How to answer a question on a set text in your examFoundation and higher papers

The exam

2 hours

Only answer the extract question and one question for each book and play you have studied.

Question Book PlayExtract 20 minutes 20 minutes

Question 40 minutes 40 minutes

Total time 1 hour 1 hour

Grade RangesTier Grades Available

Higher A*, A, B, C, D

Foundation C, D, E, F, G

Candidates who narrowly fail to achieve Grade D on the Higher Tier will be awarded Grade E.

Grade Ranges for your 20 mark extract question

Higher

Foundation

20 Marks Grade

12-13 C

14-15 B

16-18 A

19-20 A*

20 marks Grade

0-4 U

5-9 G/F

10-14 D/E

15-20 C (B)

What does a C Grade mean?

Grade C• Candidates understand and demonstrate how writers use

ideas, themes and settings in texts to affect the reader. They respond personally to the effects of language, structure and form, referring to textual detail to support their views and reactions. They explain the relevance and impact of connections and comparisons between texts. They show awareness of some of the social, cultural and historical contexts of texts and of how this influences their meanings for contemporary and modern readers. They convey ideas clearly and appropriately.

Grade Criteria – The Reduced Version

GVery short, or lots copied out, with major parts

missing or wrong.F

Still general with no real detail.E

Clearer focus on the question, with more selection of key parts.

Grade Criteria – The Reduced Version

DSome awareness and some discussion, of

characters, themes, mood and atmosphere, and subtext.

CSelecting and highlighting detail in a thorough

and systematic way.

Grade Criteria – The Reduced Version

BReally thorough and thoughtful discussion, well

supported with evidence.A

Analysis of stylistic details. Appreciation of structure. Sensitivity. Overview. Evaluation.

A*Every word a gem!

PEE

P PointE EvidenceE Explanation

If you just make points, you’ll get a D.If you use points and evidence and explanation and you are selecting and highlighting you’ll get a C.Depending on the quality of your PEE you could get up to an A*.

How to answer the question

Use your time wisely

• 5 minutes planning – spider diagram or bullet points.

• 30 minutes writing.• 5 minutes proof reading.

What questions will come up?

Look at the hand out of typical questions.

Which one do you prefer?Why?

But what do they mean? Character Questions revealed.

Give advice to the actor questions.

I think that the actor should say his lines really loudly so people can hear him speak at the back of the theatre. He should also look up when he speaks and make sure he doesn’t turn his back to the audience.What have you learnt about the character here?

Advice to the actor questions

• Allow you to demonstrate your knowledge of the character.

• Look at a character’s actions and emotions in detail.• By explaining how you think a character should behave

you need to justify your ideas this means more marks!

You may find it easier to answer these type of questions as they allow you write about what you know and to justify your ideas.

Downside to advice to the actor questions

• You could end up re-writing the story.

Remember • Focus on the task.• In your plan pick out 3-5 key scenes that show

you something about that character.• Focus on the key scenes not the entire story.

Imagine you are____at the end of the novel/play you think back over events – Diary

entry questions

Well, here I am in Starbucks LOL! What an adventure PPL. BTW, I’ve sold my story to the papers and I thought I’d write a diary.

Does this sound like your character? Would they really sound like this? What have we learnt about your character?

Diary Questions

• Allow you to demonstrate your knowledge of the character.

• Look at a character’s actions and emotions in detail.• By explaining how you think a character should behave

you need to justify your ideas this means more marks!

You may find it easier to answer these type of questions as they allow you write about what you know and to justify your ideas.

Downside to diary questions• You could end up re-writing the story.• You could end up making things up.• It can be hard to get the “voice” right.

Remember • Focus on the task.• In your plan pick out 3-5 key scenes that show you something

about that character.• Focus on the key scenes not the entire story.• You will need to examine your relationship with other

characters as well.

General Character Questions

Allows you to show your full knowledge of a character.

Can be easier to write about than a theme-based question.

You can track a character’s changing emotions in a story which will give you more marks.

Can be easier to use PEE.

General Character Questions Don’t re tell the story. Focus on your character. When discussing other

characters link back your points to your main character. Can be easy not to use all the points of PEE. Remember

the explanation in PEE is what gets you marks. Remember the examiner knows the story so you don’t

need to spend a lot of time explaining events. But you will be rewarded for social/historical context if it aids your analysis. Keep it short

Theme-based questions

Can be more tricky to answer. You will need to have an excellent understanding of the theme in order to answer the question successfully.

But sometimes they can be easier questions to answer…..How does Steinbeck present the theme of loneliness in Of Mice and Men.Plan: Show how each character is lonely?

Theme-based questions

Pick these questions if you are confident you can answer them well.

If you are aiming for a B, A or A* these questions could give you a marginal opportunity to produce original analysis.

Sometimes if the theme is obvious you can write about a lot of characters and explain how they are linked to the theme.

Theme based questions

Can be harder to answer. It doesn’t mean you will get more marks for tackling a hard question. You will loose marks if you don’t answer it well.

Remember to examine the theme and do not drift off task.

Specific incidents/events

How is______ important to the novel/play as a whole?

These questions allow you track events and moods in the text and as you examine before and after events you can pick up more marks.

Remember

• Use your 5 minute planning time wisely.• Select the right question. Read each question,

pick the one you want to do then highlight the key words and phrases.

• Quickly draw a mind map/bullet point your ideas.

• Write a focused essay that answers the question using PEE.

Remember

• You must answer the question. Don’t write down everything you know about the book/play you will drift off task and you won’t get marks.

• Keep focused. Keep using PEE and keep focusing back to the essay question.

Good luck!