Paper 2 Question 5: Format, Audience and Purpose (AQA GCSE English Language) : Revision Note
For Paper 2, Section B: Question 5, you will be asked to write in a particular form of non-fiction for a specific purpose and audience.
Question 5: non-fiction writing summary | |
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Top tips | |
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How to answer Paper 2 Question 5
Let’s look at Question 5 from the November 2019 exam:
Step-by-step guide to Question 5
In order to achieve 40 marks for this question, you should:
Read the task carefully:
Identify what you are writing, who you are writing for and why you are writing
Highlight these things
Write down one sentence that sums up your opinion about the topic
Spend 10 minutes planning your writing:
Use a mind-map or brief bullet points to map out your arguments
Make your point of view clear in your introduction:
State what you are writing about, why you are writing and what your point of view is
Start each paragraph with an appropriate connective and topic sentence:
A topic sentence is like a sub-part of your wider argument
Develop each paragraph in detail:
Make your point
Explain it
Develop it: use anecdotes, statistics, specific examples, consequences, imperatives and any other relevant persuasive techniques
It is the development of your point that gets you the marks
Try to leave 5 minutes at the end to re-read your writing carefully, correcting any obvious mistakes you have made
Examiner Tips and Tricks
You will be given a statement as the basis of the task. However, you are not required to cover every thread in the statement; selecting one or two threads can lead to a clearer argument.
In the above example, there are three threads: eating meat, keeping pets and visiting zoos. You can select which of these you feel the most strongly about and use these as the basis for your arguments. You do not have to cover all three.
How to get full marks on Paper 2 Question 5
Avoid repeating the same points, ideas or arguments across multiple paragraphs:
Each paragraph should contain a different idea or point
Avoid getting distracted by your own opinion or feelings about the subject:
It is best to avoid a rant or an overly emotional response
Your tone should not be irate and aggrieved
Do not forget to combine facts and opinions throughout to avoid a biased, subjective response:
This builds credibility in your writing
Remember to use the correct features of the form you are asked to write in:
Remember, letters, articles and speeches vary in their characteristics
The highest marks are awarded for students who use complex and sophisticated vocabulary
How to plan your non-fiction writing
It is important to remember that writers plan their texts deliberately to make the reader respond in certain ways, and think and feel certain things. To get the highest marks, you need to do this too.
While planning, write down:
Who you are writing to (your audience)
What you want to achieve (the purpose)
How the writing should look (its form)
One easy way to do this is to perform a GAP analysis, or the “3 Ws”:
G | A | P |
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Genre (form) | Audience | Purpose |
What am I writing? | Who am I writing for? | Why am I writing? |
We will now explore form, audience and purpose further in the following sub-sections:
Form
You may be asked to write in the form of a:
Letter
Article
Speech
Review
Guide
Each of these forms will determine the layout, structure and context of the writing (where it is used in real life)
You should consider where your writing would appear in a real-life context:
A magazine, for example, tends to be more informal than a news article
A letter tends to be more formal and, in the exam, written to someone you do not know
The mark scheme rewards answers which consider how the conventions of form can be used to convey ideas:
A letter is more personal than a news article, which targets a large audience
A speech is more interactive than a guide and will actively attempt to engage and persuade the audience
To get top marks, you have to shape your writing to fit the form in the question. For more details on an example structure, sample questions and what key features to include in each of the non-fiction forms you might be given in the exam, check out our individual revision notes on each:
Examiner Tips and Tricks
The most effective answers will demonstrate a well-planned answer covering a range of points written in the correct form.
It is important not to forget to sign off your letter or give your article a headline, and avoid writing letters to indiscriminate recipients, or writing speeches for unspecified events. Respond to what the task is, rather than what you hoped it would be.
Audience
You are being assessed on your ability to adapt your language and tone to suit your intended audience
For example:
A parent will have different concerns and values to a student
A local MP would need convincing using facts and evidence to support your arguments
Readers of a local newspaper would be more persuaded by emotive language
A letter to a headteacher or someone in authority requires formal, respectful language which is not aggressive or inappropriate
Teenagers would need something to relate to, so personal anecdotes would work well
Addressing your audience or reader specifically is a convincing technique to persuade people to agree with your point of view:
You can use inclusive language, such as “we” and “us”
You can also make your audience feel involved by using terms such as “fellow students” or “parents”
Examiner Tips and Tricks
You are assessed on your ability to use sophisticated language, so it’s important to write formally using Standard English.
However, you also have to consider your audience in terms of your ideas, language and overall tone. Therefore, the careful and deliberate use of some colloquial language is fine, depending on the topic, but avoid using slang or terms not common to Standard English.
Below are some examples of language that has been adapted to suit a target audience:
Target audience | Language adaptation example |
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Teenagers | I’m sure we’ve all had our parents or guardians moan at us for how long we spend on our gaming machines. However, gaming can help us develop important skills, such as teamwork, as well as being an awesome way of connecting with friends from all over the world! |
The use of inclusive pronouns and colloquial language, such as “awesome”, demonstrate that this example is aimed at teenagers or younger people | |
Adults | Using animals for sports, such as fox-hunting, has been debated for many years, and it is an issue which elicits strong emotions from both sides. |
The use of more sophisticated vocabulary, such as “elicits”, as well as complex sentences, demonstrate that this is aimed at adults reading about a serious topic | |
Older people | The purpose of wearable technology, such as smart-watches and fitness trackers, is to make staying connected as easy and hands-free as possible. In addition, wearable technology can have important health benefits, as they can monitor your blood sugars, heart rate, blood pressure and quality of sleep. |
The simple explanations and examples show that this is written for people who might not know much about wearable technology | |
Examiner Tips and Tricks
The task will provide you with a statement. It is best to consider the most effective argument you can make, on which you have plenty to say. The argument you make in your exam does not have to reflect your actual opinion.
Whatever the question, there are likely to be some elements which you have to make up. This is fine: you are not tested on your knowledge, but on your ability to write a convincing piece of writing. However, your writing still needs to be realistic and believable for the most convincing arguments.
Purpose
You are asked to write for a certain purpose. This could be to:
Explain your point of view
Argue your point of view or your opinion
Persuade
Advise or guide
This means you will be rewarded for the ability to select relevant language techniques appropriate to this purpose. Here are some great persuasive devices to use for each purpose:
Purpose | Techniques to use |
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Write to explain:
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Write to argue or persuade:
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Write to guide or advise:
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For more on the best language devices to use, see our page on persuasive language techniques.
Examiner Tips and Tricks
When planning your answer, write a summary of your argument in a single sentence.
This should be included in your introductory paragraph, establishing your position, and confirmed in the concluding paragraph. The highest marks are achieved when you are able to establish a central argument and sustain this throughout your writing. Arguments that are unclear or rambling can only get half marks.
Example tasks
Below you will find some examples of Paper 2 Question 5 tasks. As you read each one, consider what you are being asked to write, who you are writing for and why you are writing:
“Taking endless selfies can only have negative consequences for teens. It teaches them to value the superficial surface and seek the approval of others. Selfies are poison to a healthy mindset.” Write an article for your school website giving your views on this subject. |
“Mental health is the number one issue facing teens growing up today. Regardless of the expense, every school should employ a full-time medically trained professional counsellor.” Write a letter to your headteacher offering your views on this subject. |
“Most other kids my age obsess over the summer holidays, but I find the endless, unstructured time quite boring. I’m always left feeling I haven’t made the most of my time.” Write a speech for your fellow classmates giving advice for making the most of the summer holidays. |
“Proms are just an excuse to show off in an expensive way, with fancy dresses, posh cars and hair and make-up costs. There are much better alternatives to celebrate the end of school.” Write a letter to your headteacher arguing your point of view about this subject. |
“With rising knife-crime, gang-related violence and acid attacks, it is time to arm every police officer in Britain so that they can properly protect themselves and defend the law-abiding public.” Write a letter to the newspaper arguing your views on this topic. |
“CCTV in every classroom and corridor would reduce poor behaviour and improve standards across school.” Write an article for your school website giving your views about this topic. |
“School is nothing but a popularity contest. Being popular is almost a currency. It is desired by most, but all I see are drawbacks.” Write a speech for your fellow classmates arguing your point of view on this subject. |
“Boxing is brutal, barbaric and bloodthirsty. It has no place in a civilised society.” Write an article for your school or college magazine giving your views on this topic. |
Learn more and test yourself
For more great tips and tricks, check out our dedicated revision notes on the Paper 2 Question 5 mark scheme and our fully annotated non-fiction writing model answers:
You can also test yourself on Paper 2 Question 5 by building your writing skills with our Paper 2 Question 5 multiple-choice questions on form, audience and purpose and by writing your own non-fiction and getting it marked by Smart Mark, our AI model created by English Language experts.
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