English Language and Literature Specification B Food Anthology Sustained comparison of (a) the unseen texts in Question 1 and (b) the texts chosen by the candidate in Question 2 is required. Both questions require candidates to identify the purpose(s) of

Key Terms Candidates are expected to be aware of the importance of context and, where relevant, in the reception of both written and spoken texts Candidates are expected to be aware of the intended audience for a text, whether written or spoken, and how this audience has determined the writer’s or speaker’s choice of language

Key Terms Candidates are expected to be able to comment on the ideas and attitudes expressed or implied in the texts Both questions focus on the methods writers and speakers use to achieve their intended purposes and effects Candidates should be able to recognise the codes and conventions of the genres of the texts they are dealing with and to make appropriate and relevant comments about them

Key Terms Candidates should be able to comment meaningfully on the structure of a text and, where relevant, the writer’s use of layout and presentation in achieving its effects Candidates should be able to identify and evaluate some of the significant language choices made by a writer or a speaker of a text They are expected to use appropriate and accurate terminology in their analysis

Question 2 Default question: Food can be x or y. Compare two texts from the Anthology which appear to you to show either or both of the x or y aspects of food. In your answer, write about some of the following where appropriate:

Question 2 contexts of production word choice and reception form and structure grammar figurative language layout and presentation sound patterning

Context weaker answers may focus on general contextual understanding without showing linguistic awareness a focus on graphology (layout and presentation) would signal a weaker response but some candidates may see links to the text, thus referring to lexical, grammatical and pragmatic points and so may make some more developed contextual comments

Question 1 Text A is an extract from a cookery book Countryman’s Cooking by WMW Fowler, published in 1965. Text B is the text from the home webpage of the British Leafy Salad Association. Compare the ways in which the two texts achieve their purposes. You should compare: how the texts are structured and how they present their material how the purposes and contexts of the texts influence language choices

The successful answer deals briefly with audience and purpose comments relevantly on context discusses attitudes revealed by the writer/speaker analyses the overall structure and organisation of a text before dealing with other aspects focuses on the significant language features of a text, discussing their possible effects will not attempt to cover/comment on everything

The successful answer comments on some of the more challenging language frameworks or methods compares systematically, ensuring that the comparisons are like for like covers layout and presentation (where relevant) in due proportion does not summarise or paraphrase content uses accurate and appropriate terminology, but not to draw attention to its use will not repeat in a conclusion what has already been said

Successful opening paragraphs i) clear justification for choice of texts i) focus on comparison i) succinct without preliminaries ii) sensible use of context ii) brief comments on audience, purpose and genre

Unsuccessful opening paragraphs i) general and unspecific i) an “all-purpose” paragraph i) wasting valuable time ii) copying information provided in the question ii) poor proof-reading