English Paper 1 Section A: Non fiction texts
You will be asked questions on two non fiction texts. You will be asked comprehension questions on each text. THEN You will need to be able to write a comparison about them
As you are answering each question on the paper try to stick to a time limit. You should spend one hour on this section and it is worth 27 marks. SO after 15 minutes reading time, one mark is worth two minutes of your time at the most!
Short questions (one or two marks)
-
Evidence that you have read the material and used the text to inform your answer.
-
An answer to both parts of the question if asked for.
Long questions (four or six marks)
-
Examples should be given to support your point- think PEE.
-
Structured writing- use paragraphs that make sense.
-
Comparison of the texts. Open your paragraph with the word both- then use phrases like; however, similarly, on the other hand etc.
-
Mention of an equal amount of similarities and differences.
-
Clear explanations and focus on tasks.
-
Confident use of media terminology (if asked for).
-
Thought given to the effect of language and form.
As you look at a text you should think
why? When thinking about the purpose of an article it is important to consider whether the author is writing factually or giving their opinion. You will also need to think about whether the author is informing, persuading etc.
who? Each article is designed with a particular group in mind- known as the target audience. You will be given some clue as to this by where the article is printed and the topic of the article.
how? You will need to consider the following; headings, sub headings, captions, photos, diagrams, italics, font, font size, bold, slogans, logos and colour. REMEMBER to consider why the author has used them in the way they have.
how? When thinking about language, think in terms of the same devices you would pick out in a poem; Metaphors, similes, onomatopoeia, rhetorical questions, colloquialisms, puns, sarcasm, humour etc. REMEMBER to always think about the effect these devices have.
what? In every article important points are made which form the author’s argument. As you are reading try to pick out these key points and think about the evidence the author has used to support them.
Due to issues with copyright we are unable to reproduce non fiction texts used in this section of the exam. However, if you ask your English Teacher they will be able to provide you with some suitable texts for revision.
Or you could find your own texts- search the web for newspaper stories, cut out articles from newspapers or magazines, or just use film posters, leaflets or pamphlets.
When you have found two articles connected by a similar theme (work, football, cars, mobile phones etc) Then draw out a grid with 5 rows and a column for each text. Then fill in your ideas for each section
Eventually you will need to be able to read both articles and fill in a grid in about 15-20 minutes.
