English Language Question 2 Paper 1
Adapted From Language Paper 1 November 2020
Question 2
Look in detail at this extract, from lines 14 to 23 of the source.
Robert had carried out a brief assessment of the strange field, then allowed the kids to enter it. The far end of the field was an unkempt jungle, a jumble of bushes and forest.
A majestic oak dominated this patch. Its ancient, twisting branches bent to the grass, like a monstrous arthritic fist knuckling the ground. The watery sunlight lay on the horizon and the malformed oak sent twisting shadow over the struggling plants it caged. The body of the oak was choked with strangling ivies twisting around the shattered brickwork and cracked masonry, smothering it.
A track leading to the wall at the end of the field, which separated it from the countryside, was smothered by a profusion of weeds and blackthorn until it met a chained gate.
How does the writer use language here to describe the field?
You could include the writer’s choice of:
- words and phrases
- language features and techniques
- sentence forms
8 Marks
6 Mark Answer
As Paragraphs
The field is described with a simile, “like a monstrous arthritic fist knuckling the ground”. This image helps us imagine a huge and terrifying giant, digging their fingers into the earth. We imagine this giant living beneath the surface of the field. We also imagine the tree is a threatening obstruction through the adjective “monstrous”. This also makes it appear sinister.
The ivy is described with a metaphor, “The body of the oak choked with strangling ivies twisting around the shattered brickwork and masonry, smothering it”. This imagery portrays the ivy as an oppressive invader. The phrase “strangling ivies” also portrays the ivy as a ghostly apparition, surrounding the tree with death while not actually killing it. The descriptions are combined to create a sinister theme.
My Comments
You might think: ‘Oh, this means I need to write two paragraphs. I need one quote in each paragraph. And then I have to write a lot of analysis about each quote.’
Which is wrong.
That only tells you how to write this answer, not how to write any 6/8 answer.
There is a simple method which tells you how to get 8/8. You can use it to get 4/8. or 6/8. It is up to you. But, if you understand it, you can’t fail to get 6/8 and probably not 8/8.
Let me show you that simple method.
Same Answer - as Separate Explanations
1. The field is described with a simile, “like a monstrous arthritic fist knuckling the ground”. This image helps us imagine a huge and terrifying giant, digging their fingers into the earth.
2. We imagine this giant living beneath the surface of the field.
3. We also imagine the tree is a threatening obstruction through the adjective “monstrous”.
4. This also makes it appear sinister.
5. The ivy is described with a metaphor, “The body of the oak choked with strangling ivies twisting around the shattered brickwork and masonry, smothering it”. This imagery portrays the ivy as an oppressive invader.
6. The phrase “strangling ivies” also portrays the ivy as a ghostly apparition, surrounding the tree with death while not actually killing it.
7. The descriptions are combined to create a sinister theme.
6 marks
Each set of italics is an explanation.
The marks you earn are equal to the number of explanations you write.
An 8 mark question needs 8 explanations. A 20 mark question needs 20 explanations.
My Commentary
a) There are 6 explanations of the effect on the reader.
b) Point 7 is a conclusion, which doesn’t score any points on its own, because it doesn’t explain another effect on the reader. It repeats the same effect as point 4.
c) The student has linked the tone of each quotation together. So the student is making clear that the writer has an overall effect in mind. Although this objectively proves that the student is perceptive, the examiner has said, tough, you haven’t made enough points. As I say, points make prizes in this question.
d) Writing about the impact of individual words and phrases has helped improve the analysis of the effects on the reader.
e) Clear, relevant explanation 5-6 marks
This answer comes from my Ultimate Guide to Paper 1, which you can get here.
It is also the approach I will be teaching in my Paper 1 and Paper 2 Masterclasses - because it works with every reading question.
I’m Sitting the Exam This Year
Why?
Because English teachers have made this exam super complicated.
Because students really don’t like English - over 60% don’t enjoy it.
Because anyone who works hard deserves top grades, even if you hate English, and I want to show you how to do it. Easily.
So, in the exam I will be doing something even simpler. I want to show you that an explanation is anything that could start with ‘this suggests’. Let’s look at the answer above and rewrite it with ‘this suggests’.
Answer as This Suggests Explanations
1. The field is described with a simile, “like a monstrous arthritic fist knuckling the ground”. This image suggests helps it is a huge and terrifying giant, digging their fingers into the earth.
2. It also suggests this giant living beneath the surface of the field.
3. And it suggests the tree is a threatening obstruction through the adjective “monstrous”.
4. This also suggests it might be sinister.
5. The ivy is described with a metaphor, “The body of the oak choked with strangling ivies twisting around the shattered brickwork and masonry, smothering it”. This imagery suggests the ivy is an oppressive invader.
6. The phrase “strangling ivies” also suggests the ivy is a ghostly apparition, surrounding the tree with death while not actually killing it.
7. The descriptions are combined to suggest a sinister theme.
So, to make the method even easier, I’ll say this.
If it is an 8 mark question, write 8 ‘suggests’.
Do you have to write them all about only 2 quotes? No, that’s hard. Write them about as many quotes as you like. You can have 1 ‘suggests’ about 1 quote, or you can have 2, 3, 4 or 5.
One is not better than the other.
The best is the one you find easiest - the one which helps you write the most suggests.