How to Evaluate in GCSE English Language (AQA GCSE English Language) : Revision Note
Developing strong evaluation skills is key to success in your GCSE English Language exam. Let’s explore what evaluation means, why it is important when approaching a text and how you can use it to effectively assess a writer’s choices.
What does it mean to evaluate in GCSE English Language?
Evaluating means making an informed opinion through detailed analysis and thoughtful consideration of the text. It involves careful exploration of the writer’s choices, assessing how effectively they have conveyed their ideas and the impact of these choices on the reader.
This involves not only identifying what the writer has done, but also explaining how and why their use of literary devices contributes to meaning. It also involves considering different interpretations and forming an opinion on how successfully you think the writer has achieved their intended effect.
What you are asked to evaluate
The GCSE English Language evaluation questions ask you to judge how successful a writer is in achieving a particular effect. You will be given a statement and asked to what extent you agree with it. Here are some examples of this type of statement:
Example A ‘This part of the story, where the men encounter the Tyrannosaurus Rex, shows Eckels is right to panic. The Monster is terrifying!’ To what extent do you agree? Example B ‘I wasn’t at all surprised by the disappearance of the stranger child at the end of the extract. The writer has left us in no doubt that she is just part of Rosie’s imagination.’ To what extent do you agree? |
How to structure an evaluation
In order to write a great evaluation you might want to structure your response in different stages. Here are three simple steps to writing an effective evaluation:
Stage | What it means |
|---|---|
Stage 1: WHAT? (your opinion on the statement) |
|
Stage 2: HOW? |
|
Stage 3: WHY? (explain why this supports your opinion) |
|
What is an example of evaluation?
Now let’s look at an example question and short extract and explore how you might apply each of these stages when forming your response.
Extract:
They were standing before the glass door. Ugwu held back from reaching out to touch the cement wall, to see how different it would feel from the mud walls of his mother’s hut that still bore the faint patterns of moulding fingers. For a brief moment, he wished he were back there now, in his mother’s hut, under the dim coolness of the thatch roof; or in his aunty’s hut, the only one in the village with a corrugated-iron roof.
Example question:
‘This part of the story, where Ugwu is exploring his new city home, shows that he feels homesick.’
To what extent do you agree?
Stage | Evaluation |
|---|---|
Stage 1: WHAT? (your opinion on the statement) | The writer conveys Ugwu’s feelings of displacement and longing for his home by contrasting his past and present environments. As he stands by the glass door, he appears hesitant to fully engage with his new surroundings. |
Stage 2: HOW? | By contrasting Ugwu’s new environment with his former home, the writer illustrates how unfamiliar and uncomfortable it feels. The juxtaposition of “cement” and “mud” conveys the stark difference between the modern world he is entering and the natural and traditional home he longs for. This is further revealed through the phrase “For a brief moment, he wished he were back there now”. This also conveys his deep connection to his home and alludes to his struggle to adjust to his new environment. |
Stage 3: WHY? (explain why this supports your opinion) | The writer’s use of contrast here is effective as it enables the reader to empathise with Ugwu’s feelings of uncertainty and nostalgia. His new setting symbolises his transition to a new world; a world that Ugwu feels disconnected from. |
What words to use when answering the evaluation question
When evaluating a text, using the right words can help you present key points clearly and structure your response effectively. Here are some key phrases to use in your evaluation.
The use of… successfully creates… | The writer deliberately… |
The writer skilfully uses… | The use of… artfully conveys… |
This is effective because… | This reinforces the idea that… |
From the start of the text, the writer… | By using this device, the writer conveys… |
The contrast between… and… creates… | The impact of this is powerful because… |
This is further emphasised by… | The writer successfully builds tension through… |
By the end of the text, the writer… | The writer effectively conveys… |
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