FS English Level 2 - July 8, 2023 (Reading Finding meaning).

1. Pearson Edexcel Functional Skills English Level 2
Reading Exam
 Identifying implicit and inferred meaning - Question 5 and
Question 9

2. Question 5 and Question 9
Question 5 - requires you to explain what two quotations from Text B suggest about the given
topic.
Question 9 - requires you to provide two quotations from Text C that suggest something
relating to the given topic.
In both questions, the keyword is suggest, and both questions test the same reading skill - your
ability to identify implicit or inferred meaning in a text.

3. Question 5 and Question 9: Principal
Examiner’s comments
Question 5
“It has always been a challenging question as learners are required to explain phrases in their own words. A
common error is candidates answering this question by quoting from the text.”
Question 9
According to the Principal Examiner at Pearson Edexcel, in answering this question candidates often select
quotations that are not specific or relevant to the question topic.
Lessons to learn from this:
Question 5 Never quote from the text in your answer - you must always explain in your own words.
Question 9 Make sure you understand what the question is asking for - another reminder that overall success in
the exam depends on reading ALL the questions very carefully.

4. What is implicit or inferred meaning?
When a writer hints at something rather than stating it clearly or directly.
Social media makes a good servant but a bad master.
The writer is implying that social media can serve us well if treated wisely and respectfully, but it
can also be a negative force if we allow it to rule our life.
The writer conveys this message implicitly. It is inferred rather than stated explicitly or directly.
We can work out what the writer means by “reading between the lines” — making an educated or
reasoned guess based on the evidence presented to us.

5. What is implicit meaning?
Other examples:
The school boy yawned and looked out of the window throughout the lesson.
Implicit meaning?
With tears in her eyes she stormed out of the office, slamming the door behind her.
Implicit meaning?
We can infer that he was bored with the lesson.
We can infer that she was upset and angry.

6. Let’s look at an example of Question 5...

7. 5 What do each of these quotations from Text B suggest
about John Burden’s view on the theme park proposal?
‘historic announcement’
‘lightning speed’
The first thing to do is make sure you stay
focussed on the question topic - John
Burden’s view on the theme park proposal.
This will ensure that your answers are
relevant to the question.
You are not being asked for a literal
definition of each quotation - e.g. ‘historic
announcement means saying something that
will live in history’.
You only need to give a brief
explanation of what you think the
quotations imply.
Avoid repeating words from the
quotations in your answer:
E.G. Don’t write The writer uses the
phrase ‘historic announcement’ which
suggests...
Write It suggests that...

8. 5 What do each of these quotations from Text B
suggest about John Burden’s view on the theme park
proposal?
‘historic announcement’
‘lightning speed’
1. Scan the text to find the first quotation.
2. Close read the paragraph in which it appears, to
give you the context for the quotation.
3. Using your knowledge of the context, you can
see that John Burden has an enthusiastic view on
the theme park proposal: he uses lots of positive
words such as imaginative, potential, re-energise,
resolve.
4. With the knowledge you have gained from
understanding the context, you can infer that
‘historic announcement’ suggests that John Burden
believes the proposal is a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity to bring positive changes to the area.

9. 5 What do each of these quotations from Text B
suggest about John Burden’s view on the theme park
proposal?
‘historic announcement’
‘lightning speed’
1. You already know that the second quotation
appears in the same paragraph as the first.
2. You have also already established that John
Burden has a welcoming view of the proposed
theme park.
3. The question is: How does ‘lightning speed’
support his positive view?
4. We know that lightning occurs rapidly, so we can
infer that ‘lightning speed’ suggests he believes that
the improvements the theme park will bring will be
felt very quickly.

10. 5 What do each of these quotations from Text B suggest about John Burden’s view on the theme park proposal?
‘historic announcement’
It suggests that John Burden views the proposal as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bring positive changes to the
area.
‘lightning speed’
It suggests that he believes the improvements the theme park will bring will be felt very quickly.
 Single sentence answers
to Question 5.
 Both answers focus on
the given topic (e.g. John
Burden’s view on the theme
park proposal).

11. To recap on Question 5...
DO keep focussed on the question topic.
DON’T give a literal definition of the quotations - explain what they suggest,
not what they mean!
DO give only a brief explanation of what you think each quotation suggests.
DON’T repeat any of the quotation in your answer.
DO make sure you understand the context for each quotation - read the
paragraph in which they appear.

12. Now let’s look at an example of Question 9...

13. 9 Using Text C, give two quotations that suggest there is a lot to learn if you
want to work in IT.
1.......................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................
2.......................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................
1) Identify the question topic (e.g. there is a
lot to learn if you want to work in IT).

14. 9 Using Text C, give two quotations that suggest there is a lot to learn if you
want to work in IT.
1.......................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................
2.......................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................
1) Identify the question topic (e.g. there is a
lot to learn if you want to work in IT).
2) Scan the text for any quotations that are
relevant to the question topic.

15. 9 Using Text C, give two quotations that suggest there is a lot to learn if you
want to work in IT.
1.......................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................
2.......................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................
1) Identify the question topic (e.g. there is a
lot to learn if you want to work in IT).
2) Scan the text for any quotations that are
relevant to the question topic.
3) There are four quotations all relevant to the
topic.

16. 9 Using Text C, give two quotations that suggest there is a lot to learn if you
want to work in IT.
1 “Working with computers all the time made it obvious to me
how much I didn’t know”
2 “I started taking evening courses in programming and web
design”
OR
9 Using Text C, give two quotations that suggest there is a lot to learn if you
want to work in IT.
1 “I am constantly developing my knowledge”
2 “work very, very hard to develop your skills and knowledge”
 Don’t forget to put your
quotations in quotation
marks “...”
 Remember you are looking
for quotations that suggest
something about the topic - in
this case, there is a lot to
learn if you want to work in
IT.

17. Let’s look at another example of Question 9...

18. 9 Using Text C, give two quotations that suggest that theme parks need to
keep evolving in order to attract more visitors.
1.......................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................
2.......................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................
1) Identify the question topic (e.g. theme
parks need to continually evolve to attract
more visitors).

19. 9 Using Text C, give two quotations that suggest that theme parks need to
keep evolving in order to attract more visitors.
1.......................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................
2.......................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................
1) Identify the question topic (e.g. theme
parks need to continually evolve to attract
more visitors).
2) Scan the text for any quotations that are
relevant to the question topic.

20. 9 Using Text C, give two quotations that suggest that theme parks need to
keep evolving in order to attract more visitors.
1.......................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................
2.......................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................
1) Identify the question topic (e.g. theme
parks need to continually evolve to attract
more visitors).
2) Scan the text for any quotations that are
relevant to the question topic.
3) There are four quotations all relevant to the
topic.

21. 9 Using Text C, give two quotations that suggest that theme parks need to
keep evolving in order to attract more visitors.
1 “need to keep offering new attractions”
2 “Competition between theme parks is intense”
OR
9 Using Text C, give two quotations that suggest that theme parks need to
keep evolving in order to attract more visitors.
1 “providing something new and exciting is vital to keep
money flowing in”
2 “With brand new theme parks planned for some parts of the
country, existing parks must offer more”
 Don’t forget to put your
quotations in quotation
marks “...”
 Remember you are looking
for quotations that suggest
something about the topic - in
this case, theme parks need
to continually evolve to
attract more visitors.

22. To recap on Question 9...
DO keep focussed on the question topic.
DON’T choose quotations that are not relevant to the topic.
DO enclose your quotations inside quotation marks “...”
DON’T add any of your own words to the quotations you choose.
DO make sure you understand exactly the question topic.

23. HOMEWORK

24. HOMEWORK