Before we begin …

I have attached the AQA GCSE English Language specification.

Remember, you can always contact me at eguglietti.310@hhsweb.orgif you have any questions about the course.

Week 1 and Week 2: Paper 1 Question 5

• This week, we are going to focus on grammar

• We will look at Paper 1 Question 5, the descriptive writing and narrative question worth

40 marks (50% of Paper 1)

• Please take notes and complete the tasks you are given

Starter: Correct the following grammar mistakes. There are no spelling mistakes. You may simply have to add punctuation or change a letter.

1) Computers are used in communication Joe uses them every day.2) Sarah put her gun to the ground, James had been badly injured.3) Joe and Michael went on the Bus and chatted about Old times.4) Tonya said “I don’t want to be a figure skater any longer”.5) The Boy was accused of Stealing but he was actually Innocent.6) The calculator stopped working, it was not going to be a good day at all.7) “I am sad because Sam left” shouted the girl.

Paper 1 Question 5

1) Computers are used in communication. Joe uses them every day.

2) Sarah put her gun to the ground. James had been badly injured.

3) Joe and Michael went on the bus and chatted about old times.

4) Tonya said, “I don’t want to be a figure skater any longer”.

5) The boy was accused of stealing but he was actually innocent.

6) The calculator stopped working. It was not going to be a good day at all.

7) “I am sad because Sam left!” shouted the girl.

How well did you do?

Paper 1 Paper 2

Before we move on, how well do you know the difference between Paper 1 and Paper 2?

Use the terms on the following slide to complete the chart.

• Fiction

• Non-Fiction

• 80 marks

• 2 Extracts

• 1 Extract

• 5 questions

• Picture / Story

• Newspaper, Speech, Letter

• Comparison of two texts

• Language analysis

• Persuasion

• AFOREST

• Description

• Using quotes

• Summarising

Paper 1 Paper 2

• Fiction

• 80 marks

• 1 Extract

• 5 questions

• Picture / Story

• Language analysis

• Description

• Using quotes

• Non-Fiction

• 80 marks

• 2 Extracts

• 5 questions

• Newspaper, Speech, Letter

• Comparison of two texts

• Language analysis

• Persuasion

• AFOREST

• Using quotes

• Summarising

Four common grammar mistakes

1) Run on sentences – re-read your work and add full stops.

2) Comma splice

3) Random capital letters

4) Incorrect use of dialogue.--- For this exam, it’s best not to use dialogue at all!

When you re-read you work, see where you need to pause and take a breath. That’s where the full stop should go.

Run-on Sentences

• This is a sentence that goes on and on with a full stop

• This makes the writing unclear

• These sentences tend to go hand-in-hand with stories that have no structure (stories that are random)

Your Task• Refer to ‘Weeks 1 and 2 Paper 1

Question 5 Attachment 1’

• Some of these sentences are run-on sentences and some of them are not

• Identify and correct the run-on sentences

1. Split the sentence into two separate sentences, using a full stop.

2. Use a connective.

Charlie kicked the door, he was fed up. -----> This sentence is wrong.

Charlie kicked the door. He was fed up.

Charlie kicked the door, and he was fed up.

Top tips to fix a comma splice:

Another common mistake is the comma splice

Videos on comma splice / run on

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNCHbJruutY

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWJ8XonngDc

1. The room was dark, the smell was damp.

2. Inside there was a screeching noise, Ali was scared.

3. She could see the clouds and fog were beginning to build up, she didn’t know what to do.

4. She tried to shake it off but it wouldn’t, it was clinging on for dear life.

Over to you:

Can you fix these sentences by using the strategies you have learnt?

Let’s now look at an example of a story with various errors

• Refer to ‘Weeks 1 and 2 Paper 1 Question 5 Attachment 2’

Now that you have read the story, answer the questions on page 2.

• Refer to ‘Weeks 1 and 2 Paper 1 Question 5 Attachment 2’

1) Homophones – confused their / there

What does this student need to improve?

What does this student need to improve?

1) Homophones – confused their / there

2) Too many run-on sentences

3) Too many characters

4) Not enough physical description

5) Too much plot and too many plot developments (too many scenes)

6) Not enough background information (who are the parents?)

7) Non sensory language (5 senses)

Joe wants to write an excellent story. What ingredients should he include?

1) Write in the first person (if you find it easier)2) Use linguistic devices (similes, personification …)3)4)5)6)7)8)9)10)

1) Write in the first person2)Use linguistic devices (similes, personification …)3) Write in multiple paragraphs4) Physical description5) Setting description6) Not too much dialogue7) Sensory language8) Excellent grammar (no run-ons!)9) Sophisticated vocabulary10) Only a few characters (2-3)

Let’s now look at a Grade 9 story which meets the criteria we listed:

1) Write in the first person2)Use linguistic devices (similes, personification …)3) Write in multiple paragraphs4) Physical description5) Setting description6) Not too much dialogue7) Sensory language8) Excellent grammar (no run-ons!)9) Sophisticated vocabulary10) Only a few characters (2-3)

The student was given these instructions on their exam.

• Refer to ‘Weeks 1 and 2 Paper 1 Question 5 Attachment 3’

Let’s re-read the story that went well

1) Why is the opening sentence effective?

2) Quote a sentence with personification.

3) Write a list of ‘sophisticated’ or interesting vocabulary.

4) “The writer uses a variety of different sentences”. Do you agree with this statement. Explain by referring to two quotes.

5) What kind of narrator is in this story? Quote a sentence which proves this story has a strong narrative voice.