An introduction slideshow to the writing triplet, used with KS£ and GCSE students

1. Analyse, Review, Comment

2. In the Unit 2 GCSE
examination, you will be given a
page of brief stimulus
information, followed by a
question assessed for writing

3. The stimulus material does not
need to be directly addressed in
your writing – it is designed to
get your creative juices flowing
by opening the relevant mental
gateways!

4. Purpose
Audience
Text type

5. Purpose
Audience
Text type

6. To Analyse
•To objectively and critically evaluate, scrutinise
or deconstruct an object, experience or event

7. To Review
•To offer your opinion and/or judgement on an
object, experience or event which your
audience might also be considering in order to
help them arrive at a decision

8. To Comment
•To share your insights, opinions and
experiences on any matter of interest

9. In reality these 3 related
purposes are combined in this
part of the exam with ‘Comment’
tending to be the dominant
approach

10. Think of yourself as a feature writer for
a magazine or newspaper – your editor
tasks you with producing 250-300
words on a range of subjects for a
weekly column.
The subjects are all driven by social or
cultural issues of interest to the readers
– this is basically the task the examiners
are setting here

11. Purpose
Audience
Text type

12. The audience for this task is not
usually stated – so you can write
for a general adult reader

13. Purpose
Audience
Text type

14. You will have 35 min to write a
focused essay which responds to
the question which will be
related to the stimulus topic

15. The key to securing a good mark
in this task is making good use of
thinking and planning time

16. You should make brief planning
notes in any format that suits
you and then order your ideas to
fit the 5 paragraph essay plan
structure we have already looked
at

17. Don’t waste time writing full
sentences – instead try using:
•abbreviations symbols
•Mind mapping or other graphic organisers

18. This will leave you 20-25 min to
write a response which:

19. Directly addresses the topic

20. Has an attention grabbing first
sentence

21. Is structured and paragraphed

22. Adopts the right tone

23. Is authoritive and balanced

24. Is written in expressive standard
English

25. Is written in an energetic and
entertaining style

26. Makes use of anecdotes , evidence
and examples for interest

27. Ends as strongly as it began with a
summative comment

28. Example question 1

29. It’s extraordinary that Japan continues to
kill an estimated 650 whales a year in the
name of scientific research.
Experimentation on animals is essential. Without it
our treatment of terrible diseases would still be in
the Dark Ages, with unnecessary human suffering on
a worldwide scale.
Older people who own a pet are likely to extend
their own lives by up to two years with
companionship proving to be an important factor in
their general health.
Ordinary people are not prepared to pay the price
for free range meat products. Cheaper mass
produced food is often the only option for many
families living close to poverty

30. Comment on the relationship
between human beings and
animals

31. Example question 2

32. A change is as good as a rest – we all need
change to freshen up our lives.
Many more teenagers than ever before are
concerned about their health and are taking up
exercise as a result.
Many people believe that change is not always for
the best and that traditional ideas and ways of living
have much to commend them.
The grass is always greener on the other side of the
fence – people are never satisfied with what they’ve
got.

33. What changes could we make to
improve the quality of our lives?

34. Play the Examiner!
Create your own
question