AQA tips

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AQA tips Ways to improve your writing at GCSE
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• What is the examiner looking for in A- C grade
  candidate?
• About a side and a half no more than two sides
• Clear and effective paragraphing maybe a
  paragraph for effect
• Accurate SPG.
• Different sentence styles and different ways of
  opening sentences. Good students use short
  sentences as well as long ones
• More varied punctuation the colon the
  semi-colon
• Some exciting and interesting vocabulary.
• Flair originality examiners look for your
  individual voice
• You have your own personal style use it!

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Describe questions
Describe a deserted beach Describe a journey you
have been on Describe a shopping mall when it
is closedor when it is open Describe
yourself. Change can be good, bad or a mixture
of both. Write about a time in your life when
you experience change of some kind. Describe what
happened and explain how you felt about change.

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Describe a shopping centre when it is closed and
describe it when it is open.
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What should you think about?

• The six (!) senses
• Sight- what can you see, what objects, colours,
  movements?
• Sound what can you hear, how loud, how do you
  feel?
• Touch what can feel, different textures, maybe
  brush against something?
• Smell food? People? Comforting, familiar
  smells?
• Taste do you eat anything? Does a particular
  taste come into your mouth?
• Atmosphere/emotions what emotions do you feel?

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Begin your description
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Look at these examples of students writing, in
response to the mall task One is clearly
better than the other. But why?
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Describe a shopping centre
It is 3 pm on a Saturday afternoon and the
shopping centre is really busy. There are lots of
people around. The place is heaving. Some people
are carrying bags. Others are standing around
chatting or laughing. Most people seem happy but
some people seem fed up.
1 ------------ 2 -------------------- 3
----------------------- 4 ---------------------5
Very Very boring interesting
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1 ------------ 2 -------------------- 3
----------------------- 4 ---------------------5
Very Very boring interesting
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Vocabulary D begins to use some variety of
vocabulary to achieve effects C uses varied
vocabulary to create effects B assured match
of style and form to purpose/audience
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Vocabulary More expressive verb
choices Screamed/muttered/insisted rather than
said Using non-finite forms Going, saying, doing
at the start of sentences Use of abstract nouns
(conscience, ambition, hesitation) as well as
concrete ones Use of adjectival and adverbial
phrases with an aggressive manner, with his eyes
narrowed
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Sentences
No not those sentences
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Sentence Structures D begins to use some
variety of sentence structures to achieve
effects C uses range of sentence structures
to create effects B follows syntactical
conventions
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Sentence structures Syntax (order of words or
phrases in a sentence) With his eyes fixed on the
leopard, he moved slowly back to the tree. He
moved slowly back to the tree, his eyes fixed on
the leopard. On the mat, sat the
cat. Repetition of structure, clause, phrase or
word for effect It was there, in front of him,
in the dark. (of structure) The darkness moved
within. The darkness of despair, of death.
(word)
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But be careful about Yoda speak!
Always two there are, no more
When nine hundred years old you reach, look as
good you will not.
Whats Yoda doing with his sentence structure?
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Paragraphs D uses clear paragraphs C
paragraphs make meanings clear B uses
paragraphs to aid meanings
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Paragraphs Starts to provide discourse
markers However, Although Different
starters Verb starters Barging in from the
door, Prepositions In a dark room,
Adverbials Clumsily knocking over the lamp,
Time Meanwhile Ten minutes later