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How many works in Paper 2?
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All Flashcards in Topic 4.1
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4.1.110 cards
How many works in Paper 2?
Two literary works you have studied.
How many questions do you answer?
One, chosen from four general questions.
Open or closed book?
Closed — no text; use detailed reference, not memorised quotes.
How long / how many marks (SL & HL)?
1 hour 45 minutes, [25].
The unique Paper 2 criterion?
B2 — comparison (comparing the works, not reviewing them in turn).
The biggest Paper 2 mistake?
Two separate mini-essays instead of one woven comparison.
How should paragraphs be organised?
By shared idea — each discusses BOTH works, not one then the other.
Do you need quotations?
No — but you need precise, detailed reference to the works.
How should you choose your two works?
So both fit the question AND differ interestingly.
What is the goal of the essay?
One comparative argument about both works — similarities AND differences.
4.1.210 cards
What two questions drive comparison?
‘Same or different?’ and ‘…and so what?’
What is connective language?
Joining words that signal comparison: both, whereas, similarly, unlike.
Do similarities or differences earn more?
Usually differences — they show each work's individuality.
A connective for similarity?
‘both’, ‘likewise’, ‘similarly’, ‘in the same way’.
A connective for difference?
‘whereas’, ‘unlike’, ‘by contrast’, ‘however’.
Why is ‘both are about love’ weak?
It's a bare similarity with no ‘so what?’ and no difference.
Which criterion rewards comparison?
Criterion B2 — comparison and contrast.
What makes comparison visible to the examiner?
Connective language weaving the works together.
The comparative habit in one line?
‘Same or different — and so what?’, then connect.
Comparison is first a habit of…
…mind — you already compare films, friends, routes every day.
Topic 4.1 study notes
Full notes & explanations for Understanding Paper 2
English A Lang & Lit exam skills
Paper structures, command terms & tips
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