Comparative Commentary/Paper 1

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Comparative Commentary/Paper 1
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• Basic Overview
• You will be give two sets of unseen texts (so 4
  texts in total) in which you will have to
• write a comparison essay. The texts will be
  linked by a common subject and it is your job
• to determine how and why they are connected.
• Because you only need to write on one of the sets
  of texts, you will need to quickly
• determine which ones you wish to use.
• Example
• Section A Section B
• Text 1 (a) Text 1 (b) or Text 2 (a) Text 2
  (b)
• Linked subject water Linked subject Energy
  conservation

3

• Read the passages out loud ( inside your heads
  in the exam! ) Listen for their tones and think
  about how meaning is organized into units that
  make sense for the reader or listener.
• Mark the passage with highlighters as you read,
  making notes on any outstanding characteristics.
  Then make notes on general characteristics-
• On Text 1(a), make a deliberate note about the
  following (do not move on to Text 1 (b) until do
  this)
• Audience ( who are the texts aimed at?)
• Subject (what are they about?)
• Purposes (what are they intended to achieve? Why
  were they written?)
• Purpose examples to inform, to explain, the
  persuade (the reader) that..., to argue that...,
  to entertain, to express (sorrow, joy, anger
  etc.)

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SPECSLIM

• S ubject
• P urpose
• E motion
• C raftsmanship
• S tructure
• L anguage
• I magery
• M ovement/mood
• S ymbols

• This should make up the rest of your commentary.
• One paragraph (or section) MUST be dedicated to
  how the literary devices/language (metaphor,
  alliteration, onomatopoeia, personification,
  repetition etc.) develop the themes and purposes
  of both passages. Symbols and imagery can also be
  included in this section.
• You must also dedicate a section to comparing the
  emotions of both passages (i.e. the tones
  formal, joyous, somber, encouraging, reflective
  etc.)