Answering questions on the study of written language - CCEA

The material on this page is designed to help you with revision and preparation for your CCEA GCSE English Language exams and assessments. It applies to Unit 3, Task 2: The study of written language.

• Unit 3 is a controlled assessment unit, worth 20% of your final mark
• The controlled assessment is split into two tasks, each worth an equal number of marks, to be completed in class
• Task 2: The study of written language, requires the completion of a written response to a literary text or texts – your teacher will choose the material you will study and respond to
• The themes for this task change each year – ask your teacher for your theme, or check the CCEA website for controlled assessment themes
• In this task, you will be assessed on your ability to:
  • Read and understand texts, selecting material appropriate to purpose, collating from different sources and making comparisons and cross-references as appropriate
  • Develop and sustain interpretations of writers’ ideas and perspectives
  • Explain and evaluate how writers use linguistic, structural and presentational features to achieve effects and engage and influence the reader

Useful guidance for English Language controlled assessments can be found on the CCEA support page – select the Student Guidance tab. For further advice on controlled assessments, please consult your teacher.

You will be asked to complete one written response which will last one hour.

You will be allowed to have an unannotated copy of your literary text or texts. For example, you can write about a text that you are studying for GCSE English Literature such as Of Mice and Men, To Kill a Mockingbird or Lord of the Flies.

Note that there are also other novels, poems or plays that your teacher may choose.

Your question will be linked to a theme which CCEA sets every year. Further details of these themes can be found on the CCEA English Language website.

If your task is based on a selection of poetry, or a number of shorter extracts from short stories of varying genres, you may be required to make comparisons between the texts. However, comparison of texts is not a formal requirement.

In your controlled assessment you should demonstrate that you:

• read and understand texts
• understand how meaning is constructed
• select material appropriate to purpose
• recognise the effect of language choices and patterns
• explain how writers use linguistic and presentational features to sustain the reader’s interest
• evaluate how texts may be interpreted differently depending on the reader’s perspective

Your controlled assessment will be based on a particular theme, details of which can be found on the CCEA English Language website.

If the theme was violence or danger, for example, here is the type of task you could be set:

With reference to the ways author John Steinbeck presents Curley in Section 3 in Of Mice and Men, show how far you would agree that he is a danger to others.

You should:

• focus on the key terms of the question
• refer to relevant textual details, including Steinbeck’s use of language and its intended impact on the reader
• focus on how Steinbeck uses linguistic and presentational features to engage the reader
• use relevant quotations to support your opinions

The door opened. Slim came in, followed by Curley and Carlson and Whit. Slim's hands were black with tar and he was scowling. Curley hung close to his elbow.

Curley said, "Well, I didn't mean nothing, Slim. I just ast you."

Slim said, "Well, you been askin' me too often. I'm gettin' God damn sick of it. If you can't look after your own God damn wife, what you expect me to do about it? You lay offa me."

"I'm jus' tryin' to tell you I didn't mean nothing," said Curley. "I jus' thought you might of saw her."

"Why'n't you tell her to stay the hell home where she belongs?" said Carlson. "You let her hang around bunkhouses and pretty soon you're gonna have som'pin on your hands and you won't be able to do nothing about it."

Curley whirled on Carlson. "You keep outa this les' you wanta step outside."

Carlson laughed. "You God damn punk," he said. "You tried to throw a scare into Slim, an' you couldn't make it stick. Slim throwed a scare into you. You're yella as a frog belly. I don't care if you're the best welter in the country. You come for me, an' I'll kick your God damn head off."

Candy joined the attack with joy. "Glove fulla vaseline," he said disgustedly. Curley glared at him. His eyes slipped on past and lighted on Lennie; and Lennie was still smiling with delight at the memory of the ranch.

Curley stepped over to Lennie like a terrier. "What the hell you laughin' at?"

Lennie looked blankly at him. "Huh?"

Then Curley's rage exploded. "Come on, ya big bastard. Get up on your feet. No big son-of-a-bitch is gonna laugh at me. I'll show ya who's yella."

Lennie looked helplessly at George, and then he got up and tried to retreat. Curley was balanced and poised. He slashed at Lennie with his left, and then smashed down his nose with a right. Lennie gave a cry of terror. Blood welled from his nose. "George," he cried. "Make 'um let me alone, George."

He backed until he was against the wall, and Curley followed, slugging him in the face. Lennie's hands remained at his sides; he was too frightened to defend himself.

George was on his feet yelling, "Get him, Lennie. Don't let him do it."

Lennie covered his face with his huge paws and bleated with terror. He cried, "Make 'um stop, George." Then Curley attacked his stomach and cut off his wind.

Slim jumped up. "The dirty little rat," he cried, "I'll get 'um myself."

George put out his hand and grabbed Slim. "Wait a minute," he shouted. He cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, "Get 'im, Lennie!" Lennie took his hands away from his face and looked about for George, and Curley slashed at his eyes. The big face was covered with blood.

George yelled again, "I said get him."

Curley's fist was swinging when Lennie reached for it. The next minute Curley was flopping like a fish on a line, and his closed fist was lost in Lennie's big hand. George ran down the room. "Leggo of him, Lennie. Let go."

But Lennie watched in terror the flopping little man whom he held. Blood ran down Lennie's face, one of his eyes was cut and closed. George slapped him in the face again and again, and still Lennie held on to the closed fist. Curley was white and shrunken by now, and his struggling had become weak. He stood crying, his fist lost in Lennie's paw.

George shouted over and over. "Leggo his hand, Lennie. Leggo. Slim, come help me while the guy got any hand left."

Suddenly Lennie let go his hold. He crouched cowering against the wall.

"You tol' me to, George," he said miserably.

Curley sat down on the floor, looking in wonder at his crushed hand. Slim and Carlson bent over him. Then Slim straightened up and regarded Lennie with horror.

"We got to get him in to a doctor," he said. "Looks to me like ever' bone in his han' is bust."

"I didn't wanta," Lennie cried. "I didn't wanta hurt him."

Slim said, "Carlson, you get the candy wagon hitched up. We'll take 'um into Soledad an' get 'um fixed up." Carlson hurried out.

Slim turned to the whimpering Lennie. "It ain't your fault," he said. "This punk sure had it comin' to him. But- Jesus! He ain't hardly got no han' left."

Slim hurried out, and in a moment returned with a tin cup of water. He held it to Curley's lips.

George said, "Slim, will we get canned now? We need the stake. Will Curley's old man can us now?"

Slim smiled wryly. He knelt down beside Curley. "You got your senses in hand enough to listen?" he asked.

Curley nodded. "Well, then listen," Slim went on. "I think you got your han' caught in a machine. If you don't tell nobody what happened, we ain't going to. But you jus' tell an' try to get this guy canned and we'll tell ever'body, an' then will you get the laugh."

"I won't tell," said Curley. He avoided looking at Lennie.

Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck

Before you start writing your essay, you should plan what you will write. Think about how you can break down your answer into logical paragraphs.

A good approach to begin with is to highlight any key terms in the task title which stand out for you.

In the sample controlled assessment task the key terms you must think about are ‘Curley … is a danger to others’.

Make sure you use the key terms frequently throughout your controlled assessment response. This helps to keep your answer focused as you create your argument.

The structure of your planning (and your response) should provide evidence from the section/extract that Curley is a danger to others. Your teacher may advise you to refer to other parts of the novel – while this may enhance your response, referring to other parts of the novel is not a formal requirement.

It is also important to include comments on the effects of how Steinbeck uses language and techniques to present the character of Curley and whether he is a danger to others.

Using the extract below from Lord of the Flies, focus on author William Golding’s use of language and how this engages and interests the reader.

Lord of the Flies - extract

The boy with fair hair lowered himself down the last few feet of rock and began to pick his way toward the lagoon. Though he had taken off his school sweater and trailed it now from one hand, his grey shirt stuck to him and his hair was plastered to his forehead. All round him the long scar smashed into the jungle was a bath of heat. He was clambering heavily among the creepers and broken trunks when a bird, a vision of red and yellow, flashed upwards with a witch-like cry; and this cry was echoed by another.

“Hi!” it said. “Wait a minute!” The undergrowth at the side of the scar was shaken and a multitude of raindrops fell pattering.

“Wait a minute,” the voice said. “I got caught up.”

The fair boy stopped and jerked his stockings with an automatic gesture that made the jungle seem for a moment like the Home Counties.

Lord of the Flies, William Golding

The author uses two characters to create interest for the reader. One is a boy and the other has only spoken, we don’t know what he looks like yet. The blond boy is wearing the wrong clothes for the setting, some sort of uniform because it says he has a school sweater. This makes it seem interesting. The boy is hot and his clothes are not very practical. He is trying to walk through the jungle, but it is difficult for him. Different lengths of sentences are used to vary the writing.

The bird probably surprised the boy as it flew up quickly, which is interesting. The writer also uses lots of similes and metaphors and the setting is in a jungle, which makes it interesting for the reader. There is also talking in the extract which draws the reader in. The voice wants the boy to wait for him, so the reader finds that interesting too.

Feedback - basic

• It focuses on WHAT is happening, rather than HOW the writer is creating interest.
• There are no direct quotations to support the points, and the points themselves are not developed.
• Saying there are ‘lots of similesand metaphors’ is too vague: evidence is needed and the effects need to be explained.

This candidate would be awarded a Competence Level 1 or low Competence Level 2 for this style of answer.

Golding creates interest with the exotic setting, which includes a "lagoon" and "jungle." This is contrasted with the ordinariness of the boy, who is wearing school uniform. The "grey" uniform is dull compared to the "vision of red and yellow" of the bird. This contrast means the reader is left wondering why the boys are in this jungle. This creates interest for the reader.

Golding also uses a long sentence, followed by dialogue. The dialogue begins before we are aware of who is speaking. The voice does not have a body at first. Using the pronoun "it" to refer to the voice, rather than who is behind it, creates a sense of mystery. This mystery is heightened by the fact Golding does not tell us the names of the characters – one is simply "the fair boy" and the other one is just a voice at this point.

Feedback - improving

• Using the name of the author shows an awareness of the fact there is a writer behind the text.
• The points are supported with short quotations which are embedded into the sentences.
• The point about the contrast is developed, with detail about the colour supporting it.
• The answer then goes on to explain what the effect of this is on the reader.

This candidate would be awarded a Competence Level 3 for this style of answer.

The blond boy is wearing school uniform, and is "Home Counties" which is incongruous in comparison to the exotic "lagoon" and "jungle" location. This is emphasised by how unsuitable his clothing is – he is too hot even when he has taken his sweater off, because he is in a "bath of heat". This contrast is highlighted by the details of the colour: while the boy is "grey", his surroundings are a source of bright colour, like the bird which is a "vision of red and yellow". The use of the abrupt dialogue after the multi-clause sentence creates more interest for the reader, as we are intrigued by the source of the voice. This curiosity is deepened by Golding’s use of "it" and "the voice", instead of a name or identifying pronoun.

The bird’s "witch-like cry" creates a sense of foreboding; the connotations of this simile suggest danger and evil. This is also seen in use of the metaphor the "long scar" which is "smashed into the jungle". The word "scar" is associated with wounds, and hurt. Like the boys, it is also out of place in relation to the jungle surroundings, and the word "smashed" suggests some violence. Again, we do not know the source of the scar: this creates a sense of mystery for the reader.

Feedback - even better

• Each point is supported by an embedded quotation, and developed with reference to other details.
• It uses technical vocabulary like "simile", "multi-clause sentence", "foreboding" and "incongruous" to explain how effects are created, and it weaves these terms into the argument, rather than stating "this is a simile".
• The effect on the reader is explored implicitly, signalled by words like "intrigue" and "sense of mystery".
• The points are not based around the techniques but around the effects, which creates a more sophisticated analysis.

This candidate would be awarded a Competence Level 4 or 5 for this style of answer.

Compare and contrast how the writers of Texts A and B have created their character. Present supporting evidence from both texts.

Text A

Oh! But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grind- stone, Scrooge! A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shrivelled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice. A frosty rime was on his head, and on his eyebrows, and his wiry chin. He carried his own low temperature always about with him; he iced his office in the dogdays; and didn't thaw it one degree at Christmas.

External heat and cold had little influence on Scrooge. No warmth could warm, no wintry weather chill him. No wind that blew was bitterer than he, no falling snow was more intent upon its purpose, no pelting rain less open to entreaty. Foul weather didn't know where to have him. The heaviest rain, and snow, and hail, and sleet, could boast of the advantage over him in only one respect. They often "came down" handsomely, and Scrooge never did.

Nobody ever stopped him in the street to say, with gladsome looks, "My dear Scrooge, how are you? When will you come to see me?" No beggars implored him to bestow a trifle, no children asked him what it was o'clock, no man or woman ever once in all his life inquired the way to such and such a place, of Scrooge. Even the blind men's dogs appeared to know him; and when they saw him coming on, would tug their owners into doorways and up courts; and then would wag their tails as though they said, "No eye at all is better than an evil eye, dark master!"

From A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens

Text B

This is the history of Silas Marner, until the fifteenth year after he came to Raveloe. The livelong day he sat in his loom, his ear filled with its monotony, his eyes bent close down on the slow growth of sameness in the brownish web, his muscles moving with such even repetition that their pause seemed almost as much a constraint as the holding of his breath. But at night came his revelry: at night he closed his shutters, and made fast his doors, and drew forth his gold. Long ago the heap of coins had become too large for the iron pot to hold them, and he had made for them two thick leather bags, which wasted no room in their resting-place, but lent themselves flexibly to every corner. How the guineas shone as they came pouring out of the dark leather mouths! The silver bore no large proportion in amount to the gold, because the long pieces of linen which formed his chief work were always partly paid for in gold, and out of the silver he supplied his own bodily wants, choosing always the shillings and sixpences to spend in this way. He loved the guineas best, but he would not change the silver - the crowns and half-crowns that were his own earnings, begotten by his labour; he loved them all. He spread them out in heaps and bathed his hands in them; then he counted them and set them up in regular piles, and felt their rounded outline between his thumb and fingers, and thought fondly of the guineas that were only half-earned by the work in his loom, as if they had been unborn children - thought of the guineas that were coming slowly through the coming years, through all his life, which spread far away before him, the end quite hidden by countless days of weaving. No wonder his thoughts were still with his loom and his money when he made his journeys through the fields and the lanes to fetch and carry home his work, so that his steps never wandered to the hedge-banks and the lane-side in search of the once familiar herbs: these too belonged to the past, from which his life had shrunk away, like a rivulet that has sunk far down from the grassy fringe of its old breadth into a little shivering thread, that cuts a groove for itself in the barren sand.

From Silas Marner, by George Eliot

Before you start writing your answer you should spend five minutes reading the extracts, highlighting/underlining anything you feel is important and planning what you will write. Think about how you can break down your answer into logical paragraphs and remember the importance of comparing the texts.

A good approach to begin with is to highlight any language or narrative techniques which relate to the key terms of the question. In the sample question above, the key terms you must think about are ‘compare’, ‘contrast’, ‘how … Texts A and B have created their character’.

Make sure you address each of these three areas and use the key terms throughout your answer. This helps to keep your response focused as you create your argument.

Here are some questions which may guide your reading of the texts:

• What are the extracts about?
• Where are the extracts set?
• How do the extracts start?
• What is the structure of each extract?
• Are there any links between the texts?
• How do the extracts engage the reader?
• How is character developed in the extracts?
• What is the tone and mood of the extracts?
• What narrative style is used? Is there an authorial voice?
• What linguistic devices are used in the extracts and why?
• What style of language and form is adopted by the writers?
• How do the authors use punctuation? What is the effect?
• How do the extracts end?

It is also important to include comments on the effects of the writer’s craft and the use of language and stylistic devices. Here are some ideas to look for:

• structure of the text - for example beginnings, climax, sequential/chronologicalordering, flashback, conclusion
• descriptive techniques - for example vocabulary choices, use of imageryand the senses
• creation of character - for example through narrator’s descriptions, use of dialogue, actions
• narration - for example omniscient narrator, first person narration, multiple narrators’ use of persona, autobiography
• cohesive elements - for example repetition of words or ideas, climax, suspense,sequential ordering
• disjunctive elements - for example cliffhanger endings, flashbacks
• use of punctuation and other typographical effects - for example italics, capitalisation, suspension points

You should use short quotations from the extract to support your ideas.

When responding to the sample question above, you could include some of the following points in your answer:

Text A

• The writer uses diction associated with coldness and hardness to reveal the character of Scrooge – “the cold within him froze his cold features”, “A frosty rime was on his head”, “Hard and sharp as flint” (simile).
• The writer uses a simile to reveal Scrooge’s desire to be alone – “solitary as an oyster”.
• The extract begins with a list of onomatopoeic verbs to reveal Scrooges harsh character – “squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner!”
• The writer opens with a metaphorrevealing the hard nature of Scrooge’s character – “he was tight-fisted at the grindstone”.
• The writer uses pathetic fallacy to reveal the character of Scrooge and show the lack of influence the weather had upon his character – “External heat and cold had little influence on Scrooge”, “No warmth could warm, no wintry weather chill”. No wind that blew was bitterer than he”.
• The writer reveals that other characters avoid Scrooge – “Nobody ever stopped him in the street”, “no man or woman ever once … inquired the way”, “Even the blind men’s dogs … would tug their owners into doorways”.

Text B

• The writer uses the contrast between his day and night to create the character of Silas.
• The writer ensures that Silas’ days appear dull and boring by the use of the adjectives “livelong”, “monotony” and “repetiion” and the phrase “the slow growth of sameness in the brownish web”.
• The writer juxtaposes Silas’ evening activities to reveal how the character appears to come alive with excitement, “at night came his revelry”.
• The writer almost personifies the money and the storage bags to reveal their importance to the character, “the guineas shone as they came pouring out of the dark leather mouths!”
• The writer ensures the reader understands Silas’ love of his money and how the character has an emotional connection with his possession as if it was a real person – “he loved his guineas best”, “begotten by his labour”, “he loved them all”, “thought fondly of his guineas … as if they had been unborn children”.
• The writer uses a metaphor to reveal the enjoyment Silas gets from his wealth – “bathed his hands in them”.
• The writer uses a simileto show how limited Silas’ life was now that he was only obsessed with his wealth – “his life had shrunk away, like a rivulet … in the barren sand”.

Text A and B

• Both text A and B are solely narrative focusing on description with effective use of adjectives, adverbsand descriptive phrases to create the two characters.
• Both writers use the omniscientnarrator to reveal the characters of Scrooge and Silas through description.
• Text A uses weather (pathetic fallacy) to create character – “no wintry chill could chill him”, “no wind that blew was bitterer than he”. In addition, “pelting rain”, “snow” and “hail” are all used to create the character of Scrooge. Text B uses obsession and actions to create character - “closed his shutters”, “made fast his doors”, “he felt their rounded outline between his thumb and fingers”.
• Text A creates character through the use of harsh diction - “squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching”, “sharp as flint” “cold within him froze”, “shrivelled”, “stiffened”, “thin”. Text B uses diction associated with tenderness and passion - “he loved his guineas best”, “begottenby his labour”, “he loved them all”, “thought fondly of his guineas … as if they had been unborn children”.

Below are some exemplar sentences to help you answer comparison questions. Practising these types of sentences will help you become more confident and organised in your writing.

• Both texts create an air of… through their subject matter.

• Text A begins with… likewise Text B utilises the device of… to create…

• Text A start with… However, Text B differs in how it…

• Both texts use… which engages the reader as…

• Text A is written in the present tense but Text B uses the past tense. The effect of this is that Text A has a sense of immediacy whereas Text B is more reflective.

• Both texts are written in the first person which has the benefit of allowing the reader greater insight to the personal experience.

• The use of third person in both texts allows a broader and more unbiased view of the narrative.

• Text A is plot-driven whereas Text B focuses more on description, using sensory imagery to create an evocative scene for the reader.

• The wide variety of sentence lengths and sentence types in both texts sustain the reader’s interest throughout as each plot hurtles towards its climax.

• Both texts cleverly use punctuation to create an air of suspense. The use of ellipsis and exclamation marks in both (give example) create a tone of mystery.

• The string of questions in Text A lend a sense of uncertainty and confusion, effectively mirroring the character’s turmoil.

• The upbeat tone of Text A is quickly replaced by one of fear when… However, Text B employs a tone of fear from the outset, which is only compounded throughout.

Generally, when faced with a comparison question, in your analysis you should comment on and explain the effect of the following:

• Use of different language types – narrative, descriptive, dialogue
• Past or present tense
• First or third person
• Sentence lengths
• Punctuation used
• Tones (and how they change)
• Think about the author’s intention
• Look at specific vocabulary used including verbs, nouns, adverbs, adjectives
• Use of the senses
• Imagery used – simile, metaphor, personification
• Other devices such as repetition, onomatopoeia, alliteration, anaphora, hyperbole, rule of three, contrast

Remember to:

• Use connectives
• Consider both texts equally
• Give quotations from the passages in your answers
• Analyse/explain the effects of the techniques used
• Refer to the key terms of the question

When writing your answer for comparison questions, the DEAL method can be a useful one to try:

DEAL

Device – Evidence – Analysis – Link (back to question)

• Device: Identify the language technique the writer uses, such as metaphor, simile or vivid imagery; you should be specific, not vague
• Evidence: Provide a quotation from the text to support your point; keep it short and precise
• Analyse: This is the most important part; explain the technique's connotations, its effect on the reader and why the writer chose to use it
• Link: Connect your idea back to the question, the overall effect and the writer's purpose

You may be familiar with other frameworks for analysing texts such as SQuID (Statement, Quote, Infer, Develop), which can also be useful.

You can find more detail on the SQuID method in our page on language and structure (part of Unit 1: Reading to access non-fiction and media texts).