May 2023 Paper 1: Sample Response 4 (Cycling)
Students have started their May 2024 examinations! But they haven’t taken their English A: Language and Literature exams yet. So, we are publishing one last Paper 1 in preparation.
This exemplar – found here – is a cautionary tale to students. Allocate your time wisely so you can finish and write a conclusion. Don’t over-focus on one single technique (logos, for example). Be prepared to use a wide variety of evidence (don’t repeat quotations/evidence). And extend your analysis after each quotation (provide more insight into how language and images shape meaning).
It is with these “mistakes” that this exemplar has a lot of potential to use in the classroom. Ask students to come up with three or four “problems” with the exemplar. They should be able to say:
- It doesn’t have a conclusion.
- It repeats evidence/quotations.
- It focuses too heavily on logos.
- More analysis after the evidence is needed.
There is also room to “teach into” the exemplar. After every piece of evidence, ask students to expand and say more. Provide more interpretation and more analysis of the writer’s choices.
Still, as you will see by the marks, it’s not bad. It’s adequate or satisfactory in most respects and is able to get 13 out of 20 total points overall. So, even when things don’t go perfectly well, students can – and do – succeed on this exam!
Finally, good luck to all of those students out there taking their May 2024 exams!
Best,
Tim and David