English First Additional Language – Revision notes

Paper 1
You have to remember that the person who marks this might mark two
hundred papers. Therefore:

• Write neatly, ensuring that we can easily read it.

• Number correctly – we mark according to the numbers on the
memorandum. There is no space for ‘understanding what you meant’,
here.
• Leave a line between answers. If you have made a mistake you can go
back and there will be space to fix your error and the marker can clearly
see when one answers finishes and another starts.
• Pretend the marker has never seen the questions before. Your answers
must be clear, not too lengthy, but complete.
• Look at the mark allocation and ensure you address it.
• Read the question and answer the question. Do not try to impress us
with your ability to use fancy background information on the expected
answer.

Section A/Question 1 – Comprehension

1 Approach:
When you receive your paper, you will have a 10 minute ‘reading time’. Use
this effectively and efficiently.
• Immediately highlight the heading
• Read and highlight the first sentence of each paragraph as the main idea of
the paragraph usually presents itself in the first sentence.
• Now you reflect on - what is the piece about?
• Read the questions – this is important as you will have these questions in the
back of your mind when you read the text.
• Now you read the full comprehension
• When reading any question, you have to ensure you read the full question
right to the end. Break it down and ensure you truly ‘get’ what is expected.

NB! – Language errors do not count in the Comprehension. This does not mean
that you can write incomprehensible gibberish. NB! – The way in which you
answer the different questions, is important! NB! – Look at the mark allocation
for each question as this is your indication of how many facts you need to supply.
2 When you are asked:
• To write an answer in your own words the following could apply
➢ You do not need to change every single word in the sentence. Change
two or three words in the sentence. If you try to change every single
word you sometimes lose the meaning or context of the sentence.
• To quote from the text you need to note the following:
➢ A quote is a perfect picture of what is printed in the text. Should you
copy one part of one word incorrectly it will be wrong.
➢ They could ask you to quote 1(one) word = write 1(one) word only!
➢ They could ask you to quote 3(three) consecutive words = write
3(three) words only that follow one another perfectly from the text!
➢ They could ask you to quote a phrase = remember that a phrase does
NOT have a verb, so your quote should not have a verb in it. Ask
yourself – when is a sentence a sentence?
▪ Is this a sentence or a phrase?
▪ Food, my happy place! - phrase. Ask yourself. Where is the
verb or action word? No action word or verb = phrase
▪ Food is eaten by me. – sentence. Ask yourself. Where is the
verb or action word? ‘is eaten’ – verb = sentence

Check your answer – if asked for a phrase, your quote must not have a verb in it.

Example: “John, the young man” – REMEMBER YOUR QUOTATION

MARKS!””””””””

• To answer to a question “Give two or three reasons.....” you may bullet or

number them:
o or 1. XXXXXXXXXXX
o or 2. XXXXXXXXXXX

If you write fact one and you expand that fact with another sentence the
marker will see this second sentence as another fact and stop marking after
the second sentence. In other words, you have to keep your answers clear
and to the point.
• To answer to a question “How did .........?” and they ask you to give 2(two)
facts number them to show the marker your thought pattern clearly.
➢ 1. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
➢ 2. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
• To answer to a question “Why? / Is this the name? / Does this......?/Do you
agree?, you need to give your meaning and apply it if ti counts. Remember
that all answers need to be sourced from the text.
➢ Yes or I agree followed by “I think.....
➢ Support your answer with a quote. Yes, because according to the
passage “XXXXX”
➢ If you give your reason and you give it in your own words you say: I
agree, because..
• To give the meaning of an expression or asked why the idiom or expression is
suitable in the passage.
➢ The idiomatic expression is suitable because it applies to.....and then
you give the meaning of the expression followed by the reason why it
works so well in the passage.
• To give reasons why for example, “This is an old, familiar, trusted friend.”
➢ Do not address the two or three sections as one. Address each of
them individually.
➢ Find the reasons from the passage, but answer them in your own
words.
➢ Bulleted or numbered for each of the three reasons you will have to
discuss.
➢ Underline that which will guide the marker to the essence of your
answer.
▪ The friend is described as being old, because in the passage the
writer says...
▪ The friend is also described as being a familiar, because ......
▪ The friend is seen as being trusted, because.........
• How something makes you feel you write the following:
➢ It makes me feel (emotion like sad/happy/excited), because ..........
• Why the title is suitable?
➢ You always have to say that it is suitable/be positive about it and say
that:
▪ It emphasises the .....
▪ Draws attention to .....
▪ It is a pun. A pun is when one thing is said and another meant.
➢ Supply your own title:
▪ Never have more than 6 words in your own title.
• To answer the question “What is implied/Why is something ironic/Why is he
sarcastic?
➢ When the unexpected or the opposite is revealed or when there is a
twist to the tale.