Article Model Answer (WJEC Eduqas GCSE English Language)

A teenage magazine has invited readers to write articles on topics that people have strong views about. The latest topic is tattoos — are they just harmless fun and fashion, or something to regret in later life?

You decide to write an article on the topic for the teenage magazine, giving your views.

Write your article.               

                                                                                                  [20]

Task: Write an article on the topic of tattoos giving your point of view

What? 

An article

Who? 

Readers of a teenage magazine

Why? 

To give your opinion

Title

To Ink or Not to Ink?

Introduction

Set out what the article is about and offer my perspective: I hate tattoos!

Point 1

Why people have tattoos

Set out context, and offer counter-argument 

Point 2

Regrets

Offer personal anecdote about family member who lives to regret their tattoo

Point 3

Dangers

Outline the dangers of tattoos, both medical and professional

Conclusion

Reiterate argument set out in introduction

AO5: Communication and organisation

11–12 marks

• The writing shows sophisticated understanding of the purpose and format of the task

• The writing shows sustained awareness of the reader/intended audience

• The appropriate register is confidently adapted to purpose and audience

• The content is ambitious, pertinent and sophisticated

• Ideas are convincingly developed and supported by a range of relevant details

• There is sophistication in the shape and structure of the writing

• Communication has ambition and sophistication

AO6: Vocabulary, sentence structure, spelling and punctuation

8 marks

• There is appropriate and effective variation of sentence structures

• Virtually all sentence construction is controlled and accurate

• A range of punctuation is used confidently and accurately

• Virtually all spelling, including that of complex irregular words, is correct

• Control of tense and agreement is totally secure

• A wide range of appropriate, ambitious vocabulary is used to create effect or convey precise meaning

To Ink or Not to Ink? [Marking comment]

Tattoos: are they just harmless fun and fashion, or something you are likely to seriously regret later in life? [Marking comment] Love them or hate them, tattoos have been around for centuries. But what prompts a person to have permanent ink injected into their skin? Personally, I cannot think of anything worse, and if for any possible reason I did end up becoming “inked”, it would be something I would seriously regret; if you’re weighing up whether to get that “tat”, you might too! [Marking comment]

So, why do so many people get tattoos? In the past, they were used as marks of identity, and the earliest evidence of tattoo art dates back to 5,000 BCE. Across different cultures, tattoos have many forms and meanings — not only for decoration, but to mark and define people, or even to evoke fear and dread in potential enemies. But nowadays, they are used mainly for decorative purposes, as a way of permanently celebrating a loved one, or to commemorate important dates or events. Having tattoos can be intrinsically linked to one’s identity, which can be both a positive and a negative. There can be no doubt that, when done well, the detail and intricacy of this living art can be celebrated for its skill and artistry. Many people may also argue that it is the individual’s right to choose how they treat their own body. I cannot argue against this, but I would urge anyone of our age to carefully consider the long-term implications of such an enduring bodily alteration. [Marking comment]

The unfortunate fact is that many tattoos are often unplanned, with decisions made on the spur of the moment or, worse still, when under the effects of too much sun on holiday. For example, my uncle often tells the story of his tattoo: a slightly wonky and not terribly accurate Ghostbusters symbol which covers the best part of his back, and which he is at pains to cover up to this day. This was as a result of an ill-judged dare while on a holiday with his mates in Malaga. The fact that, the older he gets, the more the “ghost” looks like a melted version of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man is a constant reminder to me of the folly of an unplanned tattoo. [Marking comment]

The fact that you have to be 18 or older in the UK to actually get a tattoo reflects the dangers of this supposedly “cosmetic” procedure. Anyone who is tempted to get one illegally runs the risk of infection and scarring, as well as the pain of actually having it done in the first place. The look of a tattoo might change over the course of a lifetime, and having them removed is both expensive and painful as well. In addition, we are, at our age, embarking on the start of our adult lives and careers, and employers may have a negative view of a prospective employee sporting a body covered in ink at an interview. [Marking comment]

Overall, I would not consider anything which injects ink into a person’s skin via a needle to be either “harmless” or just “fashion”, and the likelihood is that, if you do end up getting a tattoo, be it one or many, this will be a source of intense regret when you are older. [Marking comment]