1. GCSE English Language Paper 1

3. Overview of Language Paper 1
Total Time:
1:45
Total marks: 90
Section A: Reading 40 marks 60 minutes
Q1: EXTRACT Q
LIST FOUR THINGS 4 marks and 5 minutes (+25% = 6 mins)
Q2: EXTRACT Q
HOW DOES THE WRITER USE LANGUAGE TO… 8 marks + 10 minutes (+25% = 12 mins) EXTRACT Q
Q3: WHOLE TEXT Q
HOW HAS THE WRITER STRUCTURED THE TEXT TO INTEREST YOU AS A READER 8 marks and 10 minutes (+25% = 12 mins) WHOLE TEXT Q
Q4: Extract Q
(STATEMENT) TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU AGREE? 20 marks and twenty-five minutes (+25% = 30 mins)
Section B: Writing 40 marks 45 minutes
Q5: CREATIVE WRITING 40 marks and forty-five minutes (+25% = 55 mins)

4. Annotation = thinking and planning
As you read – scribble down your thoughts
Successful students make notes on the texts and text extracts to help their thinking and to answer the questions correctly.
Highlight key words in the Q and text

5. English Language Paper 1
Key overview of P1: one text (20th or 21st C) literary fiction. It will include extracts from novels and short stories and focus on openings, endings, narrative perspectives and points of view, narrative or descriptive passages, character, atmospheric descriptions and other appropriate narrative and descriptive approaches. You will be able to use the structure, ideas and language in your own writing for Section B.

6. Paper 1: The FIRST TEN MINUTES
From opening the exam paper, you have ten (+25% = 12 mins) minutes to read, colour the questions and mark the extract. YOU should read the questions and then assign a colour to each question, highlight each question with its colour and then mark off the relevant sections of the extract for each question. Read the context information about the text – IN THE BOX AT THE TOP Read the text or boxed lines a couple of times, to ensure YOU understand it on a deep enough level. Good readers ask questions as they read. Think as you read!

7. Q1: EXTRACT Q LIST FOUR THINGS 4 marks and 5 minutes (+25% = 6 mins)
Read the question and the lines specified
Highlight or underline the 4 quotations to use
Write one point per line with the question stem i.e. Mr Fisher ‘lives alone’ or He does not ‘own a car’ etc.

8. Q2: EXTRACT Q HOW DOES THE WRITER USE LANGUAGE TO… 8 marks + 10 minutes (+25% = 12 mins) EXTRACT Q
Read the question and specified extract carefully and highlight the question focus
What is the overall effect? Write a topic sentence/s
How do they use language - zoom in on individual words or short phrases (at least 2 and no more than 4) + identify any techniques when relevant to impact. Take care to keep words within the context of the text.
Why - what is the impact, link to the topic sentence/s + explore why in depth (authorial purpose)
KEY TECHNIQUES: imagery (eg. simile / metaphor/personification); juxtaposition / contrast/connotation/symbolism/tone/mood, powerful verbs/adverbs.

9. Q3: WHOLE TEXT Q HOW HAS THE WRITER STRUCTURED THE TEXT TO INTEREST YOU AS A READER 8 marks and 10 minutes (+25% = 12 mins)
Read the question and go back to the context box – what is the text – novel or short story? Where is the extract from in the novel or short story – beginning, middle or end? What do you expect from this?
Can you identify and note down where it is set, who is involved and what is the mood for each paragraph? What does this help the reader to understand about the character/setting/mood?
Identify 3 structural techniques including how the text starts, where it changes and the end or anything else of interest
What is the impact on the reader and what is the author trying to suggest across the text?
KEY TECHNIQUES: start, change, end, zoom, shift, perspective, flashback, focus, internal/external, thoughts and dialogue.

10. Q4: Extract Q (STATEMENT) TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU AGREE
Q4: Extract Q (STATEMENT) TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU AGREE? 20 marks and twenty-five minutes (+25% = 30 mins)
Read the question and re-read the section of text with the question focus in mind
Think about your point of view for all parts of the question – you should mostly/partially agree and have clear reasons for your agreement and perhaps one or two points where you disagree
Plan your 3-4 points of agreement and 1-2 points of disagreement
Identify evidence as support for each point and relevant methods used to create impact
Use a topic sentence at the start of each paragraph and use key words from the question
Use discourse markers/connectives to sign post your response
Read through your response and check you have covered all of your planned points
P1/2

11. Q4: Extract Q (STATEMENT) TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU AGREE
Q4: Extract Q (STATEMENT) TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU AGREE? 20 marks and twenty-five minutes (+25% = 30 mins)
Starting phrase: The student’s statement is a good starting point; it is almost entirely accurate* – the resolution is dark and chilling. To be even more specific, it seems nightmarish and uncanny. However, it would be more accurate to also note the oddly matter of fact tone in some of the lines. * Mostly accurate/Accurate for the most part etc.

12. PAPER 1: QUESTION 5
Explorations in creative reading and writing

13. What is the link between Section A and Section B?
Nov 2017: Alice
Q2. Language to describe the mountainous area
Q4. Digging – ‘the discovery may be life changing’
What is the link between Section A and Section B?

14. What is the link between Section A and Section B?
Jun 2017: Rosabel
Q2 Language to describe the bus journey (inside / outside)
Q4 ‘The red haired girl has many advantages and Rosabel is right to be angry’
What is the link between Section A and Section B?

15. What is the link between Section A and Section B?
Specimen Paper: Jamaica Inn
Q2: language to describe the effects of the weather
Q4: ‘brings characters to life… it is as if you are inside the coach with them’
What is the link between Section A and Section B?

16. Planning is ESSENTIAL

17. Q5: CREATIVE WRITING 40 marks and forty-five minutes (+25% = 55 mins)
Plan – structure (cyclical, linear, zoom method)
5 main ideas with a thread to link it all (refer to previous paragraph then move on)
Techniques – imagery, varied vocabulary, varied sentences styles and structures and descriptive detail
Paragraphs – TIPTOP
Stuck? Use ideas from Section A as inspiration but change it for originality