Paper 2 Question 5: Article Model Answer (AQA GCSE English Language) : Revision Note
On this page we’ve included a fully annotated sample article answer to a real past paper Question 5 from Paper 2 of the AQA English Language GCSE. Underneath the model answer, we show you how to structure a full-mark answer, and include some expert tips on how to get to that top grade.
Paper 2 Question 5 Grade 9 article model answer
If you want to achieve a Grade 9, you should be aiming for a Level 4 across two assessment objectives: AO5 and AO6. Here is a past paper question and an example of a full-length Level 4 model answer.
Worked Example
‘All sport should be fun, fair and open to everyone. These days, sport seems to be more about money, corruption and winning at any cost.’
Write an article for a newspaper in which you explain your point of view on this statement.
[24 marks for content and organisation
16 marks for technical accuracy]
[Total: 40 marks]
Answer
It’s just not cricket anymore
By Rachel Oladije
Nearly 130 years ago the modern Olympics were born. The idea was that this festival of sport would bring nations together. It was meant to be a celebration of human achievement, of fair play, of integrity. Olympians weren’t paid to take part: they did it for the love of sport. And anyone could attend; people from all social classes watched the cycling, the athletics and the swimming for the equivalent of a few pennies. What would the organisers of these wonderful first games think of the Olympics — and sport in general — now? I believe they would be appalled. Sport has become the preserve of the rich, and the idea that any sport truly represents “fair play” is a bad joke.
The sad truth is that sport is no longer open to everyone. Money has truly taken over. My friends and I would have loved to attend the recent Olympic Games in Paris, but it’s just not possible for people on ordinary incomes. Aside from the high cost of the tickets, travel companies and hotels hiked their prices so much that a weekend trip would have cost thousands. And don’t get me started on the food prices. A £10 hot dog? No thank you. Money is a disease in sport: it has infected its organisers; it has poisoned its sportspeople too. Just look at the pampered stars of the Premier League. Once role models of fairness and honour, they now spend their time feverishly searching for their next sponsorship deal or Instagram endorsement.
No longer proud of its integrity, sport has become corrupt. The insane sums that television companies and advertisers are willing to pay means that many sports seem solely concerned with making more and more money. This greed means that “laws” or “regulations” seem like minor concerns. How many former FIFA executives are in prison or currently on trial for bribery? How many football clubs have been docked points for match-fixing? How can audiences still believe in the magic of sport when all its organisations and major teams seem happy to break the rules to win at any cost?
And it’s not just the clubs and organisations that don’t want to play by the rules. Sportspeople increasingly seem like they will do anything to win. Alongside bans for match-fixing, our sports stars employ tricks more suited to pantomime villains. Time-wasting. Intimidation of referees. Diving. Who can forget the Australian cricket team using sandpaper on the ball to beat England? “Sportsmanship”? It’s just not cricket any more!
All of this means that true sports fans (like me) are growing increasingly tired of watching. Unless sport recaptures the true Olympic spirit of those first games, audiences will switch off.
Why would this article achieve top marks?
The answer convincingly matches the required purpose and audience:
It uses a headline
The general tone is appropriate for a newspaper article
Sustained crafting:
It is very clearly planned, its structure is easy to follow yet sophisticated
The introduction sets up the argument
Each paragraph uses words from the task (“money”; “corruption”; “winning at any cost”) as separate points
Sentences are varied throughout for effect
A wide range of ambitious vocabulary and punctuation is used throughout:
These choices are accurately used and always add meaning or impact
A range of linguistic devices are confidently used for effect:
Rhetorical questions, a tricolon and an extended metaphor are used to emphasise points of the argument
Writing a GCSE English Language article
For top marks, you’ll need to carefully consider:
The tone:
The sound of the writer’s “voice”
The register:
The vocabulary and phrasing
The style of the writing:
The sentence structure and overall structure
All of these should be appropriate for the form, audience and purpose of the piece of writing. For example, your register would need to be more formal for a letter written to an MP than an article in a travel magazine.
Breaking down the task
To work about what to include and how to write your answer, first perform a GAP analysis (what/who/why):
Genre (what) | A newspaper article |
|---|---|
Audience (who) | Newspaper readers (adults) interested in debate/points of view |
Purpose (why) | To explain your point of view |
This task asks you to write a formal article as it is for publication in a newspaper:
While articles which appear in newspapers are formal, they are also engaging as they target the general public
This means you should use Standard English using sophisticated, more formal vocabulary
At the same time, build rapport with your readers by constructing a personal and emotive tone
As the task asks you to argue your point of view, you will need to sound convincing:
It will be necessary to use persuasive techniques
However, ensure you maintain a calm and controlled tone and a balanced argument
Expected features of an article
These are the basic features of an article the examiner would expect to see:
A catchy headline (title):
Keep it short and specific
Consider using a strapline (sub-heading) to provide further brief information or something to hook your reader
Subheadings
Addressing the audience directly
Evidence of linked paragraphs
Language and tone adapted to suit the topic and intended audience
For more on the expected features of an article, check out our page on how to write an article for GCSE.
Structuring your article
Planning your GCSE article
Once you are sure of the form you should write in, and you have considered your audience and the tone you wish to adopt in your writing, you should 10 minutes planning the content (and the order of your content) of your response:
Mind-map or write a list of points and techniques to use:
It can also be helpful to number your ideas to structure your answer in a specific order
You can use the ideas you read in the texts in Section A, as well as your own experiences
Try to include what persuasive techniques you will use for each point of your argument
Your article should be structured into 5–6 paragraphs:
Each paragraph does not have to be the same length
Better answers vary the lengths of their paragraphs
Develop separate ideas or points in each paragraph
Examiner Tips and Tricks
It is up to you whether you choose to argue for or against the statement, as long as you plan your argument, develop it thoroughly and sustain it throughout.
The examiner is not grading you on how much you know about the given topic, as it is impossible to predict what subject matter will be on the paper. You are marked on your ability to construct a convincing argument, so feel free to make up facts and anecdotes as long as they sound realistic.
GCSE English Language article layout
It’s important that your answer looks like an article. However, when considering the layout of your article:
Don’t spend time drawing or making columns in the exam:
This wastes valuable time and will not improve your mark
Avoid spending time thinking of the perfect headline:
Make sure you include one at the start of your writing time so you do not forget
You can edit the headline at the end if you want to improve it
Here is an example of how you might lay out your response to the above article writing task, using a headline and strapline:
First place for corruption goes to sport Fair, fun and accessible? In an ideal world maybe Fair, fun and accessible. In an ideal world, sport would display these imperative qualities that would guide us to a healthier and happier nation. However, capitalism, corruption and greed seem to be the prevailing dark forces shaping and tainting the sport industry. I think we can all agree this needs to stop. Sub-heading 1 Sub-heading 2 Sub-heading 3 Sub-heading 4 Sub-heading 5 Concluding arguments |
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Rhetorical questions are commonly used as headings, but they can be too simplistic or too general, so consider how you can make your headline sophisticated and specific.
A simple statement can be very effective, using a play on words taken from the article topic.
Step-by-step guide to structuring your article
Directly address the reader or audience:
Introduce your argument
Consider your use of pronouns, e.g., “you” or “we”
Offer a fact or some research to support your opinion:
This will gain you credibility and prove you are knowledgeable about the topic
These can be made up, but make sure they are plausible
Engage the reader on a personal level using a counter-argument:
This suggests you understand your reader and have already considered their concerns
Provide an anecdote to offer an example which proves your argument:
This builds rapport with your reader by engaging with them on a personal level
Offer more research or studies in the form of:
Statistics
A witness statement
A poll
A quote from an expert
End your article with an emotive plea or solution to the issue:
Use emotive language to engage your reader
Ending your response on a single sentence, perhaps using a triplet, is an effective conclusion
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Always write with your intended audience in mind.
Address them directly throughout your writing, mention their specific concerns and ensure you develop your points in a way which would convince your specific reader.
Putting your article ideas into a paragraph
Let’s look at how you might turn your ideas into paragraphs that hit the highest levels of the mark scheme for both assessment objectives (AOs) for this question.
The AOs are:
Name | Description | |
|---|---|---|
AO5 | Content and communication | Writing in a clear, creative and engaging way:
|
AO6 | Technical accuracy | Writing accurately:
|
The following is reflective of a full-mark answer for both AO5 and AO6. Below it, we’ve included an explanation of the types of things you need to include to reach this mark:
Worked Example
Fair, fun and accessible. In an ideal world sport would display these imperative qualities that would guide us to a healthier and happier nation. However, capitalism, corruption and greed seem to be the prevailing dark forces shaping and tainting the sport industry. I think we can all agree this needs to stop.
Not naturally gifted – sport isn’t for you. Not wealthy – sport isn’t for you. With rising fees even to join a gym, let alone a competitive club, partaking in sport seems no less than impossible.
When did “taking part is all that counts” be replaced with “second is the first loser”? As an ex-competitive gymnast, I can assure you with full confidence that at the vulnerable and impressionable age of eight I was conditioned as if I were a robot to aim for first place; second place was failure.
Point from the mark scheme | Method used and why it’s effective |
|---|---|
Creative and engaging ideas (AO5) | The comparison of three positive adjectives (“fun”, “fair”, “accessible”) with three negative ideas (“capitalism, corruption and greed”) cleverly sets up the argument |
The problem is symbolised in a metaphor (“dark forces”) in order to highlight it as the enemy | |
Matched to purpose (AO5) | The use of the second-person pronoun “you” is appropriate for an article and this direct address engages the reader |
The argument relates to the specific readers’ concerns, e.g., “rising fees” | |
Ambitious vocabulary (AO6) | The register is sophisticated, e.g., “partaking” |
Sustained use of sophisticated vocabulary builds credibility with the audience | |
Sentences and punctuation for effect (AO6) | The rhetorical question varies the rhythm and creates a more interactive style of article |
Here, the writer has added the phrase “second place was failure” after a semi-colon to emphasise the point |
Learn more and test yourself
For more great tips and tricks, check out our dedicated revision notes on how to write an article for GCSE and our student-friendly Paper 2 Question 5 mark scheme.
You can also test yourself on Paper 2 Question 5 by building your writing skills with our Paper 2 Question 5 multiple-choice questions and by writing your own article and getting it marked by Smart Mark, our AI model created by English Language experts.
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