English A: Language & Literature HL

1. 1.

   Text A (a workplace poster): 'TIRED? So is everyone. Take the stairs. Grab water. Push through.' Text B (a personal blog post): 'I used to wear my exhaustion like a badge of honour. Four hours of sleep, three coffees, a full day of meetings — and I called it dedication. It took a health scare to make me stop and ask: dedication to what, exactly?' (a) Identify the primary purpose of each text. (b) Compare the tone of Text A with the tone of Text B, referring to specific language choices in each. (c) Explain how the intended audience shapes the very different structural choices (a list of commands versus a reflective narrative) in each text.

   [5 marks] · no calculator

   Marking points

   • Identifies Text A's purpose as brisk workplace motivation to push through tiredness, and Text B's purpose as personal reflection on a past attitude.
   • Compares tone using specific evidence from Text A, such as the clipped imperative commands creating a brisk, dismissive tone toward tiredness.
   • Compares tone using specific evidence from Text B, such as the confessional, questioning final line creating an introspective, more vulnerable tone.
   • Explains that Text A's list-like commands suit a quickly-read public/workplace audience needing an immediate prompt.
   • Explains that Text B's reflective narrative suits an audience seeking a more personal, developed account, allowing an argument to unfold rather than an instruction to be issued.

   Examiner tip: At HL, always compare both unseen texts against each other explicitly; describing them one after another without direct comparison loses the comparative dimension the question asks for.

2. 2.

   Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Text A (a workplace poster): 'TIRED? So is everyone. Take the stairs. Grab water. Push through.' Text B (a personal blog post): 'I used to wear my exhaustion like a badge of honour. Four hours of sleep, three coffees, a full day of meetings — and I called it dedication. It took a health scare to make me stop and ask: dedication to what, exactly?' (a) Identify the primary purpose of each text. (b) Compare the tone of Text A with the tone of Text B, referring to specific language choices in each. (c) Explain how the intended audience shapes the very different structural choices (a list of commands versus a reflective narrative) in each text.” Their response addresses only this point: “Identifies Text A's purpose as brisk workplace motivation to push through tiredness, and Text B's purpose as personal reflection on a past attitude.” Evaluate the response against the complete 5-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks.

   [5 marks] · no calculator

   Marking points

   • Recognises credit for the stated point: Identifies Text A's purpose as brisk workplace motivation to push through tiredness, and Text B's purpose as personal reflection on a past attitude.
   • Identifies the missing requirement: Compares tone using specific evidence from Text A, such as the clipped imperative commands creating a brisk, dismissive tone toward tiredness.
   • Identifies the missing requirement: Compares tone using specific evidence from Text B, such as the confessional, questioning final line creating an introspective, more vulnerable tone.
   • Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that Text A's list-like commands suit a quickly-read public/workplace audience needing an immediate prompt.
   • Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that Text B's reflective narrative suits an audience seeking a more personal, developed account, allowing an argument to unfold rather than an instruction to be issued.

   Examiner tip: Treat each marking point as a separate requirement. Do not award the same idea twice, and do not infer work the learner did not show.

3. 3.

   Read this excerpt from an opinion column: 'We keep asking why young people don't vote. Perhaps we should ask a different question: why should they, when so few of the choices on the ballot were designed with their future in mind?' (a) Identify the rhetorical technique used in reframing the question. (b) Explain the effect of this technique on the reader. (c) Identify the likely intended audience for this text.

   [4 marks] · no calculator

   Marking points

   • Identifies the technique as a rhetorical question (reframing/re-questioning).
   • Explains that shifting from 'why don't they vote' to 'why should they' reverses the assumed blame, placing responsibility on the system rather than young voters.
   • Explains that this challenges the reader's initial assumption and prompts reconsideration of the issue.
   • Identifies a plausible audience, such as general newspaper readers, policymakers, or an audience already engaged in political discussion.

   Examiner tip: Name the specific rhetorical device before explaining its effect — 'this makes the reader think' is not sufficient without identifying how the language achieves that.

4. 4.

   Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Read this excerpt from an opinion column: 'We keep asking why young people don't vote. Perhaps we should ask a different question: why should they, when so few of the choices on the ballot were designed with their future in mind?' (a) Identify the rhetorical technique used in reframing the question. (b) Explain the effect of this technique on the reader. (c) Identify the likely intended audience for this text.” Their response addresses only this point: “Identifies the technique as a rhetorical question (reframing/re-questioning).” Evaluate the response against the complete 4-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks.

   [4 marks] · no calculator

   Marking points

   • Recognises credit for the stated point: Identifies the technique as a rhetorical question (reframing/re-questioning).
   • Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that shifting from 'why don't they vote' to 'why should they' reverses the assumed blame, placing responsibility on the system rather than young voters.
   • Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that this challenges the reader's initial assumption and prompts reconsideration of the issue.
   • Identifies the missing requirement: Identifies a plausible audience, such as general newspaper readers, policymakers, or an audience already engaged in political discussion.

   Examiner tip: Treat each marking point as a separate requirement. Do not award the same idea twice, and do not infer work the learner did not show.

5. 5.

   Text C (an infographic caption): 'Recycling in 3 steps: Sort it. Clean it. Bin it.' Text D (an excerpt from a formal letter to residents): 'We are writing to inform residents that, following a review of local recycling practices, the council will introduce revised sorting guidelines from next month. Residents are kindly requested to familiarise themselves with the attached guidance.' (a) Compare the level of formality in Text C and Text D, referring to specific vocabulary or sentence structure choices. (b) Explain how each text's structure (a numbered list versus formal prose) reflects its different communicative purpose.

   [5 marks] · no calculator

   Marking points

   • Compares formality using specific evidence from Text C, such as the short imperative commands and informal, punchy phrasing.
   • Compares formality using specific evidence from Text D, such as formal register markers like 'We are writing to inform' and 'kindly requested'.
   • Explains that Text C's numbered list suits a quick, at-a-glance instructional purpose aimed at immediate action.
   • Explains that Text D's formal prose suits an official notification purpose, needing to convey authority and complete information.
   • Draws an explicit comparative conclusion about how communicative purpose (quick instruction versus formal notice) drives the difference in structure between the two texts.

   Examiner tip: Comparative structural analysis should end with an explicit statement of what the comparison reveals, not just two separate descriptions placed side by side.

6. 6.

   Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Text C (an infographic caption): 'Recycling in 3 steps: Sort it. Clean it. Bin it.' Text D (an excerpt from a formal letter to residents): 'We are writing to inform residents that, following a review of local recycling practices, the council will introduce revised sorting guidelines from next month. Residents are kindly requested to familiarise themselves with the attached guidance.' (a) Compare the level of formality in Text C and Text D, referring to specific vocabulary or sentence structure choices. (b) Explain how each text's structure (a numbered list versus formal prose) reflects its different communicative purpose.” Their response addresses only this point: “Compares formality using specific evidence from Text C, such as the short imperative commands and informal, punchy phrasing.” Evaluate the response against the complete 5-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks.

   [5 marks] · no calculator

   Marking points

   • Recognises credit for the stated point: Compares formality using specific evidence from Text C, such as the short imperative commands and informal, punchy phrasing.
   • Identifies the missing requirement: Compares formality using specific evidence from Text D, such as formal register markers like 'We are writing to inform' and 'kindly requested'.
   • Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that Text C's numbered list suits a quick, at-a-glance instructional purpose aimed at immediate action.
   • Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that Text D's formal prose suits an official notification purpose, needing to convey authority and complete information.
   • Identifies the missing requirement: Draws an explicit comparative conclusion about how communicative purpose (quick instruction versus formal notice) drives the difference in structure between the two texts.

   Examiner tip: Treat each marking point as a separate requirement. Do not award the same idea twice, and do not infer work the learner did not show.

7. 7.

   Text E (a charity appeal speech): 'I met a boy last week who has never once slept through the night without hunger waking him. Just one boy. Multiply him by four million, and you have the crisis we are asking you to help solve tonight.' Text F (a policy briefing): 'Current estimates indicate that approximately four million children in the region experience chronic food insecurity, a figure derived from cross-referenced household survey data collected over the past fiscal year.' (a) Compare the persuasive strategy used in each text to convey the same statistic. (b) Explain why Text E's strategy might be more effective at prompting an immediate emotional response, while Text F's might be more effective at persuading a sceptical, data-focused audience.

   [5 marks] · no calculator

   Marking points

   • Compares Text E's use of a single, personalised anecdote ('a boy') scaled up to the full statistic, appealing to pathos.
   • Compares Text F's use of formal, technical, sourced language ('cross-referenced household survey data'), appealing to logos/credibility.
   • Explains that personalising a large number through one relatable individual makes an abstract statistic emotionally vivid and memorable, which is effective for prompting immediate action or donation.
   • Explains that a sceptical or data-focused audience may distrust an emotionally framed single anecdote as unrepresentative, and would instead find the methodological detail in Text F more convincing evidence of a genuine, verified pattern.
   • Concludes that the same underlying statistic can be rhetorically packaged in fundamentally different ways depending on the intended audience and desired effect.

   Examiner tip: Pathos (personal, emotional) and logos (data-driven, technical) are often used to convey the exact same underlying fact — always identify which appeal a text relies on before evaluating its likely effectiveness on a given audience.

8. 8.

   Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Text E (a charity appeal speech): 'I met a boy last week who has never once slept through the night without hunger waking him. Just one boy. Multiply him by four million, and you have the crisis we are asking you to help solve tonight.' Text F (a policy briefing): 'Current estimates indicate that approximately four million children in the region experience chronic food insecurity, a figure derived from cross-referenced household survey data collected over the past fiscal year.' (a) Compare the persuasive strategy used in each text to convey the same statistic. (b) Explain why Text E's strategy might be more effective at prompting an immediate emotional response, while Text F's might be more effective at persuading a sceptical, data-focused audience.” Their response addresses only this point: “Compares Text E's use of a single, personalised anecdote ('a boy') scaled up to the full statistic, appealing to pathos.” Evaluate the response against the complete 5-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks.

   [5 marks] · no calculator

   Marking points

   • Recognises credit for the stated point: Compares Text E's use of a single, personalised anecdote ('a boy') scaled up to the full statistic, appealing to pathos.
   • Identifies the missing requirement: Compares Text F's use of formal, technical, sourced language ('cross-referenced household survey data'), appealing to logos/credibility.
   • Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that personalising a large number through one relatable individual makes an abstract statistic emotionally vivid and memorable, which is effective for prompting immediate action or donation.
   • Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that a sceptical or data-focused audience may distrust an emotionally framed single anecdote as unrepresentative, and would instead find the methodological detail in Text F more convincing evidence of a genuine, verified pattern.
   • Identifies the missing requirement: Concludes that the same underlying statistic can be rhetorically packaged in fundamentally different ways depending on the intended audience and desired effect.

   Examiner tip: Treat each marking point as a separate requirement. Do not award the same idea twice, and do not infer work the learner did not show.

9. 9.

   Text G (a text message): 'hey so sorry but can't make it 2nite, something came up, raincheck?' Text H (a formal email on the same situation): 'Dear Ms. Ahmed, I regret to inform you that I am unable to attend this evening's meeting due to an unforeseen personal matter. I would be grateful for the opportunity to reschedule at your earliest convenience.' (a) Compare the register of the two texts. (b) Explain what the choice of medium (text message versus email) suggests about the writer's assumed relationship with each recipient.

   [3 marks] · no calculator

   Marking points

   • Compares Text G's informal register (abbreviations, lowercase, casual phrasing 'raincheck?') with Text H's formal register (full salutation, complete sentences, polite formal phrasing 'I regret to inform you').
   • Explains that the casual text message suggests a close, informal relationship (such as friends) where social distance is low and brevity is acceptable.
   • Explains that the formal email suggests a professional or hierarchical relationship where politeness conventions and full explanation are expected to maintain respect and professionalism.

   Examiner tip: Register is chosen based on the writer's perceived relationship with, and social distance from, the reader — always connect a specific register feature to what it implies about that relationship.

10. 10.

    Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Text G (a text message): 'hey so sorry but can't make it 2nite, something came up, raincheck?' Text H (a formal email on the same situation): 'Dear Ms. Ahmed, I regret to inform you that I am unable to attend this evening's meeting due to an unforeseen personal matter. I would be grateful for the opportunity to reschedule at your earliest convenience.' (a) Compare the register of the two texts. (b) Explain what the choice of medium (text message versus email) suggests about the writer's assumed relationship with each recipient.” Their response addresses only this point: “Compares Text G's informal register (abbreviations, lowercase, casual phrasing 'raincheck?') with Text H's formal register (full salutation, complete sentences, polite formal phrasing 'I regret to inform you').” Evaluate the response against the complete 3-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks.

    [3 marks] · no calculator

    Marking points

    • Recognises credit for the stated point: Compares Text G's informal register (abbreviations, lowercase, casual phrasing 'raincheck?') with Text H's formal register (full salutation, complete sentences, polite formal phrasing 'I regret to inform you').
    • Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that the casual text message suggests a close, informal relationship (such as friends) where social distance is low and brevity is acceptable.
    • Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that the formal email suggests a professional or hierarchical relationship where politeness conventions and full explanation are expected to maintain respect and professionalism.

    Examiner tip: Treat each marking point as a separate requirement. Do not award the same idea twice, and do not infer work the learner did not show.

11. 11.

    Text I (a professional film critic's review): 'The film's languid pacing, while initially testing patience, ultimately serves its meditation on grief with quiet precision.' Text J (an amateur online review of the same film): 'ngl this movie was SO SLOW. like nothing happens for an hour. beautiful shots tho, I'll give it that.' (a) Compare how each reviewer establishes their authority or credibility. (b) Explain how each text's register reflects the different platform each was likely written for.

    [4 marks] · no calculator

    Marking points

    • Compares Text I's authority, established through sophisticated vocabulary ('languid pacing', 'meditation on grief') and a balanced, considered structure (acknowledging a flaw before praising its purpose).
    • Compares Text J's more casual credibility, established through blunt, relatable, first-impression language ('SO SLOW', 'ngl') that signals authenticity rather than formal expertise.
    • Explains that Text I's formal, analytical register suits a professional publication read by an audience expecting critical expertise.
    • Explains that Text J's informal, emphatic register (capitalisation for emphasis, casual abbreviations) suits an online platform where authenticity and quick, relatable reactions are valued over formal analysis.

    Examiner tip: Authority can be built through formal expertise-signalling language or through informal, relatable authenticity — both are legitimate persuasive strategies suited to different platforms and audiences.

12. 12.

    Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Text I (a professional film critic's review): 'The film's languid pacing, while initially testing patience, ultimately serves its meditation on grief with quiet precision.' Text J (an amateur online review of the same film): 'ngl this movie was SO SLOW. like nothing happens for an hour. beautiful shots tho, I'll give it that.' (a) Compare how each reviewer establishes their authority or credibility. (b) Explain how each text's register reflects the different platform each was likely written for.” Their response addresses only this point: “Compares Text I's authority, established through sophisticated vocabulary ('languid pacing', 'meditation on grief') and a balanced, considered structure (acknowledging a flaw before praising its purpose).” Evaluate the response against the complete 4-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks.

    [4 marks] · no calculator

    Marking points

    • Recognises credit for the stated point: Compares Text I's authority, established through sophisticated vocabulary ('languid pacing', 'meditation on grief') and a balanced, considered structure (acknowledging a flaw before praising its purpose).
    • Identifies the missing requirement: Compares Text J's more casual credibility, established through blunt, relatable, first-impression language ('SO SLOW', 'ngl') that signals authenticity rather than formal expertise.
    • Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that Text I's formal, analytical register suits a professional publication read by an audience expecting critical expertise.
    • Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that Text J's informal, emphatic register (capitalisation for emphasis, casual abbreviations) suits an online platform where authenticity and quick, relatable reactions are valued over formal analysis.

    Examiner tip: Treat each marking point as a separate requirement. Do not award the same idea twice, and do not infer work the learner did not show.

13. 13.

    Text K (an opinion column excerpt on traffic congestion): 'Our city's leaders have had a decade to fix this crisis. A decade of promises, a decade of delays, and a decade of gridlock.' Text L (a satirical cartoon caption on the same issue, describing a drawing of a snail overtaking a row of stationary cars): 'Rush hour: still faster on foot.' (a) Compare the persuasive mode used in each text to criticise the same issue. (b) Explain why humour might succeed in reaching an audience that a direct, serious argument like Text K might fail to persuade.

    [4 marks] · no calculator

    Marking points

    • Compares Text K's direct, serious mode, using repetition ('a decade of...') to build a formal, escalating argument about accountability.
    • Compares Text L's indirect, satirical mode, using absurd visual exaggeration (a snail overtaking cars) and understatement in the caption to mock the same failure through humour.
    • Explains that humour can lower a reader's defensiveness and make a critical message feel less confrontational, potentially reaching readers who would dismiss or resist a more direct, serious accusation.
    • Explains that the shared underlying criticism (chronic traffic failure) is identical in both texts, showing that persuasive mode, not content, is the key point of comparison.

    Examiner tip: Satire and direct argument can deliver the identical underlying criticism — the interesting comparative point is always how the chosen mode changes the reader's likely reception of that same message.

14. 14.

    Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Text K (an opinion column excerpt on traffic congestion): 'Our city's leaders have had a decade to fix this crisis. A decade of promises, a decade of delays, and a decade of gridlock.' Text L (a satirical cartoon caption on the same issue, describing a drawing of a snail overtaking a row of stationary cars): 'Rush hour: still faster on foot.' (a) Compare the persuasive mode used in each text to criticise the same issue. (b) Explain why humour might succeed in reaching an audience that a direct, serious argument like Text K might fail to persuade.” Their response addresses only this point: “Compares Text K's direct, serious mode, using repetition ('a decade of...') to build a formal, escalating argument about accountability.” Evaluate the response against the complete 4-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks.

    [4 marks] · no calculator

    Marking points

    • Recognises credit for the stated point: Compares Text K's direct, serious mode, using repetition ('a decade of...') to build a formal, escalating argument about accountability.
    • Identifies the missing requirement: Compares Text L's indirect, satirical mode, using absurd visual exaggeration (a snail overtaking cars) and understatement in the caption to mock the same failure through humour.
    • Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that humour can lower a reader's defensiveness and make a critical message feel less confrontational, potentially reaching readers who would dismiss or resist a more direct, serious accusation.
    • Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that the shared underlying criticism (chronic traffic failure) is identical in both texts, showing that persuasive mode, not content, is the key point of comparison.

    Examiner tip: Treat each marking point as a separate requirement. Do not award the same idea twice, and do not infer work the learner did not show.

15. 15.

    Text M (an advertisement for a luxury watch): 'Time, mastered. Hand-finished in Switzerland by artisans who measure success in decades, not seasons.' Text N (an advertisement for a budget watch): 'Tells time. Doesn't break the bank. What more do you need?' (a) Compare how each advertisement constructs its appeal to a different target audience. (b) Explain how the sentence structure in each text (elaborate versus clipped) reinforces the brand identity being constructed.

    [4 marks] · no calculator

    Marking points

    • Compares Text M's appeal to prestige, heritage, and exclusivity ('hand-finished', 'artisans'), targeting an audience motivated by status and craftsmanship.
    • Compares Text N's appeal to practicality and value ('doesn't break the bank'), targeting a budget-conscious audience motivated by function over status.
    • Explains that Text M's longer, more elaborate sentence structure mirrors the unhurried, deliberate craftsmanship it claims to sell, reinforcing an image of patient luxury.
    • Explains that Text N's short, blunt sentences mirror the brand's claimed simplicity and no-nonsense practicality, reinforcing an image of efficient value.

    Examiner tip: Sentence structure itself can be a brand-building device — a text's syntax often mirrors the exact identity or value proposition the advertisement is trying to sell.

16. 16.

    Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Text M (an advertisement for a luxury watch): 'Time, mastered. Hand-finished in Switzerland by artisans who measure success in decades, not seasons.' Text N (an advertisement for a budget watch): 'Tells time. Doesn't break the bank. What more do you need?' (a) Compare how each advertisement constructs its appeal to a different target audience. (b) Explain how the sentence structure in each text (elaborate versus clipped) reinforces the brand identity being constructed.” Their response addresses only this point: “Compares Text M's appeal to prestige, heritage, and exclusivity ('hand-finished', 'artisans'), targeting an audience motivated by status and craftsmanship.” Evaluate the response against the complete 4-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks.

    [4 marks] · no calculator

    Marking points

    • Recognises credit for the stated point: Compares Text M's appeal to prestige, heritage, and exclusivity ('hand-finished', 'artisans'), targeting an audience motivated by status and craftsmanship.
    • Identifies the missing requirement: Compares Text N's appeal to practicality and value ('doesn't break the bank'), targeting a budget-conscious audience motivated by function over status.
    • Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that Text M's longer, more elaborate sentence structure mirrors the unhurried, deliberate craftsmanship it claims to sell, reinforcing an image of patient luxury.
    • Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that Text N's short, blunt sentences mirror the brand's claimed simplicity and no-nonsense practicality, reinforcing an image of efficient value.

    Examiner tip: Treat each marking point as a separate requirement. Do not award the same idea twice, and do not infer work the learner did not show.

17. 17.

    Text O (a private diary entry): 'Another sleepless night. I keep replaying the vote in my head, wondering if I said enough, did enough. The city deserved better from me today.' Text P (the public press release issued the same day by the same person, a city council member): 'Today's vote reflects a careful balance of competing community priorities. I remain committed to serving the residents of this district with transparency and diligence.' (a) Compare the emotional honesty of the two texts. (b) Explain why the same person, describing the same event, would choose such different content and tone for a private diary versus a public statement.

    [3 marks] · no calculator

    Marking points

    • Compares Text O's raw emotional honesty, doubt, and vulnerability ('Another sleepless night', 'wondering if I said enough') with Text P's controlled, confident, and carefully neutral public tone.
    • Explains that a private diary is written with no intended audience beyond the self, allowing genuine, unfiltered emotional expression without concern for public consequence.
    • Explains that a public press release must protect the writer's professional image and maintain public confidence, so genuine doubt or emotional vulnerability is deliberately replaced with confident, reassuring, carefully neutral language.

    Examiner tip: The same writer, the same event, and two completely different texts: audience and purpose alone can explain the entire difference in content and tone — always identify what public consequence the writer is managing.

18. 18.

    Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Text O (a private diary entry): 'Another sleepless night. I keep replaying the vote in my head, wondering if I said enough, did enough. The city deserved better from me today.' Text P (the public press release issued the same day by the same person, a city council member): 'Today's vote reflects a careful balance of competing community priorities. I remain committed to serving the residents of this district with transparency and diligence.' (a) Compare the emotional honesty of the two texts. (b) Explain why the same person, describing the same event, would choose such different content and tone for a private diary versus a public statement.” Their response addresses only this point: “Compares Text O's raw emotional honesty, doubt, and vulnerability ('Another sleepless night', 'wondering if I said enough') with Text P's controlled, confident, and carefully neutral public tone.” Evaluate the response against the complete 3-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks.

    [3 marks] · no calculator

    Marking points

    • Recognises credit for the stated point: Compares Text O's raw emotional honesty, doubt, and vulnerability ('Another sleepless night', 'wondering if I said enough') with Text P's controlled, confident, and carefully neutral public tone.
    • Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that a private diary is written with no intended audience beyond the self, allowing genuine, unfiltered emotional expression without concern for public consequence.
    • Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that a public press release must protect the writer's professional image and maintain public confidence, so genuine doubt or emotional vulnerability is deliberately replaced with confident, reassuring, carefully neutral language.

    Examiner tip: Treat each marking point as a separate requirement. Do not award the same idea twice, and do not infer work the learner did not show.

19. 19.

    Text Q (a report from one news outlet): 'Thousands gathered peacefully today to demand government action on housing costs.' Text R (a report of the same event from a different outlet): 'A large crowd disrupted city-centre traffic for hours today in a protest over housing policy.' (a) Compare the connotations of 'gathered peacefully' versus 'disrupted... traffic'. (b) Explain how each text's choice of what to foreground (the protesters' cause versus the protest's practical impact) reveals a different implicit stance on the event.

    [4 marks] · no calculator

    Marking points

    • Compares the positive, legitimising connotation of 'gathered peacefully' (emphasising order and a valid cause) against the negative, inconveniencing connotation of 'disrupted traffic' (emphasising disorder and public cost).
    • Explains that Text Q, by foregrounding the protesters' cause and framing their conduct as peaceful, implicitly positions the protest as legitimate and sympathetic.
    • Explains that Text R, by foregrounding the practical disruption caused, implicitly positions the protest as a nuisance or inconvenience to uninvolved citizens, regardless of the underlying cause's validity.
    • Concludes that reporting the same factual event can carry an implicit editorial stance purely through the choice of what detail to foreground first, without any single statement being factually false.

    Examiner tip: Media bias often operates through selection and foregrounding (what is mentioned first, or at all) rather than through outright factual falsehood — this is a key HL-level media literacy skill.

20. 20.

    Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Text Q (a report from one news outlet): 'Thousands gathered peacefully today to demand government action on housing costs.' Text R (a report of the same event from a different outlet): 'A large crowd disrupted city-centre traffic for hours today in a protest over housing policy.' (a) Compare the connotations of 'gathered peacefully' versus 'disrupted... traffic'. (b) Explain how each text's choice of what to foreground (the protesters' cause versus the protest's practical impact) reveals a different implicit stance on the event.” Their response addresses only this point: “Compares the positive, legitimising connotation of 'gathered peacefully' (emphasising order and a valid cause) against the negative, inconveniencing connotation of 'disrupted traffic' (emphasising disorder and public cost).” Evaluate the response against the complete 4-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks.

    [4 marks] · no calculator

    Marking points

    • Recognises credit for the stated point: Compares the positive, legitimising connotation of 'gathered peacefully' (emphasising order and a valid cause) against the negative, inconveniencing connotation of 'disrupted traffic' (emphasising disorder and public cost).
    • Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that Text Q, by foregrounding the protesters' cause and framing their conduct as peaceful, implicitly positions the protest as legitimate and sympathetic.
    • Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that Text R, by foregrounding the practical disruption caused, implicitly positions the protest as a nuisance or inconvenience to uninvolved citizens, regardless of the underlying cause's validity.
    • Identifies the missing requirement: Concludes that reporting the same factual event can carry an implicit editorial stance purely through the choice of what detail to foreground first, without any single statement being factually false.

    Examiner tip: Treat each marking point as a separate requirement. Do not award the same idea twice, and do not infer work the learner did not show.

21. 21.

    Text S (an instruction manual excerpt for a blender): 'Insert the blade assembly, aligning the tabs with the corresponding slots. Rotate clockwise until a click is heard.' Text T (marketing copy for the same blender): 'Effortless assembly. Because your mornings deserve less fuss and more smoothie.' (a) Compare the purpose of each text. (b) Explain how each text's tone (technical and neutral versus warm and conversational) is suited to its distinct communicative purpose despite describing the same physical action.

    [4 marks] · no calculator

    Marking points

    • Compares Text S's instructional purpose (ensuring the user correctly and safely assembles the product) with Text T's persuasive/promotional purpose (making the product feel appealing and desirable).
    • Explains that Text S's precise, neutral, step-by-step language prioritises clarity and accuracy, since any ambiguity could lead to incorrect or unsafe assembly.
    • Explains that Text T's warm, informal tone prioritises emotional appeal and lifestyle association, since its goal is to make the reader feel positively about the product rather than to convey precise technical steps.
    • Concludes that the same underlying action (assembling the blade) can be described in radically different registers depending on whether the text's job is to instruct or to sell.

    Examiner tip: The same physical fact or action can be conveyed in registers suited to totally different purposes — always ask what job each text is doing, not just what it is describing.

22. 22.

    Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Text S (an instruction manual excerpt for a blender): 'Insert the blade assembly, aligning the tabs with the corresponding slots. Rotate clockwise until a click is heard.' Text T (marketing copy for the same blender): 'Effortless assembly. Because your mornings deserve less fuss and more smoothie.' (a) Compare the purpose of each text. (b) Explain how each text's tone (technical and neutral versus warm and conversational) is suited to its distinct communicative purpose despite describing the same physical action.” Their response addresses only this point: “Compares Text S's instructional purpose (ensuring the user correctly and safely assembles the product) with Text T's persuasive/promotional purpose (making the product feel appealing and desirable).” Evaluate the response against the complete 4-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks.

    [4 marks] · no calculator

    Marking points

    • Recognises credit for the stated point: Compares Text S's instructional purpose (ensuring the user correctly and safely assembles the product) with Text T's persuasive/promotional purpose (making the product feel appealing and desirable).
    • Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that Text S's precise, neutral, step-by-step language prioritises clarity and accuracy, since any ambiguity could lead to incorrect or unsafe assembly.
    • Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that Text T's warm, informal tone prioritises emotional appeal and lifestyle association, since its goal is to make the reader feel positively about the product rather than to convey precise technical steps.
    • Identifies the missing requirement: Concludes that the same underlying action (assembling the blade) can be described in radically different registers depending on whether the text's job is to instruct or to sell.

    Examiner tip: Treat each marking point as a separate requirement. Do not award the same idea twice, and do not infer work the learner did not show.

23. 23.

    Poem excerpt U: 'The old house stands, its windows dark, / a mouth that no longer speaks, / a heart that no longer beats within these walls of brick.' Poem excerpt V: 'Paint peels like old skin shedding, / but the porch light still burns each evening — / someone, somewhere, still comes home.' (a) Compare the extended metaphors used in each excerpt to personify the house. (b) Compare the overall attitude toward the house (or home) conveyed in each excerpt, supporting your answer with specific word choices.

    [5 marks] · no calculator

    Marking points

    • Identifies Excerpt U's extended metaphor comparing the house to a dead body (a silent 'mouth' and a stilled 'heart'), personifying it as lifeless.
    • Identifies Excerpt V's extended metaphor comparing peeling paint to shedding skin, personifying the house as ageing but still alive.
    • Compares the overall attitude of Excerpt U as one of finality, loss, and abandonment, supported by words like 'dark', 'no longer speaks', 'no longer beats'.
    • Compares the overall attitude of Excerpt V as one of persistence and quiet hope despite visible decay, supported by words like 'still burns' and 'still comes home'.
    • Draws an explicit comparative conclusion that both poems personify the same subject (an ageing house) but reach opposite emotional conclusions about it: one final and mournful, one enduring and hopeful.

    Examiner tip: When two texts use the same underlying device (personifying a house) to reach opposite emotional conclusions, that contrast itself is the most sophisticated point a comparative answer can make.

24. 24.

    Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Poem excerpt U: 'The old house stands, its windows dark, / a mouth that no longer speaks, / a heart that no longer beats within these walls of brick.' Poem excerpt V: 'Paint peels like old skin shedding, / but the porch light still burns each evening — / someone, somewhere, still comes home.' (a) Compare the extended metaphors used in each excerpt to personify the house. (b) Compare the overall attitude toward the house (or home) conveyed in each excerpt, supporting your answer with specific word choices.” Their response addresses only this point: “Identifies Excerpt U's extended metaphor comparing the house to a dead body (a silent 'mouth' and a stilled 'heart'), personifying it as lifeless.” Evaluate the response against the complete 5-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks.

    [5 marks] · no calculator

    Marking points

    • Recognises credit for the stated point: Identifies Excerpt U's extended metaphor comparing the house to a dead body (a silent 'mouth' and a stilled 'heart'), personifying it as lifeless.
    • Identifies the missing requirement: Identifies Excerpt V's extended metaphor comparing peeling paint to shedding skin, personifying the house as ageing but still alive.
    • Identifies the missing requirement: Compares the overall attitude of Excerpt U as one of finality, loss, and abandonment, supported by words like 'dark', 'no longer speaks', 'no longer beats'.
    • Identifies the missing requirement: Compares the overall attitude of Excerpt V as one of persistence and quiet hope despite visible decay, supported by words like 'still burns' and 'still comes home'.
    • Identifies the missing requirement: Draws an explicit comparative conclusion that both poems personify the same subject (an ageing house) but reach opposite emotional conclusions about it: one final and mournful, one enduring and hopeful.

    Examiner tip: Treat each marking point as a separate requirement. Do not award the same idea twice, and do not infer work the learner did not show.

25. 25.

    Text W (a glowing customer review): 'This blender changed my mornings. Five stars, would buy again in a heartbeat.' Text X (a scathing review of the same product): 'Broke after two weeks. Save your money and buy literally anything else. One star, and that's generous.' (a) Compare the rhetorical strategies each reviewer uses to make their brief review persuasive despite its short length. (b) Explain why the phrase 'and that's generous' in Text X is more persuasive than simply writing 'one star'.

    [4 marks] · no calculator

    Marking points

    • Compares Text W's use of hyperbolic emotional claims ('changed my mornings') and an emphatic commitment ('in a heartbeat') to persuade briefly but strongly in favour.
    • Compares Text X's use of blunt imperative advice ('Save your money') and dismissive hyperbole ('literally anything else') to persuade briefly but strongly against the product.
    • Explains that 'and that's generous' implies the rating system itself is too kind for this product, intensifying the criticism beyond what the numerical rating alone conveys.
    • Explains that this ironic aside adds a layer of personal voice and wit that a bare numerical rating cannot convey, making the negative review more memorable and persuasive.

    Examiner tip: Even extremely short texts like a one-line review reward close analysis — a single ironic phrase can do significant persuasive work beyond its literal content.

26. 26.

    Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Text W (a glowing customer review): 'This blender changed my mornings. Five stars, would buy again in a heartbeat.' Text X (a scathing review of the same product): 'Broke after two weeks. Save your money and buy literally anything else. One star, and that's generous.' (a) Compare the rhetorical strategies each reviewer uses to make their brief review persuasive despite its short length. (b) Explain why the phrase 'and that's generous' in Text X is more persuasive than simply writing 'one star'.” Their response addresses only this point: “Compares Text W's use of hyperbolic emotional claims ('changed my mornings') and an emphatic commitment ('in a heartbeat') to persuade briefly but strongly in favour.” Evaluate the response against the complete 4-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks.

    [4 marks] · no calculator

    Marking points

    • Recognises credit for the stated point: Compares Text W's use of hyperbolic emotional claims ('changed my mornings') and an emphatic commitment ('in a heartbeat') to persuade briefly but strongly in favour.
    • Identifies the missing requirement: Compares Text X's use of blunt imperative advice ('Save your money') and dismissive hyperbole ('literally anything else') to persuade briefly but strongly against the product.
    • Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that 'and that's generous' implies the rating system itself is too kind for this product, intensifying the criticism beyond what the numerical rating alone conveys.
    • Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that this ironic aside adds a layer of personal voice and wit that a bare numerical rating cannot convey, making the negative review more memorable and persuasive.

    Examiner tip: Treat each marking point as a separate requirement. Do not award the same idea twice, and do not infer work the learner did not show.

27. 27.

    Text Y (an infographic caption): 'Plastic waste: 8 million tonnes enter our oceans every year.' Text Z (the opening of a long-form magazine article using the same statistic): 'Picture eight million tonnes. Now picture it not as a number on a page, but as garbage trucks, one after another, backed up along every coastline on Earth, each one tipping its load into the waves. That is what enters our oceans each year.' (a) Compare how each text presents the identical statistic. (b) Explain which format is likely to make the scale of the problem more comprehensible to a general reader, and why.

    [4 marks] · no calculator

    Marking points

    • Compares Text Y's compressed, purely numerical presentation, designed for instant visual scanning.
    • Compares Text Z's extended, imagistic presentation, which translates the abstract number into a concrete, visualisable scene (a line of garbage trucks along every coastline).
    • Explains that large numbers like 'eight million tonnes' are notoriously difficult for readers to intuitively grasp in the abstract.
    • Explains that Text Z's concrete visual analogy is likely more comprehensible to a general reader, since it converts an abstract quantity into an imaginable physical scene, while Text Y's number remains accurate but comparatively difficult to visualise.

    Examiner tip: Large statistics are often made meaningful through a concrete, visualisable comparison — always consider whether a text merely states a number or actively helps the reader imagine its scale.

28. 28.

    Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Text Y (an infographic caption): 'Plastic waste: 8 million tonnes enter our oceans every year.' Text Z (the opening of a long-form magazine article using the same statistic): 'Picture eight million tonnes. Now picture it not as a number on a page, but as garbage trucks, one after another, backed up along every coastline on Earth, each one tipping its load into the waves. That is what enters our oceans each year.' (a) Compare how each text presents the identical statistic. (b) Explain which format is likely to make the scale of the problem more comprehensible to a general reader, and why.” Their response addresses only this point: “Compares Text Y's compressed, purely numerical presentation, designed for instant visual scanning.” Evaluate the response against the complete 4-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks.

    [4 marks] · no calculator

    Marking points

    • Recognises credit for the stated point: Compares Text Y's compressed, purely numerical presentation, designed for instant visual scanning.
    • Identifies the missing requirement: Compares Text Z's extended, imagistic presentation, which translates the abstract number into a concrete, visualisable scene (a line of garbage trucks along every coastline).
    • Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that large numbers like 'eight million tonnes' are notoriously difficult for readers to intuitively grasp in the abstract.
    • Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that Text Z's concrete visual analogy is likely more comprehensible to a general reader, since it converts an abstract quantity into an imaginable physical scene, while Text Y's number remains accurate but comparatively difficult to visualise.

    Examiner tip: Treat each marking point as a separate requirement. Do not award the same idea twice, and do not infer work the learner did not show.

29. 29.

    Text AA (a generic historical speech excerpt, invented for practice): 'We shall labour, we shall sacrifice, and we shall not falter, for the generations who follow us are watching what we choose to do today.' Text AB (an invented modern social media response quoting it): 'ok but WHO decided "we" get to sacrifice while certain people just... don't? asking for the rest of us 💀'. (a) Compare the rhetorical use of the collective pronoun 'we' in each text. (b) Explain how Text AB's response challenges the assumption embedded in Text AA's use of 'we'.

    [4 marks] · no calculator

    Marking points

    • Explains that Text AA's 'we' is used rhetorically to unify the entire audience under a single, shared, noble obligation, assuming the burden of sacrifice is equally distributed.
    • Explains that Text AB's informal, questioning response ('WHO decided') explicitly challenges this assumption, pointing out that the burden described by 'we' may not actually be shared equally among 'certain people'.
    • Explains that this exposes a common rhetorical technique: using an inclusive pronoun to manufacture a sense of shared responsibility that may obscure real differences in who actually bears a burden.
    • Notes that the informal, modern medium of Text AB (with its casual questioning tone and emoji) allows this kind of direct, sceptical pushback against formal rhetoric in a way that would be unusual within the original speech genre itself.

    Examiner tip: Collective pronouns like 'we' are a classic rhetorical device for manufacturing unity — a strong HL answer questions whose experience is actually being generalised by that pronoun.

30. 30.

    Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Text AA (a generic historical speech excerpt, invented for practice): 'We shall labour, we shall sacrifice, and we shall not falter, for the generations who follow us are watching what we choose to do today.' Text AB (an invented modern social media response quoting it): 'ok but WHO decided "we" get to sacrifice while certain people just... don't? asking for the rest of us 💀'. (a) Compare the rhetorical use of the collective pronoun 'we' in each text. (b) Explain how Text AB's response challenges the assumption embedded in Text AA's use of 'we'.” Their response addresses only this point: “Explains that Text AA's 'we' is used rhetorically to unify the entire audience under a single, shared, noble obligation, assuming the burden of sacrifice is equally distributed.” Evaluate the response against the complete 4-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks.

    [4 marks] · no calculator

    Marking points

    • Recognises credit for the stated point: Explains that Text AA's 'we' is used rhetorically to unify the entire audience under a single, shared, noble obligation, assuming the burden of sacrifice is equally distributed.
    • Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that Text AB's informal, questioning response ('WHO decided') explicitly challenges this assumption, pointing out that the burden described by 'we' may not actually be shared equally among 'certain people'.
    • Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that this exposes a common rhetorical technique: using an inclusive pronoun to manufacture a sense of shared responsibility that may obscure real differences in who actually bears a burden.
    • Identifies the missing requirement: Notes that the informal, modern medium of Text AB (with its casual questioning tone and emoji) allows this kind of direct, sceptical pushback against formal rhetoric in a way that would be unusual within the original speech genre itself.

    Examiner tip: Treat each marking point as a separate requirement. Do not award the same idea twice, and do not infer work the learner did not show.

Original, unofficial practice questions from SubjectScout — not official past-paper questions.