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Reading: Understanding the Questions
Understanding the Questions
As you now will know from our Facing the Texts page, there are multiple ways you are assessed in your English Language GCSE Reading exam.
While no Assessment Objective is more important than another, there are more marks to be found in questions that focus on AO3 and AO4.
This is because they require more developed answers, including comparisons or critical opinions, supported by evidence from the text.
First Look
The most important thing in your exam is to work out what the questions are asking you to do.
Is the question asking you to analyse language features, compare the authors’ views on a particular topic, or argue your opinion about something presented in a text?
Key Words
When working out what the question is asking you to do, there are a few key words to look out for.
These key words affect what you include in your answer, how much detail you go into, and what sort of evidence you need to use to support your arguments.
Key words in exam questions:
Analyse: Think carefully about what the text is telling you
Describe: Tell the examiner what is happening in the text
Explain: Give reasons
Summarise: Present the main points concisely
Discuss: Present an argument for and against
Illustrate: Present clarifying examples
Identify: Establish or indicate
Pay Attention!
Noticing the amount of marks in a question is key in determining how much time you should spend on your answer.
Paper 1 mark distribution example:
Q1. 4 marks: AO1
Q2. 8 marks: AO2
Q3. 8 marks: AO2
Q4. 20 marks: AO4
Quality over quantity is key in the exam, but usually the more marks a question has the longer you should spend on it and the more detail you should include.
In Question 1, as it is covered by AO1, you will have to identify explicit or implicit information and infer meaning.
In Question 2, covered by AO2, you will have to discuss the effects of the language or structural devices used by the author.
In Question 3, covered by AO2, you will have to discuss the effects of the language or structural devices used by the author.
In Question 4, covered by AO4, you will be asked to give your own critical opinion and convey your argument with evidence from the text.
