Author
Kate LeeExpertise
English and Language Lead
The best way to improve any essay is to know how you are assessed, and what skills you are being assessed on. This page has been created to give you a sense of what examiners are looking for in a full-mark response. It contains:
In part (a) of Section A, you are required to analyse a short extract (approximately 400 words) from your 19th-century novel in close detail. You should only refer to the extract in this part of the question. For part (a) the only assessment objective is AO2, which requires you to analyse the ways in which the writer has used language, form and structure to shape meaning.
It is crucial that you have a thorough understanding of the Edexcel GCSE English Literature mark scheme because, once you do, you will know exactly what you are being assessed on and how to improve.
For part (a) AO2 is the only assessment objective. Therefore the weighting for this question is:
Here is a simple version of the Edexcel mark scheme for the 19th-century novel part (a) question.
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AO2 |
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What makes a Level 5 answer?
The following task is taken from the May 2018 Edexcel GCSE English Literature Paper 2, and is based on A Christmas Carol. However, the commentary is designed to highlight how to structure your response and integrate all aspects of the assessment objectives, and therefore the model could be applied to any of the 19th-century novels.
A close reading is an in-depth, careful analysis of a short extract. In part (a) you are required to give a mеticulous and in-dеpth analysis of thе languagе, form and structure usеd in thе extract from the novel you have studied.
The illustration below shows an example of how you might start annotating the extract.
We will now explore how you can create an informed and coherent argument using an example of a question from Section A. First, let’s read through the question below:
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Question: Explore how Dickens presents Scrooge’s happiness in this extract. Give examples from the extract to support your ideas. |
When structuring your essay, the most important thing to do is to have a clear introductory sentence (also known as a “topic sentence”) at the beginning of every paragraph. This topic sentence must make one clear point that is directly related to the focus of the question. Here are a couple of great topic sentences that explore how Dickens presents Scrooge’s happiness.
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Question focus |
How Dickens presents Scrooge’s happiness |
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Topic sentence |
Dickens uses a series of clichéd similes to convey the depth of Scrooge’s happiness and excitement. |
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Topic sentence |
In the final paragraph, Dickens portrays Scrooge as breathless to show that his happiness is so extreme that it is physically overwhelming. |
When writing the rest of your paragraph, all your points then should relate to your topic sentence. It is also a great idea to maintain a focus on the key term of the question (here, “happiness”) throughout your argument.
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Question focus |
How Dickens presents Scrooge’s happiness |
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Topic sentence |
In this extract, Dickens uses a series of clichéd similes to convey the depth of Scrooge’s happiness and excitement. |
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Analysis |
Scrooge describes himself as “light as a feather”, “happy as an angel”, “merry as a school-boy” and “giddy as a drunken man”. The use of clichéd language adds humour to the extract while also demonstrating the exuberance of Scrooge’s happiness. Scrooge’s happiness is also conveyed by the growing intensity of his laugh and the triplet: “splendid laugh”, “illustrious laugh”, “The father of a long, long line of brilliant laughs!” This is used to signify the escalating intensity and magnitude of his joy. |
Below you will find a full-mark, Grade 9 model answer for Section A part (a). The commentary labelled in each section of the essay illustrates how and why it would be awarded Grade 9. Despite the fact it is an answer to a question on A Christmas Carol, the commentary is relevant to any of the novels, because it is modelling how to structure an answer to achieve the highest marks for AO2:
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Dickens presents Scrooge’s happiness throughout the extract through different devices such as his use of exclamatory sentences, clichéd similes and active verbs. Scrooge’s happiness and excitement is evident through his use of exclamatory sentences: “Yes!’, ‘… to make amends in!” Furthermore, repeated phrases and listing techniques underscore Scrooge’s relief and happiness. The repetition of phrases such as “The bed was his own, the room was his own … Time before him was his own” convey his incredulity at the reality of his good fortune. Moreover, Dickens uses active verbs to amplify the sense of urgency and immediacy with which Scrooge responds to his realisation that he still has time to change. Words such as “scrambled” and “fluttered” depict the rapidity with which Scrooge springs into action. This demonstrates that he is now propelled by a newfound sense of purpose and determination. Scrooge’s jubilant state of mind is also evident through the repeated use of the verbs “frisked” and “frisking”. Further, Dickens also uses verb tenses and modal verbs (“They are not torn down”, “They are here”, “They will be”) to convey Scrooge’s determination to change: he is now fully aware of his past, present and future. Dickens presents Scrooge as so happy that he struggles to dress himself properly. This is conveyed through a range of verbs, present participles and listing of his chaotic efforts which further reveal his excitement: “turning”, “putting”, “tearing”, “mislaying”, “making”. For example, he is described as “turning” his garments inside out, “putting” them on upside down, “tearing” them in haste and “mislaying” items in his excitement. This flurry of activity reflects Scrooge’s inability to contain his joy. The listing of his actions serves to illustrate the energy and chaotic nature of his efforts, which signifies the depth of his happiness and excitement. In this extract, Dickens uses a series of clichéd similes to convey the depth of Scrooge’s happiness and excitement. Scrooge describes himself as “light as a feather”, “happy as an angel”, “merry as a school-boy” and “giddy as a drunken man”. The use of clichéd language adds humour to the extract while also demonstrating the exuberance of Scrooge’s happiness. Scrooge’s happiness is also conveyed by the growing intensity of his laugh and the triplet: “splendid laugh”, “illustrious laugh”, “The father of a long, long line of brilliant laughs!” This is used to signify the escalating intensity and magnitude of his joy. In the final paragraph, Dickens portrays Scrooge as breathless to show that his happiness is so extreme that it is physically overwhelming. This is portrayed through his use of short sentences and exclamations which also creates a humourous effect: “I’m quite a baby. Never mind. I don’t care. I’d rather be a baby. Hallo! Whoop! Hallo here!” The allusion to “glowing” imbues his character with an almost divine presence and his declaration that he is “quite a baby” symbolises the joy of his rebirth. In summary, Dickens presents Scrooge’s happiness throughout the extract through different devices and they convey his joy at being given the opportunity for redemption. |
Commentary:
to absolutely everything:
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Kate has over 12 years of teaching experience as a Head of English and as a private tutor. Having also worked at the exam board AQA and in educational publishing, she's been writing educational resources to support learners in their exams throughout her career. She's passionate about helping students achieve their potential by developing their literacy and exam skills.