Paper 1: Sections A & B

Paper 1: Section A and B Overview

• Paper 1 includes a directed response question (Section A) and a text analysis question (Section B).

Section A: Directed Response Question

• One task involves reading an extract from Usain Bolt's autobiography, where he describes his first Olympic gold medal in the 100 meters race.
• Another task example involves writing a newspaper report as a journalist at the Olympic 100 meters final described by Usain Bolt, using 150-200 words.
• Additionally, analyzing and comparing the newspaper report with the autobiographical extract, focusing on form, structure, and language.

Section B: Text Analysis Question

• This demands you read an article from the science section of a magazine, discussing whether trees communicate.
• The task is to analyze the text, focusing on its form, structure, and language.

Literary Devices vs. Figures of Speech

• Literary devices encompass literary elements in a work, while figures of speech center on language and style.
• Literary devices are tactics used by authors to create specific effects on their audience.
• Figures of speech, also known as figurative language, include similes, metaphors, and hyperboles.
• Figurative language is a specific type of literary device.

Literary Devices

• Literary devices and figures of speech are tools used by writers to enhance text engagement and effectiveness.
• Literary devices are techniques used to convey meaning, create mood, or evoke emotions and can be structural, linguistic, or thematic.
• Imagery is a technique that uses vivid and descriptive language to create mental images for the reader.
• Symbolism uses objects, characters, or actions to represent abstract ideas or concepts.
• Foreshadowing uses hints or clues to suggest future events in the story.

Figures of Speech

• Figures of speech are specific literary devices using non-literal language for emphasis, humor, or vivid imagery.
• Simile is a comparison between two things using "like" or "as".
• Metaphor is a comparison between two things without using "like" or "as".
• Hyperbole is an exaggeration used to emphasize a point.

Analyzing Text: Genre, Audience, Tone, and Purpose

• Genre examples include speeches, diaries, articles, blogs, advertisements, and letters.
• Audience considerations involve factors like age, maturity, hierarchy, and familiarity.
• Tone can range from formal to informal.
• The purpose could be to persuade, inform, praise, or critique.

Analyzing Text: Form

• Form involves how the text is presented on the page (literally).
• Consider how the text appeals to the audience, its purpose, tone, and register.
• Asses how the text reflects the characteristics/rules of the genre, e.g., addresses in letters.
• Note uses of single line or short sentences, ellipsis, and dialogues.
• Ask what effect the form has on the audience.

Analyzing Text: Structure

• Structure examines how the text fits together like a jigsaw.
• Intro: the hook and title should be catchy.
• Development covers the journey from start to finish in tone/theme.
• Contrast explores juxtaposition between different elements.
• Shifts consider changes in focus or topic, internal/external elements, and public/own thoughts.
• Pace analyzes how quickly the text progresses using paragraph length (fast=short paragraphs, slow=long paragraphs).
• Ending evaluates if it's conclusive, non-conclusive, cyclical, or a call to action.

Analyzing Text: Language

• Language explores the words used to convey ideas.
• Consider lexis (positive or negative connotations, descriptive, elevated, intellectual terms), figures of speech (metaphor, hyperbole, personification), and persuasive techniques.
• Evaluate grammar, syntax, and punctuation, including pronoun usage and discourse markers.

Comparative Analysis Essay Structure

• Introduction paragraph should use Form(compare original text and your text) under heading Genre, Purpose, target audience and tone
• Paragraph 2 should use Structure (compare original text and your text) Length of paragraphs, opening paragraphs, Ending development, contrast, shifts, pace
• Paragraph 3 should use Structure continued…(continue with above prompts)
• Paragraph 4 should use Language used in both texts, Lexis, Figures of speech, persuasive techniques, grammar/syntax and punctuation
• Paragraph 5 should use Language continued…(continue with above prompts)
• Conclusion.

Analyzing Writing Genres

• Analysis involves considering form/genre conventions, structure, and language devices.
• Common genres include advertisements, brochures, leaflets, editorials, news stories, articles, reviews, blogs, investigative journalism, letters, podcasts, biographies, travel writing, diaries, essays, and scripted speech.

Advertisements

• Advertisements aim to promote a product, service, or idea through persuasive writing.
• Conventions include visual elements, catchy slogans, and persuasive language.
• Structure involves a clear headline, short sentences, and a call to action.
• Language uses powerful adjectives, repetition, and rhetorical questions.

Brochures and Leaflets

• They provide information about a product, service, or event.
• Conventions include appealing design, clear language, and informative headings.
• Structure includes a clear introduction, headings, and a concise conclusion.
• Language uses descriptive language, statistics, and rhetorical questions.

Editorials

• Editorials offer commentary and analysis on current events or issues.
• Conventions: includes a clear viewpoint, persuasive language, and evidence/facts.
• Structure: includes a clear introduction, supporting evidence, and a concise conclusion.
• Language: includes persuasive language, rhetorical questions, and vivid imagery.

News Stories

• Aim to provide objective and factual information about current events.
• Conventions: clear headline, lead paragraph, and inverted pyramid structure.
• Structure: introduction, quotes, and conclusion.
• Language: neutral, objective, direct quotes, and adverbs/adjectives for clarity.

Articles

• Can range from features to opinion pieces, which requires distinct viewpoints, evidence, and engagement through storytelling.
• Use clear introductions, headings, and conclusions to break up content.
• Language: includes persuasive language, rhetorical questions, and storytelling.

Reviews

• Provide an evaluation or critique of a product, service, or experience that Includes a summarized evaluation, specific details, and a distinct perspective.
• Use descriptive language and highlight strengths/weaknesses through comparison and contrasts and rhetorical questions to make the review relatable.

Blogs

• Blogs cover a wide range of topics and styles, requires a distinct voice.
• Use multimedia and reader feedback.
• Include a clear introduction, headings, and conclusion withconversational style and hyperlinks.

Investigative Journalism

• Investigative journalism involves in-depth research to uncover information, which requires credible sources, investigative techniques, and strong narrative.
• Provide clear introductions, chronological structure, and conclusions with formal language, direct quotes, and imagery.

Letters

• Letters are used for personal or public opinion that requires a clear salutation and closing;
• Use a conversational tone, rhetorical questions, anecdotes;
• Provide a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.

Podcasts

• Podcasts create intimacy and engages the listener.
• Use a consistent format, conversational tone and sound effects/music.
• Feature engaging introductions, transitions, and well-structured segments.

(Auto)biographies

• (Auto)biographies tell the story of someone’s life that creates intimacy with the reader.
• Use a chronological structure, first-person perspective in autobiographies and a third-person perspective in biographies and a reflective tone.
• Feature an introduction, reflection and providing insights into the subjects legacy.

Travel Writing

• Travel writing describes experiences while visiting different places and creates a sense of place and atmosphere.
• Use the writers personal anecdotes and cultural observations, vivid descriptions and comparisons.
• Create introductions, detailed descriptions, and summarized conclusions with a chatty, informal tone.

Diaries

• Diaries record personal thoughts requires first-person, dated entries.
• Use personal reflection, different tones and styles depending on emotions, detailed descriptions, imagery, symbolism;
• Create chronological events of records with a brief summary of the days events.

Essays

• Essays present a writer’s argument or point of view in a logical and requires clear thesis, evidence, and counterarguments.
• use form language and rhetorical questions to credibly engage with the reader.
• Features introductions, body paragraphs, and conclusions.

Scripted Speech

• Scripted speech is written language intended to be spoken aloud, like speeches.
• Use figurative language, repetition, humor;
• Incorporate dialogue, stage directions, and characterization.
• Feature engaging introductions, body paragraphs, and conclusions to summarize main points.

Narrative Writing

• Narrative writing tells a story, which requires character development.
• Structure the settings with sensory details and unique points of view.
• Create introductions, a climax, and concluded outcomes to the remaining elements.

Descriptive Writing

• Descriptive writing refers to writing that describes a person, place, or thing
• Use logical progressions of details that build a picture.
• include detailed descriptions, vivid sensory details and conclusions to summarise your discription.

Examples- Literary Devices, Figurative Language, and Structural Elements

Advertisements

• Repetition, Pathos, Logos, Ethos which all feature catchy slogas, jingles and taglines from catchy visuals.

Brochures/Leaflets

• Use an enticing cover with imagery that uses personification, hyperbole, and metaphor.
• Bold headings, bullet points, infographics.

Editorials

• Use rhetorical questions, allusion, irony with opinionated tones a clear agreement and call to action.

News Stories

• Use literary components of quotations, foreshadowing and literary elements in a journalistic style.
• Accuracy and balance in all objective points to create an inverted pyramid sturcture and headlines.

Articles

• Use components such as anecdotes, allusions and statistics that uses a metaphor as a simile with personification to create well developed arguments in the introduction and body.

Reviews

• Use personal language and questions in an opinionated tone and adjectives.
• Use star ratings detailed summaries, factual descriptions and evidence to support that.

Letters

• Allude to themes, metaphors and symbolism in the body of the text to set the tone of the scene.

Podcasts

• Foreshadowing, flashbacks, metaphors and similes with sound effects and well structured segments to the scene.

(Auto)biographies

• Imagery, flashbacks and metaphors of events through personal and chronological ways.

Travel writing

• Vivid imagery, metaphore and personification to creat a personal experience and conclusion.

Blogs

• Use illusion through list, hyperlinks and subheadings to create meaning.

Investigative journalism

• Use foreshadowing, irony and humor use chronology ad direct quotes to illustrate components in chronological order and create a timeline.