Home > Subjects > English > English level 3 > 3.5 Unfamiliar texts > Subject content > Writing an answer
- Subject: English
- AS: 90724
- Level: 3
- Credits: 3
- External
3.5 Read and respond critically to unfamiliar prose and poetry texts
Writing an answer
A good answer is one that clearly shows your understanding of each text and directly answers the question with specific detail in a logical order. It is important to write in standard English so the marker can easily understand your answer.
How to answer a question
- Read the question carefully and answer by following all instructions.
- Answer all parts of the question.
- Take notice of visual clues such as bold, underlined or capitalised words for instructions in the question, or features within each text.
- Be clear, to the point, and use keywords in your answer.
- Don’t write the question into your answer as this wastes time.
- Use the amount of space provided for the answer as a sign of how much to write.
- When using quotations underline the key part of the quote that answers the question.
What to write in your answer
For achieved your response will be shorter than merit or excellence and will give a straightforward explanation of what the language feature is and an obvious effect.
Merit and excellence requires you to then discuss the effects of the feature in a particular text. To say that the language feature helps to gain our attention or add emphasis is not enough. You must name the specific language feature and the idea it reinforces; analyse how it works and why it was chosen for a particular purpose and audience.
When explaining comparisons such as personification, simile, and metaphor, look at common links such as size, shape, colour, movement, and sound.
Some other ideas to look out for when reading are repetition and use of questions in a text.
