‘How to Revise’ GCSE English
Session Objectives:
To provide information to help your child revise for their
GCSE English examination
Key Information
 Course specification: AQA English 4702
 Exam date: 2 June 2015 9.30 am
 Exam time: 2 hours and 15 minutes plus any additional
time
Unit 1: Understanding and producing
non fiction texts
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External examination
60% of the total GCSE marks
2 hours 15 minutes
80 marks
Section A: Reading
30% of the total GCSE marks
40 marks
Section B: Writing
30% of the total GCSE marks
40 marks
 To understand and produce non-fiction texts:
 SECTION A READING
 texts such as information leaflets, media sources including
texts with images, and/or other presentational devices, travel
writing and biographies.
 SECTION B WRITING
 Two writing tasks, one shorter and one longer. The shorter
task will ask candidates to write to inform, explain or describe;
the longer task to argue or persuade.
QUESTION 1 WILL BE TO ‘SELECT AND RETRIEVE INFORMATION’ – LIKE AN OWNER
WHO THROWS A BALL FOR HIS DOG TO GO AND RETRIEVE....... IF THE OWNER
THROWS A BALL BUT THE DOG BRINGS BACK A BONE – SOMETHING’S WRONG!!!
Read Source 1, the online holiday brochure for a trip to New York called Guardian
holiday offers
and answer the questions below.
1 List four activities you can do in New York. (4 marks)
1 ..........................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................
2 ..........................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................
3 ..........................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................
4 ..........................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................
THEREFORE, READ CAREFULLY – WHAT IS IT YOU HAVE BEEN ASKED TO RETRIEVE??
GO FETCH =
SCAN THE TEXT AND UNDERLINE THEM
WRITE THEM DOWN AS THE QUOTE – NO MORE / NO LESS
USE THE STEPS TO SUCCESS TO ANSWER THE NEXT
QUESTION – AIM FOR MAXIMUM MARKS 4 OUT OF 4!!
2. What do we learn about the ship Queen
Mary 2 (QM2)? (4 marks)
STEPS TO SUCCESS FOR INFERRING MEANING:
1. READ THE QUESTION CAREFULLY AND TRY HARD TO UNDERSTAND WHAT
IT WANTS YOU TO COME TO A CONCLUSION ABOUT.
2. READ THE TEXT TRYING TO FIND EVIDENCE FOR THAT CONCLUSION –
UNDERLINE ANY EVIDENCE.
3. SUM UP IN YOUR WORDS WHAT ALL THE EVIDENCE SUGGESTS / TELLS YOU
/ EXPLAINS IN A P.E.E. WRITTEN RESPONSE.
EXAMPLE FULL MARK ANSWER
We learn that the ship is stylish / luxurious / top quality
Because it tells us in the text that it has ‘outstanding
facilities’ and being on board would be like staying in
‘the lap of luxury.’
Another thing we learn is that the ship has kept up
with modern times. I know this because it has ‘wifi
spots across the ship’ which means that passengers
on board can access internet when they are at sea.
The text tells us that the ship has ‘10 restaurants and
8 whirlpools’ this implies the ship is a place you can
be pampered and looked after really well.
BLUE = THE INFERENCE
RED = THE QUOTE FROM THE TEXT
BLACK= YOUR WORDS TO EXPLAIN
PRESENTATIONAL FEATURES ANOTHER 12 MARKS:
• USE OF COLOUR- what it represents / symbolises
• DIFFERENT FONT STYLES AND SIZE
• VISUAL IMAGES: photo, cartoon, painting – real / close up / staged
• LOGO
• HEADLINES
• SUBHEADINGS
• BULLET POINTS
• SHAPED SECTIONS
• DIAGRAMS / CHARTS
• WEBSITE TOOLS – ICONS, TABS, NAVIGATION BAR, SEARCH
THEY ARE ALWAYS USED TO:
SUPPORT THE TEXT / THE WRITER’S MESSAGE OR PURPOSE.
AND / OR
HELP NAVIGATE THE READER, ACCESS THE CONTENT OF THE TEXT
EASIER
BOX A
BOX B
Choose two sources write about the way they are presented and compare how they
look
1. IDENTIFY THE FEATURES OF EACH PICTURE – WHAT CAN YOU SEE?
2. WRITE DOWN THE EFFECT EACH FEATURE HAS ON THE READER. WRITE A
PARAGRAPH THAT COMPARES BOX A WITH BOX B
Revision guides and websites
 AQA website GCSE English – past papers and mark
schemes www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/english/gcse/english4700
 GCSEPOD www.gcsepod.com
 GCSE English Bitesize
http://www.bbc.co.uk/gcsebitesize/english/
 Sam Learning
https://www.samlearning.com
 Grammar revision: Education City
 www.educationcity.com
 Now you try!
TIPS TO GET MAXIMUM MARKS IN SECTION B: WRITING
Examiners are impressed by students who correct their work, so don’t be afraid to cross
things out and make changes; it shows you are a thoughtful writer.
Make sure you keep changes as neat as possible and that your corrections are clear.
Does it make sense?
Have I included full stops, semi-colons and commas? Also check for speech marks, colons,
question marks and apostrophes.
Could I vary the sort of sentences I’ve used? Maybe I could start with subordinate clauses
and make the sentences more descriptive and detailed.
Do any of the words I’ve written look as though they’re not quite right? If so, try writing
them again on a piece of rough paper, spelling them differently; keep trying until it looks
right and then correct it in your essay.
Have I divided my work up into paragraphs? If not, read it carefully and decide where you
think the breaks ought to go. After the last word of the sentence that you want to end
your paragraph, mark // and then NP which will tell the examiner that you want to begin a
new paragraph.
Have I included all that I wanted to say? If not, mark the spot where you want to add
something with a * and then make the same mark at the end of your essay, where you
have some space, and write the extra points and ideas you wish to make by this second
mark.
Ideas to do with your child at home:
Reading:
1. Read through a magazine or newspaper article and identify all the presentational
devices and write 2 PEE paragraphs commenting on their overall effect and
contribution to the text.
2. Find a newspaper article or magazine and summarise in your own words what is
the main point of the article in no more than 200 words.
3. Find a copy of an advertisement. List all of the persuasive devices used in the
advert and then write a PEE paragraph explaining how the advertisement
persuades the reader to buy the product.
4. Read through a charity leaflet and identify intended audience, emotive
language, facts and opinions. Explain how they have been used within the text.
Writing Tasks
1. Describe a place you have visited and why it was memorable.
2. Write a speech for Y11 students informing them of the importance of doing exam
revision
3. Write an article arguing for/against 16 year olds being given the vote.
4. Write a letter to Mr Hughes persuading him to give all GCSE pupils a laptop.
5. There are many pressures on teenagers today. Explain what you think the main
pressures are and how they affect your life and the lives of teenagers you know.
Thank you for attending.
We hope you have found the
workshop interesting and
informative.