Question 5 Skills: Comparison (Edexcel IGCSE English Language A: Paper 1: Non-fiction Texts and Transactional Writing): Revision Note
Exam code: 4EA1
Question 5 on Paper 1 of your International GCSE tests you on your ability to compare similarities and differences in the ways writers present their ideas, perspectives and information.
This guide will explain in more detail how to write an effective comparison in the exam. It is divided into:
Overview of comparing texts
Comparing texts
Comparison of ideas, perspective and methods
How to compare in the exam
Overview of comparing texts
Paper 1 Question 5 is the comparison question. It requires you to understand information and ideas from two sources and focus on the writers’ perspectives. You are expected to bring together and compare the two perspectives, analysing any differences and linking these points of view to the methods used by the writers to convey them.
In the question, you will be asked to compare how the writers present their ideas and perspectives. The word “present” encapsulates a number of concepts: from ways and methods of writing, through to consideration of form, structure and purpose.
The question therefore requires a response which includes:
a demonstration of your understanding of the ideas and perspectives in both texts
a comparison of these ideas and the writers’ different perspectives
relevant textual detail or short quotations
an explanation of how both writers have used a range of methods to convey their points of view
Comparing Texts
As this is a comparison question, it's important to identify the purpose of each text and to understand the main ideas that the writers intend to convey to their respective audiences.
When you're comparing non-fiction texts, your goal is to identify areas where the texts share common ground
Contrasting involves pointing out the differences between the texts:
This can be in terms of ideas, themes, literary features, structure or any other relevant aspect
You're essentially looking for connections that help to explain how the texts relate to each other or how they differ
When comparing and contrasting, it's crucial to provide specific examples from the texts:
These make your comparisons more robust
The ultimate goal of comparing and contrasting is to draw insights from the similarities and differences you have identified:
What do these shared and distinct elements reveal about the writers’ intentions and perspectives?
Do comparisons and contrasts shed light on the larger themes or contexts within which these texts exist?
Comparing and contrasting requires critical thinking and analytical skills:
Don't just list similarities and differences; delve deeper into why these similarities and differences are important
Here are some words and phrases that can be used to signal comparisons and contrasts in your response:
Words to compare | similarly | likewise | equally |
|---|---|---|---|
both | comparably | in the same way | |
Words to contrast | on the other hand | although | however |
while | whereas | in contrast |
Comparison of ideas, perspectives and methods
Question 5 asks you to compare how the writers present their ideas and perspectives about the events or experiences described. This means analysing and comparing how each writer’s viewpoint on a particular subject is presented within their texts.
The writer’s perspective refers to what the writer thinks about something, and “how they present” is their unique way of presenting ideas, themes or events in their writing. The writer’s perspective shapes how they develop their writing and engage the reader. For this type of question, it’s important to provide thoughtful insights and to demonstrate an understanding of how different writers can approach similar themes in unique ways.
Below are some ideas which you should consider when thinking about how to compare the writers’ perspectives and ideas:
Analyse perspectives | Identify themes | Compare and contrast |
|---|---|---|
Examine how each writer presents their viewpoint, opinions and ideas within their texts. This includes looking at their use of language and/or structure | Identify the central themes or ideas that each writer explores in their writing. These could be recurring motifs or messages that the writers want to convey to their readers | Discuss the similarities and differences between these perspectives and ideas. Consider how each writer has approached a similar theme or topic, as well as how they diverge in their approaches and message |
Contextualise | Use evidence | Draw conclusions |
Consider the context in which the writers wrote their texts. Consider the purpose, audience and form of each text | Support your analysis with specific examples from the texts. Quote lines that highlight the writers’ perspectives and ideas and explain how these contribute to the overall understanding of their writing | Draw conclusions about the writers’ intentions, viewpoints and the impact of their ideas on the reader's understanding |
When considering how the writers present their ideas and perspectives, you should look at their use of language and structural techniques, such as narrative perspective. It is also important to compare tone and levels of formality, as these things can offer insights into what the writer is thinking.
Examiner Tips and Tricks
As you prepare your response to this question, it is a good idea to annotate in the margins of the source documents what the writers’ feelings appear to be about the focus of the question. You have to demonstrate that you fundamentally understand their feelings, experiences and perspectives in order to be able to write a top-mark answer to this question.
How to compare in the exam
Although the two extracts you will be working from in the exam are longer, the following example works through a suggested process for comparing texts effectively in the exam.
Below are two short extracts. Text One is taken from Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring. The book is about the harmful effects of pesticides. Text Two is from Nigel Dudley’s This Poisoned Earth: Truth About Pesticides, which is about the damage caused by pesticides to the environment.
Text One (Rachel Carson) | Text Two (Nigel Dudley) |
|---|---|
There was a strange stillness. The birds, for example—where had they gone? Many people spoke of them, puzzled and disturbed. The feeding stations in the backyards were deserted. The few birds seen anywhere were moribund; they trembled violently and could not fly. It was a spring without voices. On the mornings that had once throbbed with the dawn chorus of robins, catbirds, doves, jays, wrens, and scores of other bird voices there was now no sound; only silence lay over the fields and woods and marsh. On the farms the hens brooded, but no chicks hatched. The farmers complained that they were unable to raise any pigs—the litters were small and the young survived only a few days. The apple trees were coming into bloom but no bees droned among the blossoms, so there was no pollination and there would be no fruit. The roadsides, once so attractive, were now lined with browned and withered vegetation as though swept by fire. These, too, were silent, deserted by all living things. Even the streams were now lifeless. Anglers no longer visited them, for all the fish had died. | During a hot spell in June 1984, a crop-spraying plane overshot its intended target and released a fine yellow mist of fungicide above the village of Blackhall, near Durham. Scores of people were covered with pesticide. Fifteen were affected so badly that they needed hospital treatment for a range of side effects, including headaches, skin rashes, sore throats and eye infections. The fungicide was of a type chemically similar to certain nerve-gases, and villages were advised not to eat surface-growing garden vegetables for at least a month. Environmental health officers said the chemicals could have particularly bad effects on asthmatics and the elderly. … The problems of spraying in the small Hertfordshire village of Kimpton became so bad that in the summer of 1985, almost a hundred people signed a petition, “Aerial crop spray can damage your health but carries no Government warning.” People complained to Friends of the Earth about being sprayed directly by aircraft while walking along public roads, not being informed about aerial spraying or being given the wrong day of application. |
From these two texts, we can compare the writers’ perspectives and points of view, as well as how these are conveyed:
Writers’ ideas and perspectives | How this is shown by the writer | |
|---|---|---|
Text One (Rachel Carson) | Text Two (Nigel Dudley) | |
Impact on the environment |
|
|
Impact on people |
|
|
To summarise:
Both texts share a concern for human health, as Text One hints at the potential consequences of chemical exposure, and Text Two directly addresses public health risks resulting from pesticide spraying
Both texts imply criticism of government and/or regulations, as Text One implies concern at the lack of regulation, and Text Two criticises the absence of proper warnings and regulation in the use of pesticides
Text One uses more imagery and symbolism to highlight the fragility of the natural world and the effect pesticides can have on it, whereas Text Two uses more emotive language and persuasive techniques to convey their criticism of the situation
Once you have established what the writers’ ideas and perspectives are, as well as the main ways in which they present their perspectives, you can use this to begin your answer:
Both texts share a common concern for human health and the environment as a result of the use of pesticides, albeit with a different primary focus.
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