UNIT 3 – ELLA 3: Comparative Analysis and Text Adaptation – the final examination.
60% of A2 marks, 30% of total A Level marks. 2 hours & 30 minutes examination. 100 marks
This unit extends the knowledge and skills of combined literary and linguistic analysis, which the AS level programme introduced. The unit gives you the opportunity to explore a selection of journalistic OR travel writing, as well as analysing a range of different genres of writing.
Section A: Unseen 3- way comparative analytical essay. 60 marks
Throughout the year you will be studying a range of different kinds of writing connected by theme. You will focus on comparing texts from different contexts and genres. You will develop the skills needed to write an extended, comparative, analytical essay for the examination.
Question 1: You will read three different texts – one of these will be a piece of spontaneous speech, analysing how the writers and the speakers communicate their response to a connecting theme. Your analysis should include a consideration of the following:
• writers’ and speaker’s choices of vocabulary, grammar and style
• the relationship between the texts and the significance of the context on language use.
Section B: Recasting task plus analytical commentary on language choices. 40 marks
You will also be studying a collection of travel literature or journalistic writing. You will develop your ability to recast an extract for a different audience and purpose. Finally, you will also write a short commentary on the writing choices you have made in your recast text. The key assessment here is of your writing skills.
Question 2: You will be asked to select appropriate material from an extract from a chapter or article taken from the set text you have been studying and adapt it for a different specified genre, purpose, context and audience. You will be asked to recast the original text using a different written mode, for example, a leaflet, and letter or newspaper article. You will also write a commentary in which you will be asked to comment on the language choices you made in your recasting. Your answer should include a consideration of the following:
• demonstrate expertise and creativity in using language appropriately for a different
purpose, audience and genre
• selecting and applying relevant concepts and approaches from an integrated linguistic
and literary study, using appropriate terminology and accurate written expression.
You will need to buy a copy of the anthology as soon as possible.
The text you will need to buy is ‘Cupcakes and Kalashnikovs’ edited by Eleanor Mills
