Responding to a non-fiction text - CCEA

The material on this page is designed to help you with revision and preparation for your CCEA GCSE English Language exams. It applies to Unit 1, Section B: Reading to access non-fiction and media texts.

• Unit 1 is assessed by a written exam, worth 30% of your final mark
• There are four tasks (numbered 2, 3, 4 and 5) in Section B of the Unit 1 exam, worth 63 of the 150 marks available
• In tasks two and three, you will be given two extracts from a non-fiction text
• In tasks four and five, you will be given a single media text
• For all four tasks, you will be expected to demonstrate your ability to analyse writers’ language choices, interpret their ideas and explain and evaluate how linguistic, grammatical and structural features are used to influence the reader

You can practice for your English Language GCSE exams with a range of CCEA past papers and mark schemes.

• When answering questions about non-fiction texts, always highlight key parts of the question and pick out useful quotations from the text to support your ideas
• Use the SQuID method to structure your answers: make a Statement, include a Quote, Infer what it means and Develop your point by explaining how it affects the reader
• Longer answers should have an introduction that summarises your opinion, three or four detailed paragraphs and a short conclusion that links back to the question
• When analysing texts, focus on how the writer uses language and structure to get their message across: look out for things such as similes, metaphors and tone
• Keep your quotes short and embed them in your sentences: always explain what effect the writer’s words might have on the reader

Tasks can focus on effectiveness, themes and ideas, how writers have used language, form and structure, or a combination of these.

You will usually need to think about:

• Explicit and implicit information.
• How the writer has used language features.
• How the writer has used structure.
• Comparing two different texts – their methods, audiences and purpose.
• Evaluating texts – to what extent does it achieve its purpose?

Firstly, circle key instructions in the question.

Then, read the text and highlight three to four quotations that will support your answer.

Finally, jot down a brief plan of the points you are going to make in your answer.

In Paper 2, you will answer questions on two different texts. One text will be from the 19th century (pre-1900) the other will be from either the 20th or the 21st century.

KEY FACT: Always keep in mind how much time you have to spend on each question – be strict about this to avoid running out of time on longer questions.

Annotating

The key to planning an answer is to think about what the task is asking you to do. For example, it may ask you to look at a particular idea or viewpoint. Read the text carefully, with the question in mind. Thinking about the question, annotate the extract. Use highlighting or underlining to pick out key parts of the text that you can use in your answer.

You might read the extract a couple of times, focussing on different things as you do. For example, focus on the language used, then the way that the text is structured, then finally how the writer aims to use both of these things to achieve their purpose and influence the reader.

Using coloured pens to annotate different aspects or features might help you to be selective when identifying the evidence needed to answer the question.

Planning an answer

When you’ve read the text carefully and annotated it, then make a plan. Make a bullet point list or a mind map of all the ideas you can think of that are relevant to the question. Link the ideas to specific quotations from the extract.

Select the best points to use. Aim for at least three or four main points, and arrange them in a logical order. Your choice of order should help you to develop your ideas and reach a convincing conclusion.

Write up your points using the SQuID answer framework:

S – Statement:

• Begin with a statement that focuses on the question, eg 'In cities, burglars don’t seem to feel any guilt.'
• Or identifies the method being used, eg 'The writer opens with a short statement…', 'The writer uses similes…', etc.

Qu – Quote:

• Next quote from the text the word or phrase you are analysing, eg “cold-hearted”.

I – Infer:

• Then work out what the use of structure or language implies to you, eg 'The first focus is negative - on burglars who are “cold-hearted” implies that this was a cruel robbery. The adjective “cold” implies icy, with no feelings in their hearts – as hearts suggest emotion.

D – Develop:

• Finally, develop with a comment on the reader’s response, eg 'The reader will feel pity for the victim and angry towards the burglars.'
• If comparing texts you might use this part of your answer to link to the other text, using comparative discourse markers, eg 'by contrast', 'similarly', etc.

The key to a successful answer is focussing on the question.

Short answer questions will ask for specific information – these will not require an introduction or a conclusion.

Longer answers will ask you to be evaluative – these will require an introduction outlining your opinion. You will then support your opinion with quotations and an analysis of the writers’ methods.

The exam will ask you to compare texts from two different times; one will be pre-1900 and the other will be from either the 20th or the 21st century. You should practise the skills of scan reading and summarising key points from the texts to prepare for this.

Use key words from the question to demonstrate your understanding.

Sample questions

Sample question one:

Analyse how the writer uses language and structure to interest and engage readers. Support your views with detailed reference to the text.

This is a very general question, which asks you to look at the technical aspects of the text – language and structure – to see how the writer has used them to appeal to their audience. Here you need to identify features and then explain how these features will interest and engage readers. You need to think about who the audience is, and what the purpose of the text is. As always, you will need to use quotations and examples from the text to support every point you make.

Sample question two:

Read the letter from Henry to his father. How does Henry use language to try to influence his father?

This question also looks at language use in relation to its effect on the reader, except that here the relationship between the writer and the reader is a specific one. Knowing that relationship means that you can infermore things from what the text says – can you tell what kind of a father he is? The word “influence” suggests that the purpose of the text is also key, Henry is trying to achieve something.

Sample question three:

How does the writer use language and structure to make his description of the lesson entertaining?

This question is asking you to focus on a specific part of the text – a description. You need to consider the technical aspects of what writers do (language and structure) to see how the writer achieves his purpose. The question highlights that there are two purposes: to describe and to entertain.

Sample question four:

In these texts school is presented as a challenging place for the pupils. How far do you agree with this statement?

This question is of a different type, it makes a statement about the extracts, which has an interpretation in it. This statement is the focus of the question. You might agree or disagree with it, but must present examples from the text to support either opinion. When planning your answer, you will keep to the idea of “challenging place for pupils”. The word “presented” is important too as it signals that you need to think about all the methods the writers are using to show their ideas. You will need to look at language, structure, tone, and all the other things a writer can use.

It can be useful to think of your longer exam responses as a layered sandwich or burger to make sure you include all the main parts.

Longer answers are needed when you are asked to compare or evaluate one or more non-fiction texts.

A longer answer should include:

1. A brief introduction – which summarises your opinion, signalling the direction that your answer to the question will take.

2. The main body – three or four detailed paragraphs.

3. A short conclusion – which focuses on the question and how the reader is left feeling at the end of the extract and if the writer’s purpose has been achieved.

When you’ve planned your points, and ordered them, it’s time to start writing. Your opening sentence should outline your main argument. The rest of the answer then shows how you've come to that conclusion.

Example

In this article from the 'Comment is free' section of The Guardian newspaper, how successful is Charlie Brooker at persuading us to his point of view on the television show MasterChef?

Have you seen MasterChef? Of course you have, even if you've been trying to avoid it, because it's always there, like the sky or the ground or that skin you're in. MasterChef dominates the schedules like a slow-moving weather system dictating the climate. Your TV's stuck on MasterChef mode. It's not even a TV these days, more a MasterChef display unit. Cooking doesn't get more omnipresent than this.

MasterChef is the best television show in broadcasting history, if you ignore all the other ones, Charlie Brooker (2014)

Suggested introduction

Charlie Brooker is successful at persuading the reader that ‘MasterChef’ has taken over television – and is not to everyone’s taste. He does this through establishing a heavily sarcastic and exaggerated tone.

This introduction:

• specifically answers the question rather than just rephrasing it
• summarises what the text is effective in doing (creating a sarcastic tone)
• prepares to launch into a detailed analysis of structure and language; the following paragraphs should provide evidence to support this initial view

Use each paragraph to make one main point. A paragraph should contain:

• a link to the previous idea
• a statement of the main point in this paragraph
• some evidence from the text to support what you think. This will normally include something on structure and/or language
• a discussion of the quotations, and links to any other possible evidence
• a link back to the question, or to the next point

Start each paragraph with a link to the question, and the point which came immediately before. This way you are able to make a chain between your different paragraphs. Connectives help to show the relationship between them:

• Firstly…
• Secondly…
• On the one hand…
• On the other hand…
• Similarly…
• In contrast…
• However…
• Alternatively…
• Finally…

Example

Staying with Charlie Brooker’s MasterChef article, a student could begin to support their initial opinion by commenting on how the writer’s methods are effective.

The question is:

How successful is Charlie Brooker at persuading us to his point of view on the television show MasterChef?

Have you seen MasterChef? Of course you have, even if you've been trying to avoid it, because it's always there, like the sky or the ground or that skin you're in. MasterChef dominates the schedules like a slow-moving weather system dictating the climate. Your TV's stuck on MasterChef mode. It's not even a TV these days, more a MasterChef display unit. Cooking doesn't get more omnipresent than this.

Masterchef is the best television show in broadcasting history, if you ignore all the other ones, Charlie Brooker (2014)

In their introduction, the student summarised their overall opinion:

Charlie Brooker is successful at persuading the reader that ‘MasterChef’ has taken over television – and is not to everyone’s taste. He does this through establishing a heavily sarcastic and exaggerated tone.

The main body could include points such as:

• Brooker addresses the reader directly with a rhetorical question, “Have you seen MasterChef?” The immediate statement, “Of course you have, even if you’ve been trying to avoid it” implies that you might want to “avoid it” but can’t.
• He uses the rule of three, “like the sky or the ground or that skin you’re in” to emphasise how impossible it is to escape watching MasterChef.
• The simile “like a slow-moving weather system” makes the reader imagine an uncomfortable atmosphere that traps you, like humidity or dark clouds.
• His metaphor suggesting that a TV is “more a MasterChef display unit” exaggerates his point and suggests that nothing else is ever shown.
• The verb “dominates” and adjective“omnipresent” (present everywhere) imply that MasterChef is forceful and inescapable.

All of these points support the view that Brooker is successful in persuading us that MasterChef is not “the best television show in broadcasting history”.

Keep your quotations short and to the point. Using just a few words is more powerful than copying out chunks of text: it shows you are being selective in what you say. You should also be careful to copy accurately. Put the quotation inside your own sentence, rather than sticking it in the middle of a page and then commenting on it. This is called embedding a quotation.

So rather than:

“He flew like a butterfly.” This is an example of a simile, which shows that he was light and graceful.

Or:

The author uses similes, eg “he flew like a butterfly”.

You would write:

The author uses the simile of the boy flying “like a butterfly” to convey the impression that he is light and graceful.

The words from the text are embedded as part of your sentence – the quotation fits into the sentence to form part of it.

When comparing two texts, you should select a quotation from each one to illustrate the similarities or differences that you have identified.

Making the most of quotations

You should make a close analysis of the language or structural features evidenced by the quotation and use that to support your point.

There are several ways you can do this:

• Select a word from the quotation and explore itsconnotations. The connotations of a word are the things or ideas it reminds you of, rather than its literal meaning. For example, the word ‘red’ is literally anadjectiveused to describe the colour of something. But, depending on the context, it could signify embarrassment, eg his face turned red – or a warning, eg it was a red light to her.
• Link sets of words to provide an overview of their effect. For example, the writer could use a specific type ofvocabulary, eg words associated with danger such as ‘treacherous’, ‘deadly’ and ‘threatening’ work together to create anominousatmosphere.
• Use the correct terms to talk about language and structural features, eg metaphor, simile or contrast. However, avoid simply listing features – you must analyse the intended purpose and possible effect on the reader.

To conclude a longer answer, write about the ways in which the extract(s) leave their readers thinking or feeling. Have the writers achieved their purpose? This should also reinforce your introductory statement or answer to the question.

Example

If the question is:

How successful is Charlie Brooker at persuading us to his point of view on the television show MasterChef?

The conclusion could be:

Brooker uses a style of writing that encourages the reader to agree with his viewpoint towards the television show MasterChef. He successfully achieves this through his use of persuasive language and an anecdotal, informal tone to convey his views. The writer appears to have written the extract not only to share his opinion of the television programme, but to cause the reader, even if they are a fan of the show, to question the overbearing presence of shows such as MasterChef in the television schedule. "Dictating the climate" causes the reader to consider whether the television programme is being forced upon the viewer rather than being provided in response to viewer demand. Brooker is clearly writing to evoke a strong reaction in his reader by highlighting the possibility that they themselves could be being manipulated. He concludes with a statement, leaving the readers in no doubt that MasterChef is not "the best television show in broadcasting history".

In your Unit 1 exam paper, Task 5 will ask you to consider the presentational features (sometimes referred to as presentational devices) of a piece of media. The features you should consider are:

• Image
• Colour
• Layout
• Font

Image can be a picture, an illustration or even a logo.

The effect of images can be as follows:

• They can show emotion and create a mood
• They do not require any words yet can communicate a message or tell a story
• Photographs can create a realistic message
• They are the first thing people may notice therefore their impact is important
• They can clarify meaning and be easier to understand

Colour is an important aspect of media texts.

• Colour can create a mood, eg dark colours suggest mystery or negativity, bright colours can suggest joy and positivity
• Colour can be used to highlight key information, while contrasting colours can allow aspects to stand out
• Colour can be symbolic – for example red can suggest danger or love, gold can suggest wealth or luxury, green can represent nature and the environment.

Layout is important to help navigate the text

• Consider what is placed centrally – it will emphasise importance
• Consider the size of images/text
• Text can be laid out in columns or sections making it easier to read
• The use of heading can help summarise and navigate, while the use of bullet points breaks down the information which is easier to read
• Important information is usually larger in size and centrally placed; less important information is smaller and placed at the back/bottom

Font/Text Features

• Font is carefully chosen by the creators of media documents
• Fonts can convey a mood or atmosphere
• Fonts should be clear so they are accessible for the reader
• Font size can indicate important material
• Font effects such as bold, italics and underlining can be used to create visual interest or draw the reader’s attention to key points