S7 English

Pre-Bac Checklist 2018

S7 L2

Checklist PRE BACC 2018

Part 1:                Reading Comprehension  40 marks

1	Read Title, Subtitle then questions
2	Highlight the key words in questions and check if there is more than one part to the question
3	Highlight where the answers are.
4	Look at how many marks there are for each.  This will guide you on length and depth of answers
5	Do not ‘copy and paste’ the answers.  Use your own words.
6	Change the words.
7	Do not start sentences with But, Because and And.
8	Do not repeat the point you have made by explaining it in detail.
9	Remember not all the answers are in order.
10	Answer the question by starting from the question itself.  Remember full answers.

Part 2:           Guided writing – 300 words  (40 marks)

	Type of Writing
1	Formal & Informal letter
2	Speech Formal & Informal
3	Online Comment/Blog/Journal
5	Email (Formal and Informal)
6	Letter to the Editor
7	Diary Entry
8	Newspaper Article
9	Response to an article (Argumentative Essay……2+1/1+2)

Study Tips:

1.    Go over plans carefully and write out a plan on rough paper once you see the format.

2.    Be sure to have a roadmap of where the piece is heading and that it is easy for the examiner to identify the roadmap and the flow of the piece from start to finish.

3.    Remember structure is important.  Introduction, Body and Conclusion.  Thesis sentence in the introduction is important.  Each paragraph should have a topic sentence to start off.

Part 3:     Plan your literature essay – 400 words  (40 marks)

1	Introduction	·       General reference to title. ·       Define key words e.g.....Change ·       Thesis Sentence: i.e. a roadmap sentence of where you plan to take this essay. Thesis sentence should be clearly related to the Topic Sentences in the Main Body ·       Background info to the work*
2	Main Body	·       2-3 PQE......minimum two points on Dancing at Lughnasa ·       Remaining point should be from the other text e.g. Songs etc. ·       Each Topic Sentence to be developed fully and briefly summarised before moving onto next Topic Sentence. There should be a natural lead into each new Topic Sentence.  ·       Use linking words between each paragraph.
3	Conclusion	·       Plan the conclusion during the roadmap stage so that you know exactly what your points are going to be and they are immediately available for the summary. ·       The  summary of points should be clearly related to the Thesis Sentence in the Introduction ·       Don’t forget what a conclusion is: Summary of Main Points and personal opinion. ·       NO NEW INFO IN CONCLUSION

*background info to the work can be provided in the Introduction or in the Main Body, it’s a personal choice.

Study Tips:

1.    Read question carefully – how many parts are there?

2.    Use different forms of Change – don’t repeat same type from each of the texts.

3.    Make sure you know if it is a novel, short story etc.

4.    Write in present tense.

5.    Avoid using “I think”, “I find” “I believe”…..Rather, use phrases such as “An analysis of X will clearly demonstrate that change is inevitable no matter who you are or what your status in society is” “This point aims to provide reference to the fact that Kate is directly affected by the return of Fr. Jack and the change that his return brings to her life.” Etc.

6.    Introduce the text by its name and author/ before you do your PQE. (see list on last part of this checklist)

Some typical questions for Part 3:

Change:

1.    Change is unavoidable.

     Discuss this statement in relation to Dancing at Lughnasa and any other work studied.

2.    Change for some is more significant than for others. Chose a character from Dancing at Lughnasa who you feel was affected greatly by change. You may refer to another work studied

Works studied on themes of Change:

Name	Author/Director/Singer	Year	Genre
Dancing at Lughnasa	Brian Friel	1990	Play
Everybody’s Changing	Keane	2004	Song
Man in the Mirror	Michael Jackson	1987	Pop Song
Luck in Sarajevo	Izet Sarajlić	1992	Poem
The Story of an Hour	Kate Chopin	1864	Short Story
Guests of a Nation	Frank O’Connor	1950	Short Story
Salam Neighbor	Chris Temple	2016	Film

Connectives add fluidity to your writing

Firstly, secondly, thirdly etc	consequently
On the one hand	In comparison with ……
On the other hand	In contrast with………
additionally	Ironically
furthermore	Next
In addition	Then
moreover	To conclude/in conclusion
To summarise	In summary
All in all	At the end of the day
To continue	Coincidentally

Hedging to create distance between the writer and the facts

It would appear that………………	The character may have felt…….
It would seem that……………..	The character might have felt…
Apparently………………	There could be reason to believe………
Evidence seems to suggest that……………..	One might assume that……..
It is assumed that…./an assumption could be made that……	It could be suggested that…….

Avoiding repetition:

I think it’s an important question…..

The fact that change is so obvious needs to be explored. It is prevalent in the following example:

The impacts that are felt are demonstrated in the reactions of the characters. They are both positive and negative as will be demonstrated:

Works studied on themes of Sin and Redemption:

Name	Author/Director/Singer	Year	Genre
The Kite Runner	Khaled Hosseini	2003	Novel
Schlinder’s List	Steven Spielberg	1993	Film
It’s a sin	The Pet Shop Boys	1987	Pop Song
The Crucible	Arthur Miller	1953	Play
First Confession	Frank O’Connor	1950	Short Story
Roald Dahl	Lamb to the Slaughter	1953	Short Story
Carrie Davies	The Redemption of Galen Pike	2017	Short Story