Section A 

What?  How to answer? 

How to revise? 

 
Section B 

What?  How to answer? 

How to revise? 

 
Section C 

What?  How to answer? 

How to revise? 
 
 Assessment objectives 
Assessment Objective 1:  Read and understand a variety of texts, selecting and interpreting information, ideas and 
perspectives 

Assessment Objective 2:  Understand and analyse how writers use linguistic and structural devices to achieve their effects 

Assessment Objective 3:  Explore links and connections between writers’ ideas and perspectives, as well as how these are 
conveyed. 

Assessment Objective 4:  Communicate effectively and imaginatively, adapting form, tone, and register of writing for 
specific purposes and audiences 

Assessment Objective 5:  Write clearly, using a range of vocabulary and sentence structures, with appropriate 
paragraphing, and accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation. 
 
Assessment objectives, sections, and total marks 

Section A  AO1: 5% - AO2: 20% - AO3: 15%  40 marks 

Section B  AO1: 10% - AO4: 12% - AO5: 8%  30 marks 

Section C  AO4: 20% - AO5: 10%  30 marks 

 
Reading the question  Section A  Section B  Section C  Final checking 
paper  40 marks  30 marks  30 marks 

5 - 10 minutes  Planning: 5 minutes  Planning: 5-10 minutes  Planning: 5-10 minutes  5-10 minutes 
Writing: 50 minutes  Writing: 45-50 minutes  Writing: 45-50 minutes 

Duration of exam: 180 minutes (3 hours). Total marks: 100 

 
 Planning your answers: 
Sections  Do’s  Don’ts 

Section A: Reading  ● Plan your answer  ● Write everything you know 

- What is the question looking  ● Decide the main point of your answer 
● Write general comments about the 
for?  ● Structure your answer (introduction, main, 
- How are you going to answer  conclusion)  function of literary/rhetorical/structural 
it?  ● Explain the effect of the language devices you 
devices 
have chosen to discuss 
● Use appropriate terminology  ● Just write a series of “I think” statements 
● Make sure you understand what is being asked 
● Quote long extracts from the text 
for: 
- “How does the writer...”​: you need to  (single word to a maximum of one or 
explain methods and techniques 
two lines) 
- “Explain”​: you need to show your 
understanding of the text and its  ● Forget to compare and contrast both 
methods 
texts in question 7 
- “Analyse: Y​ ou need to look in detail at the 
writing, methods, techniques and effects   
- “Compare and contrast”​: You need to 
examine the similarities and differences 
in any relevant aspects (themes, moods, 
forms, and language) 

Section B: Transactional texts  ● Think about the PAFT of your article (based on  ● Forget to include the bullet points you 
- Speeches, blogs, letters,  the instructions)  are asked to include in the question 
articles, reports, reviews  ● Think about the text type features  ● Use language that is too informal or 
(400 - 600 words)  ● Incorporate ideas from the texts in Section A  only used in spoken English  

Section C: Imaginative writing  ● Remember that you can agree or disagree with  ● Use personal pronouns, contractions, or 
- Descriptive text, persuasive  the essay topic  informal language in the essay 
essay, short story  ● Remember to make sure your story matches the  ● Prepare a story in advance 
-   title given  ● Forget to use figurative language in 
(no less than 400 words)  ● Make sure your descriptive text “paints a  your descriptive text 
picture” 
 
 Useful pages in the textbook: 
Section A  Section B  Section C 

Page 7 : Helpful vocabulary  Page 140 : Purposes of transactional texts  Pages 176-189: Writing short stories 

Pages 8-9 : PEE paragraphs  Page 143 : Techniques for informative writing  190-196: Writing desriptive texts 

Page 13: Rhetorical devices and effects  Page 144 : Features of explanatory writing   

Page 31: Literary devices and effects  Page 148 : Persuasive texts   

Page 40 : Purpose of sentences  Page 153 : Techniques and effects (letters)   

Page 51: Using punctuation effectively  Page 155 : Forms and features  Preparing for full exam 

Page 53 : Improving your writing  Pages 156-159 : Review of text types   Pages 198 - 199 : Exam preparation 

Page 58: Text types in Section A  Pages 164-165 : Sentences for effect  Pages 200-201: Planning answers 

Page 64 : Rhetorical techniques  Pages 166-167 : Openings and conclusions  Pages 202-203 : Glossary 

Page 88 : Language for pattern and effect  Pages 170-171 : Sample answer   

Page 94 : Preparing for unseen texts     

Page 100-108 : Identifying key information  BBC Bitesize is also your friend 
 
Page 110-11 : Selecting evidence  But there are more helpful tips here (make sure you use tips for the 9-1 exam) 

Pages 112-117 : Text comparison     

Pages 124 - 137 : Practice texts     

THIS LIST IS NOT EXHAUSTIVE AND DOES NOT REPLACE STUDYING THE FULL TEXTBOOK 
 
 
 Useful expressions 

Section A - Questions 3 and 6  Section A - Question 7 

Highlights  Exposes  Comparison  Contrast 

Suggests  Denotes  likewise  Conversely 

Is redolent of  Illustrates  similarly  One the one hand/on the 

other hand 

Has connotations of  Conveys  comparatively  On the contrary 

Introduces  Portrays  identically  ...whereas... 

Demonstrates  Emphasises  similar  ...while... 

Signifies  Reflects  by the same token  In contrast 

Implies  Represents  In the same way  however 

Reveals  Infers  In a similar fashion  Instead of 

Connotes    Much like  Contrary to…. 

Practise using these connecting words in context. Look them up and see how they function in a sentence. 
NEVER START A SENTENCE WITH ​BUT​ OR A​ LSO