Key skills for year 10s to master now for the GCSEs in 2021.
Lyn Moulding has been tutoring English language and literature for Tutor My Kids for many years now and has shared these nuggets of wisdom for year 10s to get ahead, especially in this break from formal lessons, due to the Coronavirus:
Language features – adjectives, adverbs, metaphors, similes, personification etc.
A skill that is tested in all four GCSE English language and literature exams is being able to spot examples of language features and explain the effect they have on the reader. The skill of being able to write using examples of language features is tested in section B ‘creative writing’ on English language component 1.
So, it’s really important that you are confident and skilled in spotting, explaining and writing using language features. Why not try the following revision tactics:
- Make ‘flash’ revision cards or a language features poster.
- Adjectives = describes a noun – the highly polished, antique, pine table
BBC Bitesize lists many language features and provides great examples and explanations
- Try reading a passage from one of your GCSE texts. Spot the language features and work out the effect they may have on a reader.
A Christmas Carol – ‘as solitary as an oyster’ = simile – oysters remain closed and ‘isolated’ for most of their lives so the simile emphasises just how isolated Scrooge is.
Context = Oysters were a main component in the Victorian diet.
- Write a basic story following the ‘mountain plot model’ and then add examples of language features to make the story more interesting and engaging for the reader.
The platform was packed = the platform was a mass of heaving humanity (alliteration)
The more revision you can do now, the easier it will be next year!
It’s never too early to start revising!
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