English/English Language
Higher Revision
Name:
Class Teacher:
Target Grade:
Tring School: Year 11 Information Booklet
Page 1
INTRODUCTION: How to revise English GCSE
Some basics:
 Your English exam (Information and Ideas) is 2 hours long (Reading
SECTION A and writing SECTION B)
How do we revise for English?
You should:
 make a revision timetable and stick to it!
 make revision folders.
 complete practice questions.
 look at past Info and Ideas papers – reminded
yourself of what is on this paper and how you
are being assessed. There are papers on
Moodle if you need support.
 look over books – identify targets from
previous exam practice.
What you will need to revise:
1. This booklet
2. A4/A3 paper – a revision
folder/note-pad
3. Post-it notes/flash-cards
4. Highlighters and coloured
pens
5. Your old books
6. Past papers – Information
and Ideas
7. Newspapers/magazines –
for Info and Ideas
Top tips for Info and Ideas revision:
 Recap key features of questions for SECTION A – 1a/b/c, 1d, 2a,2b. Look at
mark schemes and tips for each – what skills are you being assessed on?
 Revise terminology – language devices, structural devices, presentational
devices Use newspapers and past-paper articles to invent example examstyle questions – summary, analysis of language and presentation,
exploration of purpose and form.
 For writing, make a list of all your weak areas (punctuation, spelling etc).
Using past-questions and inventing your own, plan and write example
responses focusing on targets set. Make a mini-writing skill booklet to revise
punctuation, sentence types and devices for different purposes of writing.
You may find this revision booklet helpful however please note the articles are easier than
what you will get in the exam and some timing/info is wrong – use this for practice articles
though:
http://mayfield.portsmouth.sch.uk/Cms_Data/Contents/MayfieldDB/Media/PDFs/Revision/En
glish-Revision-Guide-HIGHER.pdf
Tring School: Year 11 Information Booklet
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Information and Ideas:
Higher – Section A Revision
Recap:


The ‘Information and Ideas’A680 exam is TWO hours in total.
You have TWO sections in this exam – SECTION A (reading for information and interpretation) and
Section B (creative writing.)
TIMING (a suggestion) = 1 hour and 15 mins Section A and 50 mins Section B.

How are questions structured in HIGHER Information
and Ideas Section A?
Question 1. Summarising (12 marks).
Top Tips:
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Focus on the bullet points given- you do NOT need to
summarise the entire article.
Organise your points clearly – do not overlap/repeat
information.
Include a comprehensive range of points from the
article.
Use your own words as far as possible.
Top tips for Section A:
1. ALWAYS read the questions
BEFORE reading the articles.
2. Highlight the key words in the
questions to focus your
reading.
3. Develop your understanding
and your vocabulary by aiming
to read at least TWO
newspaper articles a week.
4. Revise AFOREST and SHARPSID
to help with identifying
devices used by the writer/s
in the articles.
Question 1 Mark Scheme:
Band
Mark
1
11/12
2
9/10
3
7/8
4
4/5/6
Band Descriptors
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




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
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


Complete understanding of text and task
Complete overview
Very clear focus, tightly organised and synthesised
Almost entirely in own words
Comprehensive range of points clearly identified
Very secure understanding of text and task
Clear overview
Clear focus; very little excess material; effective organisation
Mostly in own words
Very good range of points clearly identified
Secure understanding of text and task
Overview of material
Mostly clear focus; good organisation; perhaps not always concise
Consistent attempt to use own words/some selective lifting
Good range of points clearly identified
Text and task have been understood
Partial overview
Generally clear focus/perhaps some blurring
Evidence of ability to express in own words but likely to be close to original
wording/selective lifting
A range of points clearly identified
Question 2. Analysing language and presentational features. (14 marks)
Top Tips:
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Highlight the key words from the question and ensure you are referring to those key words
throughout your response.
Write in PEE paragraphs to analyse language and the EFFECTS.
Question will usually ask “How does the writer convey their opinion/engage/persuade the reader”
etc “through their choices of language and presentational features”.
Pick out particular words/phrases that answer the question and EXPLAIN why, making sure you
name the technique.
Tring School: Year 11 Information Booklet
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
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The mark scheme requires you to analyse ‘language and structure’; do not forget to analyse
sentence structure and the overall structure of the article.
Analyse how the techniques/particular word choices used effect the reader and analyse how they
contribute to the PURPOSE of the article.
Presentational Features:
 Analyse how the presentational features contribute to the PURPOSE of the article.
Language:
Presentational:
Alliteration
Statistics
Images and captions
Facts
Humour
Bullet point lists
Opinion
Anecdote (short story)
Repetition
Rhetorical questions
Structuring/Ordering of text as a whole –
starting with facts and building on this with
opinions
Standfirst (first paragraph in an article)
Emotive language
Power of three
Titles/Sub-headings
Statistics
Shock tactics
Emboldened/italicised font
Triplets
Imperatives
Inserted quotations/text boxes
Direct address
Sentence structure – variety
Question 3: Tone and Language Analysis. (14 marks).
Top Tips:

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Usually focuses on a writer’s tone – you need to be familiar with various types of ‘tone’
Again need to analyse language and structural techniques and focus on the question
Different types of tone:
Cynical
Formal
Informal
Condescending
Nostalgic
Sarcastic
Sentimental
Angry
Confident
Malicious
Patronising
Indignant
Ironic
Sympathetic
Hopeful
Bitter
Regretful
Derogatory
Accusatory
Vindictive
Mark scheme for Question 2 and 3
Band
1
Descriptors
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2
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3
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4
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Excellent range of points showing perceptive appreciation of the ways in which information, language
and structure convey the text’s purpose
Very effective use of apposite supporting references in a full, relevant and consistently analytical
response
Complete understanding of text and task
Wide range of points showing clear and thoughtful appreciation of the ways in which information,
language and structure convey the text’s purpose
Judgements are supported convincingly by appropriate textual references
Clear understanding of text and task
A good range of points showing a secure understanding of the ways in which information, language and
structure contribute to the text’s purpose
Careful supporting references and some analytical comment
Sound awareness of text and task
A range of points showing a sound understanding of the ways in which information, language and
structure contribute to the text’s purpose
Appropriate supporting references and an attempt at an analytical approach
Task has been addressed for the main part
Tring School: Year 11 Information Booklet
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Example Reading Material
Tring School: Year 11 Information Booklet
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Tring School: Year 11 Information Booklet
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Example Questions
Read carefully the two passages ‘Delicious!’ and Veggie Month and then answer
questions 1, 2 and 3. The questions will be marked for reading. (12 marks)
1. ‘Delicious!’
Referring carefully to the article, outline concisely the reasons Rachael Oliveck gives
for giving up vegetarianism.
Use your own words as far as possible.
2. ‘Delicious!’ (14 marks)
The title of the article shows Rachael Oliveck is enjoying eating meat again.
How does she encourage the reader to agree with her point of view and feel happy
for her?
In you answer, refer to the language she uses and the tone created.
3. Veggie Month from the Animal Aid Website material
How does this website try to convince people of the need to become vegetarian?
(14 marks)
In your answer you should explore:
How the website is presented.
How the language persuades the reader.
Tring School: Year 11 Information Booklet
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Example Reading Material
Bob Dylan: Chronicles Volume 1
In this extract from his autobiography, the American singer and songwriter, Bob Dylan, describes some of
the difficulties that resulted from his fame and from being considered spokesman for his generation’.
Truth was that I wanted to get out of the rat race. Having children changed my life and segregated me from
just about everybody and everything that was going on. Outside of my family, nothing held any real interest
for me and I was seeing everything through different glasses. Being born and raised in America, the
country of freedom and independence, I had always cherished the values and ideas of equality and liberty.
I was determined to raise my children with those ideals.
As far as I knew, I didn’t belong to anybody then or now. I had a wife and children whom I loved more than
anything else in the world. I was trying to provide for them, keep out of trouble, but the big bugs in the press
kept promoting me as the mouthpiece, spokesman, or even conscience of a generation. That was funny. All
I’d ever done was sing songs that were dead straight and expressed powerful new realities. I had very little
in common with and knew even less about a generation that I was supposed to be the voice of. I’d left my
hometown only ten years earlier, wasn’t vociferating the opinions of anybody.
People think that fame and riches translate into power, that it brings glory and honour and happiness.
Maybe it does, but sometimes it doesn’t. I found myself vulnerable and with a family to protect. If you
looked in the press, though, you saw me being portrayed as anything but that.
Early on, Woodstock had been very hospitable to us. I had actually discovered the place long before
moving to a house there. It was there that intruders started to break in day and night. Tensions mounted
almost immediately and peace was hard to come by. At one time the place had been a quiet refuge, but
now, no more. Roadmaps to our homestead must have been posted in all fifty states for gangs of dropouts
and druggies. At first, it was merely the nomadic homeless making illegal entry– seemed harmless enough,
but then rogue radicals looking for the Prince of Protest began to arrive– unaccountable-looking characters,
gargoyle-looking gals, scarecrows, stragglers looking to party, raid the pantry. A friend of mine had given
me a couple of Colt single-shot repeater pistols, and I also had a clip-fed Winchester blasting rifle around,
but it was awful to think about what could be done with those things. The authorities, the chief of police
(Woodstock had about three cops) had told me that if anyone was shot accidentally or even shot at as a
warning, it would be me that would be going to the lockup. Not only that, but creeps thumping their boots
across our roof could even take me to court if any of them fell off. This was so unsettling. I wanted to set
fire to these people. Woodstock had turned into a nightmare, a place of chaos. Now it was time to scramble
out of there in search of some new silver lining and that’s what we did. We moved to New York City for a
while in hopes to demolish my identity, but it wasn’t any better there. It was even worse.
Eventually, we tried moving West – tried a few different places, but in short time reporters would come
sniffing around in hopes to gain some secret – maybe I’d confess some sin. Our address would be printed
in the local press and then the same thing would start. The press never let up. Reporters would shoot
questions at me and I would tell them repeatedly that I was not a spokesman for anything or anybody and
that I was only a musician. They’d look into my eyes as if to find some evidence of bourbon whiskey and
handfuls of amphetamines. I had no idea what they were thinking. Later an article would hit the streets with
the headline “Spokesman Denies That He’s a Spokesman”. I felt like a piece of meat that someone had
thrown to the dogs. My wife, when she married me, had no idea of what she was getting into. Me neither.
Tring School: Year 11 Information Booklet
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Big Brother: compulsive or repulsive?
In the following articles, two writers give their opinions of the television programme, Celebrity Big
Brother, and its contestants.
COMPULSIVE by QUENTIN LETTS
This is, I know, the equivalent of admitting to a
gastronomic fondness for Pot Noodles, but I’m
enjoying Celebrity Big Brother – if only because it
is showing us how ghastly many of the participants
are. Hasn’t it been interesting how plain some so-called
glamorous media figures have been looking? Take
away the usual studio make-up, the wrinkle-friendly
arc lights, and they are not quite the usual glamour
pusses. And I was gripped by how badly one of the group
minded being chucked out. Either she is a brilliant
actress, or this squawking, pouting, deflated
balloon of a B-grade celebrity is truly a woman of
gargantuan vanity.
Just as celebrity magazines are often filled with
‘famous’ people one has never heard of, so
Celebrity Big Brother has introduced me to so-called
celebs who had previously not touched my radar.
There is one youth who I now understand is a
popular musician. Well, I’d never have guessed it!
Nor, before seeing the programme, am I sure I could
have told you who the sweet young entertainer was
who spent much of the time trying to tell us how
guilty she felt about voting others off. Now she really
IS an actress.
It is a remarkable programme that can make your
average macho sportsman look any more of an
idiot than he is already, but Celebrity Big Brother
managed. Not only did the character concerned
make a complete horse of himself, but his presence
also led to the others making cheap fun of his
physical attributes.
The show has also confirmed one’s suspicions that
a certain popular comedian is a likeable guy. Can
any of us, if told we had to be cooped up with the
rest of the motley crew, promise that we, too, would
not have tried to tunnel for freedom?
So thank you, Red Nose Day, for doing to these
stars what a liberal application of acid does to the
decks of a yacht, removing the varnish to expose
the wood underneath.
REPULSIVE by DR RAJ PERSAUD
The most ironic thing about Celebrity Big Brother
is that the famous names taking part seem to be
suffering from more stress and emotional turmoil
than their counterparts in the non-celebrity version.
In the original Big Brother, before entering the
house, all candidates were supposedly subjected
to a careful psychological screening programme to
weed out the ‘vulnerable’.
But it appears it was the celebrities who really
needed to be assessed before being allowed into
the house.
Also the celebrities do not appear to have access to
a therapist while staying in the house; in the original
version a counsellor was apparently on hand 24
hours a day and available for a private unfilmed
consultation in the diary room.
In retrospect, this may have been essential, for a
striking aspect of Celebrity Big Brother has been
watching the inability and reluctance of the famous
to offer any kind of real emotional support to each
other when they show signs of stress.
This was in marked contrast to the non-celebrity
version, where household members were frequently
seen comforting each other.
But one of the theories about the motivation to seek
fame in the first place is a craving for acceptance
and an attempt to obtain self-affirmation from the
approval and attention of others.
So perhaps it was always on the cards that
celebrities would take rejection harder than was
perhaps anticipated by those planning what was
intended to be a light-hearted charity programme for
Comic Relief.
Perhaps the celebrities have been partly
responsible themselves for creating a more stressful
environment within the Big Brother house – after all,
there is nothing more isolating than finding yourself
amid the supremely self-obsessed.
Question 1 (12 marks)
By referring closely to Bob Dylan’s account of the situation he was in, explain concisely his thoughts about:
• his private life.
• fame and its pressures on him.

Use your own words as far as possible
Question 2 (14 marks)
By focussing on language explore how Bob Dylan conveys his attitude towards fame.

You should comment on the language used and the effects created
Question Three – (14 marks)
Focusing on the language and presentational features, how do the writers convey their opinions about Celebrity Big
Brother? You should comment on the writer’s tone and the effects created.
Tring School: Year 11 Information Booklet
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Section B: Information and Ideas - 45 minutes
Top Tips:
 Choose the right question. Read all questions given very carefully and choose the one you believe
you can be the most successful.
 PLAN- you must use 5 min to plan your ideas. Use PALL/SLAP to ensure you know why you are
writing, who you are writing for, the style/tone that is needed and any devices you should
include.
 VARY your punctuation, vocabulary, sentence lengths and paragraph lengths.
 THINK OUTSIDE the box- be creative! Do not begin your piece of writing with “Today I am going
to….” Or “Once upon at time….”
Tasks:
1. Types of writing- revise the different types of writing and their purpose- how does an article
differ from a speech? How does descriptive writing (write about a time when…) differ from a
letter? Complete the chart below:
Types
Layout?
Tone?
Devices used?
Article
Speech
Letter
Descriptive- write
about a time when…
2. Mind map the different PURPOSES of writing- argue, explain, advise, describe, persuade and
entertain.
3. Rewrite/add to the following by using a greater range of vocabulary and avoiding repetition of
thought. Can you add in imagery?
At home, Uncle Tom spends a lot of time in his study. That’s not because he likes reading
books….it’s to get away from Aunt Karen. He spends a lot of time in the library as well,
which is 3 miles down the street.
4. Rewrite/add to this passage focusing on improving spelling, punctuation, sentence lengths and
word choice.
Why we should eat healthy food
people should except the argument that eating healthy food is good for us. It makes our
weight disapear and has a good sychological affect on our state of mind. It doesnt matter
if we ocasionaly have a coke or some choclate, but we should definitely eat fruit and
vegatables every day and losts of fruit; that’s the only way to improof ourselfes and our
society.
5. Improving vocabulary: Think of better words for the following (try not to use the thesaurus as
you will not have this in the exam!)
 Serious Bad Nice Good I think Add some of your own- the words you know you use too much!
Tring School: Year 11 Information Booklet
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6. Do you know these terms? Write a definition and example. These terms help you to form
imagery to bring your writing ‘alive’ which is one of the things that the examiner is looking for….
 Simile
• Metaphor
 Personification
• Onomatopoeia
 Alliteration
• Hyperbole
 Irony
• Direct Address
 Cliché
• Anecdotes
7. Examples of Past Questions:
Higher
Do we worry too much about the welfare of animals?
A local newspaper is writing a series of articles entitled “Help”. Write an account for the
newspaper of a time when you, or someone you knew, needed help.
Is it important for humans to fly?
Write about a time when something did not go as planned.
Your school is holding a ‘support a charity’ week. The Headteacher has asked for
suggestions of charities to support and ideas for activities. Write a letter to your
Headteacher with suggestions of charities and ideas.
A local newspaper is featuring a series of light-hearted articles called ‘When Things Went
Wrong.’ Write for the newspaper your account of a time when something went wrong for
you or someone you know.
Tring School: Year 11 Information Booklet
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