Paper-2-Question-5-Format-Audience-And-Purpose-aqa

For Paper 2, Section B: Question 5, you will be asked to write in a particular form of non-fiction for a specific purpose and audience.

How to answer Paper 2 Question 5

Let’s look at Question 5 from the November 2019 exam:

Step-by-step guide to Question 5

In order to achieve 40 marks for this question, you should:

1. Read the task carefully:

   • Identify what you are writing, who you are writing for and why you are writing

   • Highlight these things

2. Write down one sentence that sums up your opinion about the topic

3. Spend 10 minutes planning your writing:

   • Use a mind-map or brief bullet points to map out your arguments

4. Make your point of view clear in your introduction:

   • State what you are writing about, why you are writing and what your point of view is

5. Start each paragraph with an appropriate connective and topic sentence:

   • A topic sentence is like a sub-part of your wider argument

6. Develop each paragraph in detail:

   • Make your point

   • Explain it

   • Develop it: use anecdotes, statistics, specific examples, consequences, imperatives and any other relevant persuasive techniques

   • It is the development of your point that gets you the marks

7. Try to leave 5 minutes at the end to re-read your writing carefully, correcting any obvious mistakes you have made

How to get full marks on Paper 2 Question 5

• Avoid repeating the same points, ideas or arguments across multiple paragraphs:

  • Each paragraph should contain a different idea or point

• Avoid getting distracted by your own opinion or feelings about the subject:

  • It is best to avoid a rant or an overly emotional response

  • Your tone should not be irate and aggrieved

• Do not forget to combine facts and opinions throughout to avoid a biased, subjective response:

  • This builds credibility in your writing

• Remember to use the correct features of the form you are asked to write in:

  • Remember, letters, articles and speeches vary in their characteristics

• The highest marks are awarded for students who use complex and sophisticated vocabulary

How to plan your non-fiction writing

It is important to remember that writers plan their texts deliberately to make the reader respond in certain ways, and think and feel certain things. To get the highest marks, you need to do this too.

While planning, write down:

• Who you are writing to (your audience)

• What you want to achieve (the purpose)

• How the writing should look (its form)

One easy way to do this is to perform a GAP analysis, or the “3 Ws”:

We will now explore form, audience and purpose further in the following sub-sections:

Form

• You may be asked to write in the form of a: 

  • Letter

  • Article

  • Speech

  • Review 

  • Guide

• Each of these forms will determine the layout, structure and context of the writing (where it is used in real life)

• You should consider where your writing would appear in a real-life context:

  • A magazine, for example, tends to be more informal than a news article

  • A letter tends to be more formal and, in the exam, written to someone you do not know

• The mark scheme rewards answers which consider how the conventions of form can be used to convey ideas:

  • A letter is more personal than a news article, which targets a large audience

  • A speech is more interactive than a guide and will actively attempt to engage and persuade the audience

To get top marks, you have to shape your writing to fit the form in the question. For more details on an example structure, sample questions and what key features to include in each of the non-fiction forms you might be given in the exam, check out our individual revision notes on each:

How to write an article

How to write a letter

How to write a speech

How to write a review

How to write a guide

Audience

• You are being assessed on your ability to adapt your language and tone to suit your intended audience

• For example:

  • A parent will have different concerns and values to a student

  • A local MP would need convincing using facts and evidence to support your arguments

  • Readers of a local newspaper would be more persuaded by emotive language

  • A letter to a headteacher or someone in authority requires formal, respectful language which is not aggressive or inappropriate

  • Teenagers would need something to relate to, so personal anecdotes would work well

• Addressing your audience or reader specifically is a convincing technique to persuade people to agree with your point of view:

  • You can use inclusive language, such as “we” and “us”

  • You can also make your audience feel involved by using terms such as “fellow students” or “parents”

Below are some examples of language that has been adapted to suit a target audience:

Purpose

You are asked to write for a certain purpose. This could be to:

• Explain your point of view

• Argue your point of view or your opinion

• Persuade

• Advise or guide

This means you will be rewarded for the ability to select relevant language techniques appropriate to this purpose. Here are some great persuasive devices to use for each purpose: