Standard Grade English Credit Close reading question types

Getting started Read the passage in full to get the gist. Don’t forget the introductory paragraph any pictures, captions which can help. All questions are for 2 marks. 2 1 0 questions require more than one part to the answer. There is 50 mins available

Understanding questions Using your own words Be alert for the word ‘Explain’. Never lift from the text: ‘celebrate his return’ becomes Make his homecoming seem special

Word choice In this type of question we quote and comment on individual examples to demonstrate how an author puts a certain idea across. Take one at a time ‘tempest’ suggests a furious frenzy of work as it means a storm. Briony put a great deal of effort and hard work into the project.

Sentence structure This involves the shape of the sentence rather than word meaning. Look out for : repetition, lists, length of sentences, unusual word order or interesting use of punctuation. The purpose of this is for emphasis of some idea.

Parenthesis This involves using brackets, dashes or commas to add extra information to a sentence. One mark is given for identifying the punctuation and the job it does. The next mark refers to the specific information given Eg The dashes add extra information to show us how controlling and obsessively tidy Briony is. The commas add extra information about the shape of the clouds

Contrasts If asked how an author creates a contrast remember to describe both sides. Eg Briony is very tidy-obsessively so while her sister is very messy and sloppy

Colons A colon can introduce a list (Q13) Eg In the box were treasures: an acorn,fools gold,a spell, a squirrel’s skull… It can also introduce an expansion on an initial statement in a sentence ( asingle dash can do this job too). Eg She had a passion for secrets: In a prized cabinet a secret drawer held a locked diary and a notebook with stories written in code.

Giving evidence Often you are asked to give two or three different pieces of evidence from the text either quoting (usually) or explaining these in your own words. The question may word this in terms of how the author develops or continues an idea (Q12)

Questions involving comparison techniques Simile- Comparison using the words like or as eg. ‘Their voices were like bells in the distance’ Metaphor- Comparing two things without like or as eg. ‘The moon made a white road across the sea’ Personification- Describing something that is not alive (inanimate) as if it was a person eg. ‘It was as if the night was forbidding him to speak.’

Questions involving comparison techniques In each case you may be asked to comment on why the comparison is effective. Think about what the two objects compared have in common. Use your own words.

You may find it useful to use a Venn diagram to highlight the similarities between the two things moon Straight line Stretches out Bright Reflected light contrasting with the dark sea White road The words in the middle list the similarities

Questions involving sound techniques Onomatopoeia- When a word sounds like the noise it represents eg.whispering,hissing Alliteration- Repetition of consonant sounds for particular effect eg. Speaking in a sort of sharp strawy language Again use your own words to talk about these.

Link questions ‘Show how the sentence provides a link in the author’s argument…’ Usually, linking sentences are at the beginning of the paragraph . Part of the sentence- usually the first part- will refer back to the previous topic while another part will introduce the topic that follows.

How to answer Explain the link by quoting the part which refers back and saying what the topic is. Then quote the part which looks forward to the next topic, explaining what this is… ‘As well as being rather smelly , my dog also has some strange eating habits…’

Model Answer The author uses the words……….to refer back to the previous paragraph which is about…… The phrase …………is then used to introduce the next part which concerns……….