1. Paper 2 Section B Writing to Explain
Improving your performance in writing

2. What is Writing to Explain?
Explains an idea, concept, action or event
Gives examples to support the points
Gives reasons why or how something happens

3. Assessment Objectives
AO3(i) – Communication
Ideas, addressing the audience, meeting the purpose
AO3(ii) – Organsiation
Type of text, overall structure, use of paragraphs and sentences
AO3(iii) – Sentence structure, punctuation and spelling
Accuracy of writing skills and vocabulary

4. What’s it worth? Section B is worth 27 marks out of 54
These 27 marks are worth 15% of the final GCSE (45 minutes worth of work)
Each assessment objective is worth 5% of the final GCSE grade
IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO DO WELL!!

5. C Grade Criteria AO3(i) AO3(ii) AO3(iii)
Clear identification with purpose and audience
Sustains reader’s repsonse
Detailed explanation and examples
Varies tone e.g. humour, seriousness, anger
Confident use of rhetorical devices
AO3(ii)
Clear structure
Paragraphs are linked together using connectives
Connectives are used to develop the points
Range of vocabulary for effect
AO3(iii)
Different types of sentences used for effect
Secure spelling
Accurate punctuation especially to mark sentences and clauses

6. What do I need to do?
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

7. Examples of tasks
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.

8. Writer’s Toolkit Overall Structure
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

9. Writer’s Toolkit Rhetorical Devices
Rhetorical questions x 2
Lists of three x 2
Emotive language
Anecdotes
Facts and Statistics
Audience involvement
Direct address
Personal involvement
Alliteration
Repetition
Over-exaggeration
Expert opinions

10. Writer’s Toolkit Sentence Structure
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

11. Writer’s Toolkit Range of Punctuation
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

12. Why use a Text Skeleton?
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…

13. Add connectives to sequence points
Draw a
fishbone
text
skeleton
Add an interesting
opening & ending
e.g. anecdote / question
Work out the PAFT
Purpose > Audience > Form > Tone
Add connectives to sequence points
Write in your ideas, using PEE to structure your paragraphs
Point > Evidence > Explain how this proves your point
Don’t forget about some
rhetorical devices to
make your writing
interesting

14. Approaching the task Analyse the task: work out the PAFT
Think of an interesting opening
Plan your ideas: 4 points / examples
Think of an effective conclusion – link back to your opening
Add connectives
Add rhetorical devices

15. Age Interests Lifestyle
Gender Education Class
Job Hobbies Politics

16. Interesting openings 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?”)

17. Beginning with an anecdote
The story identifies various pressures
Opening to a response about teenage pressures:
Walking into the classroom, Josie groaned. Her coursework for Mrs Brown was still on her desk at home. She might have remembered it if she hadn’t spent her time arguing with her mother over her 10pm ‘curfew’. As she slipped into her seat, Tiffany Cameron muttered, “Where’d’ya get ya shoes, Josephine, Poundland?” Josie looked away and caught Jamie Smith looking at her. Was he laughing at her, or smiling? She put her head on the desk: her face was burning with embarrassment!
Begins with a verb
Range of sentences
Begins with a preposition
Slang for effect
Rhetorical question
Exclamation mark
Colon instead of ‘because’

18. PEE Paragraphs Point Example Explain Answer the question ‘what?’
E.g. What makes this person admirable?
Example
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
Answer the question ‘why?’
E.g. Why does this example show this person is admirable?

19. Main points – PEE Chains
Think of a reason
Beckham has worked hard
Think of an example of this reason
Relentless training
Explain how this example supports your reason – link to the task
This makes him a hero because it shows us…

20. 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.

21. Conclusion 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

22. Firstly, secondly, thirdly
Connectives
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

23. Task 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.