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Critical essays
Assessment criteria
Band Mark Descriptors
Band 1 25 Answers in this band have all the qualities of Band 2 work, with further insight,
24 sensitivity, individuality and flair. They maintain sustained engagement with both
23 text and task.
Band 2 22 Sustains a perceptive, convincing and relevant personal response
21
• shows a clear critical understanding of the text
20
• responds sensitively and in detail to the way the writer achieves her/his
effects
• integrates much well-selected reference to the text
Band 3 19 Makes a well-developed, detailed and relevant personal response
18
• shows a clear understanding of the text and some of its deeper implications
17
• makes a developed response to the way the writer achieves her/his effects
• supports with careful and relevant reference to the text
Band 4 16 Makes a reasonably developed relevant personal response
15
• shows understanding of the text and some of its deeper implications
14
• makes some response to the way the writer uses language
• shows some thoroughness in the use of supporting evidence from the text
Band 5 13 Begins to develop a relevant personal response
12
• shows some understanding of meaning
11
• makes a little reference to the language of the text
• uses some supporting textual detail
Band 6 10 Attempts to communicate a basic personal response to the task
9
• makes some relevant comments
8
• shows a basic understanding of surface meaning of the text
• makes a little supporting reference to the text
Band 7 7 Some evidence of simple personal response to the task
6
• makes a few straightforward comments
5
• shows a few signs of understanding the surface meaning of the text
• makes a little reference to the text
Band 8 4 Limited attempt to respond
3
• shows some limited understanding of simple/literal meaning
2
Below Band 8 0–1 No answer/Insufficient to meet the criteria for Band 8.
The response shows insight and individuality in its sustained exploration of detail from the poems. This is a
Band 1 performance.
The response sustains a clear focus on the question and engages sensitively with the ways in which the
poets achieve their effects, showing insight and individuality. This is a Band 1 response.
In poetry (and short story) assignments, candidates should refer to two poems (stories). Experience shows
that, where candidates write about more than two, the writing can become superficial. Comparison is not a
requirement at IGCSE level.
In all, this response is certainly better than Band 5 ‘begins to develop a relevant personal response’, but it
does not have the clear understanding and developed response to writers’ effects that characterise a secure
Band 3 response. This is a ‘reasonably developed’ response, placing it in Band 4.
There is overall a basic understanding of surface meaning and an attempt to communicate a basic personal
response, which places this in Band 6. It does not begin to develop a personal response to the way death is
presented in each poem. The response is a little too fragmented for that.