1. AQA English Language Unit One Understanding and Producing Non-Fiction Texts QUESTION 3 Main menu:  overview of question threeoverview of question three  active reading strategiesactive reading strategies  active reading exampleactive reading example  active reading practiceactive reading practice  question 3 exemplarquestion 3 exemplar  skills checklistskills checklist  mini-assessmentmini-assessment

2. Overview Question 3 is the language analysis question, where you are required to identify features of words and phrases and comment on their use. This can be a tricky question, so you must read the question, focus carefully and use any bullet points to help you structure your answer. You are being assessed on identifying language features and commenting on their effects on the reader. Key information  question 3 always refers to Source Three  this question is worth a total of 12 marks  you need to score a minimum of 8 marks to gain a C grade  use the active reading strategies on slide 4  spend about 20mins on this question, including reading Back to main menu

3. Active Reading Strategies In order to help you understand the information in each source, it is important that you employ a range of active reading strategies. These active reading strategies should be used for question 3.  read the question carefully and highlight key words - make sure you understand what each question is looking for  use any bullet points to help give your answer focus - a bullet point might ask for a particular use of language e.g. persuade - a bullet point may ask you to focus on certain things e.g. people  circle and comment on any interesting uses of language (words) - circle any interesting or unusual uses of words and phrases - write a very brief (2-3 words) comment next to the circle - you do not have to know the specific language term e.g. adjective Back to main menu

4. Active Reading Example The following text is taken from the June 2011 Foundation Level exam. Look at how the reader has been actively involved by circling interesting use of language and labelling them with brief comments. Back to main menu Interesting (verb) shows movement Powerful descriptive phrase These words (nouns) show place emotive phrase conveys feeling Punctuation shows thoughts and feelings e.g. dialogue

5. Active Reading Practice Activity: read the next two paragraphs in this source and try to identify features of language (interesting words and phrases) and briefly comment on their effect on the reader. A hundred yards away, a pipe with a tap stuck out of the ground. Someone had put flowers around it. Already two other laughing children were carefully filling buckets with cool, fresh, clean water. Not the yellow water from the faraway field with worms wriggling in it, so horrible tasting every drop had to be boiled – but sweet, clear running water from the newly-dug well. Like the other children, Honorin had been frightened of the people who came to talk about stopping illness. But the grown-ups had gathered and listened, and nodded. Back to main menu

6. Question 3 exemplar Check source Highlight key words i.e. how, language, describe, POV Activity: Write two more Point Evidence Explain paragraphs that analyse how the writer uses language to describe. Back to main menu Use bullet points The writer uses interesting words and phrases to describe the village and the problems of getting water. Words like ‘skirted’ and ‘pile of stones’ are used in the advert. These descriptions show how difficult it is to collect fresh water in the village as there are a lot of things in the way. 1. Make a Point about the use of words (use your circles) *min of 3 req 2. Give short quotation as Evidence 3. Comment on the effect upon the reader (use your brief notes)

7. Q3 Skills Checklist What you need to do:  use active reading strategies  make 3-4 points about the use of language  give 3-4 short quotations as evidence  use 3-4 comments about effect on reader Back to main menu

8. November 2012 Time Allowed 20mins Now read Source 3, The Sweet Shop. Here Nigel Slater writes about visiting a sweet shop as a boy. 3. How does the writer use language features in the extract? Remember to:  give some examples of language features  explain the effects. (12 marks) Assessment practice Back to main menu