Paper 1 Walkthrough: Birdsong

Today we are going to complete an exam-style paper on the Finished?

extract from Birdsong. In your mock and real exam you will
complete similar style questions on a different extract. Annotate all the language
techniques you can find in
The first question will always ask you to list four different
parts of a text. Here’s the question for you to answer: the description of the
bodies in the chapter.

List four things about the description of Make notes on how and
the bodies on no man’s land: why the writer uses the
language techniques in the
1) _______________________________________________ description to impact on the
2) _______________________________________________ reader.
3) _______________________________________________ Example: The adjective
4) _______________________________________________ ‘blue’ in blue sky makes the
reader feel… because…
Timed conditions: 5 minutes
Learning objectives
• To describe the requirements of
each exam question.
• To apply our understanding
through our own answers to each
exam question.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of
our answers through self
assessment and success criteria.
Possible answers for Q1:
Give yourself a mark out
• The bodies had lain there for weeks of four.
• The arms came away from the body. These are four simple
• The bodies were covered in flies marks to get in English
Language Paper 1, but
• They had black skin you must read the
question very carefully.
• They had green skin
• Skin came off with the disc
• A rat came out of the abdomen of
one of the bodies
• The rat had been eating the bodies
 Q2: Language analysis
How does the writer use language here Possible sentence starters to use:
to describe the experience of seeing the
In the extract the writer helps
dead soldiers? You could include the the reader to understand the
writer’s choice of: experience of seeing the dead
 words and phrases soldiers by…
 language features and techniques
A good example to show this is:
 sentence forms. [8 marks] “…”

In this question you will always be given a short extract This helps the reader to…
from the chapter or text you are provided with. You because…
must only write about this extract and not the rest of
the chapter. The use of [technique]
emphasises to the reader…
Work with the person next to you to write out your
answer to this question. In particular, the word(s) “…”
show us that…
Timed conditions: 12 minutes
Therefore, the writer makes the
reader see…
 Possible answers for Q2:
• Use the answers
provided on the
answers sheet to self
assess your answer.
Success criteria:
• A range of points
• Accurate quotes used to support points
• Language techniques described and explained
why they are used in the quotes.
• ‘Zooming in’ on key words.
• Linking back to the task.

PIN assess your own answer in red pen: Banned targets:

• I will write more
Praise • I will correct my spellings
• I will add more detail.
Improvement

Now
 Q3: Structural analysis
• You now need to think about the whole
of the Source.
• This text is from the middle of a novel.
• How has the writer structured the text
to interest you as a reader? You could
write about:
 what the writer focuses your attention on
at the beginning
 how and why the writer changes this focus
as the Source develops
 any other structural features that interest
you. [8 marks]
Work with the person next to you to write out your
answer to this question.
Timed conditions: 12 minutes
Possible sentence starters to use:
In the extract the writer structures
the chapter so at the beginning the
reader can understand…
The use of the short sentence “…”
makes clear to the reader that…
When the writer moves on to the
next paragraph they… for the reader
because…
As the chapter progresses, the
narrator focusses on… This helps the
reader to understand that…
By the end of the chapter, the
narrator is focussing on… because it
has the reader to see that…
 Possible answers
for Q3:
Success criteria:
• Use the answers • A range of points
• Structural features described and explained
provided on the why they are used in the quotes.
answers sheet to self • Explaining how the chapter changes in terms
of focus
assess your answer. • Linking back to the task.

PIN assess your own answer in red pen: Banned targets:

• I will write more
Praise • I will correct my spellings
• I will add more detail.
Improvement

Now
 Q4: Character analysis
• Focus this part of your answer on the second
part of the Source from to the end.
• A student, having read this section of the
text said: “The writer shows the aftermath of
the fatigue mission, but shows a surprisingly
wide range of reactions from the soldiers.”
• To what extent do you agree?
• In your response, you could:
 write about your own impressions of the characters
 evaluate how the writer has created these impressions
 support your opinions with references to the text.
[20 marks]
Work with the person next to you to write out your
answer to this question.
Timed conditions: 30 minutes
Possible sentence starters to use:
After the description of seeing the
bodies, the narrator switches to
looking at how the soldiers react. We
first learn about Jack who feels…
because… This is best shown when it
says: “…” This shows the reader
that… because..
Moreover, we learn about the
character ___________ when he
says: “…” This shows the reader
that…
In contrast, Stephen reacts to the
scene by… This can be seen when he
says: “…” This tells us that…
because…
As well as this, Weir tells Stephen:
“…” This shows us that… because…
 Possible
answers for Q4:
Success criteria:
• Use the answers • A range of points
• A focus on the characters and how they react.
provided on the • Looking at different attitudes towards seeing
answers sheet to self the dead bodies.
• Linking back to the task.
assess your answer.

PIN assess your own answer in red pen: Banned targets:

• I will write more
Praise • I will correct my spellings
• I will add more detail.
Improvement

Now
 Plenary: “Give me five!”
• Ask the person nearest to • To describe the
requirements of
you to list five things they each exam question.
have learnt from today’s • To apply our
lesson. understanding
through our own
answers to each
exam question.
• Be prepared to share your
• To evaluate the
ideas. effectiveness of our
answers through self
assessment and
success criteria.
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