Year 8 Top Tips for Lower Secondary Checkpoint How to annotate the non-fiction texts: For each paragraph, annotate: Technique used in title or headline Person pronoun Verb Tense Register (level of formality) Facts/writer’s opinion Figurative language Persuasive techniques Connectives used in the beginning of the paragraphs Subheadings (create your own if they do not exist) Quotes Rhetorical questions Chronological order or not Punctuation marks used & why Types of sentences WHILE ANSWERING READING QUESTIONS: Underline keywords in each question. When you’re asked to give a word, phrase, sentence/quotation, you must put your answer between INVERTED COMMAS ‘… ‘ NOT SPEECH MARKS “… “ (If you’re copying a direct speech from the text, then use speech marks “…”) When you’re asked to answer using ONE WORD, then using more than one word = zero, even if it’s part of the right answer. 1 When you’re asked to write a PHRASE, then the answer must be missing either the subject or the verb or both. When you’re asked to explain in your own words, then 90% of your answer MUST BE in your own words. When you’re asked to COMMENT, then you must explain in your own words AND quote. (PEE technique) When you’re asked to give an impression about a character, then you should analyse (STEAL) and give your opinion and feeling about the character. When you’re not given any rubric, then you’re free to quote or answer in your own words. In ticking questions, always read the question closely as sometimes they ask for more than one answer. Put the passive verb form between inverted commas. ‘is made’ DO NOT GO OFF THE LINE. Anything below the line will not be read by the examiner. DO NOT WRITE IN THE MARGIN ‘For teacher’s use only’. Abide by the only TWO LINED PAPERS for your writing. THE BLANK PAGE is your draft page (nothing on it will be marked). For listing, note-taking or fact file: copy from the text; use phrases; use inverted commas - For the fact file (table), use bullet points and write all the possible answers in each cell. For the summary: topic sentence; paraphrase the notes; use formal language; between brackets write the number of words used. MAKE SURE ALL THE TIME YOU WRITE ABOUT 8 WORDS PER LINE (in reading and writing) 2 Writing: (make sure you go through and EDIT your piece of writing) Abide by the bullet points provided in the writing prompt. Non-Fiction: Plan box type, features, mind mapping for the structure Subheading Subheading or or topic topic sentence sentence Title/Head line Subheading or topic sentence Subheading or topic sentence Fiction: IF you are asked to CONTINUE the story, you have to use the same GENRE of the reading extract and a complete plot. Plan box genre & features 1st or 3rd person? Point of view character (personality – STEAL – always show his/her emotions, reactions & thoughts) 3 Climax Setting (place/time/weather – atmosphere using senses/figurative language and show don’t tell) Draw the story mountain for the PLOT and write a sentence for each stage Success Criteria: - Suspense (build-up & climax) – short sentence, fragment, onomatopoeia, simile, personification, rhetorical question, ellipsis, withholding information) - Dialogue in climax (new speaker new line / use synonyms of ‘said’) - Show, don’t tell - Figures of speech - Sentence openers (ISPACE) especially in the beginning of each paragraph - Time connectives - Semi-colon, colon, dash, brackets - Vary sentence types - Powerful vocabulary (looked – observed, peeked, glanced, glimpsed, witnessed, noticed, stared, gazed) (walked – stroll, wander, roam, stride, stagger, trudge) (ran – dashed, sprinted, hurtled, hurried, rushed, raced) 4 Common Questions: In non-fiction, short sentences are used to emphasise or highlight a fact (state the fact). The usage of Modal Verbs (written in the copybook) Types of sentences Relative pronouns and relative clauses Types of phrases and clauses The usage of ALL punctuation marks (revise the sheet) Parenthesis / parenthetic commas Why does the writer use ellipsis? suspense - For a dramatic pause To show hesitation , confusion To show incomplete thought To replace omitted text in a formal quotation which does not change the meaning of the quotation. Non-fiction features question: Find out if the question is about the features shown in this specific text or about this type of writing in general. - The tours are sensibly priced, giving great value for money. 5 Connectives used to link paragraphs: Focus on the ideas discussed in both paragraphs and the relation between them. It can be to show contrast or result, etc… - Connectives or Conjunctions??? Ways to grab the reader’s attention/engage the reader: - Direct address - Rhetorical question - Alliteration/Rhyme/Sibilance/Assonance/Consonance (poetic devices) - Simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole - Repetition - Contrast - Imperative - Rule of three/triplet - Emotive language - Direct speech Layout or Presentation features to make the information clearer: - Subheadings/Topic sentences Capitalization of subheadings Separated paragraphs Bold words Capitalized words Bullet points Glossary Boxes Columns Pictures 6 Comparing between sentences, paragraphs or texts: Language: - Person - Verbs tenses - Less formal/more formal language - Fact/opinion of the writer - Simpler vocabulary/more complex vocabulary - Direct speech - Rhetorical question Structure: - Chronological order - Subheadings/Topic sentence - Types of sentences (simple, compound, complex, compound-complex) - Rule of three/triplet - Direct speech - Rhetorical question - Punctuation marks Usage/Importance of Direct Speech: To introduce the testimony of an eyewitness To introduce an expert’s/authority figure’s opinion Techniques to make a text less formal: Using more rhetorical questions Using simple, short, straightforward sentences Using simple vocabulary Using opinions Using idioms Using hyperbole Using exclamation marks 7 How does the writer use structure and punctuation to emphasise/create atmosphere? - Dashes Italics/bold Short sentences Exclamation marks Repetition Figures of speech The use of vocabulary Why does the writer use inverted commas? - To highlight a word / make it stand out - The writer used the word figuratively not literally/the writer does not mean the literal meaning of the word 8 Reasons to start a new paragraph: Change of place: There were flashes of lightning. Ivy was clinging on the outer walls. Leaves were swirling along the trails that were winding among old, ragged trees. Inside the haunted house, it was stubbornly dark. There were dusty cobwebs spreading on the walls like a blanket. Change of time: Early in the morning, the soldiers gathered, getting ready to face the fierce dragon. Their grizzled leader gave commands to all troops. At dusk, they were close to the dragon’s lair. Complete silence dwelled as they were waiting for the best time to attack. Change of action: Alex was swimming gracefully in the river. It was his first time to swim up river. He was thrilled by the cool water tickling his skin. However, something unexpected happened. Suddenly, he spotted a head pumping up and down in the water. He decided to swim towards her to rescue her. Introducing a new character: I was playing on the computer in my room. It was the most exciting game I’ve ever seen, so I was having so much fun. Suddenly, mum dashed into my room. She had expected to see me studying. Consequently, she started yelling and telling me off. When you start a direct speech or when there’s a new speaker in the dialogue (NEW SPEAKER NEW LINE) 9