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This final lesson brings together everything you have learned and focuses on how to write an excellent exam essay on An Inspector Calls. The difference between a Grade 5 and a Grade 9 is not simply knowing more — it is knowing how to use your knowledge with precision, depth, and sophistication.
| AO | What it assesses | Marks (of 40) | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| AO1 | Critical, informed personal response with well-selected textual references | 20 | Build an argument about Priestley's intent; embed short memorised quotations |
| AO3 | Relationships between the text and the contexts in which it was written and received | 20 | Integrate 1912 Edwardian England, 1945 audience, post-war welfare state, Priestley's socialism |
Examiner's tip: AO2 is not assessed on Section B. Do not spend time labelling language devices (metaphor, sibilance, caesura) — they earn nothing here. Every paragraph should look like: argument about Priestley's intent → evidence (short quotation or reference) → contextual framing. Language commentary is only useful as a vehicle for your AO1 personal response, never as an end in itself. SPaG is not assessed on this section either (SPaG is reserved for the Shakespeare question).
| Band | Grade signal | What a response at this band looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Band 5 | Grades 8–9 | Sustained, critical and evaluative personal response; perceptive engagement with Priestley's ideas; assured integration of context |
| Band 4 | Grades 6–7 | Thoughtful and developed response; clear, purposeful analysis of ideas; well-developed contextual links |
| Band 3 | Grades 4–5 | Clear understanding of text and context; relevant personal response with appropriate references |
| Band 2 | Grades 2–3 | Some understanding of text and context; some supporting references |
| Band 1 | Grade 1 | Limited understanding; limited use of references or context |
| Grade 5 response | Grade 9 response |
|---|---|
| Identifies themes and characters | Analyses how Priestley constructs themes and characters |
| Uses relevant quotes | Embeds short quotes and analyses them at word level |
| Mentions context separately | Integrates context into analytical paragraphs |
| Feature-spots techniques | Explains the effect of techniques on the audience |
| Responds to the extract | Connects extract to wider play with structural awareness |
| Makes valid points | Develops a sustained, conceptualised argument |
| Uses some subject terminology | Uses terminology precisely and naturally |
| Section | Time | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Choose & plan | 6 minutes | Pick one of the two questions; identify 4 key points from memory; note a short quotation and a context link for each |
| Introduction | 3 minutes | Brief thesis statement — your overarching argument |
| Paragraph 1 | 9 minutes | First PEAL paragraph — argument + memorised quotation + AO3 context |
| Paragraph 2 | 9 minutes | Second PEAL paragraph — different character / moment + AO3 context |
| Paragraph 3 | 9 minutes | Third PEAL paragraph — thematic development across the play + AO3 context |
| Paragraph 4 | 8 minutes | Fourth PEAL paragraph — alternative reading / end-of-play moment |
| Conclusion | 3 minutes | Brief summary of argument; final contextual link (1912 vs 1945 audience) |
| Check | 3 minutes | Re-read; tighten argument and make sure AO3 is visible in every paragraph |
A strong introduction should:
Example:
Priestley presents social responsibility as the central moral imperative of An Inspector Calls. Through the Inspector — who functions as Priestley's mouthpiece — he argues that collective responsibility is not optional but essential, and that the failure of the privileged classes to recognise this has led to catastrophic consequences. The play's structure — its progressive revelations, dramatic irony, and cyclical ending — reinforces this message at every level.
Do not just identify a quote — zoom in on individual words:
Weak: Birling calls the Titanic "unsinkable."
Strong: Birling's assertion that the Titanic is "unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable" reveals his dangerous overconfidence. The adverb "absolutely" eliminates any possibility of doubt, while the repetition of "unsinkable" suggests he is reinforcing his own certainty — or perhaps trying to convince himself. For the 1945 audience, this is devastating dramatic irony: the Titanic sank on its maiden voyage, taking over 1,500 lives. Priestley uses Birling's failed prediction to demolish the authority of the capitalist class.
Show awareness of where something happens in the play and why:
The Inspector's arrival is structurally significant: the doorbell rings immediately after Birling's speech about "a man has to mind his own business." Priestley times this interruption to create a direct confrontation between Birling's selfish individualism and the Inspector's collective morality. The dash at the end of Birling's speech — "himself and his own — and —" — visually represents his philosophy being cut short.
Offering multiple readings shows sophistication:
Gerald's treatment of Eva can be read in two ways. On one hand, he rescued her from Alderman Meggarty and provided her with genuine affection — "She was young and pretty and warm-hearted." On the other hand, a feminist reading might argue that Gerald exploited Eva's vulnerability: she was entirely dependent on him, and when the relationship no longer suited him, he ended it. The word "grateful" is telling — it implies a power imbalance in which Eva owed Gerald something simply for treating her with basic decency.
Do not bolt context on at the end — weave it into your analysis:
Weak: In 1912, women could not vote. This is relevant to the play.
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