1. Approaching and answering Question 4
Section A - Reading Question 4: Language Comparison
Approaching and answering Question 4
Remind students that the tools they need are, simply, a pen and a highlighter. As well as their brains and hard work!

2. Hint: Think about Question 2
Language devices used by non-fiction writers. Which can we recall? In a different colour, suggest a typical effect of these devices.
Class brainstorm of linguistic devices that students can recall.
Hint: Think about Question 2

3. Question 4: Language Comparison
16 marks
30 minutes, including active reading time
You need to identify 3 or 4 devices (techniques, or features) used in two texts
Analyse the effect of some of these devices; comment on similarities and differences of the two texts
Ask students what they recall about this question.
Remind them of the details on the slide.

4. How is language used for effect?
Language is always used for some kind of effect or other. Often, without commenting on specific linguistic devices, you can talk about the kind of language a writer uses, noticing what kind of words are used, or what kind of tone or style is created by language and structure. Look at these examples…
The writer uses dramatic and violent language in order to describe the horror of the attack at the end of the extract. Phrases like “chill horror”, “sudden fear” and “thunderous crack” portray the fear and terror experienced by the Indians who are attacked.
Powerful words such as “war”, “huge” and “ruining” emphasise and perhaps exaggerate the seriousness of the issue.
Stress that this question is not merely a ‘hunt’ for language devices. Students still need to be showing a sound understanding of the articles, and can talk about the kind of language used (e.g. positive / negative, formal / informal, descriptive / factual, serious / humorous, dramatic / neutral etc.
The writer uses a chatty, informal tone, using contractions like “I’m” “don’t” and “can’t”.
Language is highly descriptive, with adjectives such as “golden” and “spectacular” conveying the writer’s appreciation for his surroundings.

5. Common linguistic devices
1st, 2nd or 3rd person (narrative viewpoint)
Rhyme & Rhythm
Anecdote & Allusion
Directly addressing the reader
Slogan & Catchphrase
Statistics & Facts
Imperatives
Exaggeration & Hyperbole
Rhetorical questions
Repetition
Register - Formal/Informal language
Humour
Lists
Diction - Simple/Complex vocabulary
Emotive language
Punctuation type
Figurative Language & Imagery: Similes/Metaphor/
Expert advice
Short sentences
Personification etc.
Superlatives
Word play & puns
Alliteration
Print a copy for students. Students can ‘audit’ their knowledge of these language features by highlighting the ones they think they would be confident in identifying (and, looking forward to the writing section, using themselves).

6. Name of Language Device(s)
Some common linguistic devices. What are they?
Example
Name of Language Device(s)
“According to UK government calculations, 214 of the most senior eurocrats get paid more than David Cameron's £178,000 a year.”
“Human lives are nothing but a series of unfortunate upgrades. Yes, even yours.”
“Starbucks wakes up and smells the stench of tax avoidance controversy”
“Who's opposing the benefit cap? Who's calling for a ringfence of council tax benefits for families in need? Who's arguing to maintain the child tax credit threshold? Who's fighting against families being rehoused miles away from their children's school? Who's calling for more social housing?”
“The ferry was packed with buses, petrol tanks, vans, land cruisers, jeeps, fuel tankers, cars – and people.”
Starter or settling activity.
Higher ability groups should be able to identify the language devices used in the short quotes in the example column.

7. Name of Language Device(s)
Some common linguistic devices. What are they?
Example
Name of Language Device(s)
“According to UK government calculations, 214 of the most senior eurocrats get paid more than David Cameron's £178,000 a year.”
“Human lives are nothing but a series of unfortunate upgrades. Yes, even yours.”
“Starbucks wakes up and smells the stench of tax avoidance controversy”
“Who's opposing the benefit cap? Who's calling for a ringfence of council tax benefits for families in need? Who's arguing to maintain the child tax credit threshold? Who's fighting against families being rehoused miles away from their children's school? Who's calling for more social housing?”
“The ferry was packed with buses, petrol tanks, vans, land cruisers, jeeps, fuel tankers, cars – and people.”
Starter or settling activity.
This handout includes prompts (language devices found in the examples which students can choose from).
Look out for: statistics and figures, directly addressing the reader, repetition,
alliteration, personification, sibilance, lists, rhetorical questions, humour, exaggeration…

8. Question 4: A Model Response Question 4: A Model Response
The purpose of Text 1 is to inform Daily Echo readers about the achievements of Holly Budge and impress them with information about her accomplishments. Text 2 is a descriptive piece which tells readers about a significant event in the life of the narrator: an Apache Indian. Readers will empathise with the narrator and respond with sympathy to the awful event described in the extract.
Facts and statistics are used in Text 1 in order to stress the significance of Holly’s achievements. They serve an evidential purpose. Holly climbed “29,500 ft”; she has made “more than 2000 jumps”; she intends to “raise £30,000” for charity. This information impresses readers as the numbers involved are large and significant. These facts portray Holly as a brave and remarkable young woman who has singlehandedly achieved great things. The figures suggest that her feats are extraordinary.
The superlative “highest” is repeated throughout the article. Holly climbed the world’s “highest mountain” as well as achieving the “highest drop zone” by a parachutist. The repetition of this word reinforces the idea that Holly’s exploits are unique and admirable.
The article uses complex vocabulary: a diction exclusive to Holly’s profession which the reader may not be familiar with. The article uses terms such as “high altitude”, “free fall” and “oxygen cylinder”. These technical terms are not common phrases, so they give further authenticity to the report.
Unlike Text 1, Text 2 uses figurative language in order to describe the setting in the story and the narrator’s relationship with it. In her first-person account, Landman talks of how a tree “lowers itself to greet me” and refers to its “spirit singing”. This use of personification suggests that the narrator has a close, deep relationship with her environment; it portrays her as at peace with her surroundings. This contrasts sharply with the distressing events later in the extract.
In contrast to Text 1, Text 2 uses a list in order to portray the Apache Indians as admirable, multi skilled people who are in sync with their environment and daily lives. As well as “tending the fire, stirring a cooking pot”, a mother is stitching fabric and looking after her children. Again, this harmonious description makes later events seem even more shocking and heightens the reader’s sympathy.
Another difference between the texts is that Text 2 uses dramatic and violent language in order to describe the horror of the attack at the end of the extract. Phrases like “chill horror”, “sudden fear” and “thunderous crack” portray the fear and terror experienced by the Indians who are attacked. This kind of language evokes sympathy in the reader, and perhaps revulsion at the attackers who have disrupted the Apache’s harmonious existence.
As both of these texts have such different purposes and evoke very different responses from readers, they use contrasting effects. Text 1 relies on effects which authenticate the story and impress the reader, such as facts, numbers and complex diction, whereas Text 2, which elicits a far more emotional response, employs descriptive, dramatic and emotive language for effect.
Question 4: A Model Response
Now you know what kind of thing you need to write about in your response to Question 4, you are going to see a model answer. Notice:
How the student introduces their answer
How many points about language are made for each text (Highlight language devices analysed!)
When and how the student compares and contrasts
Then, look at the mark scheme and suggest a mark.
Students should look at the model response on the next slide, addressing the above.

9. Question 4: A Model Response
The purpose of Text 1 is to inform Daily Echo readers about the achievements of Holly Budge and impress them with information about her accomplishments. Text 2 is a descriptive piece which tells readers about a significant event in the life of the narrator: an Apache Indian. Readers will empathise with the narrator and respond with sympathy to the awful event described in the extract.
Facts and statistics are used in Text 1 in order to stress the significance of Holly’s achievements. They serve an evidential purpose. Holly climbed “29,500 ft”; she has made “more than 2000 jumps”; she intends to “raise £30,000” for charity. This information impresses readers as the numbers involved are large and significant. These facts portray Holly as a brave and remarkable young woman who has singlehandedly achieved great things. The figures suggest that her feats are extraordinary.
The superlative “highest” is repeated throughout the article. Holly climbed the world’s “highest mountain” as well as achieving the “highest drop zone” by a parachutist. The repetition of this word reinforces the idea that Holly’s exploits are unique and admirable.
The article uses complex vocabulary: a diction exclusive to Holly’s profession which the reader may not be familiar with. The article uses terms such as “high altitude”, “free fall” and “oxygen cylinder”. These technical terms are not common phrases, so they give further authenticity to the report.
Unlike Text 1, Text 2 uses figurative language in order to describe the setting in the story and the narrator’s relationship with it. In her first-person account, Landman talks of how a tree “lowers itself to greet me” and refers to its “spirit singing”. This use of personification suggests that the narrator has a close, deep relationship with her environment; it portrays her as at peace with her surroundings. This contrasts sharply with the distressing events later in the extract.
In contrast to Text 1, Text 2 uses a list in order to portray the Apache Indians as admirable, multi-skilled people who are in sync with their environment and daily lives. As well as “tending the fire, stirring a cooking pot”, a mother is stitching fabric and looking after her children. Again, this harmonious description makes later events seem even more shocking and heightens the reader’s sympathy.
Another difference between the texts is that Text 2 uses dramatic and violent language in order to describe the horror of the attack at the end of the extract. Phrases like “chill horror”, “sudden fear” and “thunderous crack” portray the fear and terror experienced by the Indians who are attacked. This kind of language evokes sympathy in the reader, and perhaps revulsion at the attackers who have disrupted the Apache’s harmonious existence.
As both of these texts have such different purposes and evoke very different responses from readers, they use contrasting effects. Text 1 relies on effects which authenticate the story and impress the reader, such as facts, numbers and complex diction, whereas Text 2, which elicits a far more emotional response, employs descriptive, dramatic and emotive language for effect.
Model response. Notice that the two texts being written about are dealt with separately; comparison is made by use of connectives (in this case to show difference / contrast) and in the short concluding paragraph.
Often, because of the fact that Source 3 is very different to Source 1 and Source 2, the effects are different. Higher ability students may make more explicit comparisons between the language of the two texts throughout their answer.

10. Common purposes and effects of non-fiction writing1.
Highlight the key words in the question.
The language question is always the same: It will ask you to compare Text 3 (or ‘Source 3’) with either Text 1 or Text 2.
You need to be writing about how language is used in the two texts, identifying and analysing language devices.
Compare the different ways in which language is used for effect in the two texts.
Give some examples and analyse what the effects are.
Remind students of Step 1 – reading the question and highlighting the key words.
Stress that students will always be required to analyse Source 3 (typically a first-person story or narrative) with either Source 1 or Source 2 (typically news stories written in the third-person).
Common purposes and effects of non-fiction writing

11. 2.
Compare the different ways in which language is used for effect in the two texts.
Give some examples and analyse what the effects are.
Actively read the text: You are looking for particular parts of the text where language creates a certain effect, and serves the purpose of the article (e.g. to inform, persuade or describe).
Highlight words, phrases, passages, statistics etc. that will help you answer the question.
You might like to annotate the texts very briefly with ideas that will help you answer the question.
Step 2 is actively reading. Tell students to follow the steps above.
For this question, students can briefly annotate highlighted sections with brief comments about the language used.
Put students in an even number of groups, and have students in the class working on two articles which can be compared in a Question 4 answer.
IN GROUPS

12. 2. Jigsaw Activity We noticed…
Language is often emotive, so the reader…
Repetition is used…
Facts and stats give authenticity…
Similarly, expert advice…
We think this is hyperbole…
Now create jigsaw groups, so half of students in new groups looked at one text, and the other half another text which they’ll be comparing with the other.
Students to share ideas and discuss the effects of language features.

13. IN PAIRS 3. Writing up ideas
Now you’re ready to write up your ideas, you need a clear introductory sentence introducing each article. See the model answer for help.
Then, talk about how language is used for effect in one of the texts, and then the other (making brief comparisons with the one you’ve already written about). Conclude by giving reasons for similarities / differences.
Pepper your points with short quotes which give examples of how language is used for effect. They need to be analysed, as you need to suggest how these effects are created by the writers.
Remind students of the steps above while writing their response.
IN PAIRS

14. USEFUL WORDS & PHRASES 3. The author / language in the text…
Connective
The author / language in the text…
The reader…
(or ‘we’…)
Firstly
Secondly
Thirdly
As well as this
Furthermore
Moreover
Finally
Lastly
Likewise
Similarly
Unlike
As well as
In contrast to
Advises
Argues
Builds
Connotes
Contrasts
Conveys
Creates
Demonstrates
Describes
Depicts
Emphasises
Evokes
Exaggerates
Gives the impression
Gives a sense
Highlights
Informs
Implies
Indicates
Juxtaposes
Narrates
Persuades
Realises
Recognises
Refers to
Reflects
Represents
Reveals
Signifies
Suggests
Symbolises
Shows
Tells
Is made aware
Is informed
Is told
Is shocked / fascinated / persuaded / made to sympathise etc.
Learns
Discovers
Students should ONLY use words / phrases they’re comfortable with. There’s no time to experiment!
Column 1: Useful connectives to organise a response, and to compare and contrast.
Column 2: Active verbs that may be used to explain / analyse.
Column 3: Passive, and then active, sentence constructions that may be used when referring to the reader or audience.
USEFUL WORDS & PHRASES

15. Compare the different ways in which language is used for effect in the two texts.
Give some examples and analyse what the effects are.
ON YOUR OWN

16. Question 4: Language Comparison – Sample Mark Scheme
Students can swap an attempt with someone else in the class for them to peer assess against the mark scheme.

17. Compare the different ways in which language is used for effect in the two texts.
Give some examples and analyse what the effects are.
ON YOUR OWN