English Language exam:

What’s on the paper?

Getting the timing right

Section A – Of Mice and Men extract response

What’s on the paper?SECTION A SECTION B

Extract from Of Mice and Men. Open book.

Two questions about how the writer uses language

Second question is a ‘one other part’ question.

16 marks for the extract answer24 marks for the ‘one other part’ answer

Top marks for:• Perceptive analysis of language• strong understanding of the text and the

writer’s ideas

TOTAL: 40 marks

Choice of two writing tasks

Both non-fiction

8 marks for:• Spelling• Punctuation• good expression• strong structure.

16 marks for: • how convincing and engaging your writing

is• focusing on your audience and purpose• mature and extensive vocabulary • controlled, logical paragraphing.

TOTAL: 24 marks

Getting the timing rightSECTION A SECTION B

TOTAL: 40 marks

As a percentage: about 60% of the marks

60% of time = one hour

EXTRA TIMERS:60% of time = about one hour, 15 minutes

TOTAL: 24 marks

As a percentage: about 40% of the marks

40% of time = 45 minutes

EXTRA TIMERS:40% of time = about 55 minutes

Total marks for exam paper: 64

Total time for exam paper: 1 hour 45 minutes [ 2 hours 11 minutes with extra time]

Section A – Of Mice and Men extract response

‘Explore how the language in the extract influences your view of…’

Key word:

Explore: requires an answer that examines the subject thoroughly and considers it from a variety of viewpoints.

The subject you have been asked to examine thoroughly is language use. Therefore, you should endeavour to comment on a range of different language features in your answer.

Section A – Of Mice and Men extract response

Of Mice and Men5 Answer all parts of the following question.

(a) Explore how the language in the extract influences your view of the relationship between George and Lennie. You must include examples of language features in your response.

16 marks (b) In this extract, we learn about Lennie’s character. Explore the character of Lennie in one other part of the novel. You must use examples of the language the writer uses to support your ideas.

24 marks

Section A – Of Mice and Men extract response

Of Mice and Men5 Answer all parts of the following question.

(a) Explore how the language in the extract influences your view of the relationship between George and Lennie. You must include examples of language features in your response.

16 marks 1st – identify what you’ve been asked to focus on2nd – read the extract3rd – re-read the extract, highlighting all the possible quotations you might include in your answer4th – make sure to identify the language feature you are commenting on5th – start writing, making sure to use PEEL and always checking that what you are saying is relevant to the question

Section A – Of Mice and Men extract response

(b) In this extract, we learn about Lennie’s character. Explore the character of Lennie in one other part of the novel. You must use examples of the language the writer uses to support your ideas.

24 marks1st – take a moment. Explore your options.2nd – choose a double page spread from one other part of the book3rd – read the extract you have chosen. Is there definitely enough evidence to thoroughly explore the idea in the question?4th – re-read the extract, making notes on what to include in your answer5th – start writing, making sure to use PEEL and always checking that what you are saying is relevant to the question

Section A – Of Mice and Men extract responseLanguage features

CHARACTERISATION

How the character speakse.g. speech verbs: mumbled, cried, drawled, hissed

e.g. adverbs: spoke quickly, quietly, suddenly, slowly, sharply

e.g. tone: ‘I gotta tell you again, do I? Jesus Christ, you’re a crazy bastard!’

What the character says (content)

e.g. ‘He ain’t mean,’ said Slim. ‘I can tell a mean guy a mile off.’

e.g. ‘And he’s so God damn strong, you know.’

What the character does(actions)

e. g. adverbs: ‘George put down his cards very deliberately.’

‘Slim nodded very slowly.’

e.g. verbs: ‘George grabbed him by the shoulder.’

How the character is described

e.g. adjectives: ‘dumb bastard like he is’

e.g. description: ‘Slim’s eyes were level and unwinking.’

Language featuresFIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

SIMILE

e.g. ‘snorting into the water like a horse’

To explain why similes are effective, start with the comparison then link it back to the character or idea:Horses are large, strong and, generally speaking, docile. However, they can be capable of violence, especially when they are scared. By comparing Lennie to a horse through the simile, Steinbeck suggests that Lennie too is strong and that, if scared or shocked, he might harm others – but not out of spite, more out of animal instinct.

METAPHORe.g. ‘Lennie dabbled his big paw in the water’

To explain why metaphors are effective, start with the comparison then link it back to the character or idea:We associate the word ‘paw’ with animals. Animals are not intelligent beings in the same way as humans. They can be unpredictable. By comparing Lennie to an animal using the metaphor ‘big paw’, Steinbeck suggests that Lennie is not as bright as others and that he perhaps relies more on instinct than intelligence. His behaviour might also be uncontrolled and unpredictable.

Language featuresStructure

Opening

Ending

Climax

Anti-climax

Repetition

Foreshadowing

Contrasts

Language featuresSentence Types

Statements

Questions

Length

Complexity

Interruptions

Exclamations

parenthesis

Language featuresImagery

Visual‘willows fresh and green’

Olfactory

aural‘leaves lie deep […] a lizard makes a great skittering if he runs among them’

gustatory‘drank from the surface of the green pool’

tactile‘evening of a hot day started the little wind to moving among the leaves’

Language featuresImagery

Visual‘willows fresh and green’

Olfactory

aural‘leaves lie deep […] a lizard makes a great skittering if he runs among them’

gustatory‘drank from the surface of the green pool’

tactile‘evening of a hot day started the little wind to moving among the leaves’