Paper 2 Question 4 AQA English Language GCSE EXPLAINED
Summary of the Paper 2 Question 4 video
Mrs Wear explains that Paper 2 Question 4 is the most important question in the reading section, even though it’s “only” worth 16 marks (compared to 20 for Paper 1 Q4). It asks students to compare the attitudes and perspectives of two different writers across both Source A and Source B, based on whatever theme they share.
The key focus is AO3 — comparing writers’ ideas and perspectives, which means marks depend not just on what you say about each text individually, but on how well you compare them. To score highly, students should:
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Spend about 20 minutes writing the answer (after using some of the 15 minutes reading time to plan).
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Use phrases like “the writer thinks…” or “the writer feels…” to keep the answer focused on perspectives, not just content.
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Include at least one similarity and one difference (ideally linked together for nuance), though sometimes only similarities or only differences will be possible.
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Always analyse quotations from both texts (language, structure, purpose, tone, etc.) — comparisons without analysis won’t reach the top levels.
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Structure paragraphs with: comparison point → analysis of Source A → analysis of Source B → short conclusion.
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Choose quotations carefully — they don’t earn marks on their own, but they’re vital because they give you something to analyse.
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Avoid drifting into 19th-century context or general history — AQA does not want background knowledge here. Work only with what’s in the text itself.
Mrs Wear also warns against common mistakes:
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Describing the subject (e.g. “the elephant is big”) instead of the writer’s viewpoint (e.g. “Orwell shows his indecision about the elephant”).
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Forgetting to keep the focus on what the writer thinks or feels. A good self-check is to scan your work and see how often you’ve written “the writer…”.
Her final advice: stay focused on the writers’ attitudes and perspectives, prove it with quotations, and analyse in detail. That’s how to move into the top levels of the mark scheme.
