Assessment Objective 2 - Assessment of Language
Assessment Objective 2 also - Assessment of how a Text is Structured
Assessment Objectives 4 - Evaluate texts critically
Assessment Objective 5 - Content and Organisation
Assessment Objective 6 - Technical Accuracy

Level of response mark schemes for GCSE English Language are broken down into four levels (where appropriate). In the first column each level is identified with one or two key words that represent the differences in the skills then described. These key words show the progression from Level 1 to 4 and are:

Level 4 Perceptive, detailed
Level 3 Clear, relevant
Level 2 Some, attempts
Level 1 Simple, limited.

Start at the lowest level of the mark scheme and use it as a ladder to see whether the answer meets the descriptors for that level. The descriptors for the level indicate the different qualities that might be seen in the student's answer for that level. If it meets the lowest level then go to the next one and decide if it meets this level, and so on, until you have a match between the level descriptor and the answer.

[N.B. in the following tables, the lack of full stops at the ends of lines are AQA's mistake, not mine!]

AO2 Explain, comment on and analyse how writers use language and structure to achieve effects and influence readers, using relevant subject terminology to support their views [Typically this will be assessed by a question stating "Look in detail at lines XXX to YYY of the source. How does the writer use language here to describe ZZZ?"]
Level	Skills Descriptors	Indicative Standard This indicative standard provides an exemplification of the skills descriptors at each level. It is not a model answer, nor a complete response, nor does it seek to exemplify any particular content.
Level 4 Perceptive, detailed analysis 7-8 marks	Shows perceptive and detailed understanding of language: Analyses the effects of the writer's choices of language Selects a range of judicious textual detail Makes sophisticated and accurate use of subject terminology
Level 3 Clear, relevant explanation 5-6 marks	Shows clear understanding of language: Explains clearly the effects of the writer's choices of language Selects a range of relevant textual detail Makes clear and accurate use of subject terminology
Level 2 Some understanding and comment 3-4 marks	Shows some understanding of language: Attempts to comment on the effect of language Selects some appropriate textual detail Makes some use of subject terminology, mainly appropriately
Level 1 Simple, limited comment 1-2 marks	Shows simple awareness of language: Offers simple comment on the effect of language Selects simple reference(s) or textual detail(s) Makes simple use of subject terminology, not always appropriately
Level 0 No marks	Nothing to reward

Level	Skills descriptors	Indicative standard
AO2 Explain, comment on and analyse how writers use language and structure to achieve effects and influence readers, using relevant subject terminology to support their views. [Typically this will be assessed by a question stating "How has the writer structured the text to interest you as a reader?"]
Level 4 Perceptive, detailed analysis 7-8 marks	Shows perceptive and detailed understanding of structural features: Analyses the effects of the writer's choices of structural features Selects a range of judicious examples Makes sophisticated and accurate use of subject terminology
Level 3 Clear, relevant explanation 5-6 marks	Shows clear understanding of structural features: Explains clearly the effects of the writer's choices of structural features Selects a range of relevant examples Makes clear and accurate use of subject terminology
Level 2 Some understanding and comment 3-4 marks	Shows some understanding of structural features: Attempts to comment on the effect of structural features Selects some appropriate examples Makes some use of subject terminology, mainly appropriately
Level 1 Simple, limited comment 1-2 marks	Shows simple awareness of structural features: Offers simple comment on the effect of structure Selects simple reference(s) or example(s) Makes simple use of subject terminology, not always appropriately

Level	Skills Descriptors	Indicative Standard
AO4 Evaluate texts critically and support this with appropriate textual references
Level 4 Perceptive, detailed evaluation 16-20 marks	Shows perceptive and detailed evaluation: Evaluates critically and in detail the effect(s) on the reader Shows perceptive understanding of writer's methods Selects a range of judicious textual detail Develops a convincing and critical response to the focus of the statement
Level 3 Clear, relevant evaluation 11-15 marks	Shows clear and relevant evaluation: Evaluates clearly the effect(s) on the reader Shows clear understanding of writer's methods Selects a range of relevant textual references Makes a clear and relevant response to the focus of the statement
Level 2 Some evaluation 6-10 marks	Shows some attempts at evaluation: Makes some evaluative comment(s) on effect(s) on the reader Shows some understanding of writer's methods Selects some appropriate textual reference(s) Makes some response to the focus of the statement
Level 1 Simple, limited comment 1-5 marks	Shows simple, limited evaluation: Makes simple, limited evaluative comment(s) on effect(s) on reader Shows limited understanding of writer's methods Selects simple, limited textual reference(s) Makes a simple, limited response to the focus of the statement

AO5 Content and Organisation Communicate clearly, effectively and imaginatively, selecting and adapting tone, style and register for different forms, purposes and audiences. Organise information and ideas, using structural and grammatical features to support coherence and cohesion of texts.
Level		Skills descriptors
Level 4 19-24 marks Compelling, Convincing Communication	Upper Level 4 22-24 marks	Content Communication is convincing and compelling Tone, style and register are assuredly matched to purpose and audience Extensive and ambitious vocabulary with sustained crafting of linguistic devices Organisation Varied and inventive use of structural features Writing is compelling, incorporating a range of convincing and complex ideas Fluently linked paragraphs with seamlessly integrated discourse markers
Level 4 19-24 marks Compelling, Convincing Communication	Lower Level 4 19-21 marks	Content Communication is convincing Tone, style and register are convincingly matched to purpose and audience Extensive and ambitious vocabulary with conscious crafting of linguistic devices Organisation Varied and effective use of structural features Writing is highly engaging with a range of developed complex ideas Consistently coherent use of paragraphs with integrated discourse markers
Level 3 13-18 marks Consistent, Clear Communication	Upper Level 3 16-17 marks	Content Communication is consistently clear Tone, style and register are clearly and consistently matched to purpose and audience Increasingly sophisticated vocabulary and phrasing, chosen for effect with a range of successful linguistic devices Organisation Effective use of structural features Writing is engaging, using a range of, clear connected ideas Coherent paragraphs with integrated discourse markers
Level 3 13-18 marks Consistent, Clear Communication	Lower Level 3 13-15 marks	Content Communication is generally clear Tone, style and register are generally matched to purpose and audience Vocabulary clearly chosen for effect and appropriate use of linguistic devices Organisation Usually effective use of structural features Writing is engaging, with a range of connected ideas Usually coherent paragraphs with range of discourse markers
Level 2 7-12 marks Some successful Communication	Upper Level 2 10-12 marks	Content Communicates with some sustained success Some sustained attempt to match tone, style and register to purpose and audience Conscious use of vocabulary with some use of linguistic devices Organisation Some use of structural features Increasing variety of linked and relevant ideas Some use of paragraphs and some use of discourse markers
Level 2 7-12 marks Some successful Communication	Lower Level 2 7-9 marks	Content Communicates with some success Attempts to match tone, style and register to purpose and audience Begins to vary vocabulary with some use of linguistic devices Organisation Attempts to use structural features Some linked and relevant ideas Attempt to write in paragraphs with some discourse markers, not always appropriate
Level 1 1-6 marks Simple, Limited Communication	Upper Level 1 1-3 marks	Content Communicates simply Simple awareness of matching tone, style and register to purpose and audience Simple vocabulary; simple linguistic devices Organisation Evidence of simple structural features One or two relevant ideas, simply linked Random paragraph structure
Level 1 1-6 marks Simple, Limited Communication	Lower Level 1 1-3 marks	Content Limited communication Occasional sense of matching tone, style and register to purpose and audience Simple vocabulary Organisation Limited or no evidence of structural features One or two unlinked ideas No paragraphs
Level 0 No marks	Students will not have offered any meaningful writing to assess. Nothing to reward

Level	Skills descriptions
AO6 Technical Accuracy Students must use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate spelling and punctuation. (This requirement must constitute 20% of the marks for each specification as a whole.)
Level 4 13-16 marks	Sentence demarcation is consistently secure and consistently accurate Wide range of punctuation is used with a high level of accuracy Uses a full range of appropriate sentence forms for effect Uses Standard English consistently and appropriately with secure control of complex grammatical structures High level of accuracy is spelling, including ambitious vocabulary Extensive and ambitious use of vocabulary
Level 3 9-12 marks	Sentence demarcation is mostly secure and mostly accurate Range of punctuation is used, mostly with success Uses a variety of sentence forms for effect Mostly uses Standard English appropriately with mostly controlled grammatical structures Generally accurate spelling, including complex and irregular words Increasingly sophisticated use of vocabulary
Level 2 5-8 marks	Sentence demarcation is mostly secure and sometimes accurate Some control of a range of punctuation Attempts a variety of sentence forms Some use of Standard English with some control of agreement Some accurate spelling of more complex words Varied use of vocabulary
Level 1 1-4 marks	Occasional use of sentence demarcation Some evidence of conscious punctuation Simple range of sentence forms Occasional use of Standard English with limited control of agreement Accurate basic spelling Simple use of vocabulary
Level 0 No marks	Students' spelling, punctuation etc. is sufficiently poor to prevent understanding or meaning.

AO2

AO2

AO5 Content and Organisation

AO6 Technical Accuracy