Questions 1 and 2

In this lesson, we will be revising for AQA English Language Paper 1. We will only be
focusing on questions 1 and 2 today. The activities here will help you consider what you
need to do for these questions and will include helpful hints and tips to ensure exam success!
Some activities will offer you a choice of task depending on how confident you feel with the
question.

Activity 1: Retrieval Task

Question 2 of English Language Paper 1 asks you to analyse language in a short extract. In
the grid below are a series of language and structural methods. Write down in each box
whether the method is a language method or a structure method.

analepsis metaphor zooming change in tone

in/zooming out

simile shift in focus adjective tricolon

personification verb introduction of new dialogue

character

1. Simile – Comparing one thing with another to Write out the language methods below and
make the description of something more vivid. explain what they mean. One has been done for
Usually created with the use of the words ‘like’ or you.
‘as’ to compare. 4. Dialogue – Speech between characters or people
2. Personification – When an object or
something non-human is described as having
human characteristics 5. Shift in focus – To change the subject of the text
between paragraphs or sentences.
6.Zooming in / zooming out - Exploring something
3. in detail or shifting from the detail description to a
simple description

Check your answers for both activities at the back of the booklet when you have
finished.
Activity 2: Read the source
 For English Language Paper 1, you will be given one, fiction source. Ensure you read this carefully.
Remember, in your exam you will have 15 minutes reading time so if you need to, you will have the
opportunity to read the source twice. The following source was taken from the November 2018 paper.

Using a time machine, an organisation called Time Safari transports clients into the past to take
part in hunting expeditions. A group that includes Mr Eckels, together with their guide, Travis, is
visiting a prehistoric jungle in order to shoot a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

The jungle was high and the jungle was broad. Sounds like music and flying tents filled the sky, and those were
1
pterodactyls soaring with huge grey wings.
‘I’ve hunted tiger, wild boar, buffalo, elephant, but now, this is it,’ said Eckels. ‘I’m shaking like a kid.’
‘Ah,’ said Travis.
Everyone stopped.
5
Travis raised his hand. ‘Ahead,’ he whispered, ‘in the mist. There he is. There’s his Royal Majesty now.’
7 The jungle was wide and full of twitterings, rustlings, murmurs, and sighs.
Suddenly it all ceased, as if someone had shut a door.
Silence.
A sound of thunder.
10
Out of the mist, one hundred yards away, came Tyrannosaurus Rex.
‘It,’ whispered Eckels, ‘it......’
‘Ssh!’
It came on great oiled, resilient, striding legs. It towered thirty feet above half of the trees, a great evil god,
folding its delicate watchmaker’s claws close to its oily reptilian chest. Each lower leg was a piston, a thousand
15
pounds of white bone, sunk in thick ropes of muscle, sheathed over in a gleam of pebbled skin like the armour of
a terrible warrior. Each thigh was a ton of meat, ivory, and steel mesh. And from the great breathing cage of the
upper body those two delicate arms dangled out front, arms with hands which might pick up and examine men
like toys, while the snake neck coiled. And the head itself, a ton of sculptured stone, lifted easily upon the sky. Its
mouth gaped, exposing a fence of teeth like daggers. Its eyes rolled, ostrich eggs, empty of all expression save
20
hunger. It closed its mouth in a death grin. It ran, its pelvic bones crushing aside trees and bushes, its taloned
feet clawing damp earth, leaving prints six inches deep wherever it settled its weight.
It ran with a gliding ballet step, far too poised and balanced for its ten tons. It moved into a sunlit area warily, its
beautifully reptilian hands feeling the air.

25 ‘Why, why...,’ Eckels twitched his mouth, ‘it could reach up and grab the moon.’
‘Ssh!’ Travis jerked angrily. ‘He hasn’t seen us yet.’
‘It can’t be killed.’ Eckels pronounced this verdict quietly, as if there could be no argument. He had weighed the
evidence and this was his considered opinion. The rifle in his hands seemed like a toy gun. ‘We were fools to
come. This is impossible.’
‘Shut up!’ hissed Travis.
30
‘Nightmare.’
‘Turn around,’ commanded Travis. ‘Walk quietly to the Machine. We’ll remit half your fee.’
 ‘I didn’t realize it would be this big,’ said Eckels. ‘I miscalculated, that’s all. And now I want out.’
‘It sees us!’
‘There’s the red paint on its chest.’
35
The Tyrant Lizard raised itself. Its armoured flesh glittered like a thousand green coins. The coins, crusted with
slime, steamed. In the slime, tiny insects wriggled, so that the entire body seemed to twitch and undulate, even
while the monster itself did not move. It exhaled. The stink of raw flesh blew down the wilderness.
‘Get me out of here,’ said Eckels. ‘It was never like this before. I was always sure I’d come through alive. I had
good guides, good safaris, and safety. This time, I figured wrong. I’ve met my match and admit it. This is too
40 much for me to get hold of.’
‘Don’t run,’ said Lesperance. ‘Turn around. Hide in the Machine.’
‘Yes.’ Eckels seemed to be numb. He looked at his feet as if trying to make them move. He gave a grunt of
helplessness.
45 ‘Eckels!’
He took a few steps, blinking, shuffling.
‘Not that way!’
The Monster, at the first motion, lunged forward with a terrible scream. It covered one hundred yards in six
seconds. The rifles jerked up and blazed fire. A windstorm from the beast’s mouth engulfed them in the stench of
50 slime and old blood. The Monster roared, teeth glittering with sun.

The rifles cracked again, but their sound was lost in shriek and lizard thunder. The great level of the reptile’s tail
swung up, lashed sideways. Trees exploded in clouds of leaf and branch. The Monster twitched its jeweller’s
hands down to fondle at the men, to twist them in half, to crush them like berries, to cram them into its teeth
and its screaming throat. Its boulder-stone eyes levelled with the men. They saw themselves mirrored. They fired
55 at the metallic eyelids and the blazing black iris.
Like a stone idol, like a mountain avalanche, Tyrannosaurus fell.

END OF SOURCE

To ensure you have understood the text, summarise what happens in four bullet points:
1. A safari stumble upon a T-Rex and are in awe in how powerful the creature is.

2. They began to inspect the T-Rex and concluded that it was impossible to put it down for their
safety.

3. The group demanded that they escape from this situation if they didn’t want to be killed
 4. However, one of them chose to attack the T-Rex with a rifle to the eye and it surprisingly dropped
dead like a statue

Activity 3: Question 1

DO DON’T
- read the lines you have been asked to look - rush through the question. Take your
at carefully. time. It is easy to make silly mistakes
- write in short, but full sentences. here!
- check back over your answer so you are - just write one word or two words. Make it
fully confident that your four points are as clear for the examiner as possible what
from the lines specified. you are saying.

Question 1 of English Language Paper 1 will ask you to pick out FOUR things you learn from a small
section of the text. This question is designed to ease you into the exam. You should be able to achieve the
full 4/4 marks here BUT you must ensure you are taking your information from the correct place.

QUESTION 1: Read again the first part of the source, from lines 1 to 7. List four things about this
jungle from this part of the source.
1. The jungle was high
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2. The jungle was broad

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3. __Sounds like music

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4. _Pterodactyls soaring with huge grey wings

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When you have finished, check your answers at the back of the booklet. Make any additions or
corrections as necessary. When you are ready, turn the page for question 2.

Activity 4: Considering Question 2

Question 2 of English Language Paper 1 will ask you to analyse language. This means you have to consider
WHY the writer has used certain words and phrases. What effect are they trying to achieve and how do
particular words or phrases help them to achieve it? Remember, question 2 is worth 8 marks.

DO DON’T Adjective – Makes the T-Rex

sound extremely threatening and
- include single word analysis and subject - just purely talk about punctuation
powerful. and
Everything else around
terminology. sentence forms. Whilst you can discuss and
it is vulnerable theseclearly no
- read the extract carefully and pick your match for its sheer might. Implies
elements, you will find it easier to pick up
the dinosaur is intimidating and
quotations wisely. Make sure you can say marks by talking about the language
imposing notused.
just for the people
something about the words/phrases you pick - just summarise what the writerbut has
thesaid.
jungleYou
itself too.
out before you write about them! MUST use quotations and talk about them!
- think about why the writer has used a certain - list lots of quotations at once. Write about one
word or phrase. What do they want/need a quotation before moving on to the next.
reader to feel and how does their choice of - make a brief comment about your chosen
language help them to achieve this? quotations. Try and explore multiple ideas.

Look in detail at this extract, from lines 14 to 22 of the source:

It came on great oiled, resilient, striding legs. It towered thirty

feet above half of the trees, a great evil god, folding its
delicate watchmaker’s claws close to its oily reptilian chest.
Each lower leg was a piston, a thousand pounds of white bone,
sunk in thick ropes of muscle, sheathed over in a gleam of
pebbled skin like the armour of a terrible warrior. Each thigh
was a ton of meat, ivory, and steel mesh. And from the great
breathing cage of the upper body those two delicate arms
dangled out front, arms with hands which might pick up and
examine men like toys, while the snake neck coiled. And the
head itself, a ton of sculptured stone, lifted easily upon the
sky. Its mouth gaped, exposing a fence of teeth like daggers.
Its eyes rolled, ostrich eggs, empty of all expression save
hunger. It closed its mouth in a death grin. It ran, its pelvic
bones crushing aside trees and bushes, its taloned feet clawing
damp earth, leaving prints six inches deep wherever it settled
its weight.

How does the writer use language here to describe the Tyrannosaurus Rex?
You could include the writer’s choice of: • words and phrases • language features and techniques • sentence forms.

DO NOT answer the question yet. Instead, highlight and annotate some ideas for question 2 from the extract in
the space around it. Remember to focus especially on language methods (simile, metaphor, personification etc)
and single words, discussing their effect on the reader and making sure you are using the correct subject
terminology. One has been done for you.
If you feel as if you need extra support with answering question 2 of English Language, Paper 1, complete Activity 5.
If you feel confident with how to answer this question, you may skip to Activity 6.
 Activity 5: Completing Single Word Analysis
Question 2 of English Language Paper 1 asks students to analyse language. This means you have to pick
out certain words and phrases and explain why you think the author has used them. To achieve higher
marks, you should think of more than one reason as to why a writer has used these words and phrases. This
can often be quite challenging, so here’s a method you can use to help you improve your confidence with
doing this.

In the grid below are four words used to describe the Tyrannosaurus Rex. Try and think of three
reasons as to why you think the writer has used these words in his description. What will these words
make readers think of? How do they make the T-Rex sound? One has been done for you already.
Word: god Word: towered

Reason 1: Makes the T-Rex sound like an all Reason 1:

powerful being with no mercy. Makes the T-Rex appear as a threat and danger to
safari.

Reason 2: The humans are not threatening to it. It

looks and sounds impressive. Reason 2: Anyone near the T-Rex was deemed as
being vulnerable and not worthy or mighty enough
to out-strength this creature
Reason 3: It cannot be defeated. Sounds immortal
(it cannot die) Reason 3: It shows how even the T-Rex is
intimidating nature by being larger than its loftiest
trees.

Word: armour Word: daggers

Reason 1: Reason 1:
Makes the T-Rex’s skin seem like a weapon with Creates the idea that the T-Rex was a machine
all the protection and adaptations it inhibits. Reason 2:
The T-Rex is being described as as having teeth
that were as lethal as weapons, hence the sharpness
Reason 2: of them.
The T-Rex is being described as unearthly and like Reason 3: It shows the animal as being a blood-
a man-made perfection. thirsty killing machine.

Reason 3: It highlights the strength of the T-Rex’s

body and shows the weapons that the humans used
as being as weak as toy guns.

Now see if you can take one box and link your ideas together in full sentences to create a small
paragraph of single word analysis. Look at the example to help you. Notice how I have expanded on
my ideas from the grid. See if you can do the same.

The writer refers to the Tyrannosaurus Rex as being like an ‘evil god’. Perhaps the writer
chooses the ‘noun’ god to describe this mighty creature because it makes the T-Rex sound
terrifying; it will show no mercy to the people who are running away from it. Gods are
usually seen as impressive figures. It is clear the humans are not threatening the dinosaur.
‘God’ may also imply that it cannot be defeated; it is so strong it sounds almost immortal.
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Activity 6: Be the Examiner

Below are some small extracts from example answers for this question. It’s time for YOU to be the
examiner. The answers below scored:

1 to 2 marks 3 to 4 marks 5 to 6 marks 7

to 8 marks
 Read through the example answers and write down next to each which mark you think they would
achieve and why. What does an answer do
The Tyrannosaurus Rex ‘towered thirty feet’ above the trees, which helps it to gain higher marks? What
suggesting it is bigger and higher than everything else. The writer
uses metaphors to describe it as a ‘great evil god’, so it sounds not
I would give this answer __3__ to __4__ marks
only big but bad, and also a ‘terrible warrior’, suggesting it fights to
get what it wants. because good use of quotes however did analyse

have the answers which you have scored as low missed fully.

The writer employs an extended metaphor of power and strength to

describe the Tyrannosaurus Rex. He says it ‘towered’ over the I would give this answer __7__ to __8__ marks
trees, the verb ‘towered’ suggesting that the huge creature is
imposing itself on its jungle surroundings from a great height, and because brilliant use of quotes and analysis.
intimidating everything beneath it. It is personified as a ‘great evil
god’, implying the Tyrannosaurus Rex is an all-powerful being
without mercy, and also a ‘terrible warrior’, an image that conveys
the idea of an invincible fighting machine destroying everything in out?
its wake.

I would give this answer __5__ to __6__ marks

Now check your answers at the back of the booklet to see whether you
assigned the correct grade to the correct answer. because it had a lot of analysis and used also used

Activity 7: Your Answer quotes as needed.

Now that you have considered what you could say about the I would give this answer __1__ to __2__ marks
extract and looked at some snippets from example answers,
have a go at answering the question yourself. Try and mimic because it was very brief and lacked sufficient
the style of the higher-level answers from the previous page.
In the real exam, you would not exceed 15 minutes writing analysis.
time for this question.
Look in detail at this extract, from lines 14 to 22 of thewriter says the Tyrannosaurus Rex ‘towered’ over the jungle.
The
The verb ‘towered’ suggests great height, as if it is leaning over
everything
It came on great oiled, resilient, striding legs. It towered thirtybelow it in a half
feet above scaryofandthethreatening way.evil
trees, a great The god,
creature is
folding its delicate watchmaker’s claws close to its oily reptilian chest. Each lower leg was a piston, massive
described metaphorically as a ‘great evil god’ to suggest its a
thousand pounds of white bone, sunk in thick ropes of size, and powerful
muscle, sheathed andover
wicked
in a nature.
gleam This idea is skin
of pebbled continued
like with
the armour of a terrible warrior. Each thigh was a ton the image of a ivory,
of meat, ‘terribleand
warrior’, implying
steel mesh. Andthe from
Tyrannosaurus
the greatRex is
breathing cage of the upper body those two delicatea arms fighterdangled
to be feared, prepared
out front, armsto use
withitshands
strength to inflict
which might damage
on its enemy.
pick up and examine men like toys, while the snake neck coiled. And the head itself, a ton of sculptured
stone, lifted easily upon the sky. Its mouth gaped, exposing a fence of teeth like daggers. Its eyes rolled,
ostrich eggs, empty of all expression save hunger. ItThe
closed its mouth in
Tyrannosaurus Rexa ‘towered
death grin.thirtyIt ran, its pelvic
feet above bones
half of the trees’,
and the
crushing aside trees and bushes, its taloned feet clawing word
damp ‘towered’
earth, leavingtellsprints
us it’ssix
big.inches
The writer
deepsays it is a ‘great
wherever
it settled its weight. evil god’ and a ‘terrible warrior’ so it sounds horrible.

source:
How does the writer use language here to describe the Tyrannosaurus Rex?
You could include the writer’s choice of: • words and phrases • language features and techniques
• sentence forms.

The writer then shifts to describe the Tyrannosaurus

Rex as being a blood-thirsty and ruthless ‘terrible

 Stuck? Try these sentence starters to
The writer then also shifts to describe the
help you!
The writer begins by describing the
Tyrannosaurus Rex as being a threat and danger

towards the safari as it ‘towered. Perhaps the writer

uses the verb ‘towered’ because it makes the reader

think that the T-Rex intimidated nature as it was larger

than the jungle’s loftiest trees. It also makes anyone in

the proximity of the T-Rex was deemed vulnerable and

not worthy or mighty to out-strength the

Tyrannosaurus Rex.

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EXTENSION
If you have completed the activities before the end of the lesson, please complete the following EXTENSION
task.
On a separate piece of paper, write your own description of a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Consider what
makes the writer’s description in the extract so effective and see if you can mimic the style without
copying exactly what he has said. Completing this task will be useful revision for English Language
Paper 1, Question 5.
To achieve a top band response, you should:

- vary your vocabulary and punctuation

- avoid overusing a particular language or
structural feature
- avoid relying on clichés
- avoid rushing through your plot. An
examiner wants to see a carefully
crafted piece of work.
- keep things believable!

Answers

Mark your answers from the activities in the lesson. Make any corrections or additions you need to make in
a different colour pen. If any of the answers here are worded differently to what you have written yourself, it
does not mean your answer is incorrect! Look for similarities between the answers listed here and your own
answers and if you can find any, give yourself a tick!
 Activity 1: Retrieval Task

analepsis metaphor zooming change in tone

in/zooming out
Structure Language Structure Structure

simile shift in focus adjective tricolon

Language Structure Language Language

personification verb introduction of new dialogue

character
Language Language Structure Structure

1. Simile – Comparing one thing with another to make 4. Tricolon – A series of three words, phrases or
the description of something more vivid. Usually created clauses placed next to one another.
with the use of the words ‘like’ or ‘as’ to compare
5. Adjective – Words that describe a noun/pronoun
2. Metaphor – A figure of speech that describes an
object or action in a way which isn’t literally true 6. Verb – A word which is used to describe an
action, state or occurrence
3. Personification – A figure of speech in which a
thing, an idea or an animal is given human qualities

Activity 3: Question 1
Use this real exam mark scheme to help you mark your answers for question 1.

In this column, you will find the The exam board will also accept The exam board will NOT accept
answers to the question that you these answers. If you have these answers. If you have
could have had. written any of these down, you written anything in this column,
can mark them as correct. you must mark your answer as
incorrect.

PLEASE NOTE:
If you have included two points in the same sentence, you will receive two marks. Eg. The jungle was high
and broad. Here, you would receive a mark for ‘the jungle was high’ and ‘the jungle was broad’.
Give yourself a tick for every point you have included but remember, you can only score a maximum of 4
marks.

Activity 6: Be the Examiner

3 to 4 marks
The Tyrannosaurus Rex ‘towered thirty feet’ above the trees, suggesting it is bigger and higher than everything
else. The writer uses metaphors to describe it as a ‘great evil god’, so it sounds not only big but bad, and also a
‘terrible warrior’, suggesting it fights to get what it wants.

7 to 8 marks
The writer employs an extended metaphor of power and strength to describe the Tyrannosaurus Rex. He says it
‘towered’ over the trees, the verb ‘towered’ suggesting that the huge creature is imposing itself on its jungle
surroundings from a great height, and intimidating everything beneath it. It is personified as a ‘great evil god’,
implying the Tyrannosaurus Rex is an all-powerful being without mercy, and also a ‘terrible warrior’, an image
that conveys the idea of an invincible fighting machine destroying everything in its wake.

5 to 6 marks
The writer says the Tyrannosaurus Rex ‘towered’ over the jungle. The verb ‘towered’ suggests great height, as if it
is leaning over everything below it in a scary and threatening way. The creature is described metaphorically as a
‘great evil god’ to suggest its massive size, and powerful and wicked nature. This idea is continued with the image
of a ‘terrible warrior’, implying the Tyrannosaurus Rex is a fighter to be feared, prepared to use its strength to
inflict damage on its enemy.

1 to 2 marks
The Tyrannosaurus Rex ‘towered thirty feet above half of the trees’, and the word ‘towered’ tells us it’s big. The
writer says it is a ‘great evil god’ and a ‘terrible warrior’ so it sounds horrible.