The document provides guidance on revising for and completing the English Language GCSE exam. It outlines the structure and content of the exam, including: - Section A contains comprehension questions on sources, assessing understanding, use of presentational features, thoughts and feelings, and comparing language effectiveness. - Section B consists of two longer writing questions, with 25 minutes for question 5 requiring explanation/description, and 35 minutes for question 6 requiring persuasion/argument. - Scoring is based on content/communication, organization, and accuracy of sentences, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation. - Tips are provided for each question type, emphasizing using evidence from sources, structure, variety, and proof

1. The English Language GCSE Exam
Section A
Q1 – what do you learn from the article? It will not say you do, but you need to have quotes here.
(8 marks) It’s more PE than PEE though.
SOURCE 1
Q2 – how does the article use This is PEE+ on presentational features. YOU MUST LINK
presentational features? (8 marks) WHAT you are saying back to the purpose of the text rather
than making a general comment about the use of colour,
SOURCE 2 image, strap-line etc. Look at the link to the other blog for
some excellent guidance on this. Remember here to focus
on presentational features and don’t analyse language. If
you write about language here you get 0.
Q3 – how does the writer show thoughts PEE+ on THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS here, but linking back to
and feelings? (8 marks) the text. Identify what the question is asking you to write
about: circle it in the question and use these words in your
SOURCE 3
topic sentences (P).
Q4 – Compare the effectiveness of the This is the same skill as the poetry. The trick is to find a
language between two sources? linked point. REMEBER PEE SANDWICH! Also, don’t make
generalised comments about the effect of emotive
Two Sources language or the choice of the word ‘....’ etc. Why are these
articles doing this? Link it back to purpose.
Section B
One of the key things here is timing. People are still not allowing themselves enough time:
THE MOST MARKS IN THE PAPER ARE AVAILABLE IN THE FINAL QUESTION SO DO NOT RUN OUT OF TIME.
You may decide you want to work backwards, but this also means you haven’t got the revision of Section
A.
Q5 - 25 mins (explain, describe inform)
Q6 - 35 mins (persuade, argue)
What you're marked on.
i, content/communication
ii, organisation
iii, accuracy (sentences and spelling)

2. i, this is choosing vocabulary and language devices appropriate to purpose. (For example, if
you're describing, you're going to use sumptuous imagery with similes, metaphors, distinctive verbs,
adjectives etc. If you're informing, depending on the target audience, Standard English and statistics etc.
etc.)
TOP TIPS
On the back of your candidate number, wherever, write linguistic devices or words, ones you remember
and ones you see. (What can you steal?)
If they ask you to describe a decision, room, journey, important person etc. make one up!
ii, this is the quality of your paragraphing and text cohesion. You should also use a range of discourse
markers.
TOP TIPS
Paragraphs change with topic, place, time.
Link the end and start of next paragraph
Include a single sentence paragraph.
Link the beginning and the end of a text. Have a key word. Start with a question and link to it at the end.
Include a range of discourse markers. Write them at the top of your text and use them.
iii, important marks-wise, spelling and sentences. You know the tasks. It may be that you have a few
distinctive words you learn to spell before you get in. Make sure you're not getting your, you're, and
they're, their, there wrong. Also, capital letters and I not i are important, as are apostrophes, get the
basics right as you'll seem like a poor candidate if these are wrong.
TOP TIPS
Capital letters and full-stops (yes, really)
?!.;:()... (do not overuse any of these though) (otherwise it looks a bit weird).
Single word sentence for impact.
Embedded clauses, subordinate clause first. (If a sentence begins with an if, the subordinate clause is
first.)
Accurate apostrophes
The four sentence variations!

3. Section B
5. Will be writing to inform/ describe/ Example Question: You are taking part in a charity night
explain walk for Cancer Research UK. Write a letter to a friend or
relative informing them about the walk and explaining
why they should take part with you
6. Will be writing to argue/ persuade Example Question: The World Wildlife Fund has invited
you to produce a podcast to include on their website.
Write the script for a podcast that will persuade listeners
to ‘adopt a tiger’.