Writing To explain

Paper 2 B
 Communicate clearly and imaginatively, using and adapting
forms for different readers and purposes.

In paper 2 b you will be asked to write to:

1. To inform – telling the reader about something or
someone. This involves putting information across
clearly.
2. To explain – giving the answers to the questions
‘how?’ and ‘why?’ about something. This helps the
reader to understand an idea, a point of view or a
situation.
3. To describe – painting a picture with words. This
means putting across in an imaginative way what
something or someone is like.
 Typical questions
1. Many people have developed
skills that others do not
have. Write about one of
your skills, explaining how
other people could develop it
and why they should try it.
2. Write a leaflet to go out to
Year 9s with their option
choices booklet in which you
explain how to manage GCSE
study successfully.
3. There are many pressures on
teenagers today. Explain what you
think the main pressures are and
how they affect your life and the
lives of teenagers you know.
4. Someone you know very well is
applying to take part in the TV
show ‘Big Brother’ and has asked
you to write to the producer in
support of his or her application.
Describe him or her carefully,
explaining why their qualities would
make them a successful
contestant.
 Inform v explain
Every year we escape on The ability to travel easily and
holidays abroad and my plan holidays on the internet
family enjoy seeing has made taking holidays to
different places exotic places much more of
worldwide. Three a possibility. There are many
summers ago in the places that we have visited
seven week holiday, in a that have allowed us to see
whistle stop we headed how other people live and to
off around the world taste a different way of life.
visiting countries as far Travel has broadened my
apart as America, New views of the world and it is
Zealand, Australia, China clear that……
and Spain.
 Explanation is different to straightforward
information.
WRITING TO EXPLAIN REQUIRES:
• A response that answers the precise
demands of the question.

• Content that focuses on HOW or WHY

something happens – rather than just
what happens

• Appropriate language
 Explanation is different to straightforward
information.
• As a writer you must Be warned:
give reasons. • Students loose
• You must say why or grades by just
how something informing NOT
happens explaining.
• You must comment • Don’t loose focus and
and explain ideas just inform your
throughout your reader with out
writing. explaining ideas.
Exam question: Think about the focus of
the title

Most people have memories about a

particular holiday or trip. Choose
one that you have experienced and
explain why it was so memorable.
 To get the grade

Most people have memories about a

particular holiday or trip. Choose one that
you have experienced and explain why it
was so memorable.
 Most people have memories about a particular holiday or
trip. Choose one that you have experienced and explain
why it was so memorable.
YOU SHOULD: YOU ARE NOT:
• decide what makes that • being asked to write
one trip special and say about trips in general
why • describe what actually
• select memorable happened on one trip
features and say why • write about the place
they are memorable that you visited

gr a de lim it t he points
To get the ut –
you write abo m aterial
lude t o o m uc h
don’t try to inc
 Most people have memories about a particular holiday or
trip. Choose one that you have experienced and explain
why it was so memorable.
POSSIBLE PLAN
1. Intro where we went and why memorable
2. First part = fun: Culture food beaches: show why
3. Nightmare – drunken evening, complaints, explain
what happened
4. Mum bitten – rabies fears, doctor and hospital How
the horror unfolded
5. Leaving – friendliness doctor explain it still didn't
take away horror
6. Conclusion – never return – comment
 Most people have memories about a particular holiday or trip.
Choose one that you have experienced and explain why it was
so memorable.
About six years ago, I went on When it come to memorable
holiday with my family to holidays, our family’s
Turkey. We stayed in a package expedition to Dacta
place called Dacta, and there in Turkey will take some
were not many British beating. We had a beautiful
place to stay in resort which
people. I am sure that we was lovely, and all of that is
could have had a god time captured in our photographs
and then it would have been – yet that summer stands
‘just another holiday.’ out because of one
however, there were also particular experience that
some seriously bad moments we did not capture on
which made the holiday camera but which we will
especially memorable. never forget. It has haunted
us ever since.
 A* answer =
• Detailed When it come to memorable
holidays, our family’s
• Immediately introduces package expedition to Dacta
more vivid explanation – in turkey will take some
the experience which ‘has beating. We had a beautiful
haunted us ever since’ place to stay in resort which
• Varied sentences and was lovely, and all of that is
vocabulary captured in our photographs
– yet that summer stands
• Presents situation and out because of one
says why something particular experience that
came about and the we did not capture on
effect it has camera but which we will
• Throughout = gives never forget. It has haunted
reasons us ever since.
 A* answer =

• Explanation must be • Use phrases to do

clear so reader with cause and effect:
understands
As a result of this
This meant that
• Examiners give marks This is because
for varied sentences – The reason for this is
so show your skills
As a consequence
Therefore..
Exam task

EXPLAIN WHAT YOU

DISLIKE MOST ABOUT
TELEVISION
 Student response

• As technology has developed so has our

desire to show off and what irritates
me intensely is it is no longer about
watching TV but what you are watching
it on. The latest widescreen or an old
Black and white box. It is all about
money.
 A* answer =

I am sure that television is not all bad. It has

educational uses, brings top sporting events
and concerts into the living room and has the
potential to enliven dark winter evenings.
However, the diet that is drip fed into my house
does anything but stimulate the brain or
delight the senses: it could cause premature
aging and certainly hardens the arteries. I am
sick of soaps, reality television and almost all
things American.
Begins with
positive, I am sure that television is not all bad. It
which then
has educational uses, brings top
highlights
what is sporting events and concerts into the
wrong living room and has the potential to
enliven dark winter evenings.
However, the diet that is drip fed into my
house does anything but stimulate the
Lists the brain or delight the senses: it could
problems cause premature aging and certainly
with TV hardens the arteries. I am sick of soaps,
that the reality television and almost all things
writer is American.
going to
explain in
more detail Effective Language
 A* answer =

The worst thing about this monotonous diet of

TV is that it crushes our imagination an
horizons.
Plan out a possible exam response to
this question:

Explain how you have dealt with difficult

situations that have arisen in your life.
You might wish to write about:

•Relationships with parents

•Friends and their expectations
•Problems at school
•Other difficult situation that you have
encountered