InternationalGCSEinEnglishLanguage

ExemplarsforPaper3

4EA0/03
CandidateAReading



Commentaryandmark

Thefocusofthispieceisnotsomuchtheanalysisofthewritersmethods,buttheinterpretationofthe
text.However,thecandidategivesdetailedconsiderationtomanyaspectsoftheshortstory,andwrites
withstrikingoriginality.Thereisanimpressivesenseofalternativeinterpretationsbutthecandidatesown
originalideasandvoiceareevident.Thecritiquedemonstratesthroughoutanabilitytoevaluate,selecting
andpresentingrelevanttextualevidence.Ideasaredevelopedthoughtfully,andthereisstronguseof
internalcomparison.Markawarded:40

CandidateAWriting


Commentaryandmark:

Thisisanimpressivelymaturepieceoffluentandsophisticatedwritingwithsustainedcontrolofthe
narrativepointofview,keepingtheuseofthesecondpersonconsistentthroughout.Effectiveuseof
cohesivedevicesandmotifsisevident.Thewriterhasaclearandpurposefulfocusontheeffectsonthe
reader,withtheendinganexample.Thereiswidevocabularyandvariedsentencestructure.Thespelling
andpunctuationareaccurate,anddemonstratethecandidatescontrolandmanipulationofhermaterial.
Mark:27+13=40

CandidateBReading


Commentaryandmark

Thecandidateexploresbothpoems,showinganalyticalskills,althoughthereismoredetailandrangein
thediscussionoftheFrostpoem.Shemakeseffectivecomparisonsbothwithinandbetweenthepoems,
drawingouttheideaofthedecisionsmadebythetwoyoungmeninthepoems,andtheirconsequences.
Quotationisincorporatedtosupportideas,thoughthiscouldhavebeenfuller,andthereisevidenceof
originalinterpretation.Thereissupportedcommentonliteraryfeatures,andsomedevelopedcomments
onthestructureofbothpoems.Mark:37

CandidateBWriting

Commentaryandmark

Thereisalongdescriptivesection,effectivelycreatingasuitablemoodandatmospherebeforethe
characterisintroduced.Thecandidateclearlyattemptstouseawiderangeofvocabulary,thoughitis
occasionallyslightlystrainedinitseffect.Thesentencestructureshowssomevariation.Theorganisationof
thematerialiscontrolled,andthereisdeliberateandeffectiveuseofcohesivedevices.However,the
endingseemsalittlerushed,andtheexplanationsarenotentirelyconsistentwiththerestofthepiece.
Markawarded:25+10=35
CandidateCReading
Commentaryandmark

Thepieceisbasedoncomparisonandcontrastbetweenthetwopieces,withthecandidatesettingouta
numberofaspects,andthendiscussingbothpoemandprosepassageinrelationtothese.Thereis
referencetothestructurethoughthereseemstobeattimesanassumptionthattheFaulkspieceisastory
ratherthananextract.Nonethelessthereisevidenceofinterpretationandevaluation,withconsiderable
useofrelevanttextualevidence.AmarkinBand8seemsappropriate.Mark:32
CandidateCWriting

Commentaryandmark

This is an effectively structured piece of writing, with a strong sense of the possible effects on
the reader. The organisation is skilfully controlled, and the ending is satisfyingly appropriate,
linking back to earlier ideas and feelings in the writing. The expression is sophisticated, the
vocabulary varied and extensive, and there are very few lapses in punctuation and grammar.
It is a very readable piece of writing that communicates successfully to the read.

Mark: 24+ 12 = 36
Candidate D Reading


Commentaryandmark:

Thisisaninterpretiveresponsetoasinglepoemwhichmakeseffectiveuseoftextualquotation.
Comparisonsareinternalratherthanexternal.Thereferencestothepoemaredetailedandthorough,and
thereisastrongsenseofpossiblealternativeinterpretations,suchasinthecommentsaboutthe
implicationsofthetitleofthepoem.Structureisassessed,andideasandinterpretationsaredevelopedin
alinearway,butusingappropriatecrossreferences.Thecandidateissensitivetothesignificanceof
culturesinthepoem.

Mark:35
CandidateDWriting

Commentaryandmark:

Thecandidateattemptstomanipulateformandstructuretoconveyhermeaningandaffectthereaders
responses.Theparagraphingiscontrolled,anddirectspeechisusedtoaddvariationinstorytelling.There
isevidentuseofcohesivedevices,thoughthisstorycansoundratherrepetitive.Thecandidatedoesnot
reallypreparethereaderfortheendingwhichcomesacrossasrathersuddenandrandom,disconnected
largelyfromtherestofthestory.Thewritingdoeshavesomevariation,andisgenerallyaccuratewitha
rangeofpunctuationandgrammaticalstructures.However,punctuationofdirectspeechisnotsecure.

Mark:26
CandidateEReading



Commentaryandmark:

Thecandidateexplainsanddescribesthecontentofthepoemandtheproseextractinsomepartsofthe
essay.However,shedoesfocusontechniquesinbothpiecessufficientlyforthistoreachBand6,andthis
isbothapersonalandacriticalresponse.Thereisaclearsenseofinterpretation,thoughthecandidate
tendstoexplainratherthananalyse.Techniquesareidentifiedandappliedtointerpretation,thoughthis
comesacrossasalistratherthanadevelopingargumentandinterpretation.Themesareidentifiedand
discussed,andtherearespecificlinksmadebetweenthetexts.Mark:22
CandidateEWriting



Commentaryandmark:

Thestructureiscontrolled,withtheeventsmovingonthroughdifferentstages,thoughtheendingseemsa
littlehurried.Thecandidateusesdevicestocreatetension,suchastheseriesofshortquestionsonthe
secondpage,althoughtherehadbeenfewchangesofpaceearlier.Thereaderisconsidered,andthereisa
cleardevelopmenttothestory,thoughthereislittleattempttointroducevariation.Thespellingissound,
buttherearesomeinaccuraciesinpunctuation,includingdirectspeechandtheuseofcapitalletters.
Mark:19+8=27
CandidateFReading


Commentaryandmark:

Thecandidatewritesverygenerallyforatleasthalfofabriefresponse.Hemakesaspecificpointabout
structureandtheuseoftenseinthepoem,withasuggestionofpossibledifferentreadings.Thecentre
placedthistowardsthetopofBand4,butthereisnotenoughevidenceintheanswertosupportamarkin
thisbandanditismoreaccuratelyplacedinBand3.Mark:14
CandidateFWriting



Commentaryandmark:

Thereismoresubstancetothisassignment,withthecandidatefollowingthroughhisstory,andcraftinga
suitableending.Healsochangesthepaceofthestoryandintroducessomerangeofvocabulary.However,
theparagraphsareallshortandchoppy,givingafeelingofdisconnectioninthestoryandmakingithard
forthecandidatetocommunicatewiththereaderortoconveytheemotionalimpactofwhathedescribes.
Thespellingisgenerallysound,thoughthereareanumberofinaccuraciesinpunctuation.

Mark:13+7=20