Paper 2 Section A: Overview (AQA GCSE English Language) : Revision Note
Reading section summary
Section A overview | |
|---|---|
| |
Timings | |
Spend 1 hour on Section A |
Section A: Reading of Paper 2 you will be given two source texts — Source A and Source B — in a separate booklet. The sources will be linked by a theme; one will be taken from the 19th century and the other from either the 20th or 21st century.
Examiner Tips and Tricks
The non-fiction insert booklet will include two set texts. They will be of different genres.
The genres include articles, reports, essays, travel writing, accounts, letters, diaries and extracts from biographies or autobiographies. Whatever the genre, your main task is to identify how the authors of these texts present their points of view via their choice of language.
How long should I spend on each reading question?
You should aim to spend no more than 1 hour on Section A, including 15 minutes’ reading time.
Examiner Tips and Tricks
With so much to cover in Paper 2 Section A, it’s essential that you are aware of your time and manage how long you spend answering each question. Running out of time is one of the main reasons students don’t do as well in this exam as they could.
Try to judge how much you need to write according to the number of marks awarded. For example, do not spend 30 minutes answering an 8-mark question and only leave yourself 10 minutes for a 16-mark question.
What am I tested on in Section A: Reading?
Understanding the assessment objectives (AOs) of Section A will help you:
Know what skills you are expected to show in the exam
Help you identify areas to improve on
Section A | ||
|---|---|---|
AO1 | Understanding and interpreting information (12 marks) |
|
AO2 | Analysing language (12 marks) |
|
AO3 | Comparing texts (16 marks) |
|
Expert tips for all of the reading questions
Cover the whole of the section of text in your answer
It is important in your Section A answers that you cover the whole of the section or text in your answer, and include a range of evidence. Some tips to help you do this:
Cover the whole of the passage or texts by selecting evidence from:
The start
The middle
The end of the section of the text
Don’t limit your comments to only the first part of what you read in either the section or the texts:
This will limit your marks
Include evidence from both texts for Questions 2 and 4
Use connectives to structure your answers
A well-structured, cohesive response will be structured using appropriate connectives to either add to your arguments, or indicate a contrast. Some of the most common are as follows (each will need a comma after the connective word or phrase):
To add to your arguments | To compare and contrast |
|---|---|
In addition | Whereas |
Furthermore | On the other hand |
Additionally | Contrastingly |
Moreover | In contrast |
As well as | While |
Lastly | Similarly |
Finally | However |
Learn more
Check out our expert guides on each of the reading questions in Paper 2 here:
Did this video help you?
You've read 0 of your 5 free revision notes this week
Unlock more, it's free!
Did this page help you?
