Topic 4.4: Exam skills & practice Questions

Quick check to start — what a strong comparison looks like

Warm up first — managing time in Paper 2

A quick starter — common Paper 2 mistakes

Ease in — sitting a full timed Paper 2

Piece it together, step by step — choosing, planning, and starting a timed comparison

Take it step by step — choosing the right question and planning the time

Answer on timed Paper 2 technique. (Exam-style practice.)

Answer on the model answer. (Exam-style practice.)

Work through it in small steps — reading a strong comparison and applying its method

Diagnose the mistakes. (Exam-style practice.)

Answer on Paper 2 timing. (Exam-style practice.)

One step at a time — diagnosing and fixing Paper 2 mistakes

Practise under timed conditions: give yourself 1 hour 45 minutes (≈10 choose & plan / 90 write / 5 check) and write a COMPLETE comparative essay, conclusion included. QUESTION: ‘Compare how the two works present a moment of decision.’ Use the two short original works below as if you had studied them (in the exam, use your own two works, closed book). Choose your focus, plan a by-point comparison, and finish.

Write a comparative essay in response to the following question, consciously avoiding the big four mistakes (two mini-essays, plot summary, off-question drift, uneven works). QUESTION: ‘Compare how the two works present the gap between how a family appears and how it really is.’ Use the two short original works below as if you had studied them (in the exam, use your own two works, closed book).

FULL TIMED PAPER 2 MOCK. Set a timer for 1 hour 45 minutes and write a complete comparative essay, start to finish. QUESTION: ‘Compare how the two works present the relationship between a person and the work they do.’ Use the two short original works below as if you had studied them (in the exam, use your own two works, closed book). Choose your focus, plan a by-point comparison, and FINISH with a conclusion.

Now write your OWN full, strong comparative essay in response to the following question, using the exemplar's method. QUESTION: ‘Compare how the two works present the relationship between silence and communication.’ Use the two short original works below as if you had studied them (in the exam, use your own two works, closed book).