Paper 2: Walkthrough (Edexcel GCSE English Language)

• You will be given two non-fiction reading extracts from the 20th and 21st century

• Questions 1–3 will be about Text 1

• Questions 4–6 will be about Text 2

• Question 7 is about both texts

• Section A is worth 56 marks

• You should spend 1 hour 20 minutes on this section of the paper

• You will be required to write one piece of non-fiction writing from a choice of two options

• You may be asked to write in the form of a letter, speech, article, review or a section of a guide/textbook/leaflet/booklet (informative text)

• Each task will be written for a different audience and purpose

• Section B is worth 40 marks:

  • Up to 24 marks for content and organisation

  • Up to 16 marks for accurate spelling, grammar, punctuation and vocabulary

• You should spend 45 minutes on this section of the paper

• Identify and interpret explicit and implicit information and ideas

• Select and synthesise evidence from different texts

Explain, comment on and analyse how writers use language and structure to achieve effects and influence readers, using relevant subject terminology to support your views

Compare writers’ ideas and perspectives, as well as analysing how these are conveyed, across two or more texts

Evaluate texts critically and support this with appropriate textual references

• Communicate clearly, effectively and imaginatively, selecting and adapting tone, style and register for different forms, purposes and audiences

• Organise information and ideas, using structural and grammatical features to support coherence and cohesion of texts

Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate spelling and punctuation

2 

5 minutes for Questions 1 and 2

• This is a quick question which is always taken from the first few lines of Text 1

• You will be asked to identify two things from the lines of the text

• Read the question carefully to understand what you are being asked to identify

• Take your answers from the wording of the text, but make sure what you write fully answers the question

• Only take your answers from the specified lines

2 

5 minutes for Questions 1 and 2

• This question follows on from Question 1 and you will be given a short section of Text 1

• You will be asked to give two “ways” the writer does something

• You can use your own words in your answers, and/or quotations from the text

• Make sure you read the question carefully to identify its focus and only take your answers from the specified section of text

15

20 minutes

• This question asks you to analyse both the language and structure used in Text 1

• You need to address both language and structure in your answer

• Make sure you read the question and the three bullet points carefully, and address each in your answer

• Support each point with reference to the text

1 

5 minutes for Questions 4 and 5

• This is a quick question designed to introduce you to Text 2

• You will be asked to identify one thing from certain lines of Text 2

• It is important to read the question carefully and accurately identify its focus

• You should only write the specific word or phrase for your answer

1 

5 minutes for Questions 4 and 5

• This is a similar question to Question 4

• Again, you will be asked to identify one thing from specific lines of Text 2

• For both questions, make sure you only take your answers from the specified lines

15 

20 minutes

• This question will ask you to make judgements about how well the writer has achieved their desired effects or meanings

• It will refer to the whole of Text 2 — you will be rewarded for covering all of the text

• You should use evaluative language throughout your response (“effectively”, “skilfully”)

• Support each point with 2–3 brief, apt quotations which clarify the points made

• Make sure you understand how your answer will be marked and the difference between AO2 and AO4

6 

10 minutes

• This question will be about both texts

• You will be asked to find similarities in the content of both texts

• You should aim to find 3–4 similarities which you can support with evidence from each text

14 

20 minutes

• This question will also be about both texts

• You will be asked to compare how the writers of both texts present their ideas and perspectives about a specific thing

• It is essential that you identify exactly what you are being asked to compare their ideas and perspectives on

• If you just write a broad comparison of both texts, without addressing the specific focus, you will not score highly

• You will be assessed on the range of comparisons you make

• You should use comparative phrases in your answer: “similarly”, “likewise”

• Each comparison you make must be supported with evidence from each text

40

(24 for AO5)

(16 for AO6)

10 minutes planning

30 minutes writing

5 minutes checking

• Read the two tasks carefully and decide which one you are going to answer

• You may be asked to write a letter, speech, article, review or section of a guide/textbook/leaflet/booklet

• Identify what you have been asked to write, who you have been asked to write for and why you are writing

• Use the bullet points in the question to structure your writing

• Spend 5 minutes at the end re-reading your response, correcting any obvious errors (such as the use of capital letters or missing full stops)

• You should aim to use a variety of vocabulary, punctuation and sentence structures