How to do the paper
What is the recommended order for answering Paper 2, Reading (Questions 1-4)?
Q1 → Q3 → Q4 → Q2
True or False: Q2 always ask you to identify differences?
False - similarities too, be sure to familiarise yourself with the comparative/comparing words
The terrifying storm ripped through through the village of Petersborough.
a. Identify the emotive word
b. Label the word class (Noun/verb/adjective/adverb)
Terrifying/ripped
Adj/verb
How many marks is Q4 worth?x
How many PEEs should I aim to write?
16 Marks
3 PEEs
Correct the punctuation mistakes.
we need to act now, pollution is destroying our planet its affecting our health our wildlife and our future
We need to act now. Pollution is destroying our planet. It's affecting our health, our wildlife and our future.
You have 30 minutes left in Paper 2. You haven't completed Q2 (8 marks) or Q5 (40 marks).
Q4 is worth 16 marks, compared with Q2's 8 marks. Prioritising Q4 helps spend our energy on the higher-mark comparison question. Most students lose out on a grade 4 because of not spending sufficient time on question 4.
Complete the sentence: "Source A describes the journey as exciting. ________, Source B also presents it positively.
Clue: Comparative
Similarly / Likewise.
a. What are connotations?
b. Give 3 connotations of Her world "shattered" into a million pieces
Ideas associated with a word, e.g. destruction, brokenness, damage, emotional devastation
When comparing two writers' perspectives in Question 4 (16 marks) list THREE different things you could look for.
Clue: C-P-R
C – Change: Does the writer's attitude change throughout the text? For example, from nervous to confident? or Challenge: How does the writer overcome/face the challenge
P – Perspective: Does the writer have a positive, negative or mixed attitude towards the experience? How does this compare with the other writer?
R – Relationships: How does the writer feel about or interact with other people, places or experiences? Are their relationships similar or different?
Others: Emotions, expectations, beliefs, values, experiences or reactions.
The students bags were left outside the teachers office because they didnt want to carry them
Correct the THREE apostrophe mistakes
The students' bags were left outside the teacher's office because they didn't want to carry them.
How many marks is Paper 2 worth, and how long do you have?
80 marks, 1 hour 45 minutes. With 25% extra time, approximately 2 hours 11 minutes
Complete the sentence: "Source A presents the journey as enjoyable, ________ Source B describes it as frightening."
Clue: Comparative
Whereas / while.
Question 3: How does the writer use language to describe her experience of arriving in an unfamiliar city?
As I stepped from the carriage, a dreadful confusion seized my senses. The narrow streets stretched endlessly before me, whilst a multitude of strangers hurried past without so much as a glance. Great clouds of black smoke hung over the rooftops, and the thunderous cries of the street merchants filled the air. I clutched my small travelling bag, feeling quite insignificant amongst the towering buildings. Yet, beyond the crowded square, I caught sight of a magnificent cathedral, its golden spires rising proudly above the gloom. For the first time that morning, a curious feeling of hope stirred within me.
Your challenge: Select THREE short quotations that you could use
Try to find quotations containing powerful words you can give connotations to
"stepped from the carriage"
"dreadful confusion"
"confusion seized my senses"
"narrow streets"
"stretched endlessly"
"a multitude of strangers"
"strangers hurried past"
"without so much as a glance"
"Great clouds"
"black smoke"
"hung over the rooftops"
"thunderous cries"
"filled the air"
"I clutched"
"small travelling bag"
"quite insignificant"
"towering buildings"
"magnificent cathedral"
"golden spires"
"rising proudly"
"above the gloom"
"hope stirred within me"
a. What is the difference between a writer's perspective and a writer's method?
b. Give 2 different types of methods you can use to back-up your answer
Perspective: what they think or feel. Method: how they communicate this through language, tone, structure or other writing choices.
What does DAFOREST stand for?
Direct address, Alliteration, Facts, Opinions, Rhetorical questions, Emotive language, Statistics, Triples.
a. How many marks is Section B (Writing) worth in total?
b. How many marks are awarded for SPaG (spelling, punctuation and grammar)?
c. How many marks are awarded for content and organisation?
Total: 40 marks
SPaG: 16 marks
Content and organisation: 24 marks
a. What is an inference?
b. Explain what you could infer from: "She checked the clock for the fifth time."
An inference is something we work out from clues, what is being suggested.
We could infer she is anxious, impatient or worried about being late.
"The darkness was a hungry beast, devouring everything in its path."
a. Identify the technique, explain what is being compared
b. Choose ONE word to zoom in on
c. Give THREE connotations and explain the picture created.
Metaphor. Darkness is compared to a hungry beast. Zoom in on' beast' or "devouring" (verb): greed, destruction, uncontrollable hunger. This creates an image of darkness as a powerful predator consuming everything around it.
Question: Two writers describe arriving at a new school.
Writer A: “I couldn't wait to meet everyone!”
Writer B: “My stomach twisted as I approached the gates.”
a. identify one difference between the writers' perspectives and explain how you know.
b. Which words/phrases or structural features could you zoom in on
Writer A: Positive, excited and enthusiastic about meeting new people.
Writer B: Negative, nervous or anxious about the experience
Comparison: Whereas Writer A looks forward to the experience, Writer B appears frightened and apprehensive.
Writer A: “couldn't wait” – suggests eagerness and excitement.
Writer B: “twisted” – suggests physical discomfort and anxiety.
Identify two persuasive techniques in: "How many more children must suffer? We need change now!"
Rhetorical question and emotive language. Also accepts inclusive language in "we".
Each team member must choose ONE question: Q2, Q3 or Q4.
You have 3 minutes to write out, from memory, the paragraph template you would use to answer your chosen question.
Q2 – Summary (8 marks) Summarise the differences between the writers' experiences of travelling.
Q3 – Language (12 marks) How does the writer use language to describe the storm?
Q4 – Perspectives (16 marks) Compare how the writers convey their different attitudes towards travelling.
500 points: All three team members must produce an accurate, useful paragraph template that could be applied in the exam.
Q2 Source A suggests , whereas/similarly Source B suggests . This is shown by “QUOTE” and “QUOTE”. This infers ___.
Q3 The writer uses the [word class/technique] “”. The word “” suggests ___, ___ and ___. This creates an image of ___.
Q4 – Perspectives: Writer A feels , whereas Writer B feels . Writer A uses “” and Writer B uses “”. The word “___” suggests ___, ___ and ___, revealing the writer's attitude of ___.
Complete a comparison using:
Source A – "He raced towards the station."
Source B – "She dragged herself towards the station." What difference can you infer?
Source A suggests the person is in a hurry or eager to arrive, whereas
Source B suggests the person is tired or reluctant. The different actions suggest contrasting attitudes or experiences.
Analyse and write a PEE: "The creature slithered silently towards Doug."
Use the template: word class → 2–3 connotations → picture created → effect on reader.
The writer uses the verb "slithered", suggesting stealth, danger and snake-like movement. This creates an image of a threatening creature creeping towards the narrator, making the reader feel uneasy.
Writer A calls a journey "an adventure", whereas Writer B describes it as "a nightmare".
a. Compare their perspectives
b. Analyse word choices and give 2-3 connotations
Writer A is positive and enthusiastic, as "adventure" suggests excitement and discovery. In contrast, Writer B is negative and distressed, as "nightmare" suggests fear and suffering. Their contrasting word choices reveal very different attitudes towards travelling.
Correct all SPAG. Rewrite these sentences:
1. why should students have to suffer with unhealthy school meals.
2. 85% of students, believe school lunches should be improved?
Challenge: Add an appropriate -ly adverb to EACH sentence.
Why should students unnecessarily suffer because of unhealthy school meals?
85% of students strongly believe school lunches should be improved.