Home > Subjects > English > English level 3 > 3.5 Unfamiliar texts > Subject content > Comparing texts
- Subject: English
- AS: 90724
- Level: 3
- Credits: 3
- External
3.5 Read and respond critically to unfamiliar prose and poetry texts
Comparing texts
To effectively compare texts you have to be familiar with the characteristics of each genre. Look for similarities and differences. You will be asked to respond critically to opinion, structure (such as the beginning and/or ending and relate to development), and subject content. Your answer should show conclusions based on both texts.
A typical answer for each level of achievement will:
- Achieve: give a summary of main ideas or features of both texts.
- Merit: discuss links between texts and make some reference or clear statement but may not discuss each text equally.
- Excellence (as merit plus): relate discussion to other parts of texts and appreciates the intensity of statement or feeling, the effects and impact.
Here is an example of a possible examination question and answer to show how to compare and analyse two texts.
Example of a prose and poetry question and answer
Read the extracts from Crowded House (Word 27KB) by Olivia Kember [source: (abridged) NZ Listener] and Son's Flat (Word 27KB) by Judith Dell Panny [Source: Unfurling – Poems] and answer the following question in detail.
Discuss the way in which the closing section of each text relates to the ideas in the preceding sections. In Text A you should refer closely to the last paragraph (lines 38–47), while in Text B you should refer to the last part (lines 19–25).
Possible answers
At each level the answer must show conclusions based on both texts. Text A: children want freedom from their family but don't want the responsibilities like saving money so they can be fully independent, so they remain dependent.
Text B: Flatting is a stage of life, rules slacken and standards drop for a time, however, when students enter the work force they become respectable, living by the rules again. The same applies to the house.
- Achieve: Summarises the main ideas of each text.
- Merit: Links the closing sections with the developing arguments with reference or clear statement.
- Excellence: (as for merit plus) compare the effects and intensity of how each statement has been expressed.
