English

Language

Name:
Year Group: Year 10

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English Teacher:

Note: There is some space in this booklet to write your answers

but if you need to write more than the space allows or your
writing doesn’t fit, use your exercise book or lined paper.

English Language Paper 1, Section A:

Reading Fiction

Versatile Vocabulary
1. What is ‘Versatile Vocabulary’?
The vocabulary on p.3 is arranged in pairs or binary opposites (extreme opposites that
contrast with each other). They are words that will help you express your ideas in a
confident way if they are used carefully and correctly. They should be learned and used
to help analyse texts in English Literature and English Language. For example, rather
than describing Lady Macbeth as bad, you might say that she is malevolent because her
predatory duplicity transgresses Jacobean expectations of women.
2. Why do I need it?
When you approach the reading or writing of a text, whether you have seen it before or
not, it is really helpful to have a range of vocabulary that you feel confident about using.
This is so that you can use this vocabulary to push forward your thinking. When you
express yourself using these words, you are able to give sophisticated and perceptive
responses.
3. When can I use it?
Any time! You can use this vocabulary when you analyse literature and language texts, in
your speaking and listening assessment and in your non-fiction and fiction writing. When
you start writing, it is useful to ask yourself questions like ‘is this tangible or intangible?’
or ‘is there order or chaos here?’

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 4. How can I remember the vocabulary?
Quiz yourself using the ‘look, cover, write, check’ technique. When you revise for English
Literature, try to link the vocabulary to the characters of themes. For example, Mr
Birling is dogmatic or Shakespeare exposes the duplicity of the supernatural.
When you work through the tasks in this booklet, use your green pen to identify and
check when you have used the versatile vocabulary. When you review your work, use
your green pen to add key vocabulary that will enhance your answers.

Not physical, an
Solid, real Concrete Abstract idea
Tidy, controlled,
clear Order Chaos Confusion, disorder
Easy to harm,
Difficult to harm Secure Vulnerable fragile
Stubborn, Able to be changed,
unchangeable Dogmatic Malleable flexible
Unpredictable,
Stable, the same Constant Volatile uncertain
Cyclical, repetitive,
Every so often Intermittent Perpetual incessant
Can be touched,
real Tangible Intangible Cannot be touched
Can be touched, Not physical, not
real Physical Metaphysical real
Expected, Beyond laws of
logical, usual Natural Supernatural nature, magical
Expected, Beyond what is
logical, usual Normal Abnormal expected
Original, basic,
true Literal Metaphorical Symbolic, not literal
Logical, using Using mood or
reason Rational Emotional feelings
Lasting for a short
Lasting forever Permanent Ephemeral time, temporary
Make stronger,
support Reinforce Transgress Go against

Right, good Moral Immoral Wrong, bad

Kind, good Benevolent Malevolent Unkind, evil
Gullible Credulous Duplicitous Two-faced
Inside Interior Exterior Outside
Unaware; not Wrong, bad,
guilty Innocent Corrupt dishonest
Less than Inferior to Superior to Better than

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 The best
The worst
imaginable Utopia Dystopia imaginable world
world
Staying still Static Active Moving
Hunted Prey Predator Hunter
Calming Comforting Unsettling Disturbing
Free Liberated Imprisoned Trapped
Not enough, a
lack Paucity Excess Too much, extra
Generous, loves
people Philanthropic Misanthropic Mean, hates people
Individual, unique,
Dull, boring,
ordinary Banal Idiosyncratic quirky,
extraordinary
Varied, mixed,
All the same Homogeneous Heterogeneous diverse
Can end, will Will never end,
end, mortal Finite Infinite eternal, immortal

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English Language Paper 1, Section A
Q1 (4 1.List four things from the text about…
marks) Copy from the text; no quotation marks needed
2.How does the writer use language to…?
Q2 (8 The writer / We notice / For example / Here, we see that
marks) In other words / In particular / It is almost as if /
Language Metaphorically / Symbolically / Maybe / Perhaps / It could be / It seems
that
Therefore the reader thinks / feels / imagines… because…
3.How does the writer use structure to…?
Overall, the text is structured to…
Q3 (8 The extract opens with a focus on…, which causes the reader to…
marks) because…
Structure The focus then shifts to…, which encourages the reader to… because…
The extract concludes with…, which positions the reader to…
because…
[the words reflect, mirror and echo are particularly useful here]
Q4 (20 4.A student, after reading this part, said “…” To what extent do you
marks) agree?
Evaluatio Clearly / Evidently / Demonstrably / I agree because / Here, we see that
n / In other words / In particular / In particular / It is almost as if / It is as
though / Metaphorically / Symbolically / Maybe / Perhaps / It could be /
It seems that / Therefore the reader thinks / feels / imagines…
5
because….

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 Text 1: The Tiger’s Bride, Angela Carter
Gaping doors and broken windows let the wind in everywhere. We mounted one
staircase after another, our feet clopping on the marble. Through archways and
open doors, I glimpsed suites of vaulted chambers opening one out of another like
systems of Chinese boxes into the infinite complexity of the innards of the place. He
and I and the wind were the only things stirring; and all the furniture was under dust
sheets, the chandeliers bundled up in cloth, pictures taken from their hooks and
propped with their faces to the walls as if their master could not bear to look at
them. The palace was dismantled, as if its owner were about to move house or had
never properly moved in; The Beast had chosen to live in an uninhabited place.
[Paper 1 Question 1] List four things from this part of the text about the
house:
1. The house
2. The house
3. The house
4. The house

[Vocabulary and comprehension] Look in detail at the underlined sections.

1. Usually, “doors” and “windows”
but here, they are

2. Carter juxtaposes language that relates to order with language that relates to
chaos. For example

3. Carter transgresses our expectations of a “palace” by

4. The rooms look, “through archways”, “like systems of Chinese boxes”, showing
“the infinite complexity of the innards of the place”. In other words,

5. It is almost as if the building itself is duplicitous because

6. The building contains idiosyncrasies. For example

7. “Innards” are interior organs. Maybe Carter chooses to describe the “innards of
the place” because

8. In the phrase “he and I and the wind”, Carter juxtaposes the tangible and
intangible. In particular

9. If something is “stirring”, it is This

may be unsettling because

10. “The palace was dismantled”. A “palace” is usually a place of security,

authority and power but the verb “dismantled” contrasts with this idea because

11. A sense of stasis is created when

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[Paper 1 Question 2] How does the writer use language to create an unsettling atmosphere?
Read this example and then use your notes and annotations to write your own answer
Carter creates an unsettling atmosphere by contrasting ideas of order and chaos.
For example, “gaping doors and broken windows let the wind in everywhere” and “the
palace was dismantled”. In other words, a “palace” that once had “doors” and
“windows” to provide order, protection and security has been destroyed,
transgressing our expectations of the stability, glory and glamour of a “palace”. In
particular, the words “gaping”, “broken” and “dismantled” all highlight the fact that
the “palace” is tangible and physical and therefore perhaps vulnerable and fragile.
It is almost as if the chaos created here shows that order is ephemeral and finite.
Therefore the reader is unsettled by the disorder that seems inevitable or bound to
happen.
Carter
For example
In other words

In particular,

It is almost as if

Therefore the reader

Text 2: Great Expectations, Charles Dickens

I saw that everything within my view which ought to be white, had been white long
ago, and had lost its brightness, and was faded and yellow. I saw that the bride
within the bridal dress had withered like the dress she wore, and like the flowers,
and had no brightness left but the brightness of her sunken eyes. I saw that the
dress had been put upon the rounded figure of a young woman, and that the figure
upon which it now hung loose, had shrunk to skin and bone. Once, I had been taken
to one of our old marsh churches to see a skeleton in the ashes of a rich dress, that
had been dug out of a vault under the church pavement. Now, that skeleton seemed
to have dark eyes that moved and looked at me. I should have cried out, if I could.

[Paper 1 Question 1] List four things from this part of the text about the
woman being described:
1. The woman
2. The woman
3. The woman
4. The woman

[Vocabulary and comprehension] Look in detail at the underlined sections.

1. “Everything… which ought to be white” “was faded”. In other words

2. The colour “white” usually symbolises

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3. “Brightness” might represent feelings of

4. The paucity of “brightness” may suggest

5. Dickens creates a feeling of abnormality. For example

6. The woman is “shrunk” and “sunken”. In other words

7. A supernatural feeling is created. For example

8. It is unsettling for the reader when

9. It is as if the woman’s purity has been corrupted by time. In other words

10. Usually, a skeleton is static. However,

[Paper 1 Question 2] How does the writer use language to describe the
woman (Miss Havisham)?
Read this example and then use your notes and annotations to write your own answer
Dickens chooses to depict Miss Havisham as an almost supernatural being. For
example, she is described as a “skeleton” with “dark eyes that moved and looked at
me”. In other words, whilst she looked dead and thus should have been static and
unmoving, her eyes “moved”. In particular, Dickens juxtaposes the ideas of life and
death; action and stasis; natural and supernatural by setting up an expectation of
stillness that is transgressed by the action of eye “move[ment]”. It is almost as if
Dickens aims to create fear by giving the reader this unpredictable character who
seems both dead and alive at the same time and is therefore volatile and perhaps
predatory. Therefore the reader is unsettled by the perpetual uncertainty that is
created; we wonder which world she belongs to.
Dickens
For example
In other words

In particular,

It is almost as if

Therefore the reader

Dickens
For example
In other words

In particular,

It is almost as if

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Text 3: The Vegetarian, Han Kang
It was cold enough as it was, but the sight of my wife was even more chilling. Any
lingering alcohol-induced drowsiness swiftly passed off. She was standing,
motionless, in front of the fridge. Her face was submerged in the darkness so I
couldn’t make out her expression, but the potential options all filled me with fear.
Her thick, naturally black hair was fluffed up, dishevelled, and she was wearing her
usual white ankle-length nightdress.

On such a night, my wife would ordinarily have hurriedly slipped on a cardigan and
searched for her towelling slippers. How long might she have been standing there
like that—barefoot, in thin summer nightwear, ramrod straight as though perfectly
oblivious to my repeated interrogation? Her face was turned away from me, and she
was standing there so unnaturally still it was almost as if she were some kind of
ghost, silently standing its ground.

What was going on? If she couldn’t hear me then perhaps that meant she was
sleepwalking.

I went toward her, craning my neck to try and get a look at her face.

“Why are you standing there like that? What’s going on . . . “

When I put my hand on her shoulder I was surprised by her complete lack of
reaction. I had no doubt that I was in my right mind and all this was really
happening; I had been fully conscious of everything I had done since emerging from
the living room, asking her what she was doing, and moving toward her. She was
the one standing there completely unresponsive, as though lost in her own world. It
was like those rare occasions when, absorbed in a late-night TV drama, she’d failed
to notice me arriving home. But what could there be to absorb her attention in the
pale gleam of the fridge’s white door, in the pitch-black kitchen at four in the
morning?

“Hey!”

Her profile swam toward me out of the darkness. I took in her eyes, bright but not
feverish, as her lips slowly parted.

“. . . I had a dream.”
[Paper 1 Question 1] List four things from the first paragraph of the text
about the man (the narrator):

1. The narrator
2. The narrator
3. The narrator
4. The narrator

[Vocabulary and comprehension] Look in detail at the underlined sections.

1. The reader is told what the natural, normal and expected behaviour of the
woman is. For example

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2. Although she was wearing “her usual white ankle-length nightdress”, the wife

3. Literally, it was “cold”. Metaphorically, the “sight” of his “wife was even more
chilling”. In other words

4. There is a paucity of
For example

5. “Her face was submerged in the darkness”. Literally,

Metaphorically, perhaps the lack of light could represent a lack of

6. “My wife would ordinarily have hurriedly slipped on a cardigan.” In other words

7. Whilst usually we might expect people to be active and malleable, the woman is
the opposite. She is and For example

8. The woman is “unnaturally still”. In other words

9. She is compared to a “silent” “ghost”. This is unsettling because

It is
almost as if

[Paper 1 Question 2] How does the writer use language to describe the
woman?
Read this example and then use your notes and annotations to write your own
answer

Kang chooses to describe the woman as “unnatural” or abnormal. For example, she
describes what “ordinarily” happens, contrasting this with the wife’s “unnatural”
behaviour. In other words, the wife’s constancy, predictability and perhaps her
banality has been transgressed by her abnormal actions. In particular, Kang
juxtaposes the adverbs “ordinarily” and “unnaturally” to show how what was once
ordered has become unstable and chaotic. It is almost as if Kang aims to show that
the narrator had relied on the comfort of his wife’s “ordinary” actions and, now that
they have been challenged, has been destabilised or unsettled. Therefore the
reader considers that chaos and volatility is a haunting possibility.
Kang

For example
In other words

In particular,

It is almost as if

Therefore the reader

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[Paper 1 Question 3] Look at the first line and the last line of the extract.

It was cold enough as it was, but the sight of my wife was even more chilling.

“. . . I had a dream.”

1. The first sentence focuses on

2. Kang reveals that “the sight of my wife was even more chilling” because

3. The final sentence focuses on

4. At the end of the extract, we finally hear the voice of the woman because

5. The extract opens with a “chilling” feeling and ends with the voice of the woman
because

6. The extract is cyclical / linear because

[Paper 1 Question 3] Divide the text into three sections. The first is done for
you.

Text 3, The Vegetarian, Han Kang

Section Focus
Beginning / opening Establishes the fact that the woman is acting
[first two paragraphs] “unnaturally”; she is static; we wonder why.
Middle _______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

Ending _______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

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[Paper 1 Question 3] How does the writer use structure to interest the
reader?
Overall, the text is structured to take the reader on a journey from
to

The extract opens with a focus on which

causes the reader to because

The focus then shifts to which

encourages the reader to because

The extract concludes with

which positions the reader to because

Text 4: Binti, Nnedi Okorafor

The transporter shivered in the sand and I held my breath. Tiny, flat, and black as a
prayer stone, it buzzed softly and then slowly rose from the sand. Finally, it
produced the baggage-lifting force. I grinned. Now I could make it to the shuttle. I
swiped otjize* from my forehead with my index finger and knelt down. Then I
touched the finger to the sand, grounding the sweet smelling red clay into it. “Thank
you,” I whispered. It was a half-mile walk along the dark desert road. With the
transporter working, I would make it there on time.
Straightening up, I paused and shut my eyes. Now the weight of my entire life was
pressing on my shoulders. I was defying the most traditional part of myself for the
first time in my entire life. I was leaving in the dead of night and they had no clue.
My nine siblings, all older than me except for my younger sister and brother, would
never see this coming. My parents would never imagine I’d do such a thing in a
million years. By the time they all realized what I’d done and where I was going, I’d
have left the planet. In my absence, my parents would growl to each other that I
was to never set foot in their home again. My four aunties and two uncles who lived
down the road would shout and gossip among themselves about how I’d scandalized
our entire bloodline. I was going to be a pariah*.
*Otjize – like red clay: a mixture of butterfat and ochre pigment used by the Himba
people of Namibia to protect themselves from the harsh desert climate
*Pariah – an outcast; someone who is ignored by everyone

[Paper 1 Question 1] List four things from this part of the text about the
transporter:
1. The transporter
2. The transporter
3. The transporter
4. The transporter

[Paper 1 Question 3] Look at the first line and the last line of the extract.

The transporter shivered in the sand and I held my breath.

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 I was going to be a pariah
1. The first sentence focuses on
2. At the start, Okorafor causes us to wonder

3. The final sentence focuses on

4. The extract opens with the “transporter” and ends with the narrator’s future
because

5. The extract is cyclical / linear because

[Paper 1 Question 3] Divide the text into three sections. The first is done for
you.

Text 4, Binti, Nnedi Okorafor

Section Focus
Beginning / opening The transporter; desperation to escape, to leave the
[first paragraph] current place.
Middle ______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

Ending ______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

[Paper 1 Question 3] How does the writer use structure to interest the
reader?
Overall, the text is structured to take the reader on a journey from
to

The extract opens with a focus on which

causes the reader to because

The focus then shifts to which

encourages the reader to because

The extract concludes with

which positions the reader to because

[Paper 1 Question 4] Look in detail at the language of the second

paragraph.
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1. Perhaps the narrator “shut” her “eyes” because

2. “The weight of my entire life was pressing on my shoulders”. In other words

3. “I was defying the most traditional part of myself”. In other words, the narrator is
transgressing

Okorafor juxtaposes the words “defying” and “traditional” because

4. The narrator was leaving “in the dead of night”. Literally, perhaps this is because

Metaphorically, perhaps this implies

5. Usually, predators “growl”. Okorafor uses the verb “growl” to describe the
reaction of the parents because

It is almost as if

[Paper 1 Question 4] A teacher who read this part of the text said: “It seems
like the narrator has to make a very difficult decision. She seems afraid.” To
what extent do you agree? Fill in the table below. First, choose whether you
agree or disagree. Then choose the quotation and then fill in the notes /
‘brain dump’. The first one has been done for you.

Agree / disagree Quotation Notes / ‘brain dump’

The narrator has to make I “shut my eyes” Darkness / concealing /
a difficult / easy decision interior / static / fear /
unsettling / imprisoned /
dystopia / hiding

The narrator has to make

a difficult / easy decision

She seems afraid /

unafraid

She seems afraid /

unafraid

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[Paper 1 Question 4] A teacher who read this part of the text said: “It seems
like the narrator has to make a very difficult decision. She seems afraid.” To
what extent do you agree? Circle the correct option at the start.

Clearly, Okorafor constructs the narrator as a character who does / does not have to
make a difficult decision.
For example
In other words
In particular
because
It could be that
Perhaps
Therefore the reader may

Furthermore, Okorafor emphasises the ease / difficulty of the narrator’s decision when

For example
In other words
More precisely
because
It may be that
Perhaps
Therefore the reader might
Evidently, Okorafor does / does not depict the narrator as afraid.
For example
Literally
Metaphorically
because
Okorafor might
Perhaps
Therefore the reader could

Furthermore, Okorafor does / does not depict the narrator as afraid when

For example
Literally
Metaphorically
because
Okorafor aims
Maybe
Therefore the reader may

Text 5: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Mark Haddon
It was 7 minutes after midnight. The dog was lying on the grass in the middle of the
lawn in front of Mrs Shears' house. Its eyes were closed. It looked as if it was running
on its side, the way dogs run when they think they are chasing a cat in a dream. But
the dog was not running or asleep. The dog was dead. There was a garden fork
sticking out of the dog. The points of the fork must have gone all the way through
the dog and into the ground because the fork had not fallen over. I decided that the
dog was probably killed with the fork because I could not see any other wounds in
the dog and I do not think you would stick a garden fork into a dog after it had died

16
 for some other reason, like cancer for example, or a road accident. But I could not
be certain about this.

I went through Mrs Shears' gate, closing it behind me. I walked onto her lawn and
knelt beside the dog. I put my hand on the muzzle of the dog. It was still warm.

The dog was called Wellington. It belonged to Mrs Shears who was our friend. She
lived on the opposite side of the road, two houses to the left.

Wellington was a poodle. Not one of the small poodles that have hairstyles but a big
poodle. It had curly black fur, but when you got close you could see that the skin
underneath the fur was a very pale yellow, like chicken.

I stroked Wellington and wondered who had killed him, and why.

[Paper 1 Question 1] List four things from this extract about the dog.

1. The dog
2. The dog
3. The dog
4. The dog

[Paper 1 Question 3] Look at the first and last lines of the extract.

It was 7 minutes after midnight. The dog was lying on the grass in the middle of the
lawn in front of Mrs Shears' house.

I stroked Wellington and wondered who had killed him, and why.

1. The first sentence focuses on

2. Haddon opens with the time and then introduces the dead dog because

3. The final sentence focuses on

4. At the end of the extract, we are given the name of the dog and left with the
question of “who had killed him and why”. Haddon perhaps aims to

5. Hurston ends with the word “why” because

6. The extract as a whole is cyclical / linear because

7. A sense of order is created because

8. A sense of chaos is created because

17
[Paper 1 Question 3] Divide the text into three sections. The first is done for
you.

Text 5: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Mark Haddon
Section Focus
Beginning / opening The crime and setting are introduced. Short sentences are
[first paragraph] perhaps unsettling or unexpected, like the event.
Middle _______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

Ending _______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

[Paper 1 Question 3] How does the writer use structure to interest the
reader?
Overall, the text is structured to take the reader on a journey from
to

The extract opens with a focus on which

causes the reader to because

The focus then shifts to which

encourages the reader to because

The extract concludes with

which positions the reader to because

Text 6: We Need to Talk About Kevin, Lionel Shriver

Debating medium eggs or large, I glanced toward the yogurts. A few feet away, a
fellow shopper's frazzled black hair went white at the roots for a good inch, while its
curl held only at the ends: an old permanent* grown out. Her lavender top and
matching skirt may have once been stylish, but now the blouse bound under the
arms and the peplum served to emphasize heavy hips. The outfit needed pressing,
and the padded shoulders bore the faint stripe of fading from a wire hanger.
Something from the nether regions* of the closet, I concluded, what you reach for
when everything else is filthy or on the floor. As the woman's head tilted toward the
processed cheese, I caught the crease of a double chin.

It was Mary Woolford. I'm not proud of this, but I couldn't face her. I reeled. My
hands went clammy as I fumbled with the carton, checking that the eggs were
whole. I rearranged my features into those of a shopper who had just remembered
something in the next aisle over and managed to place the eggs on the child-seat
18
 without turning. Scuttling off on this pretence of mission, I left the cart behind,
because the wheels squeaked. I caught my breath in soup*.
*Permanent – permanent hair dye
*Nether regions – the lowest or furthest part of a place
*Soup – the soup aisle
[P1Q1 AO1] List four things from the first part of the extract about the
woman that the narrator sees in the supermarket.

1. The woman
2. The woman
3. The woman
4. The woman

[Paper 1 Question 4] Look in detail at this extract. A parent, who read this
extract, said: “The narrator is unsettling. This extract gives a feeling of
chaos.” Complete these sentences.
1. At the start of the extract, there is a sense of banality. For example

2. The narrator seems perhaps to be malevolent because

3. The confident, self-assured, judgemental and perhaps malevolent narrator is

unsettling because

4. We hear the narrator’s interior thoughts, in the first paragraph, about

This
makes the narrator seem

5. The woman is anonymous until the second paragraph, when we find out that her
name is Mary Woolford. This changes the tone of the extract from
to
6. To “reel” is to move in an unsteady way, as if you are about to fall. The simple
sentence “I reeled” makes the reader think that the narrator, physically, is

7. The simple sentence “I reeled” makes the reader think that the narrator,
mentally, may be

8. To “fumble” is to hold something in an unstable or clumsy way. “I fumbled with

the carton, checking that the eggs were whole”. In other words

9. Metaphorically, the fact that the narrator “fumbled” with the eggs, checking
“that they were whole”, could show how out of control she has become and that
she is desperate for

19
10. “I rearranged my features”. In other words

11. To “rearrange” something is to consciously change and control it. It is almost as

if the narrator is trying to

12. To “scuttle” is to move quickly with short steps, often out of fear or
embarrassment. At the start of the extract, the narrator seems confident, self-
assured, judgemental and perhaps malevolent. However, by the end she is
“scuttling off”. In other words

13. The reader feels tension because

14. “I caught my breath in soup”. The writer returns to the banality of the
supermarket setting but contrasts this with the narrator’s breathlessness. This
makes the narrator seem
because

[Paper 1 Question 4] Look in detail at this extract. A parent, who read this
extract, said: “The narrator is unsettling. This extract gives a feeling of
chaos. ”To what extent do you agree? Fill in the table below. First, choose
whether you agree or disagree. Then choose the quotation and then fill in
the notes / ‘brain dump’. The first one has been done for you.

Agree / disagree Quotation Notes / ‘brain dump’

20
The narrator is / is not “I caught the crease of a Cruel; judgemental;
unsettling double chin.” offensive; self-controlled;
confident; hubris?
Authoritative / tyrannical?

The narrator is / is not

unsettling

There is a feeling of order /

chaos in this extract

There is a feeling of order /

chaos in this extract

[P1Q4 AO4] Look in detail at this extract. A parent, who read this extract,
said: “The narrator is unsettling. This extract gives a feeling of chaos. ”To
what extent do you agree?
Clearly, Shriver does / does not construct a narrator who seems unsettling.
For example
In other words
In particular
because
It could be that
Perhaps
Therefore the reader may

Furthermore, Shriver does / does not establish the narrator’s unsettling character
when
For example
In other words
More precisely
because
It may be that
Perhaps
Thus the reader might

21
Evidently, Shriver creates a feeling of order / chaos.
For example
Literally
Metaphorically
because
Shriver might
Perhaps
Therefore the reader could

Furthermore, Shriver embeds this feeling of order / chaos when

For example
Literally
Metaphorically
because
Shriver aims
Maybe
Therefore the reader may

English Language Paper 1, Section B:

Writing Fiction
Use the START structure to write descriptions inspired by the images on the
next pages. Try to write at least four whole essasys. They should each have
an S, T, A, R and T paragraph. Use Versatile Vocabulary to help you. Email
any descriptions you write to your teacher.

START: A paragraph planning resource for

creative writing
First, decide where ‘you’ are in the image and the
atmosphere and attitude you want to evoke. Then,
START.
Sky Begin this paragraph with a single word
22
 sentence. Then use an extended metaphor:
‘Chaos. Perpetual chaos. The sky was a
deafening scream; a piercing shout; a
metaphysical yell.’
Tiny On the….
features of On one side…
the scene On the other side…
Scattered about the… were ……
(zoom in)
…on which…

Away Everything…
(zoom out) All…
Outside…
It was a place / palace of…
It was a time of……… and of…………… and
of………..
It was a space that…
Reaction Begin this paragraph with a form of repetition: ‘It
of was choked in rain; black rain; sorry rain; tears of
weather, rain; rain that covered and dulled everything and
nothing’.
person,
animal Here, something small happens to you or a
character or the weather.
To…. was e.g. ‘To wander these streets was to subject
to…….. oneself to the dismal reality of humanity.’

‘To be here was to be in a perpetual utopia’

One
sentence ‘To stare at the sky was to stare at the infinite
paragraph darkness of my inescapable future’

23
24
25
26
27
English Language Paper 2, Section A:
Reading Non-Fiction
Text 1: Autumnwatch presenter Chris Packham slams I’m A Celebrity… for
‘killing animals and cruelty to bugs and insects’
In this newspaper article, TV presenter Chris Packham is interviewed about the
subject of animal cruelty.
TV wildlife expert Chris Packham has blasted I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
for being cruel to bugs and insects. The host of BBC2’s Autumnwatch, who
controversially called for giant pandas to be allowed to die out, says he is appalled
by how the show’s bosses and celebrities abuse animals in the Aussie outback. The
48-year-old, who shot to fame on the BAFTA-winning BBC1 children’s programme
The Really Wild Show, says it is wrong that creatures are killed for entertainment
purposes.
Chris told Yours magazine: ‘The people working on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of
Here! Have no regard for creatures’ lives. If a celebrity trod on a cat it would be on
the front page of every newspaper but they jump up and down on as many
cockroaches, spiders and bugs as they like. From the first series I’ve been nothing
short of appalled by the way they abuse animals. What sickens me more than
anything is when people say “But they’re only insects”. I happen to really like
insects and more than anything I like life. There’s not a single living organism on
this planet that wants to die. […]
‘Other aspects of the programme like the physical trials can be entertaining but I
don’t find the treatment of creatures excusable at all. The insects are wriggling as
they shove them into their mouths. Surely that have feelings? They do have nervous
systems – for example witchety grubs and mealworms shy away from heat.
‘There is a lunatic divide whereby it’s okay to slaughter as many bugs as we like but
if it’s anything cute and furry it immediately makes front page news. […] If a
celebrity were genuinely starving I’d have no problems with it. But when they are
doing it for entertainment it’s no more than exploitation. I’d like to see the animal
aspects of the programme taken out. I’m sure there are enough brains in the
programming department to come up with different challenges that are equally
exciting but don’t involve killing creatures.’

[Paper 2 Question 1]
Re-read the first two paragraphs of Text 1.
Choose four statements below which are TRUE.

A. Chris Packham is a radio wildlife expert

B. He is the host BBC 1’s Autumnwatch
C. He called for giant pandas to be allowed to die out
D. He shot to fame on The Really Wild Show
E. He believes it is wrong for creatures to be killed for TV
F. He’s been appalled since the second series of ‘I’m a Celeb…’
G. He really likes insects
H. He thinks insects are more important than other animals

[4 marks]
28
[Paper 2 Question 2] Language - Look in detail at the underlined sections.

1. Chris Packham is “appalled by the way they abuse animals”. In other words

2. The verbs “appalled” and “abuse” suggests the treatment of insects is unsettling
and abnormal because

3. Packham views the treatment of insects as immoral because

4. The quotation “what sickens me” shows that Packham is emotional about the
treatment of insects because

5. The verb “sickens” suggest a physical reaction. It is almost as if

6. “There is a lunatic divide whereby it’s okay to slaughter as many bugs as we like”.
Here, there is a sense if abnormality because

7. The words “lunatic” and “slaughter” reveal the strength of Packham’s feelings. It
is almost as if

8. “Anything cute or furry and it immediately makes front page news”. The adjectives
“cute” and “furry” are comforting because

9. In this part of the text, Packham contrasts ideas about

10. In particular, he juxtaposes the words

because

[Paper 2 Question 3] How does the writer use language to describe the
treatment of insects?

29
Read this example and then use your notes and annotations to write your own answer

Packham depicts the treatment of insects as unsettling and abnormal,

transgressing the rules of the normal, natural world. For example, Packham is
“appalled by the way they abuse animals”. In other words, he is unsettled by the
treatment of insects, causing him to have an emotional reaction. More specifically,
Packham uses the verbs “appalled” and “abuse” to present this treatment of animals
as immoral; the verb “appalled” means shocked and disgusted which emphasises
the strength of Packham’s feelings. It is almost as if Packham aims to present ‘I’m a
Celebrity…’ as corrupt and immoral, because of their “abuse” of insects. Therefore
the reader feels unsettled because this treatment of insects is presented as
abnormal and we can clearly sense the strength of Packham’s emotional response
to this “abuse”.

Packham
For example
In other words

More specifically,

It is almost as if

Therefore the reader

Text 2: The hanging of the murderer Francois Benjamin Courvoisier, W.M

Thackeray (1840)
Courvoisier bore his punishment like a man, and walked very firmly. He was dressed
in a new black suit, as it seemed: his shirt was open. His arms were tied in front of
him. He opened his hands in a helpless kind of way, and clasped them once or twice
together. He turned his head here and there, and looked about him for an instant
with a wild imploring look. His mouth was contracted into a sort of pitiful smile. He
went and placed himself at once under the beam, with his face towards St.
Sepulchre's. The tall grave man in black twisted him round swiftly in the other
direction, and, drawing from his pocket a night-cap, pulled it tight over the patient's
head and face. I am not ashamed to say that I could look no more, but shut my eyes
as the last dreadful act was going on which sent this wretched guilty soul into the
presence of God.

[Paper 2 Question 1]
Re-read all of Text 2.
Choose four statements below which are TRUE.

A. Courvoisier was dressed in an old black suit

B. His shirt was buttoned up to the collar
C. His arms were tied in front of him
D. He opened and clasped his hands together
E. He stared straight ahead
F. He appeared calm
G. His mouth was contracted into a pitiful smile
H. A night-cap was pulled tightly over his head

30
 [4 marks]

[Paper 2 Question 2] Inferences – look in detail at the quotations below,

what can you infer about Thackeray’s attitude towards capital punishment?

1. “he opened his hands in a helpless kind of way”. From this we can infer

2. “and clasped them [his hands] once or twice together”. This suggests

3. “looked about…with a wild imploring look”. This implies

4. “I am not ashamed to say that I could look no more”. From this we can infer

5. “shut my eyes as the last dreadful act was going on”. This implies

[Paper 2 Question 2] Using details from Text 2, write a summary of

Thackeray’s attitude towards Courvoisier’s execution, and therefore capital
punishment.
Read this example and then use your notes and annotations to write your own answer

Thackeray depicts Courvoisier’s execution as unsettling. We see this in the quotation

“looked about…with a wild imploring look”. From this we can interpret that
Courvoisier is experiencing fear and panic and so would be disturbing to observe.

Thackeray
We see this in the quotation

Which implies that

And so

[Paper 2 Question 3] Language - Look in detail at the underlined sections.

1. The writer says that Courvoisier “turned his head here and there…with a wild
imploring look”. This is unsettling because

2. Thackeray says that Courvoisier “opened his hands in a helpless kind of way, and
clasped them once or twice together”. In other words

31
3. The verb “clasped” is unsettling because

4. “His mouth was contracted into a sort of pitiful smile.” It is almost as if this
reaction is idiosyncratic because

5. “I am not ashamed to say that I could look no more“. It is almost as if Thackeray

feels the execution is immoral because

6. “Shut my eyes…the last dreadful act”. Here we notice that Thackeray feels
unsettled because

7. Thackeray describes Courvoisier as a “wretched guilty soul”. In other words

8. The adjective “wretched” implies

9. Thackeray states that Courvoisier was “sent” into “the presence of God.”
Metaphorically, Thackeray means that

This perhaps suggests that Courvoisier will endure perpetual imprisonment

because

10. There is an unsettling atmosphere created when

[Paper 2 Question 3] How does the writer use language to describe

Courvoisier’s execution?
Thackeray chooses to depict Courvoisier’s execution as unsettling.
For example
In other words

More specifically,

It is almost as if

Therefore the reader

Furthermore, Thackeray chooses to depict Courvoisier’s execution as

For example

32
In other words

More specifically,

It is almost as if

Therefore the reader

Text 3: Extract from The Girl of the Period, Eliza Lynn Linton (1883)
Eliza Lynn Linton was in her 60s when she wrote this about the young women of her
day.
The liberty allowed to young girls grows yearly more and more unchecked. They
walk alone, travel alone, visit alone; and the gravest evils have been known to arise
from the habit which modern mothers have of sending their daughters of sixteen
and upwards unaccompanied in London to colleges and classes. Mamma has grown
stout and lazy, and has always some important matter on hand that keeps her at
home, half asleep in the easy-chair, while the girls go to and fro, and take the
exercise befitting their youthful energies. Of course no harm can befall them. They
are her daughters, and the warnings given by the keener-eyed, who have had
experience, are mere inventions of the enemy and slanders against the young. So
they parade the streets, dressed in the most startling and meretricious* costumes;
and that fatal doctrine of self-protection counts its victims by the score as the
consequence.
*meretricious — superficially attractive but actually worthless, vulgar or flashy

[Paper 2 Question 1]
Re-read all of Text 3.
Choose four statements below which are TRUE.

A. Young women can walk alone, travel alone and visit alone
B. Mothers have a habit of sending their daughters to London
C. Daughters are sent to London unaccompanied to find work
D. Mothers stay at home and grow fat and lazy
E. The young girls are also lazy
F. They do not take exercise suited to their youth
G. Young women wear vulgar and flashy outfits
H. They send money back to their mothers at home

[4 marks]

[Paper 2 Question 2] Inferences – look in detail at the quotations below,

what can you infer about Linton’s attitude towards young women?

1. “The liberty allowed to young girls grows yearly more and more unchecked. This
reveals that

2. “They walk alone, travel alone, visit alone”. This suggests that young women have
become more liberated because
33
3. Linton states that young women “unaccompanied in London” leads to the “gravest
evils”. This implies that she views their liberation as immoral because

4. “They parade the streets”. This reveals

5. They wear the “most startling and meretricious costumes”. This implies their
appearance is idiosyncratic, perhaps unsettling because

[Paper 2 Question 2] Using details from Text 3, write a summary of Linton’s

attitude towards young women.

Linton
We see this in the quotation
which implies that

and so

Furthermore, Linton
We see this in the quotation

From this we can infer

and so

Text 4: Letter to the Editor, Jenni Herd

In March 2014, 16-year-old Jenni Herd read an article in The Times newspaper about
teenage brains, which annoyed her so much she decided to write this letter.
Annoyed
Sir,
I am getting increasingly annoyed at the barrage of articles about teenagers, and
the adults who keep trying to explain our behaviour ("Moods and meltdowns.' what's
inside the teenage brain?". Mar 1).
I am 16 and a straight-A student, like most of my friends. We are not as irrational
and immature as adults seem to think. We've grown up with financial crises and
accept that most of us will be unemployed. We no longer flinch at bloody images of
war because we've grown up seeing the chaos in the Middle East and elsewhere.
Most of us are cynical and pessimistic because of the environment we’ve grown up
in, which should be explanation enough for our apparent insolence and disrespect,
without "experts" having to write articles about it.

34
Has no one ever seen that we are angry at the world we live in? Angry that we will
have to clean up your mess, while you hold us in contempt, analysing our responses
as though we were another species?
I would like adults to treat us not as strange creatures from another world but as
human beings with intelligent thought—a little different from yours, perhaps, but
intelligent thought nonetheless.
Stop teaching adults how to behave around us, and instead teach them to respect
us.
Jenni Herd

[Paper 2 Question 1]
Re-read the first two paragraphs of Text 4.
Choose four statements below which are TRUE.

A. Jenni Herd is annoyed by adults’ opinions about teenagers

B. She is 17 years old
C. She is a straight-A student
D. She thinks she will be able to find a job easily in the future
E. She is shocked by images of war
F. Young people have grown up seeing chaos and wars
G. Young people today are optimistic about the future
H. Articles are written about their insolence and disrespect

[4 marks]

[Paper 2 Question 2] Inferences – look in detail at the quotations below,

what can you infer about Herd’s view of young people and their concerns?

1. “We are not as irrational and immature as adults…think”. In other words

2. “We’ve grown up with financial crises and accept that most of us will be
unemployed”. This suggests that young people are metaphorically imprisoned
because

3. Herd states that young people are “cynical and pessimistic because of the
environment we’ve grown up in”. This reveals

4. “We are angry at the world we live in”. From this we can infer that Herd is
emotional because

35
5. Herd wants adults to treat young people “as human beings with intelligent
thought”. From this we can infer

[Paper 2 Question 2] You need to refer to Text 3 and Text 4 for this
question.
Using details from both texts, write a summary of the differences between
young people
First you need to identify differences, selecting appropriate quotations to support your
points.
The first one has been done for you.

Text 3 – Eliza Lynn Linton Text 4 – Jenni Herd

young women have too much freedom young people are imprisoned by
“liberty…grows yearly more unchecked” modern society
“accept that most of will be
unemployed”

[Paper 2 Question 2] You need to refer to Text 3 and Text 4 for this
question.
Using details from both texts, write a summary of the different attitudes
towards young people.

In Text 3, Linton

We see this in the quotation

which implies that

and so

On the other hand, Herd

We see this in the quotation

36
which implies that

and so

[Paper 2 Question 4] You need to refer to Text 3 and Text 4 for this
question.
Compare how the writers convey their different perspectives on young
people.
Fill in the table below. First, identify the points of comparison between the
experiences of the two writers. Then choose the quotations, identify the methods
used and then fill in the notes / ‘brain dump’.
The first one has been done for you.

Point of comparison Quotations and Notes / ‘brain dump’

Similarity / difference? methods
Difference (however) Linton – “They walk alone, Liberation / freedom /
They have different views travel alone, visit alone.” – abnormal / idiosyncratic /
on the liberation of repetition, asyndetic imprisoned / trapped /
young people. listing vulnerable / emotional /
Herd – “cynical and angry / unsettling
pessimistic because of the
environment we’ve grown
up in” – abstract nouns

37
[Paper 2 Question 4] Compare how the writers convey their different
perspectives on young people.
Read this example and then use your notes and annotations to write your own answer

Clearly the writer of Text 3, Eliza Lynn Linton, feels that young women in the late 19 th
Century have too much freedom. This is seen when the writer says “They walk alone,
travel alone, visit alone.”. In other words, as young women have become more and
more liberated they are permitted to “walk”, “travel” and “visit” unaccompanied,
which Linton views as unsettling. In particular, the use of repetition implies that
Linton finds this behaviour almost abnormal, transgressing social norms. More
specifically, through the use of the syndetic list it is almost as if Linton aims to
present this idiosyncratic event as perpetual. Therefore the reader imagines that
Linton is unsettled as she views this liberation of young women as a
transgression of normal, civilised society.

However, in Text 4, Herd

This is seen
when

In other words

In particular,

It is as though

Therefore the reader

Furthermore, in Text 3, Linton

For example
In other words

More specifically,

It is almost as if

Therefore the reader

On the other hand, in Text 4, Herd

This is seen when

38
In other words

In particular,

It is as though

Therefore the reader

Text 5: Extract from Goodbye to All That, Robert Graves

Collecting the draft of forty men we had with us, we followed [the man] through the
unlit suburbs of the town — all intensely excited by the noise and flashes of the
guns in the distance. None of the draft had been out before, except the sergeant in
charge. They began singing. Instead of the usual music-hall songs, they sang Welsh
hymns, each man taking a part. The Welsh always sang when pretending not to be
scared; it kept them steady. And they never sang out of tune.
We marched towards the flashes, and could soon see the flare-lights curving across
the distant trenches. The noise of the guns grew louder and louder. [.. .] From about
two hundred yards behind us, on the left of the road, a salvo of four shells whizzed
suddenly over our heads. This broke up Aberystwyth in the middle of a verse, and
sent us off our balance for a few seconds; the column of fours tangled up. The shells
went hissing away eastward; we saw the red flash and heard the hollow bang where
they landed in German territory […]
The roadside cottages were now showing more and more signs of dilapidation. A
German shell came over and then whoo — oo — ooo — oooOOO — bump — CRASH!
landed twenty yards short of us. We threw ourselves flat on our faces. Presently we
heard a curious singing noise in the air, and then flop! Flop! Little pieces of shell-
casing came buzzing down all around. 'They call them the musical instruments,' said
the sergeant. 'Damn them,' said my friend Frank Jones-Bateman, cut across the
hand by a jagged little piece, 'the devils have started on me early.' 'Aye, they'll have
a lot of fun with you before they're done, sir,' grinned the sergeant. Another shell
came over. Everyone threw himself down again, but it burst two hundred yards
behind us. Only Sergeant Jones had remained on his feet. [...l
After a meal of bread, bacon, rum, and bitter stewed tea sickly with sugar, we went
through the broken trees to the east of the village and up a long trench to battalion
headquarters. The wet and slippery trench ran through dull red clay. I had a torch
with me, and saw that hundreds of field mice and frogs had fallen into the trench
but found no way out. The light dazzled them, and because I could not help treading
on them, I put the torch back in my pocket.

[Paper 2 Question 1] Re-read the first two paragraphs of Text 5

Choose four statements below which are TRUE.

A. There was a draft of fifty men

B. They were excited by the noise and flashed of guns
C. Only the sergeant had been out before
D. They sang Welsh hymns
39
 E. The Welsh always sang out of tune
F. The noise of the guns was quieter
G. Five shells whizzed over their heads
H. They saw a yellow flash

[4 marks]

[Paper 2 Question 2] Inferences – look in detail at the quotations below,

what can you infer about Graves’ experience of war?

1. They were “all intensely excited by the noise and flashes”. This reveals

2. “The noise of the guns grew louder and louder”. This suggests

3. “The shells went hissing away eastward”. This implies

4. “Flop! Flop! Little pieces of shell-casing came buzzing down all around”. In other
words

5. “The wet and slippery trench ran through dull red clay”. This implies

Text 6: Extract from Finished with War – A Soldier’s Declaration, Siegfried

Sassoon
I am making this statement as an act of wilful defiance of military authority because
I believe that the war is being deliberately prolonged by those who have the power
to end it. I am a soldier, convinced that I am acting on behalf of soldiers. I believe
that the war upon which I entered as a war of defence and liberation has now
become a war of aggression and conquest. I believe that the purposes for which I
and my fellow soldiers entered upon this war should have been so clearly stated as
to have made it impossible to change them and that had this been done the objects
which actuated us* would now be attainable by negotiation.
I have seen and endured the sufferings of the troops and I can no longer be a party*
to prolong these sufferings for ends which I believe to be evil and unjust. I am not
protesting against the conduct of the war, but against the political errors and
insincerities for which the fighting men are being sacrificed.
On behalf of those who are suffering now, I make this protest against the deception*
which is being practices on them; also I believe it may help to destroy the callous
complacency* with which the majority of those at home regard the continuance of
agonies which they do not share and which they have not enough imagination to
realise.

40
*the objects which actuated us – the aims that motivated us
*be a party to – be involved in
*deception – lying and secrecy
*callous complacency – unfeeling smugness

[Paper 2 Question 2] Inferences – look in detail at the quotations below.

What can you infer about Sassoon’s experience of war?

1. “I believe that the war is being deliberately prolonged”. From this, we can infer

2. “I have seen and endured the suffering of the troops”. This suggests

3. Sassoon states that he believes the war is “evil and unjust”. This implies

4. “I am not protesting against the conduct of the war, but against the political
errors”. This reveals

5. Sassoon is angry because of the “insincerities for which the fighting men are being
sacrificed,” which implies

[Paper 2 Question 2] You need to refer to Text 5 and Text 6 for this
question.
Using details from both texts, write a summary of the writers’ different
experiences of war
First you need to identify differences between their experiences, selecting appropriate
quotations to support your points.

Text 5 – Robert Graves Text 6 – Siegfried Sassoon

41
[Paper 2 Question 2] You need to refer to Text 5 and Text 6 for this
question.
Using details from both texts, write a summary of the writers’ different
experiences of war.

In Text 5, Graves

We see this in the quotation

which implies that

and so

On the other hand, Sassoon

We see this in the quotation

which implies that

and so

Furthermore, Graves

We see this in the quotation

which implies that

and so

Whereas, Sassoon

We see this in the quotation

Which implies that

and so

42
[Paper 2 Question 4] You need to refer to Text 5 and Text 6 for this
question.
Compare how the writers covey their different perspectives on war.
Fill in the table below. First, identify the points of comparison between the
experiences of the two writers. Then choose the quotations, identify the methods
used and then fill in the notes / ‘brain dump’.

Point of comparison Quotations and Notes / ‘brain dump’

Similarity / difference? methods

[Paper 2 Question 4] Compare how the writers convey their different

perspectives on war.
43
Clearly the writer of Text 5, Graves

For example
In other words

More specifically,

It is almost as if

Therefore the reader

However, in Text 6, Sassoon

This is seen when

In other words

In particular,

It is as though

Therefore the reader

Furthermore, in Text 5, Graves

For example
In other words

More specifically,

It is almost as if

Therefore the reader

On the other hand, in Text 6, Sassoon

This is seen when

In other words

In particular,

It is as though

Therefore the reader

44
English Language Paper 2, Section B:
Writing Fiction
EPIIIC: A paragraph planning resource for non-
fiction writing
First, decide your opinion. Then notice the form that your writing is
expected to take and imagine who you are writing for- your audience
(small details like whether the chair is comfortable or if they are holding
a quickly cooling cup of tea will help). Then, make it ‘EPIIIC.’ ‘EPIIIC’ is
your paragraph structuring tool.
Establish your As you stand/sit/gaze/stare/observe/contemplate…
audience, ...there’s probably only one question
their views running/plodding/skipping through your mind:
and where ‘…………..?’
they might be To that, I say: …………….
…undoubtedly…
…self-evidently…
…indisputably…
…unquestionably…
Picture this: Picture this: … ..insidious…
(appeal to the …dystopia… ..perpetual…
reader’s …crumble… …pestilence…
emotions or …fall… …inferno…
pathos) ..desolation… …diabolical…
…apocalypse / ..portent…
apocalyptic… …hazardous…
…omen… …transgressive…
…subversive…
Imagine… Now imagine… …fleeting…
(paint a Visualise… …your life…
picture of the …utopia… …ideal…
ideal This could be a reality …perfection…
situation) if…
…peace…
Information Experts agree that… …multiple…
(appeal to the ...undeniable… …scholars…
reader’s …factually… …most notably…
reason or …interviews… …unequivocal…
logos)

I I can’t help but

(create recall/remember…
credibility I am reminded of…
using person I am visited by a vivid
45
experience: image of…
ethos) I can’t help but call to
mind…
Counter You may still be left To believe… is to…
argument + with… To disagree is to…
conclusion However, it is absurd To blindly… is to…
to… To insist on… is to…
Perhaps you…
You might…
Rules of form
Letter
You should  To whom it may concern…
include:  Paragraphs
You could  Addresses
include:  A date
 Formal language
 Fluently sequenced paragraphs
 Yours sincerely / faithfully

Article
You should  A simple title
include:  Paragraphs
You could  An original or humourous title
include:  A strapline
 Subheadings
 Fluently sequenced paragraphs

Leaflet
You should  A simple title
include:  Paragraphs
You could  An original or humorous title
include:  Subheadings
 Bullet points
 Fluently sequenced paragraphs

Speech
You should  A simple address to your audience
include:  Paragraphs
 A final address to your audience
You could  A clear address to an audience
include:  Awareness of the audience throughout
 Fluently sequenced paragraphs

46
Essay
You should  A simple introduction and conclusion
include:  Paragraphs
You could  An effective introduction and conclusion
include:  Fluently sequenced paragraphs

47
Use the EPIIIC structure to write non-fiction writing based on the tasks
below. Try to write at least four whole essasys. They should each have an E,
P, I, I, I, C paragraph. Email any you write to your teacher.

Task 1
“Arts education has no place in schools. Students
should spend all of their time learning the basics of
English and Mathematics.”
Write a letter to the Head Teacher of your school
arguing either for or against this statement.
Model ‘E – Establish your audience’ paragraph:
As you lounge, reclining after a long day of detentions, assemblies and
meetings, unfolding this letter you saved from the recycling bin, there’s
probably only one question slowly plodding through your mind: “How
can I improve outcomes in English and Mathematics?” To that, I say: by
doing away with the foolish so-called ‘arts’. It is unquestionably a
disgrace; it is undoubtedly an outrage; it is indisputably a scandal that
you are so attached to subjects that have no academic value.

Task 2
“Our climate is in crisis. We must all act now to stop
climate change.”
Write an essay to be published on a blog aimed at
young adults arguing either for or against this
statement.
Model ‘E – Establish your audience’ paragraph:
As you stand, scrolling aimlessly and silently in your short break
between banal meetings, there’s probably only one question running
through your mind: “When can I get my next coffee?” To that, I say: our
climate is in crisis. It is time to stop focusing on ourselves and our short-
term needs. You next caffeine fix is irrelevant. The climate needs our
attention. It is unquestionably a disgrace; it is undoubtedly an outrage;
it is indisputably a scandal that so few people with the ability to do so
refuse to act to halt climate change.

Task 3
A recent report states: “Homelessness in the UK is a
crisis that is destroying the lives of all people, especially
young people. We must take action.” Write an article for
your school newspaper persuading young people to
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support charities that help the homeless.
Model ‘P – Picture this:’ paragraph:
Picture this: a dystopian world, full of perpetual misery. Society
crumbles beneath the weight of injustice. The success of individuals,
families and businesses falls as desolation reigns, cruelly conquering
what was once a peaceful place. Dogmatic ignorance of the insidious
problem of homelessness has thrust us into a perpetual social
apocalypse. The misanthropy of the fortunate has fractured the hearts,
souls and minds of those without shelter or resources and now, the cries
of the oppressed echo through this infernal land. Crime, misery and
melancholy spreads: a predatory pestilence.

Task 4
“Regardless of their crimes, children in prison still
deserve love, care and support. They are currently not
receiving this”.
Write the text for a speech to be delivered to local
Prison Governors in which you explain your opinion on
this statement.
Model ‘P – Picture this:’ paragraph:
Picture this: a dystopian world, full of perpetual misery. Society
crumbles beneath the weight of injustice; innocent children in prison are
corrupted by the misanthropic cruelty they perpetually face. The
success of individuals, families and businesses falls as desolation reigns,
causing misery that comes from the ultimate predator: our prisons. The
villains in this dystopia are those who ignore the purity of our children;
those who stand, static, as love, care and support is withheld from
them.

Task 5
“Social media is damaging for young people.”
Write the text for a leaflet to be delivered to local
schools in which you persuade students to agree with
your opinion on this statement.
Model ‘C – counter argument:’ paragraph:
You may still be left with the idea that social media is a benevolent
force; you might even be tempted to check Instagram as you slip this
leaflet between the pages of your textbook. Perhaps you think that
society’s addiction to the cruel rectangle of the phone screen is normal
and natural. However, it is absurd to blindly ignore the malevolence of
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social media.

To believe that young people are not damaged by social media is to

deny the undeniable: social media is a predatory, immoral villain.

Task 6
“Snow seems like it is picturesque, exciting and fun but
in reality it causes accidents, inconvenience and
economic disruption.”
Write an article for a broadsheet newspaper in which
you explain your point of view on this issue.
Task 6
“Festivals and fairs should be banned. They encourage
bad behaviour and are disruptive to local communities.”
Write a letter to your local newspaper in which you
argue for or against this statement.

Task 7
“Children of school age should not be working at all.
They should be focused on their school work and helpful
to their parents. Working for money comes later.”
Write the text for a speech to be given at a school
debate in which you argue for or against this statement.

Task 8
“Ghosts don’t exist. Anyone who believes in them is
being fooled.”
Write an article for your school magazine or website in
which you argue for or against the statement.

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