Preparing for questions 2 and 4 AQA English Language Paper 2

Last updated: 28/01/2024
Contributor: Linda Newton
Preparing for comparative reading tasks for AQA English Language Paper 2
Main Subject
Key stage
Exam board
Category
Reading skills: Comparing texts
Resource type
Exam preparation
Revision
Student activity

This helpful resource is ideal for students studying AQA GCSE English Language Paper 2 and are honing their analysis of writers’ methods and choice of language for the comparative questions: 2 and 4.

The resource includes a pair of short texts taken from The Living Mountain by Nan Shepherd in source A and The Grasmere Journals by Dorothy Wordsworth in source B.

These sources are appropriate to help students practise responses for questions 2 and 4 of the AQA English Language Paper 2, and compare writers’ ideas, based on the theme of the natural world.

Students are encouraged to consider methods and approaches that are suitable for each question, helping them to summarise with skill for question 2 and compare language features and the effect of language choices to support the refinement of their responses for question 4. 

Activities help students to focus on the subtly different skills required for each question, such as a summary of the differences and similarities essential for question 2. The tasks also encourage students to consider the skills needed to synthesise effectively in terms of comparing Paper 2 writers’ viewpoints and perspectives in question 4. 

Included are some sample responses which may help students to construct a model answer to use during revision for AQA GCSE English Language Paper 2.

Browse additional resources in the AQA GCSE English Language Paper 2 section.

A sample extract from the resource:

Question 2

The question tests AO1, how well you:

  • identify and interpret explicit and implicit information and ideas
  • select and synthesise evidence from different texts.

Using details from both sources, write a summary of the different descriptions of the natural world, and the birds within it. (8 marks)

Remember you are being asked to summarise the differences in content, both explicit and in the inferences you can draw.  You will be asked to analyse language and techniques in the longer question (question 4), so don’t do that here.

Question 4

The final reading question is worth 16 marks, more than any of the other reading questions and so you should spend the most time on it, answering the question in detail and supporting with relevant quotations from both texts.

The question tests AO3: how well you compare writers’ ideas and perspectives, as well as how these are conveyed, across two or more texts.

Compare how the two writers convey their different attitudes to the natural world and the birds within it; support with quotations from both texts. (16 marks)

Remember to

  • compare their different attitudes
  • compare the methods they use to convey their different attitudes
  • support your ideas with quotations from both texts.

All reviews

Have you used this resource?

5
Thank you, very helpful in preparing meaningful cover lesson resources.

Pete Collins

28/01/2024

5

02/08/2021

5

13/10/2020

5
Just what I am looking for, a sho9rter extract. Thank you for sharing.

maxine Russell

05/09/2020

5
Thank you, very helpful in preparing meaningful cover lesson resources.

Pete Collins

28/01/2024

5

02/08/2021

5

13/10/2020

5
Just what I am looking for, a sho9rter extract. Thank you for sharing.

maxine Russell

05/09/2020

5

14/08/2020

5

07/07/2020

5

20/04/2020

5

26/02/2020

I'm using this resource for 1 to 1 tutoring. The shorter texts are very useful for introducing questions 2&4. Thanks!

Gaye Urwin

04/02/2020

5

02/01/2020