1. Paper One: Answering Question 2
English Language
Paper One: Answering Question 2

2. Remind yourself of the text
Let’s read through the text again together and remind ourselves what it is about.

3. Question 2
This question will always ask you to respond to a specific section of the text.
It is worth 8 marks.
You should spend ten minutes responding to this question – this includes reading the question and writing your answers.
You should write 3-4 clear paragraphs, answering the question by exploring the writer’s use of language. This includes words, sentence forms and literary devices.
According to the examiners, ‘This requires comment, explanation, analysis in relation to any given student’s skills ability. It also requires students to use appropriate terminology in order to facilitate their answers and show their degree of skill.’
It assesses your AO2 skills: explain, comment on and analyse how writers use language and structure to achieve effects and influence readers, using relevant subject terminology to support their views

4. Question 2
Look in detail at this extract from lines 8 to 18 of the source:
How does the writer use language here to describe the effects of the weather? You could include the writer’s choice of:
words and phrases
language features and techniques
sentence forms.
(8 marks)

5. Have a look at your annotations…
What sort of language features, interesting words or phrases or sentence forms could you comment on?

6. According to the examiners…
AO2 content may include the effect of ideas such as:
• use of sentence length variously related to the content of the extract
• use of, for example, nouns and verbs to enhance description
• the cumulative effect of chosen words and phrases
• employing imagery such as simile.

7. So how does this work?
Let’s have a look at the mark scheme and the example paragraphs.
Can you understand why each paragraph has been given each mark?

8. Level Skills descriptor Indicative content Level 4
Detailed, perceptive analysis
7-8 marks
Shows detailed and perceptive understanding of language:
Analyses the effects of the writer’s choices of language
Selects a judicious range of textual detail
Makes sophisticated and accurate use of subject terminology
The opening paragraph consists of a single, complex sentence perhaps reflecting the onward movement of the coach. The adjective ‘exposed’ and the noun ‘force’, evoke the idea of vulnerability, danger, and how little control man has over the power of nature. The verb ‘rocking’, progresses the cumulative effect of the list of verbs, ‘shaking’, ‘trembled’, ‘swayed’ leading to the simile, ‘rocking between the high wheels like a drunken man’ suggesting the coach is lurching haphazardly, its movement out of control.
Level 3
Clear, relevant explanation
5-6 marks
Shows clear understanding of language:
Explains clearly the effects of the writer’s choices of language
Selects a range of relevant textual detail
Makes clear and accurate use of subject terminology
The opening, complex sentence is long and so gives the effect of a never-ending storm. Then nouns like ‘gusts’ and ‘force’ are used to show the reader how unpredictable and strong the wind was. The effect of the wind on the coach is built up by the writer’s use of verbs –‘shaking’, then ‘trembled’, then ‘swayed’. The word ‘trembled’ makes it sound as if the coach is almost frightened of the weather.
Level 2
Some, Understanding and comment
3-4 marks
Shows some understanding of language:
Attempts to comment on the effect of language
Selects some appropriate textual detail
Makes some use of subject terminology, mainly appropriately
The writer says, ‘The wind came in gusts at times shaking the coach’. The word ‘gusts’ emphasises that sometimes the wind blew stronger than others and was making the coach shake or shudder. The phrase, ‘shaking the coach’, has the effect of making us feel frightened for the passengers because you shake when you are afraid.
Level 1
Simple, limited comment
1-2 marks
Shows simple awareness of language:
Offers simple comment on the effect of language
Selects simple references or textual details
Makes simple use of subject terminology, not always appropriately
The writer says ‘The wind came in gusts at times shaking the coach’. The word ‘gusts’ emphasises that sometimes the wind was strong and was making the coach shake.

9. What mark would you give this piece?
Du Maurier demonstrates how boring the day is through her careful use of adjectives such as ‘cold’ and ‘grey’ both of these have connotations of lifeless experiences which may be what Du Maurier is trying to create. Du Maurier’s use of pathetic fallacy suggested a mysterious and negative day is upon us by using ‘the weather had changed overnight’, this shows the atmosphere is changing, becoming darker and more cynical.
The short syntax at the start of the opening emphasises the simplicity of that statement in an attempt to show the basis of the day in a way to engage the reader from the start. The personification of the mist suggests even natural elements are negative in this area as it has ‘cloaking them in mist’, this would shroud and hinder people which is a mean thing to do. As well as this ‘cloaking’ suggests they need to be concealed possibly making them mysterious and therefore we threat them with suspicious.
The second short sentence creates a tense atmosphere and a sense of anticipation as ‘it would be dark by four’ suggesting the dark holds something unexpected which will causes the reader to believe the day will continue to evolve and become very dramatic when it is dark. Du Maurier creates the day as omnipotent and intrusive as she uses the verb ‘penetrated’ which suggests there is no escape from the menacing day.

10. Examiner comments…
Lower levels reward descriptive statements, middle levels reward elaboration with reference to how they work, and highest levels reward linkage between use of language and effects on the reader that can be complex and detailed.
For example, at the top of the levels (Level 4) comments are perceptive and detailed:
Shows detailed and perceptive understanding of language
Analyses the effects of the writer’s choices of language
Selects a judicious range of relevant quotations
Uses sophisticated subject terminology accurately.
Here, the candidate shows perceptive and detailed understanding of language and uses a range of relevant quotations to merit a mark in Level 4.

11. Your turn…
You have ten minutes in which to write a response to the question.
You will then mark the work of the person next to you.

12. Feedback Who has an interesting response they could read out?
What mark would the class give it?