What each question on Paper 1 actually asks for, how many marks it carries, how long to spend on it, and the most common ways students lose marks.
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1.How long is Paper 1 and how many marks is it worth?
1 hour 45 minutes, and 80 marks.
2.What kind of source is used in Paper 1?
One extract from a piece of literary fiction.
3.How is Paper 1 split?
Section A is reading, worth 40 marks. Section B is writing, worth 40 marks.
4.What does Question 1 ask for, and what is it worth?
List four things about a subject, taken from a specified section of the text. It is worth 4 marks.
5.How long should Question 1 take?
About 5 minutes. It is a straightforward retrieval question.
6.What is the most common mistake on Question 1?
Taking answers from outside the specified lines, which scores nothing however correct the point is.
7.Does Question 1 need analysis?
No. It only asks you to find and state information, so no explanation is required.
8.What does Question 2 ask for, and what is it worth?
How the writer uses language to achieve an effect. It is worth 8 marks.
9.What three things does Question 2 tell you to consider?
Words and phrases, language features and techniques, and sentence forms.
10.How long should Question 2 take?
About 10 minutes.
11.What is the most common mistake on Question 2?
Naming techniques without explaining their effect. Spotting a simile scores nothing on its own.
12.What does Question 3 ask for, and what is it worth?
How the writer has structured the text to interest the reader. It is worth 8 marks.
13.What is the most common mistake on Question 3?
Writing about language instead of structure. The question is about how the text is organised and how the focus shifts.
14.What should Question 3 consider?
What the writer focuses on at the beginning, how and why the focus changes, and how the whole text is put together.
15.What does Question 4 ask for, and what is it worth?
To evaluate a statement about the text and say how far you agree, supporting your view with references. It is worth 20 marks.
16.How long should Question 4 take?
About 20 minutes. It carries half the reading marks.
17.What makes a strong Question 4 answer?
A clear personal judgement on the statement, developed with quotations and analysis of the methods the writer uses.
18.What is the most common mistake on Question 4?
Describing what happens rather than evaluating how successfully the writer creates the effect described in the statement.
19.What does Question 5 ask for on Paper 1?
A piece of descriptive or narrative writing, often prompted by a picture or an opening line.
20.How is Question 5 marked?
24 marks for content and organisation, and 16 marks for technical accuracy.
21.How long should you spend on Question 5?
About 45 minutes, including planning and checking.
22.Why should you plan before writing?
A planned piece has a clear shape and a deliberate ending, which is what the organisation marks reward.
23.What do the 16 technical accuracy marks cover?
Spelling, punctuation, grammar, sentence variety and vocabulary choice.
24.Why is it worth leaving time to check your writing?
A large proportion of the marks are for technical accuracy, and simple errors are quick to correct.
25.How should time be split across the whole paper?
Roughly 15 minutes reading and annotating, 45 minutes on Section A, and 45 minutes on Section B.
26.Why is annotating the source first worth the time?
Three of the four reading questions need close reference, so marking up techniques and shifts saves time later.
You remember far more by trying to recall an answer than by reading it. Run these as flashcards and the ones you keep getting wrong will come back more often.
Start studyingOr see the other Paper 1: Creative Reading and Writing decks.