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GCSEEnglish LanguageAQAExam QuestionsPaper 2Question 5

Question 5 (AQA GCSE English Language)

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Question 5

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11 mark

A student has answered the following AQA English Language exam question:

 Paper 2, Q5: 'People protest about the cruelty of keeping animals in captivity, but they seem happy enough to eat meat, keep pets and visit zoos. All animals should be free!'
Write an article for a magazine in which you explain your point of view on this statement.

Billy’s answer: “Prince, an eight-year-old Bengal tiger, died. Eight is very young for a tiger to die, and investigations found that he had died of chronic stress; his daily torment had weakened his immune system, and had even caused Prince to suffer from brain damage.”

What language technique has Billy used well in this extract?

  • They have used a conversational and informal tone to connect with the audience.

  • They have mentioned a potential counter-arguments to strengthen their case.

  • They have used statistics to support their viewpoint.

  • They have used emotive language to evoke sympathy and engage the reader.

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21 mark

A student has answered the following AQA English Language exam question:

 Paper 2, Q5: 'People protest about the cruelty of keeping animals in captivity, but they seem happy enough to eat meat, keep pets and visit zoos. All animals should be free!'
Write an article for a magazine in which you explain your point of view on this statement.

Amina’s answer: “People seem to be in general agreement that using animals for scientific testing is cruel, but surely the damage done to a majestic creature like Prince should make us stop to think: is keeping any animal in captivity cruel?”

What language technique has Amina used well in this extract?

  • They have used a rhetorical question to prompt readers to reflect.

  • They have used emotive language to encourage balanced thinking.

  • They have used a rhetorical question to add scientific credibility to their argument.

  • They have used imperatives to force the reader to consider their own position.

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31 mark

A student has answered the following AQA English Language exam question:

 Paper 2, Q5: 'People protest about the cruelty of keeping animals in captivity, but they seem happy enough to eat meat, keep pets and visit zoos. All animals should be free!'
Write an article for a magazine in which you explain your point of view on this statement.

Hannah’s answer: “A recent report from the WWF found that only 25% of zoos in Europe are doing a good job in terms of conservation, while 80% of the public believe that this is a zoo’s main job.”

What language feature has Hannah used well in this extract?

  • They have used personal anecdotes to make the argument relatable.

  • They have used data to connect to the reader emotionally.

  • They have included statistics to enhance credibility.

  • They have used a quote from an expert to enhance credibility.

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41 mark

A student has answered the following AQA English Language exam question:

 Paper 2, Q5: ‘People have become obsessed with travelling even further and faster. However, travel is expensive, dangerous, damaging and a foolish waste of time!’ 

Write an article for a news website in which you argue your point of view on this statement.

Louis’ answer: “Last year, UK citizens travelled further than ever before. The average traveller voyaged more than 1,000 miles for the first time in history.”

What language feature has the student used well in this extract?

  • They have included hyperbole to provoke thought.

  • They have provided specific data to support their argument.

  • They have appealed to emotions by using personal pronouns.

  • They have used an exclamatory tone to make their point more engaging.

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51 mark

A student has answered the following AQA English Language exam question:

 Paper 2, Q5: ‘People have become obsessed with travelling even further and faster. However, travel is expensive, dangerous, damaging and a foolish waste of time!’ 

Write an article for a news website in which you argue your point of view on this statement.

Kyla’s answer: “But as distances increase, so does the average traveller’s carbon footprint. And the planet is now warming at ‘an alarming rate,’ according to climate scientists.”

What has Kyla done well in this extract?

  • They have quoted an expert opinion to lend authority to their argument.

  • They have acknowledged opposing viewpoints to create balance.

  • They have used emotive language to appeal to the reader’s feelings.

  • They have adopted a formal tone to persuade a knowledgeable audience.

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61 mark

A student has answered the following AQA English Language exam question:

 Paper 2, Q5:‘People have become obsessed with travelling even further and faster. However, travel is expensive, dangerous, damaging and a foolish waste of time!’ 

Write an article for a news website in which you argue your point of view on this statement.

Stanley’s answer:  “Despite the clear warnings about global warming from scientists, more and more people are choosing to go on holiday by plane. Not only does a flight burn more carbon dioxide than any other means of travel, but you miss out on the joy of journeying to a destination as a part of the holiday experience.”

What has Stanley done well in this extract?

  • They have contrasted images of pollution and joy to make their perspective more attractive.

  • They have used emotive language to highlight an important societal issue.

  • They have used repetition to make their argument more memorable.

  • They have balanced their argument by acknowledging positive aspects of travel.

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71 mark

A student has answered the following AQA English Language exam question:

 Paper 2, Q5: ‘Our addiction to cheap clothes and fast fashion means young people in poorer countries have to work in terrible conditions to make them. We must change our attitude to buying clothes now.’ 

Write an article for a magazine or website in which you argue your point of view on this statement.


Grace’s answer: “A t-shirt for £3. A skirt for £4. A wedding dress for £8.62. The deals you can get on fast-fashion apps are astonishing, helping people on low wages who are struggling to make ends meet or dress their children. But are these cheap clothes too good to be true?”

What language feature has Grace used well in this extract?

  • They have adopted an informal tone to engage younger readers.

  • They have used a rhetorical question to provoke thought and reflection.

  • They have included an anecdote to support their argument.

  • They have used a list to show how good fast-fashion apps are.

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81 mark

A student has answered the following AQA English Language exam question:

 Paper 2, Q5: ‘Our addiction to cheap clothes and fast fashion means young people in poorer countries have to work in terrible conditions to make them. We must change our attitude to buying clothes now.’ 

Write an article for a magazine or website in which you argue your point of view on this statement.

Charlie’s answer: “We must become more conscious of the clothes we buy and end our addiction to fast fashion now.”

What has Charlie done well in this extract?

  • They have adopted a formal tone to appeal to a professional audience.

  • They have used alliteration to make their argument memorable.

  • They have used imperative language to emphasise the urgency of the issue.

  • They have included personal pronouns to enhance their believability.

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91 mark

A student has answered the following AQA English Language exam question:

 Paper 2, Q5: ‘Our addiction to cheap clothes and fast fashion means young people in poorer countries have to work in terrible conditions to make them. We must change our attitude to buying clothes now.’ 

Write an article for a magazine or website in which you argue your point of view on this statement.

Ethan’s answer: “A recent report by Amnesty International detailed some of the worst examples: 16-hour working days, with forced overtime; a lack of toilets; no sick pay; buildings in such poor conditions that they might collapse; and even children being forced to work for free.”

What language feature has Ethan used well in this extract?

  • They have used a list in order to present a range of different viewpoints.

  • They have used repetition to lend credibility to their argument.

  • They have included a list of examples to strengthen their argument.

  • They have used an informal, conversational tone to engage and persuade the audience.

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101 mark

A student has answered the following AQA English Language exam question:

 Paper 2, Q5: ‘Our addiction to cheap clothes and fast fashion means young people in poorer countries have to work in terrible conditions to make them. We must change our attitude to buying clothes now.’ 

Write an article for a magazine or website in which you argue your point of view on this statement.

Scarlett’s answer: “Is it really ok for that top you like so much to have been made by a child slave?”

What language feature has Scarlett used well in this extract?

  • They have used a rhetorical question to give the argument a conversational tone.

  • They have included hyperbole to add persuasive weight to their argument.

  • They have juxtaposed contrasting images to provide a sense of balance.

  • They have used a rhetorical question to make the reader feel accountable.

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11 mark

A student has answered the following AQA English Language exam question:

 Paper 2, Q5: 'People protest about the cruelty of keeping animals in captivity, but they seem happy enough to eat meat, keep pets and visit zoos. All animals should be free!'
Write an article for a magazine in which you explain your point of view on this statement.

Hari’s answer: “But sadly this is the minority: a recent report found that only some zoos in Europe are doing a good job in terms of conservation, while lots of the public believe that this is a zoo’s main job.”

Based on this sentence, what feedback could you give Hari to help him improve his writing?

  • Use emotive language to make the description of zoos more engaging.

  • Replace evidence from a report for another persuasive technique, as this would better suit a magazine article.

  • Replace vague phrases like “only some” and “lots of the public” with specific statistics to make the argument more convincing.

  • Replace the opinions of the public with a personal anecdote, as this would better serve the purpose of the article.

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21 mark

A student has answered the following AQA English Language exam question:

 Paper 2, Q5: 'People protest about the cruelty of keeping animals in captivity, but they seem happy enough to eat meat, keep pets and visit zoos. All animals should be free!'
Write an article for a magazine in which you explain your point of view on this statement.

Rebecca’s answer: “Animal psychologists say that captivity causes all animals stress. Pets are abandoned all the time because their owners don’t know how to take care of them. Other pets are malnourished or mistreated. Lots of people don’t know how to take care of animals.”

Based on this sentence, what feedback could you give Rebecca to help her improve her writing?

  • Add specific examples or evidence to support the claims about mistreated pets, making the argument more persuasive.

  • Use direct address to make the audience feel more guilty for the mistreatment of animals.

  • Remove the phrase “Animal psychologists say” and replace it with an opinion, as this would be more credible.

  • Use less emotive language about animals, as this would be more appropriate for a persuasive article.

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31 mark

A student has answered the following AQA English Language exam question:

 Paper 2, Q5: 'People protest about the cruelty of keeping animals in captivity, but they seem happy enough to eat meat, keep pets and visit zoos. All animals should be free!'
Write an article for a magazine in which you explain your point of view on this statement.


Mohamed’s answer: “It would be terrible to see more animals be mistreated in this awful way. Perhaps it would be a good idea to treat them better.”

Based on this sentence, what feedback could you give Mohamed to help him improve his writing?

  • Use less emotive language to make the argument about animal mistreatment more impactful.

  • Add lots more descriptive language to better persuade readers to act.

  • Replace suggestions like “perhaps it would be a good idea” with imperatives or direct challenges to the reader.

  • Include statistical evidence to make the argument more emotionally impactful.

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