Jean: Hello, and welcome to the Bitesize English Language Exam Skills podcast. In this series, we'll be explaining the skills you need to tackle your English Language GCSE.

Carl: Whether it's getting to grips with words, using questions or offering tips for your creative writing - our aim is to put you in the best place for your English language exams.

Jean: I'm Jean Menzies, an author, ancient historian and presenter.

Carl: And I'm Carl Anka, a journalist, author and broadcaster.

Jean: In this episode, we are cracking the code of English language exam questions, learning how to understand what they're really asking, and how to shape your answers clearly and confidently.

Carl: We are going to look at key command words that you need to know - simple steps to break any question down and how to tailor your answer to what the question is asking.

Jean: You might want to make some notes as we go, so it's a good idea to grab a pen and paper.

Carl: Let's kick off by looking at command words in the exams. Now, by command words, we mean any words that give you an instruction. In day-to-day life these could be things like ‘go!’ or ‘listen!’

Jean: Absolutely, and in the exam they'll tell you what you need to do.

Carl: Different command words are really important to look out for because different command words require you to do different things in your answer. So understanding what they mean is key.

Jean: There are loads of command words, and we can't go through every single one in this episode, but let's pick two that are commonly used in exams to show what you need to think about. Let's look at ‘compare’ and ‘evaluate’.

Carl: I'll start with questions that include the command word ‘compare’. When comparing, you need to show how the texts are similar or different and then draw evidence to support what you say.

Jean: Your evidence could be things like quotes or paraphrasing from the texts, explaining the writer's use of language or commenting on their writing techniques. But don't forget, you must have evidence from both texts when comparing.

Carl: Exactly. Now let's look at questions that include the command word, ‘evaluate’. An evaluation question asks you to use evidence to make a supported judgment about how effectively a writer achieves something. When you are evaluating a piece of text, you use your evidence to show how successful or not the writer has been in achieving their aim. For example, how well they create a mood, a feeling or an impression on the reader.

Jean: To answer this kind of question, you need to do three things. First, you need to clearly express your opinion on how successful the writer is. You can use positive words like ‘effectively’, or you might criticise the writer by using words like ‘unconvincingly’ to make sure your opinion is crystal clear.

Carl: Secondly, you’ve got to remember, you can't just give an opinion with no evidence to back up your argument. This is where you use a quote or pick out specific references from the text to back up your opinion.

Jean: And finally, number three. You must explain how that quote links to your argument. Make it so that no one could possibly argue or disagree with you.

Carl: There are lots of different command words used in lots of different ways throughout the exams, and you can find out much more detail on these words on the Bitesize website. Just search ‘Bitesize how to analyse language’, and you can watch a short video on exactly this subject.

Jean: And now that you've got a handle on command words, it's time to move on to whole questions. Use your pen and paper and you can join in with us.

Carl: So, we are going to take a look at how you can break down questions into manageable steps. The first thing to do might sound obvious, but in the moment, it is very easy to forget. Okay, you ready for this tip? You ready?

The tip is - read the question, read it slowly and read it twice, and if you still haven't understood the question, read it again, and again. Don't worry about how many times it takes you to read the question. Just make sure you understand all the command words and what exactly the question is asking from you.

Jean: As you read the question, focus on the directions it is giving you and underline, highlight or circle keywords. It'll only take you a matter of seconds, but it's really important.

Carl: Keywords could be command words, but also look out for important nouns, verbs and adjectives too.

Okay, it's time for a challenge. Feel free to use a pen and paper and join in.

Carl: Jean, I'm going to read you a question and I want you to identify which keywords you would underline, highlight or circle and why. You ready?

Jean: I think so.

Carl: Okay, here's the question:

‘Compare how the two writers present their views on teenagers in their texts.’

Jean: Now you're testing me.

Right, if you've got your pen too, then underline these key words with me.

COMPARE… TWO WRITERS…THEIR VIEWS ON TEENAGERS…

As we've discussed, compare tells you that you must look at both texts and spot similarities or differences. ‘Two writers’, reminds you that there are two sources, so you need to reference both.

‘Their views on teenagers’ show the specific focus. We need to focus closely on the writer's views about teenagers. So, I don't want to drift onto other topics or themes.

Carl: Exactly, understanding the key words and the question helps you focus your answer.

Jean: And now I've got a question for you to break down, Carl.

Carl: Oh, there it is. I thought you might get me back.

Jean: Pens at the ready again. What key words would you identify here?

‘Evaluate how successfully the writer presents their perspectives on social media and young people's wellbeing.’

Carl: Okay. I would underline these words.

EVALUATE… HOW SUCCESSFULLY, THEIR PERSPECTIVES and then SOCIAL MEDIA AND YOUNG PEOPLE’S WELLBEING.

‘Evaluate’ signals evaluation - you’re being asked how effective the writer has been. ‘How successfully’ focuses on the methods and how well they are used.

After that, you need to look at the term ‘their perspectives’ because that reminds you that you’re not just considering how social media and young people’s wellbeing is being presented, but you’re also considering what the writer’s views and attitudes are about this issue.

And finally, ‘social media and young people’s wellbeing’ tells you the specific angle on that topic - so not just social media in general, but also the impact on wellbeing. That’s what I’d underline and why.

Jean: That all sounds really good to me, and if you're joining in at home too, I hope you find that useful as well.

I've got one more handy tip. When you're approaching a question, once you've underlined those keywords, before you start writing, jot down a quick plan using a few of your own keywords, the main points or ideas you want to cover. That way you've got a simple structure to gauge your answer.

Carl: I like that, Jean. It's nice and simple.

Jean: Thanks. And remember, ‘compare’ and ‘evaluate’ aren't the only command words you might see in an English language paper.

Carl: Right? Let's look at a few others quickly.

Jean: If a question says ‘discuss’, it's asking you to explore different sides or perspectives of an issue, not just one. If you see it, it’s usually in writing questions, so be sure to consider multiple angles when forming your opinion or opinions.

Carl: Good one, and the word ‘summarise’ is another common command word.

Jean: Yes, that means give the main points without going into loads of detail. Keep it short and clear.

Carl: Then there's the word ‘explain’.

Jean: Explain means, give reasons, show cause and effect, or why something is happening in the text.

Carl: So remember, these command words are directions - they show you what shape your answer needs to take.

Jean: And now that we've deciphered a few example questions and identified some more command words, it's time to think about some answers.

Let's discuss how you should tailor answers to the specific skill being tested.

Carl: Knowing which skill is being tested helps you shape your answer in the right way. So instead of writing down everything you can think of, it helps you focus on exactly what the question is looking for.

Jean: And whatever the question type, it helps to give your answer a shape.

So if we're looking at summaries, we're not looking for an in-depth analysis, you just need to outline the main points or action. For example, if the extract is about a group of friends preparing for a school trip. Your summary might simply be ‘the friends get ready to leave, they pack their things and they meet at the bus stop.’

Carl: A quick note on summaries though - often summary questions will require evidence, so make sure you read the question carefully so you know what's expected of you. You can't just sum up stuff really, really quickly without any evidence.

Jean: Very good point. And then if we look at a question about language, these might test your analysis of words and phrases and what impact they have.

This includes figures of speech, like similes ‘as cold as ice’ for example, or metaphors like describing a city as ‘a concrete jungle’. So look at the words in the text, and most importantly, think about the effect or effects they have.

Carl: Exactly.

Jean: We hope that gives you an insight into how to tailor your answers to the question being asked. And Carl and I have a couple more things to ask you before we wrap things up.

Carl: Okay. One each. You can go first, Jean.

Jean: Okay. Tell me one command word and what it means.

Carl: Okay. How about the word evaluate? An evaluation question asks you to make a judgment about how successfully the writer achieves a particular effect or purpose using evidence to support your view.

Jean: And drum roll. That is the correct answer.

Carl: Okay. This is my question to you. How should you read the question in the exam?

Jean: It's the way that is easy to forget, but very important to remember.

Read it slowly and read it twice.

Carl: In fact, sometimes read it three times or even four times, or even five times. Read it as many times as you need for it to make sense.

Jean: One hundred percent.

Carl: All right then, that was fun. I hope you all joined in too. Thank you for listening to the Bitesize English Language Exam Skills podcast.

Jean: Remember to fine tune your English language exam skills, you can find the rest of this podcast series on BBC Sounds.