What Paper 1 asks of you

Section A gives you two non-fiction texts: one unseen text and one drawn from Part 1 of the Pearson Edexcel Anthology (a fixed booklet you study in advance). You answer a ladder of questions worth 45 marks:

• Short retrieval — find and select words/phrases (tests AO1).
• Own-words comprehension — explain ideas and information (AO1).
• Language & structure analysis on the Anthology extract — how the writer achieves effects (AO2).
• Comparison of the unseen text and the Anthology extract — exploring links between the writers' ideas and perspectives, and how these are conveyed (AO3).

Section B is transactional writing (45 marks): you pick one task and write in a set form for a set purpose and audience — assessed on content & organisation (AO4) and technical accuracy (AO5).

Fixed anthology: the Part 1 texts don't change year to year, so you can revise them deeply — but you never know which extract Q4/Q5 will target, so know them all.

Which is which?

Read like a detective — annotate

Marks are lost by readers who skim. Before you write a word, annotate the text: mark it up so your analysis is built on evidence, not vibes.

• Purpose — is it to inform, persuade, describe, entertain, argue?
• Audience — who is it aimed at, and how do you know?
• Underline striking words and phrases (verbs, adjectives, imagery).
• Bracket structural moves — where the focus shifts, short punchy sentences, a change of tone.
• Tone — jot the mood in the margin (angry? warm? urgent?).

PAT — Purpose, Audience, Tone. Nail these three in 60 seconds and every answer that follows is sharper.

Language techniques & their effects

Naming a device earns almost nothing. The marks are in the effect — what it makes the reader feel or think.

• Metaphor / simile — paint a vivid picture; make the abstract concrete.
• Rhetorical question — pulls the reader in; makes them agree in their head.
• Direct address ("you") — makes it feel personal, hard to ignore.
• Statistics / facts — sound authoritative; feel like proof.
• Emotive language — targets the reader's feelings (pity, fear, anger).
• Triples (list of three) — build rhythm and emphasis; feel complete.
• Imperative verbs — command the reader; create urgency.

The golden rule: device → quotation → effect on the reader. Miss the effect and you're only "feature-spotting".

Name the device

Comment on the effect, not the label

Compare two comments on the same line:

Misconception: the marks are not for spotting the metaphor — they're for explaining why 'swallowed' works and what it does to the reader.

Pick the best comment

Structure — the shape of the whole text

AO2 rewards language and structure. Structure is how the writer orders and shapes the piece to guide the reader:

• The opening — hooks the reader (a shock, a question, an image).
• Shifts in focus — zooming from wide to close, past to present, general to personal.
• Sentence length — a short, blunt sentence lands like a punch after long ones.
• The ending — a call to action, a return to the opening, a lasting image.

How to structure a comparison answer

The comparison question asks you to explore links and connections between how the two writers (the unseen text and the Anthology extract) present their ideas or perspectives on a shared theme. Use a What → Evidence → How → Why chain (this is just PEE across two texts, with a comparative judgement on top):

Comparison = analysis × two texts. Use linking language throughout: "Similarly…", "In contrast…", "Whereas the unseen writer…, the Anthology writer…".

What's missing?

Technique → effect

Tap the effect that best matches each technique.

Transactional writing: form, purpose, audience

Transactional writing gets something done — it informs, persuades, advises or argues to a real reader. Before writing, decode the task:

• Form — letter? article? speech? report? review? Each has its own layout and conventions.
• Purpose — persuade, argue, inform, advise, describe.
• Audience — a head teacher, a local newspaper's readers, MPs, teenagers.

Match the register to the audience. A letter to a council officer is formal ("I am writing to urge…"); a speech to your peers can be warmer and punchier. Getting the register wrong costs AO4 marks even if your ideas are good.

Match the register

Know each form's features

• Letter — greeting ("Dear…"), formal register, clear paragraphs, sign-off ("Yours faithfully / sincerely").
• Article — a catchy headline, an engaging opening hook, subheadings possible, a clear voice.
• Speech — direct address to the audience, rhetorical questions, repetition, a rousing final line.
• Report — a title, neutral/formal tone, findings and often a recommendation.
• Review — a personal opinion with reasons, a recommendation (or warning) to the reader.

Structure your writing: plan 4–5 paragraphs, open with a hook, group ideas logically, and close memorably. Organisation is a big slice of AO4.

Match form → key feature

Tap a form on the left, then its signature feature on the right.

The DAFOREST toolkit

For persuasive tasks, DAFOREST is a checklist of moves that win readers over. Weave several in — don't just tick boxes.

Some teachers add an extra A for Alliteration, giving AFOREST. Use whichever you know — the point is the techniques, not the acronym.

DAFOREST in action

Here is a short model opening for a speech persuading students to walk to school, with the techniques labelled:

Notice it doesn't just list devices — each one does a job: pulling you in, stirring feeling, then driving you to act.

Which form is this?

AO5 — spelling, punctuation, grammar & vocabulary

Up to a quarter of your Section B marks are for technical accuracy and ambitious vocabulary. Easy marks to gain — or throw away.

• Vary your sentences — mix short and long for control and effect.
• Punctuate accurately — full stops, commas, and the occasional colon, semicolon or dash used correctly.
• Reach for precise vocabulary — "devastating" not "very bad"; "compelling" not "good".
• Proofread — leave 3–4 minutes to catch slips.

Ambition with control beats safety with errors. Aim high on vocabulary, but only use words you can spell and punctuate correctly.

Spot the AO

Text-type → purpose

Tap a text-type, then the box for its main purpose.

The perceptive verdict

Working the paper for marks

• Watch the mark tariff — a 2-mark retrieval needs a moment; a 12-mark AO2 answer needs range and depth.
• Analyse the whole text for AO2/AO3 — don't stall on the first paragraph.
• Quote briefly and precisely — short, well-chosen quotations beat long copied chunks.
• In Section B, plan first — 5 minutes planning form, audience and paragraphs saves the whole answer.
• Save time to proofread for AO5.

Split your time by marks: Section A and Section B are worth 45 marks each — give each roughly half the paper.

Where do the marks come from?

The skills to take into the exam

You've trained every core skill Edexcel 4EA1 Paper 1 tests. Press Finish to see your score.