MARK SCHEME – GCSE ENGLISH LANGUAGE – 8700/2 – JUNE 2021
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Mark schemes are prepared by the Lead Assessment Writer and considered, together with
... [Show More] the relevant
questions, by a panel of subject teachers. This mark scheme includes any amendments made at the
standardisation events which all associates participate in and is the scheme which was used by them in
this examination. The standardisation process ensures that the mark scheme covers the students’
responses to questions and that every associate understands and applies it in the same correct way.
As preparation for standardisation each associate analyses a number of students’ scripts. Alternative
answers not already covered by the mark scheme are discussed and legislated for. If, after the
standardisation process, associates encounter unusual answers which have not been raised they are
required to refer these to the Lead Examiner.
It must be stressed that a mark scheme is a working document, in many cases further developed and
expanded on the basis of students’ reactions to a particular paper. Assumptions about future mark
schemes on the basis of one year’s document should be avoided; whilst the guiding principles of
assessment remain constant, details will change, depending on the content of a particular examination
paper.
Further copies of this mark scheme are available from aqa.org.uk
Copyright information
AQA retains the copyright on all its publications. However, registered schools/colleges for AQA are permitted to copy material from this booklet for their own
internal use, with the following important exception: AQA cannot give permission to schools/colleges to photocopy any material that is acknowledged to a third
party even for internal use within the centre.
Copyright © G4004 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
MARK SCHEME – GCSE ENGLISH LANGUAGE – 8700/2 – JUNE 2021
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Introduction
The information provided for each question is intended to be a guide to the kind of answers anticipated
and is neither exhaustive nor prescriptive. All appropriate responses should be given credit.
Level of response marking instructions
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.
This is followed in the second column by a description of the different qualities required in the student’s
answer for that level. These are called the skills descriptors. In order to reach a given level, a student
must fulfil one or more of the skills descriptors for that level.
The third column of the mark scheme is the Indicative Standard. This is an important feature of the mark
scheme for GCSE English Language. It provides exemplification of the skills descriptors at each level
and offers a small number of different comments at the required standard to give an indication of the
quality of response that is typical for that level. It shows the progression from Level 1 to 4.
The Indicative Standard is not intended to be a model answer nor a complete response, and it does not
exemplify required content. Students may reach a given level by making one or more comments of the
quality demonstrated by the Indicative Standard and do not have to meet all the skill descriptors at that
level.
The standardising scripts will further exemplify each of the levels. You must refer to the standardising
material throughout your marking.
Step 1 Annotate the response
When marking a response you should first read through the student’s answer and annotate each section
using the comments from the statement bank to show the qualities that are being demonstrated, as
instructed during standardising. You can then award a level and a mark.
Step 2 Determine a level
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. With
practice and familiarity you will find that for better answers you will be able to quickly skip through the
lower levels of the mark scheme.
The Indicative Standard column in the mark scheme will help you determine the correct level.
Remember, students may reach a given level by making one or more comments of the quality
demonstrated by the Indicative Standard and do not have to meet all the skill descriptors at that level. It
is not the number of references, but the quality of the comments that will determine the level. The
annotation you added to the script at Step 1 will help you determine the correct level.
MARK SCHEME – GCSE ENGLISH LANGUAGE – 8700/2 – JUNE 2021
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Step 3 Determine a mark
Once you have assigned a level you need to decide on the mark. This requires you to fine tune within
the level to see how well each of the skills descriptors for that level has been met. A student only has to
meet a skills descriptor at a given level once to be awarded that level. Since responses rarely match a
level in all respects, you need to balance out the range of skills achieved and allow strong performance
in some aspects to compensate for other skills that may be only partially fulfilled. Again, the annotation
added at Step 1 will help you determine the mark.
Reference to the standardising scripts throughout the marking period is essential. This will help you
apply the level descriptors accurately and consistently. There will usually be an answer in the
standardising materials which will correspond with each level of the mark scheme. This answer will have
been awarded a mark by the Lead Examiner. You can compare the student’s answer with the example
to determine if it is the same standard, better or worse than the example. You can then use this to
allocate a mark for the answer based on the Lead Examiner’s mark on the example.
You may well need to read back through the answer as you apply the mark scheme to clarify points and
assure yourself that the level and the mark are appropriate.
An answer which contains nothing of relevance to the question must be awarded no marks.
Advice
In fairness to students, all examiners must use the same marking methods. The following advice may
seem obvious, but all examiners must follow it closely.
1. Refer constantly to the mark scheme and standardising scripts throughout the marking period.
2. Always credit accurate, relevant and appropriate responses that are not necessarily covered by
the mark scheme or the standardising scripts.
3. Use the full range of marks. Do not hesitate to give full marks if the response merits it.
4. Remember the key to accurate and fair marking is consistency.
5. If you have any doubt about how to allocate marks to a response, consult your Team Leader.
MARK SCHEME – GCSE ENGLISH LANGUAGE – 8700/2 – JUNE 2021
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SECTION A: READING – Assessment Objectives
AO1 • Identify and interpret explicit and implicit information and ideas.
• Select and synthesise evidence from different texts.
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.
AO3 • Compare writers’ ideas and perspectives, as well as how these are
conveyed, across two or more texts.
AO4 • Evaluate texts critically and support this with appropriate textual references.
SECTION B: WRITING – Assessment Objectives
AO5 • 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.
AO6 • Candidates 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). [Show Less]