AQA English Language Paper 2 Question 1 (2024 onwards)

Summary

This video focuses on tackling AQA English Language Paper 2, Question 1, a four-mark question assessing AO1 skills: identifying and interpreting explicit and implicit information. The video emphasizes reading between the lines and highlights common pitfalls, such as misinterpreting closely worded statements. Practical tips include drawing a box around the specified lines, reading statements methodically in their order of appearance, and allowing five minutes to carefully analyze answers. It also explains the importance of inferencing and warns against overconfidence with seemingly simple questions.

Takeaways

• 📉 Less than half of the students achieved full marks (4/4) in AQA English Language Paper 2, Question 1 during the November resit.
• 🔍 The question assesses Ao1: the ability to identify and interpret explicit and implicit information and ideas.
• 📝 The task asks students to choose four correct statements out of eight from the given text.
• 📏 A simple but important tip is to carefully mark the section of the text (lines 1-25) to avoid confusion while answering.
• 🤔 This question may require inference, making it more challenging than the straightforward Paper 1, Question 1.
• 🎯 Correct statements might be harder to spot; students need to infer meaning, such as recognizing jokes or subtle ideas in the text.
• ⚠️ Some incorrect statements are tricky because they closely resemble the original text, so careful reading is essential.
• ⏳ Spend around five minutes on Question 1 to ensure accuracy, as the total exam allows for roughly one minute per mark.
• 🧩 The true statements are presented in the same order as the text, helping students systematically check their answers.
• 🔔 The video encourages careful and close reading of the text, as that is key to scoring well in this part of the exam.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the video?

The main purpose of the video is to teach students how to get 4 out of 4 marks on AQA English Language Paper 2, Question 1, by providing tips and strategies for identifying the correct answers.

What is AQA English Language Paper 2, Question 1 about?

AQA English Language Paper 2, Question 1 is a four-mark question that asks students to identify four true statements from a list of eight, based on a specific section of the provided text.

What assessment objective does Question 1 test?

Question 1 tests AO1, which involves identifying and interpreting explicit and implicit information and ideas from the text.

What is the first tip provided for answering Question 1?

The first tip is to carefully draw a box around the part of the text you are asked to focus on (in this case, lines 1-25) without striking through any lines, as you will need to refer back to this section for other questions.

How is Question 1 different from Question 1 on Paper 1?

While both questions involve identifying true statements, Question 1 on Paper 2 may require students to infer information and read between the lines, making it slightly harder.

Can you give an example of a straightforward true statement?

A straightforward true statement is 'Andrew Bruff makes online video tutorials,' which can be directly verified by reading the text.

What is an example of an inferred true statement?

An inferred true statement is 'Liam Murphy makes a joke to excuse his poor exam results.' The text doesn't explicitly say this, but students must infer the joke from the line, 'If I’d gone to an all-boys’ school, I might have been a brain surgeon.'

What common mistake did students make in the November 2018 resit paper?

Many students mistakenly chose a statement that closely resembled the wording in the text but wasn't actually true. For example, the text mentioned that 'most students who revise online use YouTube,' but students incorrectly selected 'most students revise online' as a true statement.

Why is it important to read the text carefully?

It is important to read the text carefully because AQA isn't trying to trick students. The statements must be selected based on a close and accurate reading of the source material.

How much time should be allocated to Question 1 during the exam?

Students should spend around five minutes on Question 1, allowing enough time to carefully read the text, examine the statements, and choose the correct answers.

What is a useful tip for verifying the correct statements?

A useful tip is to note that the statements are presented in chronological order, making it easier to methodically check and confirm the correct answers as you go through the text.