English Language & Literature SL Paper 1. Help please!

[IBStudent1395]

To all English Lang&Lit SL,

does anybody have any teacher hand-outs or recommendations about how to structure a Paper 1 Commentary? In the following format maybe if possible:

(Just writing what I already know)

Introduction:

Author, Genre, Theme, Thesis

Paragraph 1:

Paragraph 2:

Paragraph 3:

Conclusion:

Any advice is dearly appreciated.

[Guest Zoya (aka: ziasha)]

hi dude

paper 1 is unseen, so clearly there are certain things you are restricted to comment about,

1) Even if the novel the prose is from (or the poet the poetry is written by) you should avoid writing about it and mention the other aspects you know about it.

2) Never mention about the plot of the novel or poem as a whole, just keep it to the plot you can notice in the excerpt

3) Avoid talking about foreshadowing much (keeping mind you have no idea what's the novel about)

Now as for the do's

Introduction

Clearly here mentioning, where the extract is from, who wrote it, is vital. After that you should mention the setting, context (again only of the excerpt), the mood, the tone, the atmosphere. Lastly you should not forget to mention the most important element in the passage, the theme and remember to form a GOOD thesis statement.

Body

As its compulsory for us to answer the guiding questions provided, well we are given 2 so answer those in 2 (can be more as per you wish and organizing style) separate paragraphs. Logically organized with good points, evidences and the impact it has on the readers.

In case you wanna explore more, you can write about the literary devices and it effect, write about a theme you found and wasn't asked in the guiding questions.

Also remember that all these points should be connected to the thesis statement in your introduction.

Its important to form topic sentences which connect to the main point of your paragraph

Conclusion

Here you pretty much just conclude your understanding of the except (not the novel, just the passage). You sum up everything you wrote and shows how that affects the plot structure, and what impact it has on the readers overall.

Hope this helps, please add on to this (as i have my exams as well)

[-._._.-]

Wait is it compulsory for us to answer the guiding questions? I thought they are just there to guide us?

[Guest Zoya (aka: ziasha)]

in hl its not, but in SL it is or thats what my teacher said.

well mr if you think about it, those are the IB people trying to help us point out the main part in the extract, so yeah obviously we talk about it. you should check out the mark schemes

(i adressed you as "mr" only cause i didn't know what to call, no rudeness or meanness intended)

Edited April 29, 2013 by ziasha