GCSE English Language P2: Q1 and 3
Choo-choo...it's the one about trains 🚂
Over the last few week, I’ve shared model answers to the first English Language paper. Here are the links:
English Language, Paper 1 (AQA)
Starting this week, I’m going to go through all of the questions for paper 2, providing guidance and model responses to each question just as I did for paper 1.
Here’s the insert you’ll need and the question paper. I’m using the June 2023 paper.
I found this paper using this website, Save My Exams, which lists all of the papers going back to 2017 in a more logical and convenient way than the official AQA site.
If you want to go through more practice papers, it’s quite helpful.
English Language, Paper 2 (AQA)
How to plan your time
First, I would like to recommend how I would structure my time for this exam.
As there are two passages but questions one and three refer to the first passage only, I would just read source A first and then answer questions one and three, then two, four and five.
I would also read source A slowly and carefully once before rereading the relevant sections for both questions.
For this series, I will cover the questions in the order outlined above.
Questions
Q1
Choose for statements which are true (lines 1–7)
Guidance
Question one is usually pretty easy but make sure to double check each statement.
There should be a similar corresponding or opposite statement to each of the four correct statements, and sometimes ideas will just be implied.
For example, for F, the corresponding statement is ‘no more of a monk’s existence’.
Answers
B
D
F
H
Q3
How does the write use language to describe the train crash (lines 12–23)
First, I want to say as an English teacher, I feel this is a dumb question.
Literature essays do not often require you to squeeze the life out of language like this.
That said, you must learn the dance and learn how to say a lot about a little for this exam.
Below, I model how much you can say about specific words and phrases, literary devices and the use of sentence structures.
Guidance
1. Remember to bracket the lines you need to refer to and only refer to this part of the passage. Additionally, highlight the focus of the question and only refer to that topic.
Here the questions is about the presentation of the ‘train crash’ so every point has to be linked to the train crash.
2. In terms of the layout, you can have a new bullet point or line break for each new comment about tone, word choice, literary device or sentence structure.
Every time I focus on a different aspect of language or I provide quite a distinct additional comment I start a new line to signal I’m making a new comment.
This advice I’ve taken from Mr Salles who recommends aiming for 12 points to secure the full 12 marks.
Sometimes it can be difficult to decide where to start a line break, but you should try not to overthink it and go with your gut instinct because you need to write with speed.
3. To gain full marks you need to be able to express the multiple ideas that could be evoked from a single word or bit of description, so try to build on your points like I model.
4. And to ensure you fully cover the passage and how all of the author’s ideas are connected, go through it line by line, commenting on anything which resonates with you or stands out.
5. Lastly, try to pick up on the tone of the narrator and address it as I do. Often these questions draw on a comical passage but students write as if the author is being entirely earnest.
You should pick up on when an author is joking or being ironic and then your commentary will be ‘perceptive’.
Response
Fleming describes the crash in a whimsical and melodramatic tone suggesting that he found the crash more amusing than terrifying.
He begins by stating in a comically conversational tone, 'All of a sudden there was a frightful jarring, followed by a crash', revealing the crash with little suspense.
This sounds deliberate, perhaps to imply that he was relatively unfazed by the ordeal.
However, the crash then sounds more frightening with his contrasting description of the suitcase and how it 'cannonaded down' from the rack with 'fearful force'.
Here the verb 'cannonaded' implies that the suitcase shot down violently.
Further, the military connotations suggest that the atmosphere is generally chaotic and startling and that he feels as if he’s being attacked.
The impact of the suitcase is further emphasised through the fricative alliteration in the phrase 'fearful force' evoking a tone of shock.
But on balance, Fleming's tone is melodramatic, because after he thinks, 'This is the end of the world', he adds, 'and in addition, they have broken both my legs.'
This clause jars with the hyperbolic statement which begins the sentence, lightening the mood and implying that he is only joking.
He is expressing mock outrage and hinting that his life was not actually in danger or he didn’t believe his life was in any real danger.
Then Fleming describes the train falling over on its side or sidewards. He says 'My little world was tilted drunkenly', perhaps using the phrase 'little world' to emphasise his limited view of the world outside through the window of his carriage and how small the space feels.
The metaphor generally suggests that he feels disorientated and that the train has fallen or is leaning in a way which suggests Fleming now views the fields outside tilted.
Fleming then uses a series of short simple sentences to express his annoyance, comically characterising the affair as an inconvenience rather than a near death experience: 'It was six o' clock. I began to dress. I felt very much annoyed.' These snappy sentences evoke a kind of mock impatience for the unforeseen crash which has obviously disrupted the usual routine.
The train is then personified and Fleming humorously and absurdly implies that the train itself is responsible for the crash.
His first thought on getting off the train is that it looks 'sprawled foolishly down the embankment'. The verb 'sprawled' suggests that the train is lying lazily and being indolent.
Additionally, it suggests that it is twisted in an awkward looking way over the embankment.
Further, the adverb 'foolishly' suggests that Fleming is contemptuous of the train's actions, comically implying it's chosen to jump off the rails.
This idea is then emphasised through the image of the engine 'snorting steam' which suggests that the engine is angry for some reason.
Further the sibilance in 'snorting steam' evokes a tone of anger or indignation.
This thought culminates in the statement, 'it had a defiant and naughty look' comically implying that Fleming is convinced the train deliberately went off the rails in an act of sudden rebellion and self-sabotage, as it looks 'conscious of its indiscretion’.
*Here I make at least 20 distinct comments. I lost track of time so this is not intended to be an indicative response. Remember 12 distinct comments should be more than enough.
If you’ve gotten to the end of this post, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 🎄 There won’t be a post next week but this series will resume the week after.
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Best,
Morgan