Unit 1 Section B
Writing to Inform & Explain
Improving your performance in
writing
The Exam – Section B
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You should spend about an hour on
Section B
2 Writing tasks
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Shorter task: Writing to Inform / Explain
(25 minutes)
Longer task: Writing to Persuade / Argue
(35 minutes)
40 marks available
What is Writing to Inform?
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Gives detailed information about a topic
Gives examples to support the points
made
What is Writing to Explain?
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Explains an idea, concept, action or
event
Gives examples to support the points
Gives reasons why or how something
happens
Assessment Objectives
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AO3(i)
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Ideas, addressing the audience, meeting the
purpose
AO3(ii)
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– Communication
– Organsiation
Type of text, overall structure, use of paragraphs
and sentences
AO3(iii) – Sentence structure, punctuation
and spelling
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Accuracy of writing skills and vocabulary
Writing to Inform
Mark Band 3 Criteria (F Tier)
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AO3(i) Communication
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AO3(ii) Organisation
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Clear and successful communication
Some detail used to engage reader
Clearly states purpose and message
Appropriate tone with some variation
Uses some appropriate rhetorical devices
Uses connectives
Uses paragraphs effectively
Uses a variety of structural features
Presents good ideas in sentences
AO3(iii) Technical Accuracy
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Uses some complex grammar and punctuation
Sentences accurately demarcated
Variety of sentences
Accuracy in spelling ambitious words
Uses standard English
Writing to Explain
Mark Band 4 Criteria (H Tier)
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AO3(i) Communication
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AO3(ii) Organisation
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Convincing explanation – gives clear reasons
Detailed and developed ideas
Sustains purpose, intention and aims
Appropriate and varied tone
Uses linguistic devices for effect
Extensive use of discourse markers
Whole text written
Employs effective paragraphs
Uses a variety of structural features
Presents ideas coherently
AO3(iii) Technical Accuracy
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Complex sentence structures and punctuation accurate
Sentences correctly demarcated
Variety of sentences for effect
Ambitious vocabulary, accurately spelt
Standard English used appropriately
What do I need to do?
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Structure your writing carefully, showing how
points are linked together
Make your writing interesting to read
Use a range of rhetorical devices for effect
Use a range of paragraphs and types of
sentence for effect
Use a range of punctuation for effect
Spell words correctly and use an interesting
vocabulary
Examples of tasks
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Explain what qualities you think a best friend should
have and explain, giving examples, why you think
this.
Write a leaflet for Year 10 pupils in which you explain
how to manage GCSE study successfully.
There are many pressures on teenagers today. Write
an article for a parents’ magazine, explaining what
you think the main pressures are and how they affect
young people’s lives.
Writer’s Toolkit
Overall Structure
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Remember to create a detailed plan
Write an imaginative opening to engage your
reader i.e. an anecdote
Link your conclusion back to your opening
Vary the length of your paragraphs e.g. a
one-sentence paragraph
Use a range of connectives to link your
paragraphs together
Writer’s Toolkit
Rhetorical Devices
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Rhetorical questions
x2
Lists of three x 2
Emotive language
Anecdotes
Facts and Statistics
Audience
involvement
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Direct address
Personal
involvement
Alliteration
Repetition
Over-exaggeration
Expert opinions
Writer’s Toolkit
Sentence Structure
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Questions
Exclamations
Short sentences for impact
Complex lists e.g. There are many reasons
why Beckham is a hero: he has worked hard;
he has had great success; he is an inspiration
Begin with a reason
Begin with a verb
Move your subordinate clauses around e.g. at
the beginning
Writer’s Toolkit
Range of Punctuation
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Exclamation / question marks
Brackets to show sarcasm
Inverted commas for irony
Apostrophes for omission and possession
Use a colon instead of ‘because’ or ‘so’
Use a semi-colon to show that 2 statements
are closely linked
Put a comma after a connective at the
beginning of a sentence
Why use a Text Skeleton?
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It helps you to visualise what your
writing should look like…
It helps you to structure the writing
effectively…
It shows the examiner you know what
you are doing…
Draw a
fishbone
text
skeleton
Work out the PAFT
Purpose > Audience > Form > Tone
Add an interesting
opening & ending
e.g. anecdote / question
Add connectives to sequence points
Don’t forget about some
rhetorical devices to
make your writing
interesting
Approaching the task
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Analyse the task: work out the PAFT
Think of an interesting opening
Plan your ideas: 3 points / examples
Think of an effective conclusion – link
back to your opening
Add connectives
Add rhetorical devices
PURPOSE: what job is the writer trying to do?
Argue
Persuade
Advise
Inform
Explain
Describe
Analyse
Review
Comment
Imagine
Explore
Entertain
AUDIENCE: the reader
Children
Teenagers
Parents
Pensioners
Workers
Experts
Fans
Men
Women
Adults
PAFT
Age
Interests Lifestyle
Gender Education Class
Job
Hobbies Politics
Purpose
Audience
Form
Tone
FORM: type of writing
Leaflet
Web page
Letter
Speech
Report
Article
Story
Email
Essay
Advert
TONE: what is the mood of the writing? How are we addressed?
Enthusiastic
Passionate
Hopeful
Optimistic
Humorous
Angry
Frustrated
Pessimistic
Sad
Annoyed
Questioning
Doubtful
Suspicious
Sarcastic
Ironic
Objective
Subjective
Neutral
Cynical
Knowledgeable
Interesting openings
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Begin with an anecdote – tell a story
Use a complex list to summarise your
main points e.g. there are many
reasons to…
Use a rhetorical question (NOT “WHAT
DO YOU THINK?”)
Beginning with an anecdote
Opening to a response about teenage The story identifies
various pressures
pressures:
Begins
Walking into the classroom, Josie groaned.
with a
Her coursework for Mrs Brown was still on
verb
Range of
her desk at home. She might have
remembered it if she hadn’t spent her time sentences
arguing with her mother over her 10pm
Begins with a ‘curfew’. As she slipped into her seat,
preposition
Tiffany Cameron muttered, “Where’d’ya get Slang for
effect
ya shoes, Josephine, Poundland?” Josie
looked away and caught Jamie Smith
looking at her. Was he laughing at her, or
Rhetorical
smiling? She put her head on the desk: her
question
face was burning with embarrassment!
Exclamation
mark
Colon instead
of ‘because’
PEE Paragraphs
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Point
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Example
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Answer the question ‘what?’
E.g. What makes this person admirable?
A quotation from an expert or someone who might have
something to say
An anecdote or brief story
A fact, statistic or ratio e.g. 1 in 7, 14%, half of all…
Explain
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Answer the question ‘why?’
E.g. Why does this example show this person is admirable?
Main points – PEE Chains
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Think of a reason
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Think of an example of this reason
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Beckham has worked hard
Relentless training
Explain how this example supports your
reason – link to the task
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This makes him a hero because it shows
us…
Example of a PEE paragraph
One of the main reasons David Beckham should
be considered a national hero is because he
has worked so hard to achieve his success.
An example of this is the fact that he started
training at such a young age; many of us
were still learning to read when he was
learning to kick a football! This shows us all
how important it is to have a clear goal in life
and to always work towards achieving it.
Conclusion
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Link back to what you said in your
opening paragraph
Repeat or reinforce your main points
Answer any questions you may have
asked
Think about what might happen in the
future if people don’t do what you want
Connectives – Band 3
SEQUENCING
Firstly, secondly, thirdly
Finally
Next
ADDING
Also / and
In addition
As well as
ILLUSTRATING
For example
For instance
Such as
CAUSE AND EFFECT
Because
Consequently
Therefore
Discourse markers – Band 4!
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Surely it is reasonable to expect…
Taking the global view…
One alternative position might be…
Some people are of the opinion that…
On balance, it is clear to see that…
It is foolish to suggest that…
In considering the need to…
Task
Write an article explaining why it is
important to support charities.