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Question 3 is worth 12 marks and is the highest-mark language analysis question on Paper 2. It tests your ability to analyse how the writer uses language to achieve effects in one of the two sources. This is assessed under AO2 — the same objective as Paper 1 Q2, but applied to non-fiction.
A typical Q3 might read:
You now need to refer only to Source B. How does the writer use language to convey their feelings about [the journey / the city / the event]?
The question will direct you to one source only (usually Source B, but it could be Source A). You should focus entirely on that source.
The analytical skills are the same — you still identify techniques, select quotations, and explain effects. However, non-fiction texts use language for different purposes:
| Fiction (Paper 1) | Non-Fiction (Paper 2) |
|---|---|
| Creates fictional worlds, characters, and plots | Expresses real viewpoints, arguments, and experiences |
| Uses literary techniques for narrative effect | Uses persuasive techniques, rhetoric, and descriptive language |
| Purpose: to entertain, move, or provoke | Purpose: to inform, persuade, argue, entertain, or reflect |
Despite these differences, the analytical approach is identical: select quotations, identify techniques, and explain their effects on the reader.
| Technique | Example | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Emotive language | "The children's hollow eyes stared from gaunt faces" | Provokes sympathy, shock, or outrage in the reader |
| Direct address | "You cannot ignore this any longer" | Involves the reader directly; creates a personal connection |
| Rhetorical questions | "How long must we tolerate this injustice?" | Provokes thought; implies the answer is obvious |
| Statistics and facts | "Over 2.3 million people were displaced" | Adds authority and credibility; makes the argument concrete |
| Anecdotes | "I remember the day my grandmother told me..." | Makes abstract ideas personal and relatable |
| Expert opinion / quotes | "Professor Williams stated that..." | Adds authority and weight to the argument |
| Hyperbole | "This is the greatest crisis of our generation" | Emphasises scale; creates urgency |
| Listing / tricolon | "We need action, commitment, and change" | Creates rhythm and emphasis; makes arguments memorable |
| Contrast / juxtaposition | "While they feast, others starve" | Highlights inequality; provokes outrage |
| Imperatives | "Act now. Donate today." | Commands the reader; creates urgency |
| Inclusive pronouns | "We must stand together" | Creates a sense of unity and shared responsibility |
Use the PEE (Point, Evidence, Explanation) framework, just as you would for Paper 1 Q2. Aim for 3–4 well-developed paragraphs in about 15 minutes.
Extract (19th-century travel writing):
"The mountains rose before us like the walls of some vast cathedral, their peaks lost in cloud, their silence absolute and humbling. I felt, for the first time in my life, the true insignificance of man."
Point: The writer uses a simile to convey awe and reverence for the mountains.
Evidence: The mountains are compared to "the walls of some vast cathedral."
Explanation: The comparison to a cathedral — a place of worship and spiritual significance — elevates the natural landscape to something sacred and magnificent. The adjective "vast" emphasises the overwhelming scale, while "cathedral" implies that nature itself is a place worthy of reverence. This creates a tone of humility and wonder, which is reinforced by the writer's admission of feeling "the true insignificance of man." The word "true" suggests this is a profound, genuine realisation, not merely a passing thought. The writer uses this language to position nature as superior to humanity — majestic, enduring, and beyond human control.
flowchart TB
P["Point<br/>Name the technique<br/>and what it conveys"]
P --> E["Evidence<br/>Short, embedded<br/>quotation"]
E --> X["Explanation<br/>Word-level connotation<br/>+ effect on reader"]
X --> Purpose["Link to writer’s purpose<br/>Why this language choice?"]
Purpose --> Next["Repeat: 3 or 4 PEE paragraphs<br/>= 12 marks · AO2"]
If Q3 directs you to the 19th-century text, do not be intimidated by the style. Apply the same analytical skills:
| Challenge | Solution |
|---|---|
| Archaic vocabulary | Use context clues; focus on the overall meaning and effect |
| Long, complex sentences | Break them into smaller parts; focus on key phrases |
| Formal register | Comment on the formality — what does it suggest about the writer and audience? |
| Different social attitudes | Note how the writer's perspective reflects their time period |
Exam Tip: The examiner will not penalise you for not knowing every 19th-century word. What matters is your ability to analyse the language that you do understand. Focus on the words and phrases you can work with.
Non-fiction writers often adopt a specific tone to convey their viewpoint. Identifying and analysing tone is a powerful way to access higher marks:
| Tone | How It Is Conveyed |
|---|---|
| Angry | Short sentences, exclamation marks, emotive vocabulary, accusatory language |
| Passionate | Repetition, emphatic language, personal anecdotes, rhetorical questions |
| Sarcastic | Saying the opposite of what is meant, mocking language, ironic tone |
| Authoritative | Statistics, expert references, formal register, confident assertions |
| Reflective | Past tense, measured language, introspective, personal experience |
| Urgent | Imperatives, short sentences, present tense, direct address |
| Mistake | Why It Costs Marks |
|---|---|
| Writing about both sources | Q3 focuses on one source only — do not compare |
| Identifying techniques without analysing effects | Feature-spotting earns very few marks |
| Confusing Q3 with Q2 | Q2 is about content and summary; Q3 is about language analysis |
| Not using enough quotations | Every point needs textual evidence |
| Ignoring the writer's purpose | Always consider why the writer uses specific language |
Extract (from a 21st-century newspaper article about climate change):
"We are sleepwalking into catastrophe. Every day we delay, another species vanishes, another glacier cracks, another community drowns. This is not a problem for future generations — it is a crisis for ours."
Answer:
The writer uses the metaphor of "sleepwalking" to describe humanity's response to climate change, implying that people are not fully awake to the danger they face. Sleepwalking connotes unconsciousness, vulnerability, and an inability to control one's own actions — it suggests that we are moving towards disaster without awareness or agency. This is a particularly effective metaphor because it combines passivity (we are not actively choosing catastrophe) with inevitability (we are still heading towards it), creating a sense of urgency and frustration.
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