Qualification

Accredited

GCSE (9–1)
Teacher Guide

ENGLISH
LANGUAGE
J351
For first teaching in 2015

Writing
Skills
Version 1

www.ocr.org.uk/english
GCSE (9–1) English Language TEACHER GUIDE: WRITING SKILLS

Contents
Introduction 3

Writing Task Requirements 4

Assessment Preparation: Getting Ready to Write 6

Form 6

Content 6

Voice 7

Structure 8

Accurate use of language 8

Assessment Objectives and Level Descriptors 9

AO5 9

AO6 11

Exemplar Responses 12

Learner Response 1 12

Learner Response 2 15

Learner Response 3 17

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INTRODUCTION
This guide has been produced to support teachers in their understanding of the skills that learners
are required to demonstrate in the writing sections (Section B) of the OCR GCSE English Language
examination papers:

Component 1 J351/01: Communicating information and ideas

Component 2 J351/02: Exploring effects and impact

Guidance is given on the assessment requirements for the writing sections with reference to the
wording of the Assessment Objectives and mark scheme level descriptors. This guide can be used in
conjunction with a range of support materials already available on the GCSE (9-1) English Language
J351 webpage (www.ocr.org.uk/gcseenglishlanguage) including:

• Effective Writing skills lesson element

• Improving spelling, punctuation and grammar

• Non-fiction and creative writing skills

The sample assessment materials for Component 1 J351/01 and Component 2 J351/02 are also referred
to later in this guide.

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WRITING TASK REQUIREMENTS

GCSE English Language specifications should enable learners to: The writing tasks

• write effectively and coherently, using Standard English The assessment of writing skills is worth 50% of GCSE English
appropriately Language and so the writing section (Section B) is worth 40
marks out of the total 80 marks for each component.
• use grammar correctly, punctuate and spell accurately
For each component, learners will be given a choice of two
• acquire and apply a wide vocabulary, alongside a knowledge writing tasks and they respond to one of these. This task is
and understanding of grammatical terminology and worth the full 40 marks for the section.
linguistic conventions for writing.
In Component 1 Communicating information and ideas, learners
In order to meet the above requirements, learners should will be given a choice of non-fiction writing tasks, where the
develop the following writing skills throughout the GCSE course: form, audience and purpose of the writing will be given in the
task. In the J351/01 sample assessment materials, the choice of
Producing original texts in a variety of forms: this will include writing tasks is:
both non-fiction and creative writing forms. In Component 1,
learners will be given a non-fiction writing task. The form that Write a speech for your class in which you argue that
learners’ writing should take will be clearly given in the wording violence is not the solution to conflict between people. In your
of the task: the form will always be non-fiction and could speech you should:
include, for example, articles, newspaper reports, speeches and
letters. In Component 2, at least one writing task will be a more • explain why peaceful solutions are better than violent ones
open creative writing task, where a clear form may not be given,
• give some examples to support your argument
instead learners may be asked to produce a piece of descriptive
writing, a piece of personal writing or a narrative, for example. In • convince your audience that violence does not solve
these types of tasks, learners can keep the form of their writing conflict
open, or they are free to decide on the specific form that their
writing will take. OR

Producing clear and coherent text: this involves writing Write an article for a teenage magazine, which gives advice
effectively for different audiences and purposes, such as to young people on how to cope with the pressures and
writing to describe, narrate, explain, inform, instruct, argue stresses of modern life. You are not required to include visual or
and persuade. Learners should think about the audience and presentational features. In your article you should
purpose of each writing task and try to select and adapt their
vocabulary, grammar, structural and organisational features • identify some of the pressures and stresses that young
carefully to reflect the audience, purpose and context. As part people face
of this, learners will need to use language imaginatively and • suggest why these issues may be difficult to deal with
creatively. They should try to maintain a consistent viewpoint in
their writing to give coherence and consistency. • explain some of the ways they can be managed

Writing for impact: through practising different writing Over time, the writing tasks will ask learners to write in different
techniques, learners should explore how vocabulary and forms and for different purposes for a prescribed audience.
grammatical features can be used to achieve particular effects.
This may include creating an emotional impact by using
language creatively, imaginatively and persuasively, including
rhetorical devices, (such as rhetorical questions, antithesis
and parenthesis). Learners should also develop the skills to
select, organise and emphasise key facts, ideas and points
to pertinently support their views. Throughout the course,
learners should be encouraged to apply the knowledge and
understanding of techniques they have identified through the
reading of a wide range of non-fiction and fiction texts, and
recreate these in their own writing to achieve specific effects.

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In Component 2 Exploring effects and impact, learners will

be given a choice of more creative writing tasks. At least one
writing task will be a more open writing task, where a clear
form and/or audience may not be given. This gives learners the
option of being more imaginative in the writing they produce. In
the J351/02 sample assessment materials, the choice of writing
tasks is:
Both of the Assessment Objectives for writing, AO5 and AO6,
Imagine you are writing your autobiography. Describe your are assessed in each writing task. AO5 is concerned with
experiences of starting a new school. the content of the writing, the way that it is organised and
You could write about: structured, and how the form, language and tone has been
adapted to suit the task, AO6 is concerned with the range
• the people who made the biggest impression on you of vocabulary and sentence structures that are used, and the
accuracy of spelling and punctuation. Out of the 40 marks
• the ways in which you behaved available for the writing task in each component, 24 marks are
available for AO5 and 16 marks are available for AO6. Further
• the way you feel about those events now
guidance on the writing Assessment Objectives is given later on
OR in this guide in the ‘Assessment Objectives and Level Descriptors’
section.
The Outsider
Learners should consider spending about 45-50 minutes of the
Use this as a title for a story or piece of personal writing two hour exam time on the writing section; this includes the
time taken to choose the task they will respond to and to plan
In your writing you should:
their response. It is important that learners take time to carefully
• choose a clear viewpoint read through the requirements of both tasks so that they can
decide on the task which best suits them. It is equally important
• describe the setting that learners plan their response before they begin writing. This
will help them to organise their ideas in order to make their
• explore what ‘being an outsider’ means writing coherent and to give it a clear structure. It also gives
them some space to consider the language techniques they
Over time, the writing tasks will ask learners to write in different may use to meet the purpose of the task.
styles which could include narratives, personal writing and
descriptive pieces. These tasks will appeal to a range of familiar Throughout the course, learners should become familiar with
experiences, such as starting a new school, being an outsider, the range of writing forms that they could encounter in the
making choices, making a difference, childhood, courage, deceit, GCSE English Language J351 exams. They should be given
fear, journeys etc. plenty of opportunity to practise writing in different styles and
in different forms, for different audiences and purposes and
The writing tasks in both components will be loosely related to apply and practise the skills discussed in this guide. Wide
to the theme of the reading section to provide a clear pathway reading can also be used to develop writing skills; learners
through the each exam paper. Each writing task will include should be encouraged apply the understanding of linguistic and
bullet points which suggest pointers to both content and style literary methods they have gained from reading a variety of texts
to make the tasks more accessible to the range of learners taking to inform and improve their writing.
GCSE English Language.

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ASSESSMENT PREPARATION: GETTING READY

TO WRITE
FORM
Whilst the form of the non-fiction writing in Component 1 is Settings and characters that are exotic/ criminal /very violent/
differentiated and stated very clearly in the task, as mentioned psychologically disturbed/ extra-terrestrial (to name but a few)
above, this may not always be the case for personal, creative are less likely to convince than those that are closer to home.
writing tasks in Component 2. This specification encourages learners to use wide reading to
inform their writing, what is meant here is that learners will
Learners’ skills to write in specific forms such as newspaper and consider what is effective in the texts they have read, and take
magazine articles, reports, speeches and many more of the like, this on board to achieve impact in their own writing, rather than
can all be developed with the use of discrete models. Over the suggesting that learners try to copy content or ideas which are
years it is clear that learners can write very effectively when they not their own.
are given a specified form, audience and purpose to work with;
if they want to argue a case and win the opinions of others over Learners’ responses to the creative writing tasks could be real
in their favour, for example. or imagined. Learners who transpose a real experience into
narrative fiction tend to be more successful: the ‘imagined’ is a
Personal writing is a good deal less easy to quantify. Short stories prompt suggesting ‘what if that had happened to me’ or ‘what
and personal narratives that describe a range of emotions, and if that had happened within my range of experience’ so that
make creative use of language for ‘emotional impact’ are more something that has been understood (for example the break-up
challenging because they pose the questions ‘what shall I write of a friend’s family, a sibling’s success, suffering an illness) can be
about?’ and ‘where shall I go for it?’ before much thought can be imagined and developed in a personal way.
given to the form that is to be used. It can also be challenging to
teach a range of narrative/descriptive forms in the abstract: so Some learners may choose to base their writing on what
that literary models are needed for emulation and stimulus. The they have read in the reading section of the exam: there is
problem then may become one of fitting the chosen content no requirement to do this, nor is there a penalty for doing so,
into a pre-conceived format, or trying to grapple with content but as in the guidance above, they should try to be original in
that might fit a pre-selected format. For these types of writing their response. The writing tasks will be loosely based on the
tasks, learners need to develop a confident sense of a basic, reading theme in order to give a clear pathway through the
simple and above all flexible narrative/descriptive structure, papers. Learners may want to draw on the reading texts to help
which can be readily manipulated to create linguistic effects that generate ideas and techniques, but it is not intended that the
flow from their preliminary response to the task. writing task is a direct extension of the reading section.

In simple terms, planning for creative writing needs the stimulus

and support of plenty of varied reading and thinking. Diaries
and blogs can be very helpful here to help generate ideas and
techniques.

CONTENT
Whereas the content for non-fiction writing tasks in Component
1 are more likely to be straightforward and objective: waste,
homework, technology and so on, the tasks, if not the
prescriptions for creative writing, make it clear that
the content for these types of task needs to
be derived from reflection and personal,
and emotional experience. For this
reason, adapting, lifting, following or
copying what others have written will
often lead to work which is unoriginal,
obviously derivative and lacking a sense
of freshness and creativity. Parody and satire
are high order skills rarely seen at GCSE. Much
work that is popularly read by learners is outside
the range of their own experience and therefore
tends not to translate well to their own writing.

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VOICE
This always needs careful consideration, the first of which is that Many learners like to adopt a persona other than their own. This
of the audience it is directed to. can be prey to the same weaknesses of copying and derivation
mentioned above, but it can be done successfully. However,
The non-fiction writing tasks will always provide an audience; it also adds a layer of extra difficulty that some learners may
the Head Teacher, a possible future employer, readers of not want to add in to the task and so they should consider
magazines and newspapers, peers, parents etc. whether or not they will be able to keep this voice consistent
and effective throughout the response. Other learners are adept
Creative writing will rarely come with a specified audience
at constructing twin, overlapping narratives, which contrast
but the need for learners to know who they are addressing is
narrative voices and may be very effective.
important to maintain coherence and consistency. In the short
term, the work they produce is for their teacher and perhaps The golden rules are that the narrative voice should be clear,
a slightly wider audience of other students, teachers, siblings consistent and above all confident throughout the piece.
and parents. In the examination that all goes: and it can be Whether the work is couched in the first person or the third,
confusing. The audience then becomes the examiner. It is careful attention needs to be paid to the tone of voice (of the
important to see that this should be an advantage. The examiner narrator and the characters); their accent, vocabulary and points
does not know and will never know the learner: the work is of view.
totally anonymous and so is the centre it has been produced in.
This may have (and indeed has often had) a liberating effect on Tone also involves mood and to an extent style. Learners often
learners who are in a position to write about things they may have great success using irony, bathos, exaggeration, hyperbole,
not have wished to share previously. understatement and so on. They need to recognise that these
are all part of the narrative voice as well as the overall structure,
Learners may wish to construct an audience as an integral part and both need to be carefully planned before starting to write.
of their work, ‘my granddad asked me to explain...’ ‘my five year
old daughter asked me what it was like when I started school…’,
‘the police sergeant looked very forbidding when I said that...’
This can be a good approach so long as learners are able to
sustain the voice in relation to this audience throughout their
writing.

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STRUCTURE ACCURATE USE OF LANGUAGE

Some of the weakest exam writing is that which is directionless The assessment requirements for the writing tasks also focus
from the outset or changes direction once or several times in its on mechanical accuracy and ambitious use of vocabulary and
course. Some of this work may be unclear at the outset and fail sentence structures. Learners need to develop a confident
to reach any kind of conclusion: or vice versa. and controlled command of English syntax, grammar, spelling
(particularly of commonly occurring words, both simple and
A clear sense of an overall structure and links between its complex), punctuation and sentence structure. To reach the
constituent parts can enhance learners’ work significantly. The highest levels of the mark schemes, they should be able to use
use of flashback, flash forward, starting at the linear conclusion all those constituents to enhance their writing and give it more
and working back to the beginning, twists and surprises, can of an impact.
all bring a great deal of creative originality to straightforward
content. This will be marked by the use of paragraphs as the Much can be done in a fairly straightforward way with this
building blocks of the overall structure. Paragraphs of varied aspect of writing, so long as the basics have been clearly
length, topic and linking sentences are all marks of thoughtful, understood. For example, a change from the past to the present
well-planned work. tense is often effective; the use of unusual/original vocabulary,
and of lists, often of synonyms and/or antonyms can enhance
Also important is the opening of the writing. It should be one the effects of learners’ writing. Varied sentence lengths and the
that engages the reader and prompts them to want to read on judicious use of direct/indirect speech and commentary also
and find out what happens next. Learners should develop the tend to work well. The use of single sentence paragraphs can
skills to create an effective opening and try to produce more be an effective addition, as long as learners are careful not to
than a sentence that seems to plod through the content, story overdo it.
or description. Equally as important is the conclusion: which
can be suggested earlier in the writing, of course. The end of The best writing response will be often marked by varied,
the piece is where the writer and reader have been heading fluent, confident use of a range of grammatical and syntactical
for throughout and, as stressed elsewhere, this needs to be structures; ambitious and aptly chosen vocabulary which may
very carefully planned before the writing starts and remain at often differentiate effects subtly; and which has been chosen to
the forefront of the learner’s mind as the piece develops. The suit and enhance what is intended, rather than to draw attention
best writing responses will always have an informing sense of for its own sake.
a cohering structure and overview in which the work becomes
greater than the simple sum of its parts.

Length is an important aspect of structure. As a general

guideline, an exam essay does not need to be more than three
sides of the answer booklet. Indeed much can be accomplished,
including the highest marks, in less. As always, the quality of the
response is all-important. Work of half a side or less will more
than likely penalise what the learner can be awarded as it is
unlikely to include enough evidence of what the learner can do
in relation to the task. On the other hand, lengthy ‘sagas’, multi-
part narratives, overly long descriptions, unnecessary dialogue
and irrelevance should all try to be avoided. It is likely that
learners who produce overly long pieces of work will be unable
to sustain effectively all the previously mentioned elements of
writing. Learners that produce a pithy, intense piece of writing,
which is more than the sum of its parts, are more likely to reach
the higher levels of the mark scheme.

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ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES AND LEVEL

DESCRIPTORS
AO5
Communicate clearly, effectively and imaginatively, selecting and adapting tone, style and register for different forms,
purposes and audiences.

Organise information and ideas, using structural and grammatical features to support coherence and cohesion of texts.

AO5 is assessed in both writing tasks. There are 24 marks available for AO5 in Component 1 and Component 2.

For the writing tasks, there are six band levels in the mark schemes for AO5. Let’s look at the key terms in each of the level
descriptors:

Level 6:
• The form is deliberately1 adapted to position2 the reader, 1
A degree of careful thought/planning, shows a deep understanding of the
showing a sophisticated control3 of purpose and effect4. task.
2
Enables the reader to appreciate the writer’s context and perspective.
• Tone, style and register are ambitiously5 selected and 3
Sophisticated: a synthesis of polished and accomplished; control: achieving
what is aimed for – this is demanding and ambitious.
deployed6 to enhance the purpose7 of the task. 4
Reader response matches the writer’s intentions.
• There is a skilfully controlled overall structure, with
8 5
The key word for this level.

paragraphs and grammatical features used to support

6
Used effectively.
7
Refers to the learner’s take on the task and intentions in developing their
coherence and cohesion9 and achieve particular effects. response.
8
The structure is deliberately (not necessarily obviously) used to suit the
purpose of the task; points build on each other and support overall
coherence; the opening and conclusion is effective. Paragraphs and
grammatical features are secure and consistent.
9
Consistent narrative and voice which is easily followed; the best work will be
greater than the sum of its parts.

Level 5
• The form is confidently1 adapted and shows a secure 1
Shows a good understanding of the task.
understanding of purpose and audience. 2
The use of tone, style and register is consistent throughout the piece and
creates an impact which suits the purpose of the task.
• There is a sustained2 use of tone, style and register to fulfil 3
We lose the ‘skilfully’ here.
the purpose of the task.

• There is a controlled3 overall structure, with paragraphs

and grammatical features used to support coherence and
cohesion and achieve particular effects.

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Level 4:

• The form is adapted1 to show a clear understanding of

1
The learner’s choice form and the way it is customised and developed shows
a secure understanding of the task. Note the difference here compared to
purpose and audience the emphasis on adaptation in the higher levels.
2
So that the work has consistency. The use of tone, style and register is more
• Tone, style and register are chosen to match2 the task straightforward.

• There is a well-managed overall structure, with paragraphs

and grammatical feature used, mostly securely, to support
coherence and cohesion, and sometimes for effect.

Level 3:
• The form is sustained and shows clear awareness of purpose
and audience.

• Tone, style and register is appropriate for the task, with some
inconsistences.

• There is a clear overall structure, with paragraphs and

grammatical features used, mostly securely1, to support 1
We’re moving away from the use of grammatical features to create impact as
coherence and cohesion. described in the levels above.

Level 2:
• The form, which is mostly appropriate for purpose and 1
Narratives don’t become descriptions, arguments don’t become narratives,
and so on.
audience, is generally maintained1. 2
These elements may not always be directed to the task

• There is an attempt2 to use a tone, style and register

3
Writing should still show evidence of being controlled

appropriate to the task.

• There is some evidence of overall structure, with some use

of paragraphs and grammatical features3 to support
coherence and cohesion.

Level 1:
• There is some attempt1 to use a form appropriate for 1
The form is identifiable but not maintained
purpose and audience. 2
Writing appears generally uncontrolled

• There is a limited attempt to use a tone, style and register

appropriate for the task.

• There is some attempt to structure the response, with

limited evidence of paragraphs or grammatical features2
to support coherence and cohesion.

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AO6
Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate spelling and punctuation.

AO6 is assessed in both writing tasks. There are 16 marks available for AO6 in Component 1 and Component 2.

AO6 encompasses four different elements: vocabulary choice, sentence structure, accurate spelling and accurate punctuation.
Learners’ relative performance in all four elements will be considered when deciding on a level and mark: there is a balance to be
had between ambitiousness and accuracy.

For the writing tasks, there are four band levels in the mark schemes for AO6. The key terms in each of the level descriptors is given
below:

Level 4:
• An ambitious range of sentence structures is used to shape 1
As discussed above.
meaning and create impact1. Accurate punctuation is used
2
As discussed above.

to enhance clarity and achieve particular effects2.

3
Cleverly used for effect without being too obvious.
4
The key term for this level
• Vocabulary is precise and subtle3, expressing complex ideas 5
Almost all of the writing is so clear and confident that errors do not occur.
with clarity. Spelling of irregular and ambitious4 words is
accurate, with very occasional lapses5.

Level 3:
• A wide range of sentence structures is used for deliberate 1
Not necessarily for deliberate effect.
purpose and effect. Punctuation is consistently accurate and 2
Note, not simple words.
is used to achieve clarity 1.

• Vocabulary is sometimes ambitious and used convincingly

for purpose and effect. Spelling, including complex regular
words, is accurate; there may be occasional errors with
irregular and ambitious words2.

Level 2:
• A range of sentence structures is used, mostly securely1, 1
The central question examiners will ask is ‘is the writing secure?’
and sometimes for purpose and effect. Punctuation is 2
The writing may be clumsy and unsubtle but it’s trying to do as asked
generally accurate with occasional errors.

• Vocabulary is appropriate and shows some evidence2 of

being selected for deliberate effect. Spelling is generally
accurate with occasional errors with common and more
complex words.

Level 1:
• Simple sentences1 are used with some attempt to use more 1
At Level 1, simple sentences are expected as the norm.
complex structures. Some punctuation is used but there is a 2
This could include instances of no punctuation.
lack of control and consistency2. 3
Commonly occurring, simple words.

• Vocabulary is straightforward and relevant with mostly

accurate spelling of simple3 words.

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EXEMPLAR RESPONSES
Below are some authentic learner responses to the second writing task in the sample assessment materials for Component 2
Exploring effects and impact. The annotations on each script have been provided by the learners’ teacher. An examiner commentary
is also provided for each response.

The task learners responded to is:

The Outsider
Use this as a title for a story or piece of personal writing
In your writing you should:
• choose a clear viewpoint
• describe the setting
• explore what ‘being an outsider’ means
[40 marks]

Learner Response 1 - on page 13

Commentary

AO5: Level 3

AO6: Level 3

This is a solid Level 3 response with some touches of individual detail and a strong and consistent, if simple and straightforward
narrative, which push it towards but not into Level 4. The writing is reasonably secure and the vocabulary aptly chosen and varied.
There is a clear and consistent first person narrative voice sustained throughout.

Learner Response 2 - on page 15

Commentary

AO5: Level 2/3

AO6: Level 2

This response is on the cusp of Levels 2 and 3. This is a straightforward anecdote, which is developed with some colourful local
detail. The narrative is less assured than the previous response and tenses are insecure. Attention has been paid to engaging the
reader with an intriguing opening and narrative structure. Voice and tone are less certain.

Learner Response 3 - on page 17

Commentary

AO5: Level 5

AO6: Level 4

This is a stronger piece of writing, which adapts form confidently and has a secure voice and sense of audience. The register is
clearly marked and pointed in lyrical fashion. It is coherent, cohesive, taut and concise. It is very accurate. However, it is insufficiently
developed for Level 6 for AO5.

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LEARNER RESPONSE 1

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LEARNER RESPONSE 2

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LEARNER RESPONSE 3

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