Section A: Directed Writing
Format: 2 texts to read, response 250-350 words (speech/letter/article)
Question 1 Directed Writing (25 + 15 marks)
W1 articulate experience and express what is thought, felt and imagined
W2 organise and structure ideas and opinions for deliberate effect
W3 use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures appropriate to context
W4 use register appropriate to context
W5 make accurate use of spelling, punctuation and grammar. and reading assessment
objectives
R1 demonstrate understanding of explicit meanings
R2 demonstrate understanding of implicit meanings and attitudes
R3 analyse, evaluate and develop facts, ideas and opinions, using appropriate support from
the text
R5 select and use information for specific purposes
Level Marks Description
6 22-25 • Highly effective style capable of conveying subtle meaning. (W1)
Writing • Carefully structured for benefit of the reader. (W2)
• Wide range of sophisticated vocabulary, precisely used. (W3)
• Highly effective register for audience and purpose. (W4)
• Spelling, punctuation and grammar almost always accurate. (W5)
6 13-15 • Successfully evaluates ideas and opinions, both explicit and implicit.
Reading (R1, R2, R3)
• Assimilates ideas from the text to give a developed, sophisticated
response. (R3, R5)
Discursive piece (argumentative/persuasive)
- Argue: balanced, acknowledges opposing view (counter argument, assertion,
repetition, opinion, personal pronouns, facts)
- Persuade: one sided, more emotional (repetition, emotive & figurative language,
personal pronouns, opinions, rhetorical questions)
15 min read (question, identify keyword & CAP, text) & plan, 45min write
- Point from text – rewrite and put it into context
- Inference of evidence & evaluation - explore what has been said; consider explicit &
implicit meanings along with any bias
- Personal response with reasons – how do you respond to this particular idea? What
is your opinion? Why?
- Solution? Another way of looking at / considering this point?
- Look out for bias or flaws in argument & consider reason
Techniques:
- Repetition
- Emotive & Figurative language
- Personal pronouns & direct address
- Opinions & Facts
- Rhetorical questions
- Counter argument
- Assertion
- Ethos (openly remind audience of my authority, jargon, solid argument & reasoning),
pathos (descriptive language & imagery, identify relatable values/emotions, personal
stories), logos (research & statistics, logical process, convincing, solid evidence)
- Tricolon
- Anaphora
- Purposeful use of ambitious vocabulary
Advice:
- FAPP the question
- Connectives
- Range of sentence types for effect (e.g.
- Effective use of punctuation (:;,!?-…)
- Paragraphs to organize information (links & transitions btwn ideas & paragraphs)
- Topic sentences
- Personal view
- Track argument of text (make brief brief notes each paragraph)
- Evaluate, synthesize (overview of topic, generalization for audience, group similar
ideas together, only select most important ideas given…), assimilate & personal
response
- Make inference & look for bias (context)
- Implicit & explicit ideas (PIPS)
- Create style (e.g. 1 line paragraph, sophisticated techniques, counter argument,
vocab for effect, circular argument etc.)
- Evaluation, assimilation, synthesis, personal response
Articles:
ü Headline & sub-headings
ü Emotive language if appropriate
ü Very factual & formal
ü Mixture of facts & opinion
ü Expert opinion
ü 3rd person
ü 5 W’s & H in opening paragraph, rest gives more info & elaboration
ü opening – engages reader, outline main point
ü middle – more detail
ü end – concluding paragraph draws points together
Speech:
ü shows speaker’s feelings
ü advise & appeal audience
ü rel. formal
ü Mixture of facts & opinion
ü 1st person
ü Emotive
ü Rhetorical devices
ü Inclusive pronouns/direct adress
ü Anecdote (relatable & personal experience)
ü Humour?
ü Imperatives
ü Hypophora
ü Beginning (hook/powerful image/humor/shocking, surprising fact…)
Letter:
ü Formal
ü Consider recipient & relationship
ü Appropriate beginning & end (Dear sir/madam unless name known)
ü Opening sentence precise & to point
ü Ending (if use name, end w/ ‘Yours sincerely, …’ ; if not, end w/ ‘Yours faithfully,’
Section B: Composition
Format: choose 1 from 4 questions (2 descriptive 2 narrative), 350-450 words
Question 1 (40 marks)
W1 articulate experience and express what is thought, felt and imagined
W2 organise and structure ideas and opinions for deliberate effect
W3 use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures appropriate to context
W4 use register appropriate to context
W5 make accurate use of spelling, punctuation and grammar.
Level Marks Content & Structure
6 14-16 General
• Content is complex, engaging and effective. (W1)
• Structure is secure, well balanced and carefully managed for deliberate
effect. (W2)
Descriptive Narrative
Many well-defined and The plot is well-defined and strongly
developed ideas and images developed with features of fiction writing
create a convincing overall such as description, characterisation and
picture with varieties of effective climax, and convincing details.
focus.
6 21-24 Style & Accuracy
• Precise, well-chosen vocabulary and varied sentence structures, chosen
for effect. (W3)
• Consistent well-chosen register suitable for the context. (W4)
• Spelling, punctuation and grammar almost always accurate. (W5)
10 min plan (plot if narrative, consider chronology), think of 1st & last line + 50 min write
Advice:
- Sophisticated language
- Use punctuation to mani pulate ideas
- Unusual sentence beginnings (‘ing’, ‘ed’ clause, simile, prepositional phrase,
adverb…) & range of sentences
- Clear structure for effect (ideas & description progress)
- Appropriate tense
- Manipulation of time (flashback, foreshadow…)
- Write for a correct purpose
- Range of different paragraphs for effect (e.g. move the narrative forward)
- Set the scene, create a mood, tone
- Engaging opening
- Movement towards a planned ending
- Strong & effective ending
- Tense
- Perspective
- Setting
Techniques:
• Metaphors
• Variety of images
• Similes
• sensory description
• Personification
• Adjectives
• Adverbs
• Hyperbole
• Pathetic fallacy
• Oxymoron
• Juxtaposition
• Characterization
• Climax
• Atmosphere/tension
Choices for beginnings:
- Set the scene - imagery
- In the middle of action (narrative only)
- Dialogue
- Short sentences
- Anaphora
- Rhetorical question
- Slow reveal
- Dramatic moment
- Flashback
- Mystery
- Suspense/tension
Choices for endings:
- Mystery
- Circular structure
- Shocking / unexpected twist
- Clear resolution
- Apparent resolution but w/ new problem
- Emotional ending
- Surprise ending
- Cliff-hanger
- Humorous
- Question
Dialogue:
Only use if:
1. Reveal characters’ relationships to one another.
2. Reveal emotions.
3. Move the story forward.
4. Increase the tension.
- Don’t use unnecessary words
- Add mystery
- Interruptions to make it dramatic
- Avoid boring small talk & irrelevant conversations
- Keep speech short
Narrative:
• Stick to 1 tense (past easier)
• 3rd / 1st person narration
• Decide on ending beginning – what are you working towards?
• Include description & senses
• Don’t over-use dialogue
• Link ideas
• Interesting detail
• Engaging structure – avoid long & boring sections
• Pace
• Conflict (internal, physical, psychological, supernatural…)
• Hook (atmospheric, direct address/speech, subtle…)
Descriptive
Appositives, subordinate clause, simile, prepositional phrase, adverb,
connective, ‘-ed clause’
Focus on a place / person, big picture + zoom in & comment on tiniest details
(camera operator + narrator) as narrator, must be able to bring camera
operators images to life
6-10 paragraphs
Structure for effect (ideas & description should progress)