IB · ENG A LANG LIT SL

English A: Language & Literature SL

Analysing unseen texts — Paper 1

Name: ____________________Date: October 14, 2026

1.
Read the following extract from a community noticeboard poster: 'Water is precious. Every drop counts. This summer, help your neighbourhood beat the drought — take shorter showers, fix that dripping tap, and water your garden at dawn, not noon. Small habits. Big difference.' (a) Identify the primary purpose of this text. (b) Identify one language feature used to make the message memorable, quoting directly from the text. (c) Explain how the short, fragmented sentences in the final two lines support the text's purpose.
[4 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- Identifies the primary purpose as persuading or encouraging readers to conserve water, a call to action.
- Identifies a valid language feature with a direct quotation, such as the imperative mood, repetition, or alliteration.
- Explains that the short sentences ('Small habits. Big difference.') create emphasis and a memorable, slogan-like rhythm.
- Links this stylistic choice explicitly back to the persuasive purpose, such as making the message easy to recall and repeat.
Examiner tip: Always support an identified feature with a direct short quotation before explaining its effect.
2.
Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Read the following extract from a community noticeboard poster: 'Water is precious. Every drop counts. This summer, help your neighbourhood beat the drought — take shorter showers, fix that dripping tap, and water your garden at dawn, not noon. Small habits. Big difference.' (a) Identify the primary purpose of this text. (b) Identify one language feature used to make the message memorable, quoting directly from the text. (c) Explain how the short, fragmented sentences in the final two lines support the text's purpose.” Their response addresses only this point: “Identifies the primary purpose as persuading or encouraging readers to conserve water, a call to action.” 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 primary purpose as persuading or encouraging readers to conserve water, a call to action.
- Identifies the missing requirement: Identifies a valid language feature with a direct quotation, such as the imperative mood, repetition, or alliteration.
- Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that the short sentences ('Small habits. Big difference.') create emphasis and a memorable, slogan-like rhythm.
- Identifies the missing requirement: Links this stylistic choice explicitly back to the persuasive purpose, such as making the message easy to recall and repeat.
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.
Read the following opening line of a company email to customers: 'We know your time is valuable, so we'll keep this short: your order has shipped.' (a) Identify the likely intended audience of this text. (b) Explain how the phrase 'we know your time is valuable' is designed to build a particular relationship with that audience.
[3 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- Identifies the audience as existing customers awaiting a delivery/order confirmation.
- Explains that the phrase directly acknowledges the reader's perspective and priorities, creating a tone of empathy and respect.
- Explains that this builds trust and a positive brand relationship, making the reader more receptive to the brief, transactional message that follows.
Examiner tip: Audience and purpose analysis should always be grounded in specific wording from the text, not general assumptions about the text type.
4.
Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Read the following opening line of a company email to customers: 'We know your time is valuable, so we'll keep this short: your order has shipped.' (a) Identify the likely intended audience of this text. (b) Explain how the phrase 'we know your time is valuable' is designed to build a particular relationship with that audience.” Their response addresses only this point: “Identifies the audience as existing customers awaiting a delivery/order confirmation.” 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: Identifies the audience as existing customers awaiting a delivery/order confirmation.
- Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that the phrase directly acknowledges the reader's perspective and priorities, creating a tone of empathy and respect.
- Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that this builds trust and a positive brand relationship, making the reader more receptive to the brief, transactional message that follows.
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.
A print advertisement for a fitness app shows a single bold word, 'START.', filling most of the page, with a small line of text beneath it: 'Your first workout is free. No excuses left.' (a) Explain the effect of using a single large word as the dominant visual element. (b) Explain the effect of the short second sentence, 'No excuses left.' (c) Identify the overall tone the advertisement creates, supporting your answer with reference to both elements.
[5 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- Explains that the single large word dominates attention and functions as an immediate, unmissable command.
- Explains that its imperative form directly instructs the reader to act, reducing hesitation.
- Explains that 'No excuses left.' works as a blunt, confrontational follow-up that pre-empts the reader's likely objections.
- Identifies an overall tone such as direct, motivational, or confrontational.
- Supports the identified tone by referring to both the large imperative word and the short follow-up sentence together.
Examiner tip: When a question asks for overall tone 'supported by both elements', an answer naming a tone without referring back to the text will not earn full credit.
6.
Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “A print advertisement for a fitness app shows a single bold word, 'START.', filling most of the page, with a small line of text beneath it: 'Your first workout is free. No excuses left.' (a) Explain the effect of using a single large word as the dominant visual element. (b) Explain the effect of the short second sentence, 'No excuses left.' (c) Identify the overall tone the advertisement creates, supporting your answer with reference to both elements.” Their response addresses only this point: “Explains that the single large word dominates attention and functions as an immediate, unmissable command.” 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: Explains that the single large word dominates attention and functions as an immediate, unmissable command.
- Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that its imperative form directly instructs the reader to act, reducing hesitation.
- Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that 'No excuses left.' works as a blunt, confrontational follow-up that pre-empts the reader's likely objections.
- Identifies the missing requirement: Identifies an overall tone such as direct, motivational, or confrontational.
- Identifies the missing requirement: Supports the identified tone by referring to both the large imperative word and the short follow-up sentence together.
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.
Read this excerpt from a graduation speech: 'You will fail. You will fail at things you love, in front of people you respect. And then you will get up, because that is the only part of this story that was ever up to you.' (a) Identify the rhetorical technique created by beginning two consecutive sentences with the same phrase. (b) Explain the effect of the short final clause, 'that is the only part of this story that was ever up to you', on the audience.
[3 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- Identifies anaphora (repetition of 'You will fail' at the start of consecutive sentences).
- Explains that the repetition builds emphasis and prepares the audience to accept failure as expected and normal, rather than shameful.
- Explains that the final clause reframes the message from a warning into an empowering call to action, shifting responsibility onto the listener's own response rather than the failure itself.
Examiner tip: Anaphora at the start of a speech excerpt is almost always used to build rhythm and emphasis before a turning point later in the passage — look for that turn.
8.
Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Read this excerpt from a graduation speech: 'You will fail. You will fail at things you love, in front of people you respect. And then you will get up, because that is the only part of this story that was ever up to you.' (a) Identify the rhetorical technique created by beginning two consecutive sentences with the same phrase. (b) Explain the effect of the short final clause, 'that is the only part of this story that was ever up to you', on the audience.” Their response addresses only this point: “Identifies anaphora (repetition of 'You will fail' at the start of consecutive sentences).” 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: Identifies anaphora (repetition of 'You will fail' at the start of consecutive sentences).
- Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that the repetition builds emphasis and prepares the audience to accept failure as expected and normal, rather than shameful.
- Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that the final clause reframes the message from a warning into an empowering call to action, shifting responsibility onto the listener's own response rather than the failure 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.
9.
Read this excerpt from an online restaurant review: 'The greeting was warm, the lighting was lovely, and the bread basket was, I'll admit, genuinely excellent. Then the main course arrived: a single, sad chicken breast marooned on a plate the size of a hubcap, as if the kitchen had simply forgotten the rest of the meal.' (a) Identify the shift in tone between the first and second sentence. (b) Explain how the imagery in 'marooned on a plate the size of a hubcap' contributes to this shift.
[3 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- Identifies a shift from warm, positive appreciation to sarcastic, critical disappointment.
- Explains that the exaggerated comparison of the plate to a hubcap uses hyperbole to emphasise the meal's disproportionate emptiness.
- Explains that the word 'marooned' personifies the chicken as isolated and abandoned, reinforcing the comic, mocking tone of the criticism.
Examiner tip: A tonal shift is best proven by contrasting specific word choices from before and after the shift, not just asserting that the tone changes.
10.
Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Read this excerpt from an online restaurant review: 'The greeting was warm, the lighting was lovely, and the bread basket was, I'll admit, genuinely excellent. Then the main course arrived: a single, sad chicken breast marooned on a plate the size of a hubcap, as if the kitchen had simply forgotten the rest of the meal.' (a) Identify the shift in tone between the first and second sentence. (b) Explain how the imagery in 'marooned on a plate the size of a hubcap' contributes to this shift.” Their response addresses only this point: “Identifies a shift from warm, positive appreciation to sarcastic, critical disappointment.” 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: Identifies a shift from warm, positive appreciation to sarcastic, critical disappointment.
- Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that the exaggerated comparison of the plate to a hubcap uses hyperbole to emphasise the meal's disproportionate emptiness.
- Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that the word 'marooned' personifies the chicken as isolated and abandoned, reinforcing the comic, mocking tone of the criticism.
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.
Read this excerpt from a social media caption posted by a fitness influencer, alongside a photo: 'okay but WHO told y'all mornings had to be miserable?? 5am run + this view = free therapy 🌅 link in bio if you want the exact playlist that got me out of bed lol #morningroutine #noexcuses'. (a) Identify two features of informal register used in this caption. (b) Explain how the caption is designed to build a sense of relatable connection with followers.
[3 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- Identifies two valid informal features, such as non-standard spelling/abbreviation ('y'all'), an emoji, hashtags, casual interjections ('okay but', 'lol'), or an incomplete/conversational sentence structure.
- Explains that the informal, conversational register mimics how the audience speaks casually to friends, reducing the perceived distance between influencer and follower.
- Explains that the rhetorical question ('who told y'all mornings had to be miserable??') directly engages the reader and invites them to imagine themselves adopting the same routine.
Examiner tip: Social media texts should be analysed using the same tools as any other text: register, rhetorical technique, and audience — do not treat them as too informal to analyse seriously.
12.
Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Read this excerpt from a social media caption posted by a fitness influencer, alongside a photo: 'okay but WHO told y'all mornings had to be miserable?? 5am run + this view = free therapy 🌅 link in bio if you want the exact playlist that got me out of bed lol #morningroutine #noexcuses'. (a) Identify two features of informal register used in this caption. (b) Explain how the caption is designed to build a sense of relatable connection with followers.” Their response addresses only this point: “Identifies two valid informal features, such as non-standard spelling/abbreviation ('y'all'), an emoji, hashtags, casual interjections ('okay but', 'lol'), or an incomplete/conversational sentence structure.” 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: Identifies two valid informal features, such as non-standard spelling/abbreviation ('y'all'), an emoji, hashtags, casual interjections ('okay but', 'lol'), or an incomplete/conversational sentence structure.
- Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that the informal, conversational register mimics how the audience speaks casually to friends, reducing the perceived distance between influencer and follower.
- Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that the rhetorical question ('who told y'all mornings had to be miserable??') directly engages the reader and invites them to imagine themselves adopting the same routine.
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.
Read this excerpt from a formal letter of complaint: 'This is the third time I have written regarding the noise disturbance from unit 4B. I have documented each incident, attached herewith, and have received no response beyond an automated acknowledgment. I trust this letter will finally receive the attention it deserves.' (a) Identify the overall tone of this excerpt. (b) Explain how the phrase 'I trust this letter will finally receive the attention it deserves' conveys restrained frustration rather than open anger.
[3 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- Identifies a formal, controlled, and increasingly frustrated tone.
- Explains that the polite, formal phrasing ('I trust') maintains professional decorum while the word 'finally' subtly signals accumulated impatience.
- Explains that this restrained approach is more typical of formal complaint writing, where controlled language is used strategically to appear reasonable while still conveying dissatisfaction.
Examiner tip: Formal complaint writing rarely uses openly angry language; frustration is usually conveyed through subtle word choices like 'finally' or 'third time' layered beneath polite phrasing.
14.
Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Read this excerpt from a formal letter of complaint: 'This is the third time I have written regarding the noise disturbance from unit 4B. I have documented each incident, attached herewith, and have received no response beyond an automated acknowledgment. I trust this letter will finally receive the attention it deserves.' (a) Identify the overall tone of this excerpt. (b) Explain how the phrase 'I trust this letter will finally receive the attention it deserves' conveys restrained frustration rather than open anger.” Their response addresses only this point: “Identifies a formal, controlled, and increasingly frustrated 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: Identifies a formal, controlled, and increasingly frustrated tone.
- Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that the polite, formal phrasing ('I trust') maintains professional decorum while the word 'finally' subtly signals accumulated impatience.
- Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that this restrained approach is more typical of formal complaint writing, where controlled language is used strategically to appear reasonable while still conveying dissatisfaction.
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.
Read this excerpt from a travel brochure: 'Wake to the scent of salt and citrus drifting through open shutters. Let your feet find the warm stone path down to a sea so still it seems to be holding its breath.' (a) Identify two of the five senses this passage appeals to. (b) Explain the effect of the personification in 'a sea so still it seems to be holding its breath'.
[3 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- Identifies two valid senses, such as smell ('the scent of salt and citrus'), touch ('warm stone path'), or sight (the still sea).
- Explains that personifying the sea as holding its breath creates an atmosphere of anticipation and tranquillity, inviting the reader to imagine a peaceful, almost magical stillness.
- Links this sensory and figurative language to the brochure's persuasive purpose of making the destination feel irresistibly inviting.
Examiner tip: Travel writing relies heavily on sensory imagery to make an unfamiliar place feel immediately experiential to the reader — always name the specific sense being appealed to.
16.
Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Read this excerpt from a travel brochure: 'Wake to the scent of salt and citrus drifting through open shutters. Let your feet find the warm stone path down to a sea so still it seems to be holding its breath.' (a) Identify two of the five senses this passage appeals to. (b) Explain the effect of the personification in 'a sea so still it seems to be holding its breath'.” Their response addresses only this point: “Identifies two valid senses, such as smell ('the scent of salt and citrus'), touch ('warm stone path'), or sight (the still sea).” 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: Identifies two valid senses, such as smell ('the scent of salt and citrus'), touch ('warm stone path'), or sight (the still sea).
- Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that personifying the sea as holding its breath creates an atmosphere of anticipation and tranquillity, inviting the reader to imagine a peaceful, almost magical stillness.
- Identifies the missing requirement: Links this sensory and figurative language to the brochure's persuasive purpose of making the destination feel irresistibly inviting.
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.
Compare these two headlines about the same event: Headline 1: 'Protesters Clash with Police Outside City Hall'. Headline 2: 'Residents Demand Answers as Police Respond with Force'. (a) Identify the different connotations of the verb choices 'clash' versus 'respond with force'. (b) Explain how each headline positions a different party as the primary actor, and what effect this has on a reader's initial impression of the event.
[4 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- Identifies that 'clash' suggests mutual, two-sided conflict, while 'respond with force' implies the police acted, and specifically acted forcefully, in reaction to something else.
- Explains that Headline 1 positions the protesters as an active, equal party to a conflict, framing the event as a mutual altercation.
- Explains that Headline 2 positions residents as making a legitimate demand and the police as the active party using force in response, framing the event as a grievance met with an aggressive reaction.
- Concludes that word choice in headlines can subtly shape which party a reader perceives as responsible or sympathetic, before any further detail is read.
Examiner tip: Comparing headline verb choices for connotation and implied agency (who is 'doing' the action) is one of the most reliable ways to reveal media bias in a text.
18.
Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Compare these two headlines about the same event: Headline 1: 'Protesters Clash with Police Outside City Hall'. Headline 2: 'Residents Demand Answers as Police Respond with Force'. (a) Identify the different connotations of the verb choices 'clash' versus 'respond with force'. (b) Explain how each headline positions a different party as the primary actor, and what effect this has on a reader's initial impression of the event.” Their response addresses only this point: “Identifies that 'clash' suggests mutual, two-sided conflict, while 'respond with force' implies the police acted, and specifically acted forcefully, in reaction to something else.” 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 that 'clash' suggests mutual, two-sided conflict, while 'respond with force' implies the police acted, and specifically acted forcefully, in reaction to something else.
- Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that Headline 1 positions the protesters as an active, equal party to a conflict, framing the event as a mutual altercation.
- Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that Headline 2 positions residents as making a legitimate demand and the police as the active party using force in response, framing the event as a grievance met with an aggressive reaction.
- Identifies the missing requirement: Concludes that word choice in headlines can subtly shape which party a reader perceives as responsible or sympathetic, before any further detail is read.
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.
Read this excerpt from a political campaign flyer: 'You work hard. You pay your taxes. You deserve a government that works just as hard for you. On November 5th, vote for change you can see.' (a) Identify the rhetorical effect of repeating 'You' at the start of three consecutive sentences. (b) Explain how the phrase 'change you can see' appeals to the reader without specifying any concrete policy.
[3 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- Identifies anaphora using direct address ('You'), which creates a personal, accumulating sense of validation directed at the reader.
- Explains that repeatedly addressing the reader directly builds emotional appeal (pathos) and rapport before the call to action.
- Explains that 'change you can see' uses vague, emotionally appealing language that implies visible improvement without committing to any specific, checkable policy, making the promise broadly appealing but difficult to hold accountable.
Examiner tip: Political texts frequently use emotionally appealing but factually vague phrases — always check whether a persuasive phrase commits to anything specific or simply sounds positive.
20.
Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Read this excerpt from a political campaign flyer: 'You work hard. You pay your taxes. You deserve a government that works just as hard for you. On November 5th, vote for change you can see.' (a) Identify the rhetorical effect of repeating 'You' at the start of three consecutive sentences. (b) Explain how the phrase 'change you can see' appeals to the reader without specifying any concrete policy.” Their response addresses only this point: “Identifies anaphora using direct address ('You'), which creates a personal, accumulating sense of validation directed at the reader.” 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: Identifies anaphora using direct address ('You'), which creates a personal, accumulating sense of validation directed at the reader.
- Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that repeatedly addressing the reader directly builds emotional appeal (pathos) and rapport before the call to action.
- Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that 'change you can see' uses vague, emotionally appealing language that implies visible improvement without committing to any specific, checkable policy, making the promise broadly appealing but difficult to hold accountable.
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.
Read this opening of a recipe blog post: 'My grandmother never measured anything. She'd just add a pinch of this, a splash of that, and somehow it was always perfect. I've spent ten years trying to write down what she never wrote down at all. This is the closest I've gotten.' (a) Identify the narrative technique used to introduce a recipe. (b) Explain why a blogger might choose to open with a personal story rather than beginning directly with the list of ingredients.
[3 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- Identifies personal anecdote/narrative framing as the technique used to introduce the recipe.
- Explains that opening with a personal, emotionally warm story builds a relatable connection with the reader and gives the recipe a sense of authenticity and heritage beyond a mere list of steps.
- Explains that this narrative framing also increases reader engagement and time spent on the page, which can matter for a blog's audience and, often, its advertising revenue.
Examiner tip: Recipe blogs are a genuinely useful genre to analyse for purpose beyond the obvious: the personal narrative often serves audience engagement or monetisation purposes as much as instruction.
22.
Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Read this opening of a recipe blog post: 'My grandmother never measured anything. She'd just add a pinch of this, a splash of that, and somehow it was always perfect. I've spent ten years trying to write down what she never wrote down at all. This is the closest I've gotten.' (a) Identify the narrative technique used to introduce a recipe. (b) Explain why a blogger might choose to open with a personal story rather than beginning directly with the list of ingredients.” Their response addresses only this point: “Identifies personal anecdote/narrative framing as the technique used to introduce the recipe.” 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: Identifies personal anecdote/narrative framing as the technique used to introduce the recipe.
- Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that opening with a personal, emotionally warm story builds a relatable connection with the reader and gives the recipe a sense of authenticity and heritage beyond a mere list of steps.
- Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that this narrative framing also increases reader engagement and time spent on the page, which can matter for a blog's audience and, often, its advertising revenue.
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.
Read this warning label on a household chemical product: 'DANGER: Corrosive. Causes severe skin burns. Do not mix with other cleaning products. Keep out of reach of children. If swallowed, call poison control immediately: [number].' (a) Explain why the text is structured as a list of short, separate instructions rather than as connected, flowing sentences. (b) Identify one word in the text chosen specifically to convey urgency.
[3 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- Explains that short, separated instructions allow a reader in an emergency to quickly scan and extract the single most relevant piece of information without needing to process connected prose.
- Explains that this format prioritises immediate clarity and safety over stylistic flow, appropriate to a genre where a reader's life may depend on fast comprehension.
- Identifies a valid urgency-conveying word, such as 'DANGER', 'severe', or 'immediately'.
Examiner tip: Functional/instructional text types (warning labels, safety notices) should be analysed for how their structure serves an urgent, practical purpose, not judged as if they were expected to be elegant prose.
24.
Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Read this warning label on a household chemical product: 'DANGER: Corrosive. Causes severe skin burns. Do not mix with other cleaning products. Keep out of reach of children. If swallowed, call poison control immediately: [number].' (a) Explain why the text is structured as a list of short, separate instructions rather than as connected, flowing sentences. (b) Identify one word in the text chosen specifically to convey urgency.” Their response addresses only this point: “Explains that short, separated instructions allow a reader in an emergency to quickly scan and extract the single most relevant piece of information without needing to process connected prose.” 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: Explains that short, separated instructions allow a reader in an emergency to quickly scan and extract the single most relevant piece of information without needing to process connected prose.
- Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that this format prioritises immediate clarity and safety over stylistic flow, appropriate to a genre where a reader's life may depend on fast comprehension.
- Identifies the missing requirement: Identifies a valid urgency-conveying word, such as 'DANGER', 'severe', or 'immediately'.
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.
A film poster shows a single, giant title in a jagged, cracked font, with a small line beneath it reading 'Some doors should stay closed.' (a) Explain what the jagged, cracked font style suggests about the film's genre, even before any words are read. (b) Explain the effect of the tagline's use of the modal verb 'should' rather than a more direct statement such as 'these doors are dangerous'.
[3 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- Explains that a jagged, cracked font is a visual convention strongly associated with horror or thriller genres, signalling danger, instability, or something broken/wrong before any text is processed.
- Explains that 'should' frames the warning as an ominous, almost fated piece of advice rather than a direct factual claim, creating unsettling ambiguity about what will happen if the advice is ignored.
- Explains that this ambiguity invites the viewer's imagination to fill in the danger, which is often a more effective horror marketing technique than an explicit statement.
Examiner tip: Multimodal texts like posters communicate meaning through visual design (font, layout, colour) before a single word is read — always address the visual choice as its own piece of evidence.
26.
Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “A film poster shows a single, giant title in a jagged, cracked font, with a small line beneath it reading 'Some doors should stay closed.' (a) Explain what the jagged, cracked font style suggests about the film's genre, even before any words are read. (b) Explain the effect of the tagline's use of the modal verb 'should' rather than a more direct statement such as 'these doors are dangerous'.” Their response addresses only this point: “Explains that a jagged, cracked font is a visual convention strongly associated with horror or thriller genres, signalling danger, instability, or something broken/wrong before any text is processed.” 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: Explains that a jagged, cracked font is a visual convention strongly associated with horror or thriller genres, signalling danger, instability, or something broken/wrong before any text is processed.
- Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that 'should' frames the warning as an ominous, almost fated piece of advice rather than a direct factual claim, creating unsettling ambiguity about what will happen if the advice is ignored.
- Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that this ambiguity invites the viewer's imagination to fill in the danger, which is often a more effective horror marketing technique than an explicit statement.
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.
Read this excerpt from an obituary: 'She measured her days not in hours but in gardens planted, letters written, and neighbours fed. She is survived by three children, seven grandchildren, and a community that will, quite literally, never stop eating better because she lived.' (a) Identify the overall tone of this excerpt. (b) Explain how the final clause moves beyond a conventional obituary statement to make a specific, personal claim about the subject's legacy.
[3 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- Identifies a warm, celebratory, and affectionate tone, rather than a purely solemn or mournful one.
- Explains that a conventional obituary would simply list surviving family members, whereas this text extends that convention by specifically crediting the subject's ongoing, tangible impact on 'a community that will never stop eating better'.
- Explains that this specific, almost humorous personal detail makes the tribute feel individual and vivid rather than generic and formulaic.
Examiner tip: Obituaries can subvert reader expectations of a purely solemn genre by including specific, vivid, even humorous personal detail — always check whether a text follows or departs from its genre's typical conventions.
28.
Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Read this excerpt from an obituary: 'She measured her days not in hours but in gardens planted, letters written, and neighbours fed. She is survived by three children, seven grandchildren, and a community that will, quite literally, never stop eating better because she lived.' (a) Identify the overall tone of this excerpt. (b) Explain how the final clause moves beyond a conventional obituary statement to make a specific, personal claim about the subject's legacy.” Their response addresses only this point: “Identifies a warm, celebratory, and affectionate tone, rather than a purely solemn or mournful one.” 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: Identifies a warm, celebratory, and affectionate tone, rather than a purely solemn or mournful one.
- Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that a conventional obituary would simply list surviving family members, whereas this text extends that convention by specifically crediting the subject's ongoing, tangible impact on 'a community that will never stop eating better'.
- Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that this specific, almost humorous personal detail makes the tribute feel individual and vivid rather than generic and formulaic.
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.
Read this excerpt from a satirical opinion column: 'Naturally, the solution to a housing shortage is for everyone to simply buy their own island. Truly, I don't see why more people haven't thought of this before.' (a) Identify the technique being used in this excerpt. (b) Explain how the exaggerated, clearly unrealistic 'solution' criticises the actual attitude the writer is satirising.
[3 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- Identifies satire/irony, using exaggeration (hyperbole) to mock a real attitude.
- Explains that proposing a patently absurd, unaffordable 'solution' (buying an island) exposes, by exaggeration, how detached or out-of-touch a real proposed solution to the housing crisis might actually be.
- Explains that the ironic tone (the writer pretending to be genuinely puzzled that others haven't thought of this) reinforces the mockery, since the reader recognises the writer does not actually mean what is being said literally.
Examiner tip: Satire works by proposing an exaggerated version of a real position and following its logic to an absurd conclusion — always identify the real target being mocked, not just the literal absurd claim.
30.
Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Read this excerpt from a satirical opinion column: 'Naturally, the solution to a housing shortage is for everyone to simply buy their own island. Truly, I don't see why more people haven't thought of this before.' (a) Identify the technique being used in this excerpt. (b) Explain how the exaggerated, clearly unrealistic 'solution' criticises the actual attitude the writer is satirising.” Their response addresses only this point: “Identifies satire/irony, using exaggeration (hyperbole) to mock a real attitude.” 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: Identifies satire/irony, using exaggeration (hyperbole) to mock a real attitude.
- Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that proposing a patently absurd, unaffordable 'solution' (buying an island) exposes, by exaggeration, how detached or out-of-touch a real proposed solution to the housing crisis might actually be.
- Identifies the missing requirement: Explains that the ironic tone (the writer pretending to be genuinely puzzled that others haven't thought of this) reinforces the mockery, since the reader recognises the writer does not actually mean what is being said literally.
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.