Paper 2 Question 5: Letter Model Answer (AQA GCSE English Language): Revision Note
Exam code: 8700
On this page we’ve included a fully annotated sample letter answer to a real past paper Question 5 from Paper 2 of the AQA English Language GCSE. Underneath the example 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 letter 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
‘It is people who have extraordinary skill, courage and determination who deserve to be famous, not those who have good looks or lots of money or behave badly.’
Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper in which you argue your point of view in response to this statement.
[24 marks for content and organisation
16 marks for technical accuracy]
[Total: 40 marks]
Answer
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing in response to your front-page article from last week (“Gareth Bell’s Rehab Hell”). I was appalled, but unfortunately not at all shocked, that you decided to give more space and time to this so-called “footballer” in your newspaper. It is high time that we, as a society, looked at ourselves in the mirror and decided not to celebrate these “celebrities”: only those who have extraordinary skill, courage and determination deserve to be famous.
I can’t be the only one to believe that those who currently have fame don’t deserve to be role models. Flick through a gossip magazine, or scroll down your own newspaper’s website, and all you’ll be presented with is a pool of talentless Love Island-types, or former sportspeople getting arrested for driving under the influence or tax evasion. Look at Gareth Bell: a third-tier footballer who retired at 27 to pursue a life as an influencer. In your front-page story, you include details about his sex life and his abuse of drink and drugs. Does he deserve to be rich and famous? Does he deserve so much publicity in your paper? Should you be shining a spotlight on him for his actions? Gareth Bell is a terrible role model, but you have given him the limelight — so the responsibility for his fame ultimately lies with you. This has to stop.
My belief is that fame should be given to those who contribute meaningfully to society: the inventors; the pioneers; those who overcome obstacles with dignity and grace. Instead of littering your pages with images of drunk YouTubers behaving badly on holiday, why not dedicate some of your newspaper to stories of people who represent hope? Like Paralympian Rina Leung, who not only excels in her chosen field of athletics, but has started a foundation for children with cerebral palsy? Or Sir Robert Edwards, whose pioneering scientific work has given families the greatest gift of all: new life. Fame should be reserved for this type of role model, and it’s high time your newspaper celebrated these real heroes.
I can already hear your complaints: “My readers just want some light relief from their hard lives!” “I’m only selling what people want to read!” But inspirational stories of heroes like these offer welcome hope in tough times. You have the ultimate decision over what ends up in your paper: try showing people the best of humanity, not the worst.
Yours faithfully,
Lily Ahmed
Why would this letter achieve top marks?
The answer convincingly matches the required purpose and audience:
It uses the correct salutation (greeting) and sign-off
Its tone is lively and suitable for a letter to a newspaper editor
Sustained crafting:
It is very clearly planned, its structure is easy to follow yet sophisticated
The introduction puts across the writer’s point of view clearly
The argument is also balanced, introducing a counter-argument, but this is well challenged
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, direct address and anecdotes are used to emphasise points of the argument
Writing a GCSE English Language letter
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 letter to the editor of a newspaper |
|---|---|
Audience (who) | Newspaper readers (adults) interested in debate/points of view |
Purpose (why) | To argue your point of view |
This task asks you to write a formal letter as it is to the editor of a newspaper:
Letters will be formal if they are to people you do not know well
This means the register will be sophisticated
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 a letter
These are the basic features of a letter the examiner would expect to see:
A date
An appropriate mode of address or greeting:
An informal letter will name the recipient, e.g., “Dear Joe,”
A formal letter will address the recipient using the surname or appropriate address, e.g., “Dear Sir/Madam,” or “Dear Mr Jones,”
An appropriate mode of signing off:
Yours sincerely (for someone you know the name of)
Yours faithfully (for “Dear Sir/Madam” or “Dear Editor”; someone you don’t know the name of)
You may wish to write addresses, but this is definitely optional because it can waste time. For more on the expected features of a letter, check out our page on how to write a letter for GCSE.
Examiner Tips and Tricks
For top marks, you should be aiming to write a piece of non-fiction that is convincing.
This means your writing should feel natural and confident. So avoid beginning with “I’m writing this because”: just get straight to the point. And If you are writing to a friend or family member, you can use personal references, because this is what someone would do in real life.
Structuring your letter
Planning your GCSE letter
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 letter 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 for effect
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 letter layout
This letter template includes:
The date
A greeting
A sign-off:
This letter is signed off using the appropriate sign-off for a letter to someone you don’t know the name of
If you choose to start the letter with “Dear Mr Peters,” for example, you should sign off with “Yours sincerely,”
4 June 2019
Introduction Main arguments Concluding paragraph Yours faithfully, Kathryn Thornley |
Step-by-step guide to structuring your letter
Directly address the reader:
Introduce your argument — what you are writing about, why you are writing and what your opinion is
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 letter with an emotive plea or solution to the issue:
Use emotive language to engage your reader
Ending your letter on a single sentence, perhaps using a triplet, is an effective conclusion
Sign off your letter in the correct way
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 letter 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
Why can you not publish articles about the triumphs of our local heroes? They are the real
celebrities in my eyes; not some drug-riddled, entitled and idle pop star who’s had far too much lip filler.
You are taking advantage of people who believe that they have got a chance at “stardom” by replicating the lifestyle of their favourite celebrity. It is quite simply scandalous. I saw a recent survey that stated 42% of teenagers aged 13-17 said that they would forgo a place at university in favour of going on Love Island
Lastly, here is a case study for you. I recently witnessed a lady collapsing in the road. A doctor who happened to be passing by ran over, and began to assist her immediately. But guess what? Despite his bravery, determination and skill, he’s nameless and faceless in our current society.
Point from the mark scheme | Method used and why it’s effective |
|---|---|
Creative and engaging ideas (AO5) | A triple of negative ideas placed together (“drug-riddled, entitled and idle”) establishes a strong viewpoint from the outset |
Matched to purpose (AO5) | The initial rhetorical question directly engages the reader with a challenge |
A personal anecdote creates a personal connection, and seeks to engage the reader emotionally | |
Organisation of ideas (AO5) | Discourse markers (“Lastly”) develop the argument fluently and cohesively |
Ambitious vocabulary (AO6) | Use of formal vocabulary such as “assist” rather than “help”, and “witnessed” rather than “saw” adds authority and credibility |
Sentences and punctuation for effect (AO6) | A short sentence (“It is quite simply scandalous”) next to a longer sentence draws attention to it and adds dramatic impact by changing tone |
Learn more and test yourself
For more great tips and tricks, check out our dedicated revision notes on how to write a letter 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 letter and getting it marked by Smart Mark, our AI model created by English Language experts.
You've read 1 of your 5 free revision notes this week
Unlock more, it's free!
Join the 100,000+ Students that ❤️ Save My Exams
the (exam) results speak for themselves:
Did this page help you?
