Question 3 is the structure question. While Question 2 focuses on the language element of AO2, Question 3 focuses on the structure element of AO2:
|
AO2
Explain, comment on and analyse how writers use language and structure to achieve effects and influence readers, using relevant subject terminology to support their views |
In Question 3, you will be set a question that asks you to comment on the whole of the source text in Section A. The text will always be a prose text from either the 20th or 21st century. You will be asked to consider how the writer has structured the text to interest you as a reader.
If you want to achieve a Grade 9, you should be aiming for a Level 4 response. Below is the AQA mark scheme for each level in Question 3:
| Level |
Skills Descriptors |
|
Level 4
Perceptive, detailed analysis
7–8 marks
|
Shows perceptive and detailed understanding of structural features:
- Analyses the effects of the writer’s choices of structural features
- Selects a range of judicious examples
- Makes sophisticated and accurate use of subject terminology
|
|
Level 3
Clear, relevant explanation
5–6 marks
|
Shows clear understanding of structural features:
- Explains clearly the effects of the writer’s choices of structural features
- Selects a range of relevant examples
- Makes clear and accurate use of subject terminology
|
|
Level 2
Some understanding and comment
3–4 marks
|
Shows some understanding of structural features:
- Attempts to comment on the effect of structural features
- Selects some appropriate examples
- Makes some use of subject terminology, mainly appropriately
|
|
Level 1
Simple, limited comment
1-2 marks
|
Shows simple awareness of structural features:
- Offers simple comment on the effect of structure
- Selects simple reference(s) or example(s)
- Makes simple use of subject terminology, not always appropriately
|
Here is also a more simplified version of the mark scheme:
| Level 1 |
Level 2 |
Level 3 |
Level 4 |
| At Level 1, there will be simple, often generic, comments on the effect of structure |
At Level 2, there will be a genuine attempt to engage with some selected structural features with comments on their effect |
At Level 3 there will be a clear and precise contextualised explanation with several structural devices explored
|
At Level 4 there will be a detailed and perceptive analysis of the writer’s choices of structural features, and an overview of the extract’s structure
|
In order to demonstrate a clear understanding of structural features, the mark scheme asks:
- To see some accurate subject terminology (relating to structure)
- To see relevant exemplification (textual reference)
- To have a clear explanation of the effects of some of the structural features (effect and impact)
The wording of the mark scheme shows a growing hierarchy of skills, with analysis being at the top. To analyse the language of the text effectively, you should be asking three important questions:
| WHAT is the overall effect of the writer’s structural choices with links to the question? |
HOW does the writer achieve this, using accurate subject terminology? |
WHY does that feature of the structure create the effect you have identified? |
