Language Paper 1 – Cheat Sheet

What is it all about?

This paper has five questions to answer and you will need to complete all of them to achieve your target grade. Questions 1-4 are
based on a fiction text and is worth 25% of your overall GCSE English Language grade (40 marks). Question 5 is a writing task where you
will be instructed to write a narrative or descriptive text. Again, it is worth 25% of your overall grade (40 marks).

Timing Question 1 – Finding information 4 marks

You should spend 60 minutes on the reading section and 45 You’ll be asked to find four pieces of information from a
minutes on the writing section. specific part of the text. E.g. List four things about the weather.
Start by reading the blurb for each text and then read and  Make sure you’re selecting from the right lines. Box
highlight the key information in the questions. this area off before you start.
 5 minutes: Question 1  Don’t infer – use direct quotes.
 12 minutes: Question 2  Reword the question e.g. “The weather is…”
 12 minutes: Question 3  Include an extra piece of info for good measure.
 25 minutes: Question 4
Question 3 – Structural analysis 8 marks
Question 2 – Language analysis 8 marks
You need to read the WHOLE text and analyse how it’s
You need to analyse the language the writer has used and the impact that it has organised – ‘what happens where and why?’
on the reader in the given extract.
Key question: How does reading about this at this point add
Top tips:
to my understanding of the text as a whole?
 Focus on the WHY. Try to question the text by using the question stem:
“Why did the writer…?”  Follow the ‘top tips’ for question 2 but this time focus on
 Identify the key focus of the question and refer to it throughout structural devices such as:
 Include the writer’s name in your answer
 Use short , embedded quotes (preferably no more than five words) Setting Time Opening Perspective Shifts
 Explain why the writer has chosen to use particularly methods or language
techniques and refer to them using the correct terminology. Ending Character
Good way to structure your answer:  There will always be a shift in mood/tone/atmosphere –
1. Respond to the question aim to spot that and discuss why it happens.
2. Embed a quote
TOP TIP: Write the order of events down the side of the
3. Refer to a method the writer has used
4. Explain why the writer made that language choice and what the impact extract so you can track the shifts and changes in focus.
was.

Question 4 – How far... 20 marks Question 5 – Narrate or describe 40 marks

This will give you an opinion statement about the text and you There will be a choice of two tasks but you only complete one of
will be asked to what extent you agree with it. them! You will be asked to write a narrative or a description.
You are marked on SPAG (16 marks) and Content and
 Start by unpicking the statement – there will often be two Organisation (24 marks).
ideas in it to explore Make sure you:
 Aim to make 3 points in your answer – look at both sides of  Plan your work – examiners can award marks to plans.
the argument but have a final response that explicitly states  Build a character as part of your revision, ready for any
scene or scenario.
how far you agree/disagree.
 Write in paragraghs.
 You can focus on language AND structural methods and
 Write in sentences that make sense, begin with a capital
analyse their impact on the reader in relation to the
letter and end with a punctuation mark.
statement.
 Use the most ambitious, effective words you can. Take care
 Remember that you need to back everything that you say up to spell them accurately (use 5+ language devices).
with a quote.  Use a range of sentence types and make sure you vary your
 Link every paragraph back to the statement in the question. sentence openers (use ISPACED).
 Use a range (5+) types of punctuation but only use 3 lines of
TOP TIP: Prove it! Think of this question as an extended question dialogue max.
2 or question 3. You are analysing writer’s methods but doing it to  Proof read your work before you finish and edit any
respond to a specific statement this time. mistakes.
Language Features (Q2 and 4) The ‘five’ method (Q5)

 Similes – Comparing something to something else using the The Five Method
word ‘like’ or ‘as’ e.g. My sister eats like a pig.  5 paragraphs
 Metaphor – Comparing something to something else using  5 language devices
the word ‘is’ e.g. My sister is a pig.  5 types of punctuation
 Personification – Using a verb to give something that’s Narrate = These five paragraphs in any order:
inanimate human characteristics e.g. The leaves danced
happily in the breeze. 1. Setting
2. Characters (no more than 3)
 Onomatopoeia – Words that mimic sounds e.g. Crash, 3. Action
boom, bang. 4. In Media Res
 Sensory imagery – Using all 5 senses to create an image in 5. Resolution
the reader’s head. Describe = Five paragraphs in any order:
 Prepositions – Words that tell you the position of
something e.g. under, near, behind, next to. 1. Describe setting and weather - big picture.
2. Zoom in on something; describe it in detail (something that is
 Hyperbole – exaggeration.
animate).
 Semantic field – Describing something using words that are 3. Make some action happen and describe that.
all connected to one theme e.g. Describing cutting the grass 4. Short paragraph reflecting on the mood/feelings – include some
using a semantic field of war: battle, chop, fired, bullets, short speech to include some noise or onomatopoeia.
5. Leaving the scene - best answers would show a shift in the mood
ricochet, ranks
by the end.
 Repetition – repeating a word of phrase for emphasis.
A choice of 5 language devices.

A choice of 5 punctuation marks (not full stops or commas!).

Structural features (Q3 and Q4)

Helpful glossary to revise
Remember, when the question asks you about ‘structure’. It’s actually
asking you about how the text is organised and why the writer might
have made those choices.  nouns: objects / things (concrete or abstract).
 verb: an action or doing word.
 The order that information is given or characters are introduced –
 adjectives: describes a noun (thing).
is this significant for the reader?
 Any shifts in focus or perspective – does this make the reader
 adverbs: describes a verb (action).
think or feel certain things?  pronouns: words used to replace the noun / proper
 Effective openings or closings (look at the first and last few lines noun, such as he, she, it
and think about the impact that they have on the reader).  proper noun: a noun that requires a capital letter
 Narrative voice (is it 1st, 3rd, dual, omniscient etc. and why is this  imagery: when the writer creates a strong image in
the case?). the reader’s mind.
 Narrative structure (is is non-linear, circular, epistolary etc. and
 alliteration: where 2+ words start with the same
why is this the case?).
letter / sound.
 Repetition of sentence types, pronouns or types of words
throughout the whole text – do these help to build a certain  sibilance: repetition of an s or z sound.
mood?  assonance: repetition of a vowel sound (e.g., moving
towards the blue moon she swooned.).
NB: Be careful not to start analysing individual words or phrases as
 dehumanisation: when a human is described as an
this is for question two!
animal or object.
 anaphora: sentences that begin with the same word.
Prepositional connectives (Q5)

ISPACED to help you vary sentence openers (Q5)

Next to Between

Behind Among Try starting with:

I – and ing word such as ‘Screaming,…’
In the distance Over
S – a simile such as ‘Like a thunderstorm I…’
Parallel to Before P – a preposition such as ‘Behind..’
A – and adverb (ly word) such as ‘Savagely…’
Underneath After C - a connective such as ‘Meanwhile…’
Directly Nearby E- an ed word such as ‘Panicked I…’
D – dialogue such as ‘”Shut up!” I screamed.’