GCSE Revision Guide

Year 11 Revision Guide for English

GCSE Revision Guide

Contents
Page Number(s) 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12-16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24-25 26-27 28 29 30 31 32 33-34 35 Focus Overview of English Language exam Unit 1: Tackling Question 1 Unit 1: Rhetorical Device Toolkit Unit 1: Non Fiction and Media Reading/How to analyse Unit 1: Media Text to Analyse Unit 1: How to Analyse Presentational Features Unit 1: Guide to Surviving the Writing Section Unit 1: Argue and Persuade Unit 1: Writing an Argument Unit 1: Practice Questions Reading Paper Example paragraphs from students work on Language Writing Well Advice Overview of English Literature exam Unit 2: Comparing the Place poems Unit 2: How to Mind Map for Revision Unit 2: An alternative to Mind Mapping Unit 2: How to analyse poetry Unit 2: Exemplar Paragraphs and an A grade Poetry Essay Unit 1: To Kill A Mockingbird Revision Unit 1: Example To Kill A Mockingbird Essay Unit 1: Writing about An Inspector Calls as a performance Unit 1: An Inspector Calls Essay Literature terminology lists Student Friendly Mark Scheme Example Exam Questions Literature Last Minute Advice from the Department

If you see this

at the top of the page, this shows that there is a task for you to complete on the page in question. Enjoy!

GCSE Revision Guide

Overview of English Language Exam

Exam
Unit 1: Understanding and producing non-fiction texts 40% of total GCSE Section A: Reading You will be given three reading sources. Spend 10 15 minutes reading the material and an hour answering the four mini-essay questions based on the sources. The questions range from summaries of the articles to mini-essays analysing its language and imagery. Pay attention to the marks given for each question here (some are worth 10 marks, others 16). The texts will all be non-fiction and could come from a variety of sources (newspaper articles, informative leaflets, travelogues, biographies etc). Section B: Writing You will have to write two compulsory tasks one shorter task worth 16 marks and one longer task worth 24 marks. The first task will ask you to write to Inform, Explain, Describe. The second task will ask you to write to Argue or Persuade. 2 hours 15 minutes

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Approaching Unit 1: Question 1

What is summary writing? The first question on paper usually asks you to read a text and to outline (summarise!) its key points in your own words to show that you understand it. The text given could be a news article, an extract from a non-fiction text, a review, a speech or a travel guide. Read a newspaper on a regular basis before the exam to get some practice at exploring different texts.

What are the rules for Question 1? Look at how many marks you are allocated: this will guide the amount you need to write Use your own words as far as possible Do not analyse the quotations from the text Do not include specific stories (anecdote) or statistics that are not in the text Use clear, straightforward English Do not use I or refer to the article Organise ideas into paragraphs according to the bullet points in the question; if there are two points in a question, then write two paragraphs Do not include irrelevant information that the question does not ask for

Your answer must be SHORTER THAN ORIGINAL! NO MORE THAN A4 PAGE!

Only outline the key information asked for by the question! USE YOUR OWN WORDS!
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Rhetorical Devices
Spotting them in others writing On Questions 2, 3 and 4, you must spot and comment on the ways the writer communicates with the reader. To do this, you must learn the persuasive devices in the toolkit pictured below. A writer may use a selection of these devices to persuade, entertain or inform you. Learn them and look for them in the exam texts! Using them in your own writing When it comes to the second task on the writing section (B), you should use these devices in your own writing. They can help to convey a powerful message, argue your point or inform your reader.

Alliteration Facts and Statistics Repetition Anaphora Rhetorical Questions Direct Address and Pronouns (us, we, you) Hyperbole Imperatives (command words like eat and give) Quotations from experts Tripling (or tricolon/lists of three) Parallelism Imagery (metaphor, simile, personfication) Anecdote Pathos (making your reader feel sympathy)
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Responding to a Non-Fiction Media Text

The most challenging part of the English exam is not being able to predict which text will appear on the paper. It can be anythinga webpage on animal rightsan extract from an autobiographya travel article on Benidorm! The trick is to have a general guide to reading and analysing these textsand here it is!

Skim-read the text first and then read the question, underlining any key words. Read the text again and underline, circle or highlight any rhetorical devices, interesting words or images which may help you to answer the question. Ask yourself the following questions: Who has written it? Why have they written it? Who is the intended audience/reader and how do you know? How are the ideas structured and ordered? How are the sentences put together (short or complex)? Has the writer used any rhetorical devices and why? Are there any images or presentational devices in the text and how do they link to the text? What is the content of the text (what message is being communicated)? What language (words) does the writer use to communicate to the reader?

What question types can I expect to see on this section? How does the writer persuade the reader to Explore how the writer uses language and presentation to convince the reader to Explore how the writer presents their point of view on How does the writer set out to argue that Examine the ways in which the writer presents their views of
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GCSE Revision Guide A Media Article to Analyse

This is an extract from the edited text of a speech by John Taylor Gatto accepting the New York City Teacher of the Year Award on January 31st 1990. I accept this award on behalf of all the fine teachers Ive known over the years. Men and women who are never complacent, always questioning, always wrestling to define and redefine endlessly what word education should mean. This is their award as well as mine. Ive noticed in my twenty-five years of teaching that schools and schooling are increasingly irrelevant to the great enterprises of the planet. No one believes anymore that scientists are trained in science classes or poets in English classes. The truth is that schools dont really teach anything apart from how to obey orders. Although teachers do care and do work very hard, the institution they work in is psychopathic- it has no conscience. It rings a bell and the young man in the middle of writing a poem must close his notebook and move to a different cell where he must memorise that man and monkeys derive from a common ancestor. Schools are intended to produce formulaic human beings whose behaviour can be predicted and controlled.

Explore the ways Gatto presents his ideas and the language uses to persuade his audience that the reform of schools is necessary.
Some of the most persuasive quotations from this speech have been underlined. Underneath is your chance to develop your ability to analyse these quotations. Explain in the right hand column how the selected quotations persuade the audience that reform is necessary. Quotation my twenty-five years of teaching cell How it persuades This implies that Gattos views are accurate as he has spent nearly three decades in schools; this adds authority to his argument.

the institution they work in is psychopathic

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How to Analyse Presentation

On Question 2, you will be asked to analyse the use of images, headings and sub-headings in an article. But how are you going to do this in an interesting way? Its important to avoid vague statements like it is a nice picture which puts an image in the readers head. Youve got to do the following: Explain the effect of the images how do they reflect the content of the text? Analyse the effect of the headline any puns or other devices used? How does it link to the content of the text?

The use of the word heart creates an emotional tone, suggesting that to give up meat is to show compassion and love for animals. It also reminds us that animals were once alive with a heart which may persuade us to avoid seeing them as just lumps of meat.

Look at the images which accompanied this web article persuading people to become vegetarians. Why did the writer choose these images? What do they show us? How do they affect the reader and link to the content of the article?
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Guide to Surviving the Writing g Tasks

1. Inform, Explain, Describe
Informing is about giving information to your reader imagine magine you are teaching your reader about something they dont know much about. You want to give them as much information and detail as you can. Its very important to t go into detail and cover all corners.

Lets take an example task:

You are a principal of a secondary school. Staff are planning to take Year 11 to an amusement park to celebrate the end of their exams. Write a letter to parents informing them about the visit, explaining the arrangements for the day and describing the facilities available at the park.

Miss Gibbs Plan

Top Tips! Always lways consider who you are writing to and why this will affect your tone and word choices. Use clear standard English, well expressed and understandable. Try to order your information chronologically and logically use the 5 Ws who, what, why, where and a when. Give plenty of detail, facts and explanations. You get marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar so proof-read proof with care. Link statements together using connectives to avoid a disjointed response.

Start positively reward for hard work Details why were going, when, how much, times, buses, staff Describe park lunch arrangements, supervision, rides End with what parents have to do next

Example tasks to have a go at Write rite a letter to current Year 6 at your local primary school, describing what life is like at secondary school and explaining how to survive the change. Write a brief article for a website of your choice telling your readers about an interesting or unusual journey or travel experience you have had. Explain Explain why it was memorable. Write an article for a national broadsheet newspaper informing readers about the problems faced by teenagers today.

GCSE Revision Guide 2. Argue and Persuade

Language is Power! Mrs Moore (from Francis Bacon)
Read this speech from Winston Churchill delivered to Parliament upon the outbreak of war. Underline powerful phrases, words and devices, designed to persuade his audience of his capacity to do the job well. We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many long months of struggle and of suffering. You ask, what is our policy? I will say: It is to wage war, by sea, land and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us; to wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark and lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy. You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: victory; victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival. Let that be realized; no survival for the British Empire, no survival for all that the British Empire has stood for, no survival for the urge and impulse of the ages, that mankind will move forward towards its goal. But I take up my task with buoyancy and hope. I feel sure that our cause will not be suffered to fail among men. At this time I feel entitled to claim the aid of all, and I say, "Come then, let us go forward together with our united strength."

Example tasks to have a go at

You are a parent of a student in Year 8. Your school has decided to change its school uniform. Write a letter to the principal arguing for or against the introduction of the new uniform. Write a letter from a principal of a school to its parents, persuading them to contribute to a charitable event at school. Your school is inviting entries for a writing competition. The topic is Dangerous sports activities and pastimes are selfish, often put others at risk and should be discouraged. Write your views for or against this proposal. Why I will never buy a computer! Write the words of a persuasive speech where you explain why you will never buy a computer. (This is a tricky one as so many of you probably dont agree. Therefore, the trick is to put yourself into the shoes of someone who will never buy one what led them to that decision what are the negatives of owning a computer?)
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GCSE Revision Guide More on the Writing Task

What happens if you are asked to write your opinion? A piece of argumentative writing requires you to do the following: offer personal opinions and judgements; use the first person narrator I think, In my opinion, I really like this; explain the strengths and weaknesses of an issue; use evidence to support ideas; draw a conclusion; gives personal opinion with authority. But dont forget that it is also a good idea to consider other peoples views in your answer. offer a balanced examination of an issue or text; try to explore others views; investigates an issues key points; tries to draw a fair conclusion. Example task and response Write a speech, to be given at a School Governors' meeting, explaining the advantages and disadvantages of making school dinners healthier.

Here is an example opening to the speech written by a student: I'm sure you've all heard the saying "we are what we eat". Have you been into the school canteen recently? The selection is similar to that in many schools: a main meal which is usually meat-based, a variety of burgers and pizzas, a dessert and, for the health-conscious, jacket potatoes with one or two cold fillings. The question we are here to consider today is whether this is a reasonable selection, or whether changes could be made in Grange High School's canteen. What do you think? Is this an effective start? Why? Can you do better?
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GCSE Revision Guide

GCSE English Practice Reading Tasks

Example Question 1

Rachael Oliveck was a committed vegetarian and animal rights activist for 14 years. But on Christmas Day she finally cracked, and tucked into some turkey - and she hasn't looked back since. It wasn't specifically the thought of roast turkey that changed my mind, but this year's Christmas dinner was notable for marking the moment I gave up vegetarianism after 14 long, virtuous years. And, to save me answering the same three questions over and over again, yes it was delicious, no my body didn't seize up in shock and, yes, I have eaten meat at least once a day since. I originally gave up meat for ethical reasons, and have always missed the taste of it. As an animalrights activist, I was primarily concerned about the conditions of animals reared for meat, and I was also put off by the routine feeding of antibiotics and growth hormones to livestock. In 1989 these were not widely understood views, and spreading the word on animal cruelty was perceived as scaremongering at best and downright bonkers and unnatural at worst. Supermarkets stocked "veggie grills" (yellowish, cutlet-shaped minced vegetables) which were a barbecue staple in the summer, and restaurants routinely offered plates of vegetables as the meat-free option. Since then, meat, and indeed food production, has changed enormously, as have eating habits in general. Humanely reared meat is widely available, eating less meat is the norm, supermarkets offer huge veggie ranges and restaurants have wised up to what non-meat eaters want. Following the public furore surrounding BSE and to a lesser extent the foot-and-mouth outbreak, the horrors of modern meat production have become widely known, and vegetarians feel they have been proved right. Meat is now much more traceable and, it is hoped, of higher quality. That said, I wish I was noble enough to claim that it was simply a question of ethics. If I am honest, it was just as much a question of gluttony. I have always loved food, and my cookbook obsession was being stalled by my (ever more resentful) refusal to eat meat. I had taken to staring at the meat sections of my favourite Nigel Slater book and watching food programmes in a desperate attempt to sate a growing desire for the flesh of defenceless animals. Meat didn't repel me anymore. So, along with the nut roast, I had turkey and ham. And sausages and bacon. And the next day my mother welcomed me back into the fold with sausage casserole. And it continued. Some ethical principles remain - so far I have tried to buy humanely-reared meat wherever possible. I still find the idea of veal or foie gras distasteful, and doubt I will be tempted by them for some while yet. Essentially though, I did not go back to make a point, but for my own selfish, personal satisfaction, and I am sure other meat-returnees would say the same thing. Outline in your own words what the article says about changes in Rachel Olivecks feelings about vegetarianism (10 marks)

Example Question 1
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In his book, The Pillars of Hercules, travel writer, Paul Theroux, describes a visit he made to the Spanish resort of Benidorm in the 1990s and his journey on the ferry to Palma in Majorca. Benidorm was a mass of beachside high-rises, the worst place I had seen on the coast so far, worse than Torremolinos, which was slap-happy seaside tackiness of a familiar and forgivable kind. But Benidorm was ugliness on a grand scale tall blocks of apartments, hideous hotels, winking signs, the whole place badly built and visually unappealing. Everything that Spain was said to stand for charm, dignity, elegance, honour, restraint was denied in the look of Benidorm. And because this was wet chilly winter; the streets were empty, most of the hotels were shut, no one sat on the beach or swam in the sea: the useless horror, naked and raw in the low season, was demoralised and awful. In 1949, Benidorm was a tiny impoverished fishing village, said to be an open door for smugglers, an English visitor wrote. I walked around it. I had pizza. I sat on a bench surveying the Mediterranean, and then the wind picked up and the rain began. The rain delighted me. It whipped against the sea. It darkened the stone of the hotels and tore at the signs. It coursed down the empty streets and flooded the gutters and cut gullies through the beach sand. A bit more wind and the lights would fail, a bit more rain and it would be a real flood. And that would be a cure for Benidorm natures revenge, an elemental purifying storm that would wipe the place out. It lifted by spirits to imagine the destruction of such a place, and I boarded the onward train feeling joy in my heart at the prospect of wholesale destruction. The rain swept loudly against the side of the railway car like a shower of gravel. I was the only passenger. Darkness fell as we shuttled towards Denia in the storm. The rain was torrential. I could not see Denias famous lighthouse. There were flooded streets in the little town, the station was drenched, the rain glittered in the lights of the port where the ferry was moored by an empty puddle quay.

What do you learn about Paul Therouxs feelings about Benidorm? (10 marks)

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A Non-Fiction Article to Analyse Q2

Giles Coren is a food critic who writes for The Times and Guardian newspapers. I didnt go to Winchester to review a restaurant. One wouldnt. I went for a party, or a couple of parties, and booked a room for the weekend in a pub I used to love there called the Wykeham Arms. The Wyk is an old coaching inn on a quiet, cobbled corner of the ancient part of town, with vast log fires, very decent food and, when I last reviewed it (for The Independent on Sunday in 1999), a staggeringly loquacious wine list whose 88 bottles took fully 19 pages to describe. The old guy who ran the place and put together the legendary list was fat and fun and always drunk. And now hes dead. Which is a terrible shame, because whoever the hell is running the place now has made a terrible mess of it. Not in the sense that it looks different, or that it isnt pretty much permanently full. Its just that the food has gone utterly down the khazi. Its not as if they failed a terribly complicated challenge, either. The day after the first party, 12 of us arrived at the Wykeham for lunch and ordered steak and kidney pudding all round, only to be told it was finished. So, instead, ten steak sandwiches were ordered. Some rare, some medium rare. What arrived were ten stinking, grey slabs of gristle. When asked which were the rare ones, the waitress said: Chef cooked them all the same because they were thin. But they were not thin. They were thick as a sewage-workers hands, and twice as smelly. The meat was grey and chewy and appeared to have been boiled, having none of the charred crispiness or blood-savour a piece of meat develops on contact with proper heat. There was some suspicion round the table that it was not even beef. I dont see how it can be, said one girl. It tastes like it lived on fish. Maybe its walrus, said another. One or two of the boys managed to swallow their sarnies with several tablespoons of mustard gurning and retching like Japanese game-show contestants but none of the girls could bear to try even a mouthful. Its not often you see a tableful of hung-over twentysomething party kids leave a pile of steak sandwiches untouched.

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GCSE Revision Guide How does food critic Giles Coren reveal his views of this restaurant? (16 marks)

A Non-Fiction Article to Analyse

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How does Stephen Fry set out to persuade his audience that history is important? (16 marks)

One more Non-fiction Text to Analyse

By referring to the presentation of the article and the language used by the eyewitnesses, explore how the website conveys to the reader the horror of the experience. (12 marks)

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Examples of Students Work from Language Paper

Analysis of a writers feelings Firstly, the hyperbolic language in this article helps to suggest the writers impressions. Verbs such as zipping and buffeting not only give a sense of the enormous speeds experienced, but also the insecurity that one may feel flying along in a small metal capsule. This appeals to people who like dangerous sports and exciting experiences. One hell of a buzz implies that Townley found the whole experience impressive and exciting, particularly emphasised by his use of a colloquial term like one hell which may show his passion. Furthermore, the tone of sarcasm throughout the article reveals the writers annoyed attitude towards flying. He states that the fact that Colmans mustard had to be confiscated from a man at customs was in violation of the humiliating restrictions introduced at our airports. This implies that thick-skinned jobsworths, an incredibly offensive term to use to describe the airports employees, do not care about inherent pleasures that come with flying and holidaying abroad. The writer also contrasts the image of a sunny Spain with its soft sibilant sounds with the crowded bustle of Stansted at 5am. He describes the place as merciless, as though the airport is a personification of hell itself. Analysis of presentational features Certainly, the most striking examples of Townleys enthusiasm for flying are the images that accompany the article. The shot of the Pitts Special upside down particularly contributes to the awed tone of Townleys piece, its precarious position a testament to the skill and courage of those involved, but also a display of the sheer exhilaration that must be experienced when in control of several tonnes of metal flying at 200mph. The photograph that conveys a deeper impression that being airborne doesnt get much better than this, however, is the shot of Townley, grinning in the aircrafts cockpit. The stylish helmet that he has donned carries connotations of Top Gun-esque fighter pilots, contributing to a sense of the huge exhilaration and adrenalin he experienced. Read over the students responses. What have they done well? How have they analyse the quotations? Can you use this work to improve your own writing? What will you take from it?

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GCSE Revision Guide

Writing and Expressing Yourself Well

Some of your feedback from your Year 11 exams suggested that although you have good ideas, you cant always get them down on paper clearly. It is vital for the examiner to be able to understand your point. That is why your answers must be clear and well expressed. You must not forget the basics: plan your responses before to ensure you know what you will write before putting pen to paper; start sentences with capital letters; end sentences with a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark (not commas); proof read every paragraph in your head to make sure it makes sense; try to use the best vocabulary you can (words like good and bad are weak). Dont forget that in order to make sense, a sentence needs to have: a subject (a name of a person, place or thing doing the verb) a verb (an action or doing word) and an object (a name of a person, place or thing having the verb done to them)

These sentences do not make sense: And the writer says that the earthquake was blazing which tells the reader. Living long lives and arent eaten by humans, this makes me feel sad about eating meet. Here are some examples of good, clearly expressed paragraphs from students work: Firstly, the writer uses personification to get across the horror of the earthquake. They describe the flames as seething. To suggest that the fires in the city were angry is really powerful as it makes them seem unpredictable and alive, as if the flames were attacking the city. Giles Coren shows his disgust at the food at The Wykeham Arms by describing the food in horrible detail. He says that the steak sandwiches were like stinking, grey slabs of gristle. This is a revolting image. The idea that the steaks are grey and made of gristle makes them sound unappealing. Also, Coren shows his anger at the poor food by repeating s sounds with stinking and slabs, making it sound like he is spitting out the words.
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GCSE Revision Guide

Overview of English Literature Exams

Exam 1 Unit 1: Exploring modern texts 40% of total exam 1 hour 30 mins

Section A Modern Drama An Inspector Calls by JB Priestley(45 minutes) Section B Exploring Cultures To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee(45 minutes)

Exam 2 Unit 2: Poetry Across Time 35% of total exam Section A (23% 1 hour 15 mins 45 minutes)

Moon in the Tides Anthology Place Section B (12% 30 minutes)

Unseen poetry analysis

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Comparing Poems from Place section Mans relationship with nature The Wind Place and memory Cold Knap Lake

Darkness in Place Below the Green Corrie The Wind

The City London A Vision

Make links between the poems by comparing: Titles: do the titles tell you anything about the poem? Content: what are the poems essentially about? What is the poet telling us? Form and Structure: how are the poems arranged? Are there breaks in the poems (do the poets employ caesura and enjambment for example)? Imagery: do the poets use similes, metaphors, and personification? Is there any sensory imagery in the poems, for example visual (sight) and aural (sound)? Is symbolism used? Language: does the poets use of language help us to share their feelings? Is the language emotive, evocative, powerful, vivid? Sounds: are sound devices such as onomatopoeia, sibilance, alliteration or assonance used and to what effect? Themes: what themes and issues do the poets explore in their poetry? Do the poems have a sub-text a deeper theme that lies behind the main one: a wider meaning beyond what is obvious on first reading?

Task Think of any other groupings for the Place poems and make similar boxes to the ones above, listing the poems which fit into that group. This will help you to compare as you revise.
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How to Mind Map

Mind mapping is a really good way to make links between texts you have to compare in your exams. It requires you to produce a large map, ideally on A3 paper, where you draw arrows between the poems, linking them through themes. Here is an example of a mind map exploring the themes of the Place poetry. Some students may not like revising like this; it probably best appeals to visual learners. So, on the next page, youll see an alternative way to map out links between the poems. Try and complete a mind map like this yourself: it encourages you to see connections.

The Power of Natural Places

The Wind
Cityscapes

London Cold Knap Lake Darkness and violence A Vision

Spellbound

Memory and Place

Hard Water

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An alternative to mind-mapping
Memory and Place Hard Water Link between childhood and experience, memories of growing up, images of places in memory Natural Imagery in Places The Wind Extended metaphor of storm at sea, isolated place, violent and wild Darkness in Cityscapes London A place of fear and misery, where its people are over worked and restrained by the mind-forged manacles

Spellbound

Violence of nature

Relationship between man and place

Feelings about place

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Help sheet: Analysis

What? You are all very good at saying the poet has done namely, spotting the techniques he or she has employed. To get your target grades, you must also explore the impact of the language, considering the words have and how the quotation links to the task. What effect? DO NOT JUST SAY WHAT THE QUOTATION MEANS: EXPLORE WHAT EFFECT IT HAS! Take for example the following two comments on personification in Margaret Atwoods The Moment: In Atwoods The Moment, the voice says that the time you return home after a long trip away is the same moment when the trees unloose their soft arms from around you. This is an example of personification. Personification is where the writer gives human characteristics to something which is not alive. It is very effective here. The examiner knows what personification is so there is no need to tell them. This candidate just spots features: they dont actually analyse the personification and consider why it has been used. In Atwoods The Moment, the poet uses personification to show that human beings do not own nature. For example, the voice suggests that on their return home, they own the place. However, the second stanza personifies the trees as they unloose their soft arms from around you, implying that nature rejects the persona and removes its protection from them. It is almost as if, through using the words unloose and takes back, that humans do not own nature; that nature is relinquishing its role as protector over human beings, reinstating its control and powerful position. This is much better. The candidate explores the use of personification and explores what the language used suggests about nature. They analyse the words and develop an understanding of why Atwood uses personification.

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Exemplar Paragraphs from Poetry Essays

Compare how the relationship between man and nature is shown in Below the Green Corrie and one other poem. At the beginning of the poem, the mountains are personified as bandits; this symbolises how intimidating they are to MacCaig and therefore, mankind, as if the mountains will attack. The leader of the bandits is then described as swaggering up in the dark light. The verb swaggering is used to describe the confident attitude which the mountain has in its own domain, and the oxymoronical phrase dark light implies that the place is one of both fear and beauty. Through this extended metaphor of the mountains being bandits, MacCaig is able to convey how nature as a whole is dangerous and violent; something to be fearful of, yet something free and uncontrollable, unharnessed by society. Excellent use of terminology Plenty of short, sharp quotations Entirely focused on the question Sophisticated vocabulary

The random stanza length and line length in Storm in the Black Forest emphasises how unpredictable nature truly is. In this poem, nature if portrayed through lightning, which is turn, epitomises nature. The random line length could symbolise the broken, jagged edges of the lightning and the unpredictability of its strikes. In addition, the enjambment used throughout could represent the never-ending violence of a storm. What does the student do well here? Could they have improved this paragraph? Have a go at writing an analytical SEE paragraph for this essay question, using this students work as inspiration.

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Example Poetry Essay

This student has been studying the poetry of Irish writer, Seamus Heaney. Although this is a different poem to those you have studied, you can still read this essay to improve your understanding of how to write and structure an A grade poetry essay. In what ways does Heaney vividly convey feelings of disappointment in Blackberry Picking?
Without even scratching the surface, the reader can see that the poem is divided into two stanzas, later discovering that the first focuses on the excitement of picking fruit in his youth and the latter, the disappointment when things decompose and perish. This poem, through its use of the conceit of blackberries, clearly highlights for the reader a move from childhood innocence into experience, with a young Heaney slowly realising the truth that all things will decay and rot away in death. In anticipation of the consumption of the blackberries, the poet describes being sent out with milk cans, pea tins, jam pots, all very homely, idyllic objects. The hoarding of the fruit in the cans feels quite childlike; the objects seem to have been given to them by a maternal figure in order to pursue their adventure into the woods. It all seems very exciting until the second stanza where Heaney, as a child, finds that the glut of fruit he has collected begins to rot. He describes it as a rat-grey fungus that has appeared on the berries. The potency of the word rat carries connotations of disease and illness, as if the new and promising life the children have collected has become plagued and dangerous to them. What emphasises Heaneys disappointment in response to this is the contrast made here between the warmth and purity of the milk cans, a liquid associated with nurturing and the cold, unnerving nature of the rat which has so swiftly robbed the children of their enjoyment.
Using correct poetic terms Analysing the words, not just saying what they mean

Reference back to the question

Despite this, the first stanza is not all child-like playful imagery, as the reader can clearly see when observing Heaneys choice of lexis. He describes that the blackberrys flesh was sweet. The word flesh turns the dynamic on its head: the tone suddenly becomes menacing and animalistic, the children gorging on flesh instead of fruit. The word also carries connotations of sin and sexual desire, which again is frightening to associate with children. This almost Gothic imagery is joined by Heaneys apparent lust for picking, lust implying themes of sinfulness and unbridled desire. It creates a sense of an uncontrollable urge that, as with the word flesh, insinuates a more demonic and unholy nature that is almost perversely sexual. When this is applied to the final stanza when the fruit becomes inedible, it almost seems like the childrens urges cannot be satisfied, like an animal who cant perform the basest of functions. This suppression of desire can be translated as Heaneys childhood disappointment conveyed through darker undercurrents.
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Close single word analysis

Using analysis words like implying

GCSE Revision Guide

Studying a novel at GCSE

Consider the following concepts when revising and writing about To Kill A Mockingbird at GCSE. Try to work through these points as you re-read and revise the novel: General Considerations narrative structure narrative voice characterisation language, imagery, tone and atmosphere moral and philosophical content social, historical and cultural context genre and style themes

Characterisation how characters are presented direct description of them through language and imagery their dialogue and reported speech their actions and reactions their attitudes and beliefs comparison with other characters

Narrative Structure (how the story develops/what happens and when) o o o o Narrative voice: the effect of the child narrator, Scout; flashbacks: transition (movement) to an earlier event or scene; foreshadowing: hints about plot developments to come later in the story; recollections and memories of characters.

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GCSE Revision Guide Narrative Voice (who is speaking) first person narrative: the narrator speaks directly to the reader using I and me. The first person narrator seems to be taking you into his/her confidence and inviting your sympathy. Is Scouts narrative always reliable?

Language and Imagery Is symbolism (using symbols to express ideas) used? Do the words in parts of the text carry certain connotations or evoke particular feelings? How is language used to create tension and suspense? What kind of atmosphere does the language used create? What is the effect of similes, metaphors, personification and other figurative language?

Historical Context What does Harper Lee have to say to us about race relations and bigotry in the South? How does she do it?

A few tips for revising the novel: Re-read it, and againand again. The more you know the text and the order of events, the better! Select key episodes (moments) in the text and examine them closely, looking at themes, characterisation and language. Learn 15 or so important quotations off by heart; that way, you wont spend the 45 minute exam searching though your text instead of writing! Use websites like Sparknotes, BBC Bitesize and the CGP Revision Guides to help you form your own opinions of the text.

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GCSE Revision Guide

Studying An Inspector Calls as a play

Yes An Inspector Calls is not a novel or a book, but a play, written to be performed by actors and viewed by an audience. So although youve read the play in a classroom, it is vital for you to regard it as a performance, something very visual and dramatic.
Things to consider when answering an exam question about the play. Stage directions (given in italics) which explain what is happening on stage Actions and gestures of characters, including their reactions to each other Sounds, including what can be heard, but not seen Setting and staging the action of the play never moves from the dug out Characters entrances and exits and their significance (importance) Tone of voice and dialect/accent when characters deliver their lines Structure and organisation of the play, considering the scene lengths and time as a theme Reaction of the audience to particularly moving or dramatic moments on stage

Examples from work where a student has considered An Inspector Calls as a play The setting and lighting are very important in Priestleys play. The playwright describes the scene in detail at the opening of Act 1, so that the audience has the immediate impression of a "heavily comfortable house." The setting is constant as all action happens in the same place. This creates a sense of intensity which is mirrored in the intimidating presence and questioning of the Inspector. In addition, the stage directions suggest that the lighting should be "pink and intimate" before the Inspector arrives - a rose-tinted glow - but it becomes "brighter and harder as the Inspector begins his interrogations. Here, the lighting reflects the mood on stage which is one of tension and allegation. Mrs Birling continually refers to Sheila and Eric as children. On stage, this would be spoken with a condescending and patronising tone to suggest that the character refuses to see the two of them as adults with independent thought and separate lives from her.

*For your revision, make a list of key moments or scenes from the play which you would consider to be particularly powerful or emotional. Consider how Priestley creates a sense of drama using stage directions, movement and tone.
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GCSE Revision Guide Extract from an essay on An Inspector Calls

Explore the ways Priestley presents tensions between the generations.
Using topic sentence to introduce focus of paragraph

References to several moments in the play to show links

Using analysis words like reveals

The younger generation, on the other hand, are more willing to change than their elders. The audience can tell this because rather than referring to the lower classes as animals using it and them they respect that they are people too with emotions and needs. This is most keenly presented after Eva Smith is sacked when Sheila feels regret for her actions. Also, Eric stole money in order to attempt to aid her, offering her marriage as a way to solve her problems. The audience can also see how the younger generation hold different attitudes towards others in the way in which Sheila reacts coolly to news that Alderman Heggarty is a womaniser. This reveals to us that the younger characters have different expectations of people and the way in which they live their life; almost as if it is not a shock to Sheila that a respected public figure could simultaneously treat women badly. They are, overall, presented as far more realistic than their elders.

Single word analysis

Referring to the audience rather than the reader

Link back to the question at end of paragraph

In addition, the younger generation are more adaptable to change. For the initial years of their lives, the Birling children would have been raised by their parents with capitalist ways of thinking; however, as soon as the Inspector begins to preach his socialist message, the children warm to it and see it as superior to their parents perspective on life. Because of this, by the end of the play, Priestly almost presents Sheila as the Inspectors accomplice in trying to convert her parents to be more open minded. Tasks Why did this essay receive an A grade? What makes it so impressive? Annotate and underline interesting comments or vocabulary to help your own writing. Is there anything to add here which would make this even stronger?

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GCSE Revision Guide

Literature Terminology
C grade Stanza or verse Line (not sentence) Imagery or image Simile Alliteration Repetition Rhetorical question Verb Adjective Voice (poetry) and Narrator (prose) Oxymoron Metaphor B grade Hyperbole Assonance Irony Sonnet form Rhyming couplet Alternate rhyme Imperative Ballad form Anaphora Satire

Example A metaphor is then employed to liken letting the child go to a fish returning to its element. This is effective because the reader can associate this with the child returning to where he feels secure and peaceful. This suggests that currently, the child finds reading unnatural and uncomfortable.

Example

One of the most striking uses of dramatic irony is when Duncan arrives at Macbeths castle; he declares This castle hath a pleasant seat; the air/Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself. In essence, he talks highly of the place where he is about to be murdered. Here, the audience are already aware that the Macbeths are planning to murder King Duncan as he sleeps, so this example of irony implies that there is a hidden meaning to the scene that only the audience and the two murderers are aware of.
Example

A and A* grade Fricative Sibilance Plosive Enjambment Caesura Synecdoche Pararhyme Allusion Elision Quatrain Semantic field

His use of enjambment throughout the poem shows the flow of life and trade from his grandfather, to his father and then finally on to him. However, he also uses caesura to demonstrate how he has broken with this tradition in becoming a poet, ending years of practice in his heritage. The abruptness of this pause may also serve to highlight his disappointment that he cannot continue this tradition.

*Remember that a successful student does not just spot these features, but comments on why they have been used and their impact on the reader or audience.
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GCSE Revision Guide

Do not use words that you dont understand! Student Friendly Mark Scheme
Although each task requires a different set of skills, when it comes to writing essays, you need to know what an examiner is looking for in your response. Heres our general guide to what an examiner expects to see in a range of essay responses. What do I need to do to get a C grade? Write in clear sentences Link sentences together smoothly Use the words from the question in my essay Use three point paragraphs to organise my thoughts Introduce paragraphs using topic sentences Use short, sharp quotations throughout my essay, using more than one per paragraph Use some terms like simile, alliteration and repetition in my analysis Use words like suggests, implies, shows and highlights in my analysis

What do I need to do to get a B grade? Begin to pay much more attention to the specific wording of a text Consider varied and alternative interpretations of language instead of just sticking to my own Always write about how the writers say what they are saying, not just what they say Be insightful aim to say something different to the bog-standard responses Be writing for the whole of the exam in plenty of detail, always maintaining close focus on the question Start to use fancy terminology and comment on its effect What do I need to do to get an A or A*? Question the question; challenge it and look for assumptions to unpick Show the examiner that I can be creative and original Write about the hidden meanings or connotations behind an extract or text Ambitious vocabulary and terminology used and explained Impeccable written style nearly flawless grammar, structure and spelling See the drama text as a performance and myself as a member of the audience Trust my own personal response to texts Reveal a sophisticated insight into characters and texts in my essays
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GCSE Revision Guide

Example Exam Questions Poetry Place

Compare how the relationship between man and nature is shown in Below the Green Corrie and one other poem. Explore an individuals feelings about place in Price We Pay for Sun and one other poem. Compare how the city is presented in A Vision and one other poem. Some of the poems in the anthology are as much to do with memory as they are to do with place. Examine the relationship between memory and place in Cold Knap Lake and one other poem. Compare two poems which explore the voices feelings about nature. How does the writer of London and one other poem suggest that their setting is a frightening place?

Exploring Cultures To Kill a Mockingbird

To what extent is Atticus presented as a good father in Harper Lees novel? How effective is the first chapter in introducing the characters and the main themes of the novel? With particular focus on the Finches and the Ewells, how does Lee portray family relationships in the novel? What do you think is the importance of Boo Radley in To Kill a Mockingbird and how does Lee present him? Lee wrote that setting is so important in her novel. How does Harper Lee present the setting of Maycomb? Children are never completely innocent. Explore the ways in which Lee portrays the children in the novel. What is the significance of the title To Kill a Mockingbird? How does Harper Lee present Tom Robinson as a sympathetic character during the trial?

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GCSE Revision Guide

An Inspector Calls How does Priestley create a sense of drama in Act One once the Inspector arrives? Who do the Inspector and Priestley believe is to blame for the death of Eva Smith? Examine Priestleys portrayal of Sheila Birling in the play. How does Priestley show the differences in attitudes between the generations in An Inspector Calls? In Act 3 Birling says: He wasnt an Inspector. Shelia replies: Well, he inspected us all right. Explore the effect the Inspector has on any three of the characters from the play. How does Priestley show that tension is at the heart of family life in the Birling household? How does the play portray attitudes toward women at the time? Inspector Goole merely functions as a mouthpiece for Priestleys ideas. To what extent do you agree with this interpretation of the Inspector? Explore the significance of Gerald Croft in the play?

Unseen Poetry Example Question Masons, when they start upon a building, Are careful to test out the scaffolding; Make sure that planks wont slip at busy points, Secure all ladders, tighten bolted joints. And yet all this comes down when the jobs done Showing off walls of sure and solid stone. So if, my dear, there sometimes seem to be Old bridges breaking between you and me Never fear. We may let the scaffolds fall Confident that we have built our wall. How does the poet Seamus Heaney use Scaffolding to convey his feelings about his relationship with his wife
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GCSE Revision Guide

Last Minute Advice!

Websites to Use BBC Bitesize Sparknotes (for summaries of texts) How to revise
One of the best ways to revise for the Literature exam is to re-read the key texts, the Place poetry, To Kill A Mockingbird and An Inspector Calls. It will be very helpful to you if you can memorise a few quotations from the texts to use in your essays. This will save you having to spend the entire exam looking for quotations! Read a decent newspaper. As you read the articles, try and spot key rhetorical devices. Have a go at analysing it even! Always get plenty of sleep and exercise during your revision. Dont stay up on the Xbox! Eat well and drink plenty of water to keep those brain cells going! Use this revision guide, of course! Pack your bag carefully the night before to make sure you have the texts you need. Remember that all texts should be clean copies! In the exam, try to stay calm, re-read the question and underline the key words and plan briefly before you write. You should be writing for the whole time dont waste a second! If you are anxious about exams or have any questions, you must speak to your English teacher! You can also talk to Mrs Scott from Emmanuel on Wednesday afternoons and Thursday mornings.

Unpossibleimpossiblerepossibleippossibleinpossible expossiblelets call the whole thing off! but we cant call it off, so lets bring it on! Possible Rules!!!!
Bede Academy English Department 2012

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