Paper 2: How to Answer Question 3 (AQA GCSE English Language): Revision Notes

Paper 2: How to Answer Question 3

What is it asking?

• The question asks you to explore how the writer uses language to achieve a certain effect and influence writers

Timings

It is important to plan your answer before writing, to ensure that you are using relevant quotes that allow for developed chains of analysis

Marks	Timings
[12]	15-20 minutes

Structure

• 3 paragraphs, with at least one quote in each Paragraph structure:

Structure	Explanation	Example
Point	answer the question in one sentence by focusing on the writer's use of language	In the passage the writer establishes ________ in their depiction of…
Evidence	find a relevant quote and explain the context in which the quotation appears	This is evident in the description of…
Analysis	zoom into the connotations of certain words and the effects of certain techniques	There are positive connotations from the use of…
Development	explain how this relates to the particular context of the passage. Go into more detail into its impact, what tone is created and perhaps support your point further with another quotation which you analyse	In this way, there is a clear suggestion that…because…
Link	how does this relate to the question?	This further emphasises how…
Effect	WHY do you think the writer is doing this?	It could be suggested that…

Language techniques

Evocative / Descriptive Phrases

Language which brings strong memories or images to mind.

Term	Description	Examples
Noun	Thing (a noun phrase is a phrase which functions as a noun).	"The tall, good looking teacher"
Adjectives	Words which describe a noun (pre-modifying = comes before the noun).	"blue," "dark," "hard"
Adverbs	Words which describe a verb/adjective.	"quickly," "brightly"
Semantic Fields	Words related to a particular topic.	The semantic field of football: "Beckham," "Ronaldo," "boot"
Connotations	What we associate with a particular word.	The colour black often has negative connotations.

Types of Verbs

Type of Verb	Description	Examples
Stative Verb	A word which represents doing something mental.	"think," "ponder," "wonder"
Active Verb	A word which represents a physical action.	"run," "jump," "fly"
Modal Verbs		"should," "would," "could," "might," "can," "will"
Imperative Verbs	Orders.	"Shut up!"
Transitive Verb	Allows the subject to perform an action on an object.	"She slapped his face."
Intransitive Verb	An intransitive verb acts by itself.	"I sleep."
Subjunctive Verb	Expresses something desired or imagined.	"I wish I wasn't in Mr. Forster's class."

Literary Devices and Figurative Language

Term	Description	Examples
Similes	Comparisons using "like" or "as".	"His eyes were like shining stars."
Metaphors	Direct comparisons without using "like" or "as".	"His eyes were shining stars."
Personification	Giving human characteristics to an object.	"The wind screamed."
Emotive Language	Language meant to provoke a reaction.
Alliteration	Repetition of the same initial consonant sounds. (Sibilance: 's' sounds / Plosives: 'p' or 'b' sounds).	"Angry ants."
Assonance	Repeated vowel sounds.	"The dolphin torn, the gong tormented sea."
Consonance	Repeated consonant sounds.	"The stuttering rifles' rapid rattle."
Plosives	Repetition of 'p' or 'b' sounds.
Sibilance	Repetition of 's' sounds.
Onomatopoeia	Words that sound like their meaning.	"Bang!"
Hyperbole	Exaggeration for effect.
Triadic Structures	Using three adjectives to describe something.	"He was tall, fat and sweaty."
Symbolism	Using an object to represent an abstract idea, emotion, or theme.
Irony	Expressing something different from and often opposite to the literal meaning, or the incongruity between what is expected and what actually occurs.
Rhetorical Questions	Questions asked for effect.
Allusion	A short reference to a person, event, other novel, etc.