Getting The C Grade
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This document provides tips for students to improve their English grades and succeed on exams. It outlines strategies like using PALL (Purpose, Audience, Language, Layout) and PEE (Point, Evidence, Explain) to plan and structure answers. Key advice includes highlighting questions, using topic sentences and paragraphs, checking for errors, and practicing active reading skills like identifying an author's purpose and language features. The document stresses the importance of preparation, revision, and proving one has answered the question fully to attain a C grade or higher.
Getting The C Grade
- 2. Doing brilliantly in English Language Getting the C grade
- 3. Before doing well – Problems to tackle Misreading the question and giving the wrong kind of answer. Not looking at the number of marks available. Picking out the wrong information. Using subject language inaccurately or incorrectly. Repeating the question rather than answering it. Poor paragraphing, spelling and punctuation. Not preparing or revising properly.
- 4. Two keys to success PALL Purpose Audience Language Layout PEE Point Evidence Expand Write these on the exam paper to help you plan and get the highest grades.
- 5. Keys to success PALL Purpose – What is the text trying to do? Audience – Who is it aimed at? Language – What kind of words have been used? Layout - How is the text set out?
- 6. Learn the check list of PALL Layout Alliteration Bullet points Captions Maps Images Colour Columns Headings Italics Paragraphs Fonts
- 7. Learn the check list of PALL Picking out the features will start you on the right lines. But you will get a C grade if you explain why they are used and if you think that they work or that they are effective .
- 8. Language Complex, technical or simple. Formal or informal (such as using slang and abbreviations). Literal or poetic / figurative. Factual/objective, or opinion based or emotive. Read the text thinking about the choice of words. AIM to pick out language details when you are reading through the text – highlight words and phrases that stand out. This is where the most marks are because it is a challenge. Explain whether the writing is:
- 9. Use quotes You should always use PEE MAKE A P OINT GIVE AN E XAMPLE E XPAND ON WHAT YOU HAVE WRITTEN AND THE POINT YOU HAVE MADE PEE
- 10. www.oxfam.org.uk Photo Nick Fogden/Oxfam
- 11. How to use PEE and PALL There are two women in a picture and there is some green text. Also you can see the name Oxfam so this shows also the name of the charity. The advert is persuasive and positive as it uses images of two women helping themselves to get out of poverty. The rhetorical question at the top is addressed to the reader to draw them into the advert and the colour green has been chosen because it is a positive colour that connects with the idea of a fresh start. Overall it is effective.
- 12. The “Big Picture” Always read your text carefully – highlight as you read. Try to grasp the text’s “big picture”. Understand exactly: what it is about who it was written for why it was written how it was written Think PALL
- 13. Write Clearly To achieve a C grade you must:
- 14. Write clearly = Punctuate correctly = use commas, use semi-colons, apostrophes and full stops. You must use paragraphs to organise your ideas. You must entertain and interest the reader so keep checking you are focusing on the question and thinking about the reader. To achieve a C grade you must:
- 15. Key words Always highlight the question – pick out the key words – what is the question asking you to do? Get used to highlighting the text – look for key words that stand out. What is the question asking you to do? Check have you answered the question.
- 16. Key words How effective is the advert for Oxfam? Comment on the language and presentational features used. How clear is the leaflet and what audience do you think it is aimed at? 1 2 4 5 3 6
- 17. Exam questions Write PALL on your paper to help you plan Why are you writing – to entertain? Inform or explain? Watch out for the audience – who will be the reader? Children? Students? Headteachers? Make sure that your language is right for the audience.
- 18. Exam questions Use the way of planning that you find easiest. It might be a list of bullet points or some kind of diagram. Put all your ideas down quickly, then cross out what you don’t like and organise the rest into the best order. Who? What? Where? When? Why? and How? are questions that can help to get ideas. Respect the reader. Include all the information they need. Make it make sense.
- 19. Exam writing questions 1. Explain how an incident from your life affected you in an important way. 2. Teenage life can be fun but can be difficult, too; write an article for a school magazine in which you explain what it is like to be a teenager. 3. Many people have hobbies. Write about one of your hobbies discussing what it involves and means to you. 4. Write an article for a teenage magazine in which you explain one of the following: Friendship is ...; Bullying is ...; Success is ...; Growing up is ... .
- 20. PALL Write an article for a teenage magazine in which you explain some of pressures on young people today. You could include details of: exam pressure, peer pressure, self image and family life. P A L L
- 21. Write an article for a teenage magazine in which you explain some of the pressures on young people today. Being a teen is top! … … ISN'T IT? You can’t open a newspaper or turn on the TV without hearing about ‘terrible teens’. Apparently they don’t respect their family, their environment, their teachers, their uniform, or anyone or anything. The only thing they respect are celebrities, and of course teens are only focused on their selfish selves. Exams and families do create stress but the greatest pressure is surviving all the negative press about teens. According to the shock stories in the press, we all wear hoodies and baseball caps, never move without a gang surrounding us and we are never happier than when intimidating older people or hanging around on street corners. Is this the reality of teens today?
- 22. How to succeed in longer writing tasks Plan before you write. Jot down key ideas – do a quick mind map/ brainstorm/ list or some notes – this will help you organise your ideas. 2. Add in detail – keep trying to show off – use the best words. 3. Check paragraphs and spellings – know which words you are sometimes careless with. Look closely at these when you read through your writing. 4. Don’t get too nervous in the exam – make sure that your writing is easy to read. Remember that you won’t lose marks for crossing out mistakes.
- 23. Finally – a Health warning Each year, thousands of students fail to achieve the marks they could. Don't be one of them. ALWAYS CHECK YOUR WRITING BEFORE HANDING IN!
- 24. In the exam – grabbing all of the marks you can With 7 minutes to go: Round off your ideas – write your last paragraph. Proof read your work – quickly check paragraphs – mark new paragraphs in with // – you will get the marks for them. Check commas and full stops. Skim through and check you’ve used capital letters for names and titles.
- 25. Revision Read newspapers, magazines and books – look for the main point or main idea – this will get you practising for the exam. Get into the habit of writing in paragraphs. Try to skim over your work to check for small mistakes – target weaknesses. Get some highlighters (buy them or ask Father Christmas for some) – use them to highlight key points and questions .
- 26. Get into training now Tick off when you have revised. Use the PALL list and learn it. Keep working on your weaknesses. Target what you need to do = success!