2024 OCR AS Level English Language and Literature (EMC) - H074 Practice Paper with Answers

To achieve a high mark, candidates should explore a range of language levels to analyse how Vance constructs her representation of the Arctic:

- Lexis and Semantics: Vance uses personification ('the wind is a howling sentinel') and similes ('the glacier stretches out like an ancient, wrinkled skin') to construct the landscape as an active, living participant in her journey. The semantic field of hostile terrain ('bleakness', 'cold', 'overcast canopy') contrasts with vocabulary of spiritual beauty ('spectral', 'shimmering gold', 'ethereal majesty'), conveying a complex emotional reaction to the environment.
- Grammar and Syntax: Simple, fragmented sentences are used for emphasis ('Cold. Absolute cold.'), mimicking the physical shock of the environment. This is contrasted with longer, compound-complex sentences that mirror the vastness of the scenery. Present tense verbs ('stretches', 'seeps', 'breaks', 'listen') provide a sense of immediacy typical of digital, real-time blog formats.
- Phonology: Sibilance ('silent, snow-swept slopes', 'stillness') evokes the quiet hush of the snowy wilderness, while plosive consonants ('biting', 'bone', 'breaks', 'breath') mirror the harsh, jarring impact of the physical cold.
- Pragmatics and Genre: Elements of the travel blog genre, such as first-person narration ('I capture a breath') and references to modern gear ('Gore-Tex'), root the sublime experience in a relatable, authentic reality for online readers.

OCR AS Level English Language and Literature (EMC) H070/01 Section A Assessment Objectives:

AO1 (10 marks): Apply linguistic and literary concepts and methods to any of the levels of language (lexis/semantics, grammar/syntax, phonology, pragmatics). Terminology must be precise, and expression coherent.

AO2 (14 marks): Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in texts, focusing on the representation of place, the writer's identity, and how the target blog audience is engaged.

Mark Band Breakdown:
- Level 5 (21-24 marks): Sophisticated, perceptive analysis of linguistic levels; fluent use of technical vocabulary; highly developed understanding of context and representation.
- Level 4 (16-20 marks): Secure and consistent analysis of language features; accurate terminology; good understanding of how the text communicates contextual meaning.
- Level 3 (11-15 marks): Competent analysis of language features with some clear points; satisfactory use of terms and understanding of context.
- Level 2 (6-10 marks): Descriptive or generalised commentary; limited terminology; basic identification of ideas.
- Level 1 (1-5 marks): Minimal or no relevant analysis; lacks terminology or structure.

An exemplar response will compare the texts systematically across several key linguistic levels: 1. Lexis and Semantics: Text A uses highly descriptive, sensory adjective phrases ('kaleidoscopic displays', 'sweet, heavy smoke') and evocative nouns ('saffron', 'cumin') to construct an exotic, aestheticized representation of the Marrakech market. Text B utilizes highly colloquial, occupational register ('geezers', 'barrows', 'herring') and idiom ('keep your wits about you', 'honest to God') reflecting Arthur's lived experience and working-class London identity. 2. Grammar and Syntax: Text A relies heavily on second-person address ('you step', 'beckoning you') to position the reader as an active participant, alongside complex sentences with present participial clauses ('weaving through...', 'his eyes crinkling...'). Text B exhibits typical features of spoken discourse and retrospective narrative, such as second-person generic pronouns ('you'd get there' meaning 'one would get there'), non-standard grammar ('we was'), and coordination ('but you didn't feel it... but there was...'). 3. Phonology and Prosody: Text B features prosodic and spoken markers such as micro-pauses (.), timed pauses (1.0, 1.5, 2.0), and paralinguistic features ('(laughs)'), showing the spontaneous construction of memory. Text A uses literary phonological devices such as sibilance ('scent of roasted cumin, fresh mint, and the sweet...') and metaphor ('chaotic symphony') to consciously craft its prose. 4. Pragmatics and Context: Text A is a planned, written-to-be-read online text aimed at tourists, seeking to entertain and evoke wanderlust. Text B is an unplanned, spoken oral history transcript aimed at preserving local heritage, creating a nostalgic, personal, and authentic representation of a lost community.

Total Marks: 36. Assessment Objectives covered: AO1 (12 marks): Apply appropriate linguistic methods and concepts with terminology. AO2 (12 marks): Analyse how meanings are shaped in both texts. AO4 (12 marks): Explore connections and contrasts across texts. Mark Scheme Breakdown: Level 6 (31-36 marks): Insightful and systematic comparison. Excellent, precise application of linguistic terminology. Deep understanding of how contextual factors (mode, audience, purpose) shape the representations of the markets. Level 5 (25-30 marks): Warm, coherent comparison. Good, consistent use of terminology. Secure analysis of grammatical, lexical, and contextual differences. Level 4 (19-24 marks): Clear comparison with some developed points. Competent use of terminology. Clear exploration of different purposes and audiences. Level 3 (13-18 marks): Descriptive or patchy comparison. Some accurate terminology used, but uneven. Tends to focus on content rather than linguistic framework. Level 2 (7-12 marks): Minimal comparison. Limited terminology. Mostly summary of what the texts are about. Level 1 (1-6 marks): Extremely limited or no comparative focus. Very little grammatical/lexical awareness.

An excellent response will:
- Engage critically with the prompt's statement, exploring different perspectives (e.g., how jargon can be exclusionary, sanitising, or intentionally obscure vs. how it can act as professional shorthand, create in-group solidarity, or reflect institutional group identity).
- Adopt an appropriate tone and register for a general-interest website or magazine (accessible yet intellectually stimulating, persuasive, and engaging).
- Employ rhetorical strategies effectively (e.g., anecdotes, metaphors, rhetorical questions, parallel structures, diverse sentence lengths for impact).
- Integrate linguistic concepts implicitly or explicitly (e.g., euphemisms, PC language, register, sociolect, doublespeak, in-group vs. out-group dynamics, political correctness) without overwhelming the non-specialist reader with excessive academic terminology.
- Maintain high-quality written accuracy, cohesion, and structural control.

This task is marked out of 24 marks, assessing AO2 (Demonstrate critical analysis) and AO5 (Create expertise in writing).

Mark Scheme Breakdown:

- Level 5 (20–24 marks): Consistently sophisticated, perceptive, and highly engaging. Demonstrates excellent control of the chosen genre, style, and tone for a non-specialist audience. Highly effective critical engagement with the topical language issue. Fluent and accurate expression.

- Level 4 (15–19 marks): Clear, secure, and purposeful. Good understanding of genre conventions and target audience. Clear, sustained point of view with effective arguments and well-chosen examples of corporate language.

- Level 3 (10–14 marks): Competent and generally clear. Addresses the task with some success, using a reasonably appropriate tone. Points are made but may sometimes lack depth, nuance, or consistent persuasive flair.

- Level 2 (5–9 marks): Limited control. Some awareness of the topic but struggling to maintain the conventions of an opinion article. Ideas may be simplistic, unstructured, or repetitive.

- Level 1 (1–4 marks): Minimal response. Very little engagement with the topic, the required format, or linguistic ideas.

### Model Essay Response and Analysis

#### Introduction
Text A illustrates a highly adversarial public arena where power is not static but dynamically negotiated and contested. As a broadcast interview, the interaction is governed by institutional conventions: Sarah Jenkins (SJ) operates as the investigative journalist with a mandate to hold authority to account, while Richard Cole (RC) functions as a political representative seeking to promote government policy and defend his professional face. Throughout the transcript, both speakers employ distinct linguistic and stylistic strategies to command the conversational floor and frame the narrative to their advantage.

#### Structural Control: Turn-Taking, Overlaps, and Interruptions
The struggle for dominance is most visible in the conversational management and turn-taking strategies. SJ consistently utilizes overlapping speech to disrupt RC's attempts to deliver pre-prepared, positive talking points. For example, when RC begins to assert, "we are investing more money than ever before into our-", SJ interrupts with "[But that's not] what the Association of School Leaders is saying". By clipping RC's utterance, SJ denies him the opportunity to establish a positive narrative of 'investment'.

In response, RC employs explicit metalinguistic commentary to hold the floor and reclaim conversational power: "If I can just finish my point Sarah (1.0)". The use of a relatively long one-second pause after his assertion reinforces his authority, forcing SJ to yield the floor temporarily. RC's defensive move highlights that power in broadcast media is structurally contested; while the interviewer technically controls the questioning agenda, the interviewee can utilize conversational politeness structures and floor-holding strategies to resist being silenced.

#### Agenda Setting and Questioning Strategies
SJ maintains power primarily through aggressive, highly restrictive questioning. Her use of a closed alternative question—"is it true that some schools will lose out? Yes or no?"—is a classic face-threatening act (FTA) designed to force RC into a corner. By stripping away nuance, she attempts to restrict RC's pragmatic options to a binary choice, both of which would damage his political face (either admitting to policy failure or flatly denying claims made by educational professionals).

RC successfully resists this coercive agenda-setting by rejecting the premise of the question entirely: "It is a more complex picture than a simple yes or no". This allows him to shift the frame from a binary of 'winning/losing' to one of complexity. He also turns the tables of power by deploying a rhetorical question: "Surely you wouldn't argue against supporting those children?" Here, the adverbial presupposition "Surely" functions to position SJ's hypothetical disagreement as unreasonable and socially unacceptable, thereby placing the interviewer momentarily on the defensive. SJ's quick response, "I'm not arguing (.) I'm asking the questions Minister", is a meta-communicative defense designed to re-establish her institutional role as objective questioner rather than political opponent.

#### Lexical Framing and Face-Saving Strategies
The lexical choices in the transcript demonstrate a clash between emotive, threat-based framing and bureaucratic, euphemistic framing. SJ uses highly evaluative, loaded nouns and verbs ("disaster", "lose out", "losers", "lose money") to frame the policy as destructive. She also borrows external authority ("headteachers", "Association of School Leaders") to distance herself from the accusation, using these authoritative voices to validate her hostile stance.

Conversely, RC employs ameliorative, administrative vocabulary designed to soothe anxieties and project fairness. He speaks of "targeting resources", "disadvantaged pupils", "reallocating funds", and a "FAIRER system". By using the comparative adjective "FAIRER" (marked by increased volume to signal emphasis), RC attempts to construct a moral high ground. He also seeks to undermine SJ's credibility by accusing her of using "sensationalist headlines", a lexical choice that attacks her professional standards and attempts to lower her epistemic authority.

#### Pronominal Choices and Terms of Address
The negotiation of power is also evident in the speakers' choices of address. SJ addresses RC by his institutional title "Minister" in her opening and during a tense exchange. While ostensibly polite, this serves to highlight his public responsibility and distance him from personal empathy, framing him strictly as an instrument of state policy.

RC, on the other hand, repeatedly uses SJ's first name, "Sarah", in a pseudo-intimate manner ("Well Sarah", "finish my point Sarah", "Sarah (.) I think"). In political discourse, this first-name address can be interpreted as a patronising device designed to project a calm, paternalistic authority over the interviewer, attempting to diffuse her aggressive tone by rendering the exchange informal and personal.

#### Conclusion
Ultimately, Text A demonstrates that while the institutional role of the journalist (SJ) provides her with structural power through questioning and interruptions, the politician (RC) utilizes sophisticated linguistic defense strategies, including semantic shifting, rhetorical questions, and metalinguistic floor-holding, to resist capitulation. Power remains fluid, constantly negotiated in the micro-linguistic details of their turns.

Marking Scheme (Total: 36 marks)

The essay is assessed against the following assessment criteria (or relevant Board AOs):

AO1: Apply concepts and methods from any linguistic/literary study to analyse and explain the choices made (12 marks)
• Levels 5–6 (10–12 marks): Excellent, systematic application of precise linguistic concepts (e.g., face-threatening acts, turn-taking, agenda-setting, epistemic stance, lexical framing, metalinguistic comments). Analysis of structural, grammatical, and lexical features is highly accurate and integrated.
• Levels 3–4 (6–9 marks): Consistent application of linguistic concepts. Clear identification of turn-taking, lexical choices, and address terms, though some analysis may be descriptive rather than analytical.
• Levels 1–2 (1–5 marks): Limited or basic application of linguistic concepts. Mainly relies on summarizing the content of the transcript rather than analyzing specific linguistic features.

AO2: Analyse and evaluate the ways in which contexts shape and influence the production and reception of texts (12 marks)
• Levels 5–6 (10–12 marks): Exceptional understanding of the broadcast interview context. Evaluates how institutional roles (interviewer vs. politician) shape the linguistic strategies. Explores how the public nature of the medium drives the need for face-saving and power-negotiation.
• Levels 3–4 (6–9 marks): Clear understanding of context. Explains how the setting (radio interview) affects the formality and adversarial nature of the discourse.
• Levels 1–2 (1–5 marks): Basic awareness of context. Mentions that it is a radio interview but fails to link this systematically to the linguistic choices.

AO3: Explore the significance of connections, relationships and similarities/differences between language and literary features (12 marks)
• Levels 5–6 (10–12 marks): Insightful analysis of how structural features (overlapping, pausing, pacing) interact with lexical and grammatical features (modal verbs, forms of address, pronouns) to construct the overall power dynamics. Excellent awareness of the tension between the participants' goals.
• Levels 3–4 (6–9 marks): Competent exploration of relationships between different features of language. Identifies how some features (e.g., direct questions and evasive answers) work together.
• Levels 1–2 (1–5 marks): Weak or descriptive connection of features. Treats different linguistic aspects in isolation without showing how they construct a coherent picture of power.