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Welcome to English Language

Paper 1 Media and Non-Fiction

Essay Questions Section B

 Sample Essay Links

 

Essay Questions back to top

Here are the past paper questions for Section B, Writing to Argue, Persuade and Advise.

Unfortunately, we cannot publish Section A due to copywrite on the inserts.

Higher Tier back to top

June 2004

  1. Books are dead.. Argue for or against this point of view. ( 27 marks )
  2. Write a letter to a friend either persuading them to read a book that you have read recently or persuading them to watch a television series that you have seen. ( 27 marks )
  3. You are a celebrity who has won an award for your work. Write the text for your speech where you advise young people about pursing their dreams. ( 27 marks )
  4. Write an article for a parents. magazine arguing for or against the idea that too many examinations put unnecessary pressure on children. Go on to advise parents how to support children preparing for an examination. ( 27 marks )

 

  1. Your school or college wants to ban Saturday jobs for students. Write a letter to your Headteacher or Principal in which you argue either for or against the idea of Saturday jobs. ( 27 marks )
  2. Write the text for a leaflet, written by a group known as Rotten Pickings . Try to persuade 15 and 16- year-old students to join a group pressing for better conditions for Saturday workers. ( 27 marks )
  3. Write an article for a careers magazine in which you give advice to students on what to look out for when applying for a job, either part-time or full-time. ( 27 marks )
  4. Write the text for a speech where you:
    • argue the case for better conditions for students in schools or colleges
    • persuade people that more should be done to improve conditions. ( 27 marks )

November 2004

  1. Young people nowadays don.t know what real music is!. Write an article for a national newspaper where you argue for or against this point of view. (27 marks)
  2. You want to take two weeks off school to take part in a televised talent contest. Write a letter persuading your Headteacher to allow you to do this. (27 marks)
  3. You spend far too much time listening to that awful music!. Advise teenagers on how to respond to this frequently heard criticism from adults. (27 marks)
  4. Write a letter to the organisers of the National Lottery in which you argue that more should be done to help young people with special talents and persuade the organisers that money should be given for this. (27 marks)

June 2005

  1. Write an article for a magazine aimed at teenagers in which you argue that students should be taught to drive at school. (27 marks)
  2. Write the text for a car advertisement aimed at young men, which persuades them to buy the car. (27 marks)
  3. Write an advice sheet for people who are newcomers to your area. (27 marks)
  4. Write the text for a local radio programme on physical fitness. Try to persuade people to get fitter and advise them how to do so. (27 marks)

November 2005

  1. People should spend less money on bottled water and fizzy drinks and give more to charity. Argue for or against this view. (27 marks)
  2. Write a letter to a celebrity of your choice persuading him or her to support a campaign to end world poverty. (27 marks)
  3. Write an article advising teenagers what to wear and how to behave in different social situations, such as a job interview, a party or a wedding. (27 marks)
  4. Write an article for a teenage magazine arguing that schools should change to give Year 11 students more freedom and advising about possible ways of bringing about these changes. (27 marks)

 

Foundation Tier back to top

June 2004

1. Books are dead.. Argue for or against this point of view. You might write about:

  • how you feel about books
  • how others feel about books
  • the importance of books today
  • alternatives to books.

Remember to: • argue a case. ( 27 marks )

2. Write a letter to a friend either persuading them to read a book that you have read recently or persuading them to watch a television series that you have seen. You might write about:

  • what it is about
  • why you liked it
  • why you think your friend might like it.

Remember to:

  • write a letter
  • write to persuade
  • use language suitable for a friend. ( 27 marks )

3. You are a celebrity who has won an award for your work. Write the text for your speech where you advise young people about pursuing their dreams. You might write about:

  • why you won your award
  • how you followed your dream
  • how others can achieve their dreams.

Remember to:

  • use language suitable for a speech
  • give advice. ( 27 marks )

4. Write an article for a parents. magazine arguing for or against the idea that too many examinations put unnecessary pressure on children. Go on to advise parents how to support children preparing for an examination. You might write about:

  • the purpose of examinations
  • the effects of examinations on children
  • ways of coping with examinations.

Remember to:

  • use language suitable for an agreement
  • make sure you give advice. ( 27 marks )

5. Your school or college wants to ban Saturday jobs for students. Write a letter to your Headteacher or Principal in which you argue either for or against Saturday jobs. You may choose to write about all, or some, of the following:

  • the possible effects on students
  • your own personal views.

Remember to:

  • write in letter form
  • choose the right language for a letter to a Headteacher or Principal. ( 27 marks )

6. Write the text for a leaflet, written by a group known as Rotten Pickings . Try to persuade 15 and 16-year-old students to join a group pressing for better conditions for Saturday workers. Remember to:

  • use a variety of persuasive arguments
  • use a variety of persuasive techniques. ( 27 marks )

7. Write an article for a careers magazine in which you give advice to students on what to look out for when applying for a job, either part-time or full-time. You could write about:

  • where to look for a job
  • what to look for
  • your rights.

Remember to:

  • write an article
  • choose the right language to advise
  • write for students to read. (27 marks)

8. Write the text for a speech where you: argue the case for better conditions for students in schools or colleges persuade your audience that more should be done to improve conditions. Remember to:

  • choose the right language for a speech
  • argue a case
  • persuade your listeners. ( 27 marks )

November 2004

1. Young people nowadays don.t know what real music is!. Write an article for a national newspaper where you argue for or against this point of view. You might write about:

  • what sort of music young people listen to
  • what they like about it
  • what other people might not like about it.

Remember to:

  • write for the readers of a national newspaper
  • argue for and against. (27 marks)

2. You want to take two weeks off school to take part in a televised talent contest. Write a letter persuading your Headmaster to allow you to do this. You might write about:

  • why you want to take part in a televised talent contest
  • why this would be an important thing for you to do
  • how you would fit it in with your studies.

Remember to:

  • use a variety of persuasive arguments
  • use a variety of persuasive techniques
  • choose the right language to persuade a Headteacher. (27 marks)

3.You spend far too much time listening to that awful music! Advise teenagers how to respond to this frequently heard criticism from adults. You might write about:

  • the reasons why teenagers listen to music
  • what else teenagers do with their time
  • how teenagers could change the adults. point of view.

Remember to:

  • write to advise
  • write for teenagers. (27 marks)

4. Write a letter to the organisers of the National Lottery in which you: argue that more should be done to help young people with special talents persuade them that money should be given for this. You might write about:

  • why young people with special talents need more help
  • the kinds of help that could be given.

Remember to:

  • write a formal letter
  • argue a case
  • persuade your readers. (27 marks)

June 2005

1. Write an article for a magazine aimed at teenagers in which you argue that students should be taught to drive at school. You might write about:

  • why it would be good for them
  • the advantages of learning while young
  • why teenagers would be keen to learn.

Remember to:

  • choose the right language for teenagers to read
  • argue your case. (27 marks)

2. Write the text for an advertisement for a car which aims to persuade young men to buy the car. You might write about:

  • the car's looks
  • its performance
  • its gadgets
  • what young men would feel like driving it.

Remember to:

  • use a variety of persuasive arguments
  • use a variety of persuasive techniques
  • choose the right language to persuade young men
  • choose suitable language for an advertisement. (27 marks)

3. Write an advice sheet for young people who are newcomers to your area. You might write about:

  • places to go
  • things to do
  • how to meet people.

Remember to:

  • write for young people to read
  • choose the right language to advise. (27 marks)

4. Write the text for a local radio programme on physical fitness. Aim to persuade people to get fitter and advise them how to do this. You might write about:

  • why they should be fit
  • how to get fit.

Remember to:

  • choose the right language to persuade
  • choose the right language to advise. (27 marks)

November 2005

1. People should spend less money on bottled water and fizzy drinks and give more to charity. Argue for or against this view. You might write about:

  • why people spend money on bottled water or fizzy drinks
  • what people could do with the money they saved.

Remember to:

  • use language suitable for an argument
  • argue for or against this view. (27 marks)

2. Write a letter to a celebrity of your choice persuading him or her to support a campaign to end world poverty. You might write about:

  • the problem of world poverty
  • why there is a need to campaign
  • what your chosen celebrity could do.

Remember to:

  • write a letter
  • write to persuade
  • use language suitable for your celebrity. (27 marks)

3. Write an article advising teenagers what to wear and how to behave in different social situations such as a job interview, a party or a wedding. You might write about:

  • some different social situations
  • how teenagers should dress
  • how they should behave

Remember to:

  • use language suitable for an article
  • give clear advice. (27 marks)

4. Write an article for a teenage magazine arguing that schools should change to give Year 11 students more freedom and advising about possible ways of bringing about these changes. You might write about:

  • what freedom Year 11 students should have
  • how schools should change
  • how the changes could be made.

Remember to:

  • use language suitable for an article
  • use language to argue
  • give clear advice. (27 marks)

 

 

Links back to top

https://www.universalteacher.org.uk/gcse/revise.htm

Section A - Reading Media and Non Fiction Texts

https://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english/readingnonfict/

https://www.englishbiz.co.uk/mainguides/nonfiction.htm
https://www.s-cool.co.uk/topic_principles.asp?loc=pr&topic_id=3&subject_id=19&ebt=199&ebn=&ebs=&ebl=&elc=4
Section B - Writing to argue, persuade and advise

https://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english/writingnonfict/

https://www.englishbiz.co.uk/mainguides/persuade.htm
https://www.englishbiz.co.uk/mainguides/argue.htm
https://www.s-cool.co.uk/topic_principles.asp?loc=pr&topic_id=1&subject_id=19&ebt=172&ebn=&ebs=&ebl=&elc=4