Top Exam Tip #10: Mind the GAP – advice for Paper 1

With paper 1 tomorrow, I thought I’d share some advice and tips focusing on the writer’s effects and extended response tasks. I’ve included below:

*Details on how you are assessed

*Advice on completing the tasks

*A summary of advice from examiners on writing effective responses

*Advice for the writer’s effects question – Questions 2d* *What you are tested on:

*Your understanding of both explicit and implicit meaning

*Your understanding of the text and the language used

*Your understanding of how writer’s achieve effects

*Your ability to make a comment about the effects of language

*Your ability to select and comment on imagery

*How to answer*

1. Read the question – what is your focus?
2. Circle the paragraphs you need. 3 Remind yourself of what is happening in each paragraph. What is it about? What is the tone? Which feelings are conveyed? Who is involved? What happens?
3. Write an overview statement

What is happening in your paragraph? What is the focus? What is the tone or atmosphere?

What is the effect on the reader? What effect is the writer trying to achieve?

• Underline anything interesting that creates imagery.
• Go back and tick the best three in each paragraph
• What can you say about each? Make notes around your choices
• Explain what is shown

What are the connotations of the words? What is suggested/implied? What image is created? Why? Effect?

Link back to the notes you made for step 3.

*Extended response task – question 3* What you are tested on:

*Your ability to understand, infer and predict.

*Your understanding of the text.

*Your ability to create a realistic voice.

*Your ability to write from the correct perspective. Whose point of view will you adopt?

*Think about if this has to be adapted. If so, what must you consider?

*Your ability to write in the correct form.

*Your ability to write for an audience.

*Your ability to write for the correct purpose.

*Your ability to use relevant details from text C.

*Your ability to develop the ideas presented in the text with reference to the question.

*Your ability to use your own ideas and be creative – but these must be based on the text.

*Writing that is organised, clear, fluent and accurate.

*How to answer*

1.Read the question carefully

2. Be clear on: Genre

Audience

Purpose

Think about perspective – from whose viewpoint are you being asked to write?

3.What are the keywords in the question. Do you understand what the bullet points are asking?

4. Re-read and highlight A1/A2/A3 in different colours

(you may need to infer)

5.Plan

• Write
• Check

CAIE English Language IGCSE 0500/0990 Key messages about Paper 1 from the last Examiner’s Report.

Candidates did well when they:

• addressed tasks in the order set
• followed instructions carefully, responding appropriately to the command words in the question
• considered the particular evidence of skills and understanding they needed to show for each of the three questions
• paid attention to the guidance offered to help them focus their answers – for example, writing no more than 120 words in the summary and using just one example from the text extract in 2(c)
• avoided unselective copying and / or lifting from the text
• considered the ideas, opinions and details in the text rather than inventing untethered material
• used their own words where required
• returned to the text when necessary to check understanding of an idea or important detail
• planned the ideas to be used and the route through longer answers before writing
• gave equal attention to all aspects of each question
• selected only the material that was most appropriate for the response to the question
• avoided repetition
• edited their responses to correct any careless errors, incomplete ideas or unclear points.

Image because it’s good life advice and because for the extended response task you must bear in mind:

*Genre

*Audience

*Purpose

Good luck to everyone!