales. Write an article suitable for a school magazine
in which you argue that more should be done in school to improve the health and fitness of pupils.

6. Articles B and E are about historical sites in Wales. How useful do you think it is to know about the
past? Write an article for a newspaper for a newspaper in which you argue your case.

7. Articles C and D are about the run down nature of school buildings in Wales. Write an article for a
broadsheet newspaper in which you argue the case for more money being spent on up-to-date equip-
ment for schools.

58
Unit 3: Persuasion

1. Article B was about the rundown nature of school buildings in Wales. Write a letter to your headteacher
persuading him or her to improve the facilities for Year 11 students in your school.

2. Articles C and D were about tourism in Wales. Write a leaflet to persuade parents to bring their chil-
dren to a tourist attraction near to where you live.

3. Article E is about A friend has written you a letter saying he or she is thinking of leaving home and is
asking for your advice. Write a reply trying to persuade him or her not to leave home.

4. Articles C and D were about the use of technology in the classroom. Your Headteacher has decided to
ban all mobiles phones and will confiscate any seen in school. Write a letter persuading him or her that
mobile phones play an increasingly important part of interacting with learning in the classroom and
should be allowed for use in school.

5. Articles C and D were about zoos. Write an article for News First in which you aim to persuade your
teenage readers that animals should be released from any form of captivity.

6. Articles B and E were about cycling initiatives in Wales. Write a letter to your local newspaper in which
you try to persuade the readers more bike-friendly measures should be introduced in your area.

7. Articles C and D were about the state of school buildings and finding for education across Britain. Write
a speech for your MP to use when he or she is going to persuade fellow MPs to vote for more money
being made available for education.

8. Articles B and D were about the Jurassic period. Write an article for a television magazine to persuade
readers to watch a programme called The Death of the Dinosaurs: A Mystery Solved.

9. Articles D and E were about local tourism in Wales. Write the text for a travel brochure published by a
run-down seaside resort which aims to persuade holiday-makers to return by using an original and im-
aginative selling point.

10. Articles C and D were about late morning being the optimum part of the day for teenagers to impact on
learning. You have undertaken some research among pupils in your school about the length and organ-
isation of the school day. Write a report for the Chair of Governors in which you persuade him or her
that particular changes should be made.

59
Go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/english to practise your basic skills.

SENTENCE TYPES WORD CLASSES – Learn us! PUNCTUATION

Simple: contains a subject and a verb and NOUN – these can be the name of a person, indicates that a
can contain an object. e.g. Polly likes to FULL STOP .sentence is
place or thing e.g. I have a pet cat.
snooze in the sun. finished
Compound: joins two simple sentences PRONOUN –these are used in place of nouns goes at the end
QUESTION
using the connectives: for, and, nor, but, e.g. Polly ate her breakfast. ? of a question.
MARK
or, yet, so e.g. Polly like to snooze in the Always.
sun but she doesn’t like the rain. VERB – these express an action, state or goes at the end
condition in a sentence e.g. Polly sat on the EXCLAMATION
Complex: has a main clause and a ! of a sentence to
mat. MARK
subordinate clause e.g. Polly likes to snooze indicate emotion
in the sun which makes her dribble with indicates a slight
ADJECTIVE – these are words that describe
delight. pause, separates
nouns e.g. Polly’s fur is silky. COMMA ,
clauses and items
PARAGRAPHS ADVERB – these qualify or modify verbs, in list
The TIPTOP rule: adjectives or other adverbs e.g. Polly ‘ indicates
You move onto a new paragraph when you climbed the tree carefully. APOSTROPHE possession or
change time, place, topic or person. omission
PREPOSITION – these show a relationship introduces a list
CONNECTIVES between a noun or a pronoun and the rest COLON : or a significant
Remember to make your writing more of a sentence e.g. Polly sat on the mat. word/statement
sophisticated by using a range of Separates two
connectives. Check out your planner or CONJUNCTION – these join words, phrases
independent, but
classroom displays. and sentences together e.g. Polly can be SEMICOLON ;
related, clauses
naughty but I love her anyway. in a sentence
SPELLING STRATEGIES INTERJECTION – these are words that BRACKETS ( ) Separates info
express surprise, delight and other emotions from the main
 Sound out the word clause by holding
 Think about how it looks e.g. Wow! DASH -
words apart
 Think about a similar word Shows passage of
 Is there a memory sentence for this STYLE ELLIPSIS … time or adds
word? (e.g. big elephants cannot al- suspense
Purpose: Why are you writing?
ways use small exits) Indicated what is
Audience: Who is your writing aimed at? SPEECH
 Look it up in a dictionary “…” being said
Format: What are you
60 writing? MARKS
 To learn it: look, cover, write, check