A2 LL - RECASTING - FORMAT GUIDE

A LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

UNIT 3 TEXT PRODUCTION

RECASTING FORMATS GUIDE

Below is a table that includes a complete list of formats from the board. I have tried to be as specific and detailed as possible. However it is difficult being prescriptive about such an exercise.

Over 90% of content must come from the source material.

Less than 10% should be made up material. New information must only be used to adapt the source text to the recast format, purpose, register and task.

FORMAT	KEY FEATURES	AUDIENCE PURPOSE REGISTER
Letter	·         Variety of syntax / grammar – short simple, compound and complex/ declarative, interrogative, exclamatory, imperative ·         Lexis should link to register ·         Avoid literary features except for making very powerful points. Use rhetoric if persuasive	·         Expect personal /formal register ·         Could be persuasive / informative /entertaining / instructional purpose ·         Could be general / specific group / named audience
Article –	·         Formal – full range of syntax, simple, compound, complex – for broadsheet – simple, compound sentences for tabloid – both dominated by declaratives ·         Lexis appropriate to format tabloid / broadsheet – inclusive lexis ·         May include interview, short quotes from experts	·         Will be generally formal / tabloid / journalese register ·         Will be informative / entertaining / could be persuasive purpose ·         Could be general adult, student, specific audience
Encyclopaedia Entry	·         Define term ·         Dominated by declaratives ·         Expect specific readership e.g. children ·         Lexis inclusive – technical terms explained ·         Grammar / syntax – formal	·         Will be formal register ·         Will be informative / entertaining / instructional purpose ·         Expect  a  general / specific audience
Radio Script	·         Probably two contrasting speakers - variety ·         Syntax probably dominated by simple declarative / interrogative sentences but not exclusively ·         Lexis will be simple and inclusive – define technical terms used ·         Probably present a thesis and counter argument ·         Will be conceptual – visual references will be minimal but concisely explained ·         Maybe used to introduce a topic	·         Will  be generally formal / tabloid /journalese register ·         Will be informative / entertaining / could be persuasive ·         Expect be general adult, student, specific audience
TV Script	·         Probably two contrasting speakers - variety ·         Syntax probably dominated by simple declaratives / interrogatives ·         Lexis will be simple and inclusive - define technical terms used ·         Probably present a thesis and counter argument ·         Expect mixture of conceptual / visual references ·         Script will include concise visual aural details ·         Maybe used to introduce a topic	·         Will be generally formal register / tabloid /journalese ·         Expect an informative / entertaining /  persuasive purpose ·         Will be general adult, student, specific audience
Editorial	·         Putting forward the attitudes, beliefs of the publication – newspaper / magazine – specific or general ·         Will include an argument and counter argument ·         Will use rhetorical devices ·         Probably a call to action	·         Probably persuasive / opinionated, subjective purpose ·         Probably a general / specific audience ·         Formal / mixed register
Diary	·         Personal writing / extended diary may be journal ·         Probably simple lexis, may contain non standard grammar,	·         Informal register – may use short hand ·         Audience is personal ·         Probably to inform / entertain / advise /instruct / reflection purpose
Speech	·         Direct address ·         Short simple sentences ·         May use imagery ·         Probably a range of rhetorical devices	·         Informative / persuasive / entertaining ·         Specific / general audience ·         Generally formal register
Leaflet	·         Will use headings and sub-headings ·         Probably will use a variety of narratives including case study, statistics, bullet points, Q&A, anecdote ·         Probably use persuasive writing and include a number of rhetorical features	·         Maybe general / specific audience ·         Probably highlight a specific problem or area of concern ·         Formal register used, inclusive writing
Guide	·	·
Report	·         Factual, structured, logical and rational writing ·         Will use headings and subheadings ·         Usually addresses specific problem, offers findings and possible solutions, ·         may call for specific action	·         Formal register

A2 LL - RECASTING - EXAMPLE

A2 ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

ELLA 3

TASK – DIARY ENTRY – FORCE FEEDING

Read the source material which follows and answer both questions:

Text A is from an article entitled How it Feels to be Forcibly Fed by Djuna Barnes.

It was first published in New York World in 1914.

Imagine that you are one of the guards present at Djuna Barnes’s force feeding. You have been keeping a journal of the events during your job as a prison guard watching the development of the Women’s Movement.

Using the source material, write the text of your journal.

Your audience will be yourself.

You should adapt the source material, using your own words as far as possible. Your text should be approximately 300 – 400 words in length.

In your adaptation you should:

• use language appropriately to address purpose and audience

• write accurately and coherently, applying relevant ideas and concepts.

(25 marks)

Another force feeder today. This one chooses to do this. She’s not a prisoner here. She’s not even British. She says she wants to show solidarity to her ‘English sisters’. What an idiot! I don’t think she knew what she let herself in for. But she soon found out alright.

She was all confident when we took her down the corridor to the feeding room. Quiet like but strong, the independent type. She looked a’right I s’pose.

But inside the room I clocked her. A look of fear in her eyes and her hands shaking. She looked nervous now as the doctor unpacked his bags and laid out his things. I think she almost gagged when he took out the rubber tubing.

Then we started on her. The usual routine. We put her on the table, me, Jim, Eric and John. And the doctor began to bind her with a sheet. At least this one didn’t struggle or scream or try an’ scratch or bite like they usually do. She was calm but rigid. Her eyes were scared – wide and bulging and staring around the bare walls, at the door, the chair, the doctor. Anything but the blank grey ceiling.

I think the waiting was difficult for her. After he sprayed her we waited for her to calm down and after a little while she seemed to let go and accept her situation. It seemed to take ages though. She fixed her eyes on the milk in the bucket.

Then the tube came. She didn’t like that. Her whole body stiffened. She was rigid. We held her down hard and felt the pressure of her muscles clenching convulsing and twisting. Her eyes were blind panic.

Then as the doctor started pouring I saw her struggle. Her face went pale. Her eyes wild, full of panic  an’ horror. She stared out blindly like she was in pain or somthin’. She looked sick an’ orrible. I dunno….maybe the milk hurt ‘er. At one point I thought she was gonna pass out. But she held on.

Afterwards you could tell she was angry. Really narked I reckon. All the fear went. She didn’t say a thing for ages. She rubbed her throat. She sort of smiled. But you could tell there were tears in her eyes now. As we’re going she starts asking the doctor questions. Bloody hell! Can you believe it! What an idiot!

Question 3

Write a commentary which explains the choices you made when writing your text

commenting on the following:

• how language and form have been used to suit audience and purpose

• how vocabulary and other stylistic features have been used to shape meaning and

achieve particular effects.

You should aim to write about 150 – 250 words in this commentary.

(15 marks)

The most important feature of the journal was the use of an informal register. I used an informal register primarily because it suited the genre of journal writing. The audience is private – primarily the writer himself. The purpose of writing is to aid the recollection of specific events.

I used a number of techniques to achieve this. One technique was the use of ellipsis. For example ‘She looked a’right I s’pose. This helped make the narrative voice sound realistic and genuine. These transitive verbs make the guard sound working class. I also used elision – this shows that the guard writes as he speaks. For example,  ‘I dunno….I thought she was gonna pass out.’ This may show a lack of familiarity with writing and also emphasises the private and restricted audience.  Another feature of the informal register was the use of colloquial and idiomatic language. The informal adjectives ‘clocked’ and ‘narked’ were used to emphasise the genuine voice of the guard and the private or restricted audience.

Another important feature of the text was the use of short, simple declarative sentences. For example ‘Really narked I reckon. All the fear went.’ These are all used to give a quick impression of the woman’s situation. The sentences are like brief notes and add to the informality of the text. Ellipsis is used here. It makes the journal sound much more like a quick diary entry.

These sentences also add to the narrator’s detached attitude towards the woman. She is referred to anonymously – and only referred to using the third person personal pronoun ‘she,’ ‘one’ or ‘her’. This shows the guards indifference and lack of sympathy for the woman.

Informal register	An informal form of language appropriate to a particular situation
ellipsis	omission or suppression of parts of words or sentences
transitive verbs	a verb that requires an object in order to be grammatical for example ‘Paul hit the ball over the fence.’
elision	Elision is the omission of one or more sounds in a word or phrase, producing a result that is easier for the speaker to pronounce.
Colloquial	the use of slang in writing, often to create local colour and to provide an informal tone
idiomatic language	the usage or vocabulary that is characteristic of a specific group of people: ‘The SELLER covenants that he/she is the lawful owner of said equine
Adjectives	A word that describes a noun: ‘The cold night’
declarative sentences	A sentence that makes a statement: ‘Life is very long’
Personal pronouns	Personal pronouns are pronouns used as substitutes for proper or common nouns.

A2 LL - RECASTING TASK - COMMENTARY

COMMENTARY EXAMPLE

Commentary based on the following task:

 Text A is from an article entitled ‘Thank God I Let My Baby Live’ by India Knight. It was first published in the newspaper ‘The Sunday Times’ in 2004.

Write an editorial for a newspaper on the subject of abortion. You may take either side of the argument.

Using the source material, write your editorial.

The purpose of my editorial was to persuade the reader of the difficulties in justifying abortion and to inform the reader of issues concerning its morality. I have written in a formal register, given that the audience is likely to be educated adults, and the topic is a serious one. For example, I have utilized low frequency lexis such as ‘defects’, to uphold this degree of formality. I have made use of rhetorical questions (e.g. ‘surely it would be unreasonable to deprive a child of a mere chance of life?’) in order to promote critical thinking in the reader and persuade them of the reasons against abortion. The use of lexis ‘deprive,’ and ‘mere chance,’ also serves to persuade given their emotive nature.

I have begun with an introduction to the topic of abortion, using declaratives such as ‘it is legal for a women to have an abortion at 24 weeks,’ in order to immediately inform the reader of the issues surrounding abortion.

I have used inclusive language such as ‘many mothers and ‘everyone’, as well as the inclusive personal pronouns, ‘we’ and ‘you,’ in order to directly engage the reader. In the same way, I have included opposing arguments to show empathy towards other viewpoints (e.g. ‘mothers are told their children may be born with defects’) and have refuted these arguments in an attempt to persuade the reader once more.

I have included lists of three such as ‘happy, loved and enjoying their lives,’ as well as syntactic patterning in the repetition of ‘whether’ in the conclusion, to make for a memorable argument. I have concluded with the rhetorical question beginning with the grammatically incorrect ‘But’ to create impact, also using the contrast of ‘right’ and wrong’ (But can something you believe to be morally wrong… be the right choice?) to leave the reader with a strong final argument to consider.

A2 LL - RECASTING TIPS

ELLA3 COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS AND TEXT PRODUCTION

SECTION B TEXT PRODUCTION & COMMENTARY

REVISION

SOME BASICS

·         Set aside no more than 1 hour to do the question.

·         Write the section B task first.

·         There are 40 marks available for this section of the paper.

·         You will be awarded up to 25 marks for the recasting task and 15 marks for the commentary

·         You will be assessed using two criteria – how well you demonstrate expertise and creativity in using language appropriately for a variety of purposes and audiences, drawing on insights from linguistic and literary studies – [AO4] 25 marks recasting task

·         And how well you select and apply relevant concepts and approaches from integrated linguistic and literary study, using appropriate terminology and coherent written expression – [AO1] 15 marks commentary.

EXAM TIMETABLE

TIME	ACTION	NOTES
15	PLAN	Analysis of task, Imaginative grasp of context, read selection of key material, organisation of response
25	WRITE TASK ONE	Relevance, Adaptation, Context, Register, Accuracy
20	THE COMMENTARY	Who? What? How? – spoken language [if relevant]/ language / literary and rhetorical frameworks

THE QUESTION

• Read the question thoroughly and take account of the original and the recast audience and purpose. Also take note of the date published and publication. This will help with the context of your recasting task.
• Be clear that you understand the recast genre – if you quickly jot down the kind of features appropriate to this genre you will have begun planning the recast text and the commentary.

PLANNING

·         Note the target audience, purpose[s] genre, narrative voice, attitude to subject and effect of text for the recasting text. [The answers to these questions will inform your recasting text and commentary.]

·         Read through the source text carefully. Annotate the text identifying the relevant key content points of the text

·         And begin to jot down relevant ideas, words and phrases that you could use for the recast text.

·         As you note down ideas also make a note of the language or literary features you are using – to use for the commentary

·         Develop a set of bullet points to use for the recast.

·         Put the bullet points into a coherent and logical structure by numbering them

·         Remember to use your own words. Avoid using words and phrases from the source text.

WRITING – THE RECASTING TASK

·         Stick to the word limit 300-400. I would keep it close to the 300 words.

·         Write your text. Use double spacing – this makes it easier to correct any errors or adding any words or phrases when editing.

·         Double space your recasting task. This will make editing and correcting it easier.

·         Avoid adding new things to your recast. Be confident about what you have already planned. Use what you have put down in your plan.

·         However if something really important comes to your mind as you write, add it to your plan and either, write it as a footnote at the end of your recast using an asterisk to indicate where to put it. Or add it to the recast at an appropriate point. However there won’t be much spare time available.

·         Concentrate on the accuracy of your writing. This is very important as you are being assessed on accuracy. Consider spelling, punctuation, sentences and paragraphs. If the recasting task allows you to use non standard spelling, grammar or syntax. Be sure to refer to this in your commentary.

·         Leave time to edit and revise your recasting task. Correct spelling and expression. Use the double spacing to add words and make corrections. Write for 20 minutes maximum.

·         Remember that quality is more important than quantity!

WRITING – THE COMMENTARY

• The commentary must be concise and succinct
• Write between 150 – 250 words
• The commentary must be clearly structured with
• an introduction that identifies the recast text audience, purpose[s], gene, context, narrative voice and attitude to the subject
• main paragraphs in which you select two or three key features highlighted above and answer the question, ‘What are the main language choices you have made in the recast text that communicates to the specified audience, the main purposes, topic and attitude to the topic? Make references to the genre, narrative voice and contexts where appropriate.
• Main paragraphs must identify key language and literary features, quote brief examples and comment specifically on the effect on the specified audience.
• The commentary must use a range of analytical frameworks including – grammar, lexis, register, syntax, phonology, imagery, rhetoric
• Use relevant and appropriate terminology
• Aim to make a reference to a language or literary term every 2 or 3 lines
• See model commentary below.

SOME REVISION TASKS

·         Re-read all the articles in the three sections.

·         Go over your annotations and notes taken in class

·         Be clear about the social, political, cultural contexts of each article

·         Ensure you have a set of bullet points focussing on content for each article

·         Underline key sentences  - but remember not to use the same words from articles

·         Consider possible recasting tasks for accessible articles

·         Plan your possible recasting tasks

·         Practice writing up possible recasting tasks and commentary

·         Read a variety of short different genes in newspapers, magazines and online and analyse them using the different analytical frameworks including – grammar, register, syntax, lexis, phonology, imagery

A BASIC CHECKLIST – to embed in the recasting task and address specifically in the commentary.

WRITTEN MODE – genre e.g. Report, Editorial, Leaflet , Diary Encyclopaedia, Advertisement, Review, Letter, Magazine article, Newspaper article	AUDIENCE the audience the writer has in mind when writing a text. This could be general, specific, young or old, male or female	GRAMMAR e.g. Verbs - adverbs nouns – concrete, abstract, pronouns  adjectives – comparative, superlative definite / indefinite article	POETIC IMAGERY e.g. metaphor, simile, personification,
SPOKEN MODE Speech, scripted broadcast [for radio or television]	PURPOSE – general purpose  - to inform, persuade, entertain, instruct.  Specific purpose  - linked to the actual text e.g. to evoke sympathy, to create a vivid description]	REGISTER e.g. Informal - Formal – Technical -	POETIC PHONOLOGY e.g. alliteration, onomatopoeia, rhyme, assonance, rhythm, sibilance
		REGISTER e.g. Formal- objective, unemotional, RP, Standard sentences, grammar, lexis	RHETORICAL DEVICES  e.g. list of three, contrasting pair, direct address, repetition, emotive language, lists
		SYNTAX e.g. Sentence types complex, compound, simple	SPOKEN LANGUAGE FEATURES [remember all spoken language tasks will be scripted – do not use spontaneous speech devices – like non fluency features] but use pauses, other speaker, adverbials
		SYNTAX  e.g. Sentence functions declarative, interrogative, imperative, exclamatory
		SYNTAX e.g. Sentence structures Subject, object, main clause, subordinate clause
		LEXIS e.g. denotations, connotations, simple, complex, emotive, rational, neutral, lexical field, low/high frequency