AQA · A-Level · English Language
Course version: 7702 · Version from Sept 2017
The commentary will allow the student to consider and evaluate the style…
Full specification wording
Original writing: The commentary will allow the student to consider and evaluate the style model, the writing process and the effectiveness of the final piece of writing.
The commentary is your reflective companion to the original writing.
Checked against the AQA 7702 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 3 of 4
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
The commentary is your reflective companion to the original writing. It has three connected strands. First, you consider and evaluate the style model, explaining what techniques you borrowed and why they suited your purpose. Second, you reflect on the writing process, describing decisions, drafting, redrafting and problems you solved, such as tightening syntax or adjusting register for your audience. Third, you evaluate the effectiveness of the final piece, judging how well it meets its audience and purpose and supporting that judgement with evidence from your own text. Evaluation means weighing strengths and limitations rather than simply describing.
For example: You might explain that a direct address worked well to involve readers, but that one paragraph became too formal for the intended tone.
What earns the marks
- Evaluates the style model, explaining which techniques were adopted or rejected and why.
- Reflects critically on the writing process, including planning, drafting, editing and the reasons for changes made.
- Evaluates the effectiveness of the final piece against its intended audience, purpose and form.
- Supports evaluative comments with precise evidence from both the style model and the student's own writing.
- Uses appropriate linguistic terminology to discuss choices such as register, syntax, lexis and discourse structure.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Retelling what was written instead of evaluating how effective it is; correct this by judging each key choice against audience and purpose.
Making unsupported claims such as it is engaging without evidence.
Put it right by quoting your own writing and explaining the effect created.
Treating the commentary as a separate essay unrelated to the creative piece.
Put it right by linking every evaluative point to a specific decision in your writing.
Exam tips
- Draft the commentary after finishing the creative piece so you can evaluate the final version rather than an early plan.
- Use a three-part structure matching the statement: style model, writing process, effectiveness of the final piece.
- Keep quotations from your own work short and purposeful, and always state the effect on the intended reader.
Try the lesson
The start of the Original writing: The commentary will allow the student to consider and evaluate the style model, the writing process and the effectiveness of the final piece of writing. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
When producing the commentary for an original writing piece, which combination of elements must a student evaluate to demonstrate their understanding of the creative process?
Listen
The commentary is your reflective companion to the original writing. It has three connected strands. First, you consider and evaluate the style model, explaining what techniques you borrowed and why they suited your purpose. Second, you reflect on the writing process, describing decisions, drafting, redrafting and problems you solved, such as tightening syntax or adjusting register for your audience. Third, you evaluate the effectiveness of the final piece, judging how well it meets its audience and purpose and supporting that judgement with evidence from your own text. Evaluation means weighing strengths and limitations rather than simply describing. For example, you might explain that a direct address worked well to involve readers, but that one paragraph became too formal for the intended tone. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Evaluates the style model, explaining which techniques were adopted or rejected and why. Reflects critically on the writing process, including planning, drafting, editing and the reasons for changes made. Evaluates the effectiveness of the final piece against its intended audience, purpose and form. Supports evaluative comments with precise evidence from both the style model and the student's own writing. A common slip: Retelling what was written instead of evaluating how effective it is. Instead, judging each key choice against audience and purpose. Exam tip: Draft the commentary after finishing the creative piece so you can evaluate the final version rather than an early plan.
Key words
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Critical evaluation of a style model
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Reflective awareness of the writing process
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Evaluation of a finished text against audience and purpose
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Evidence-based commentary using linguistic terminology
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See every definition
- Critical evaluation of a style model
- Considering and evaluating the style model, explaining what techniques were borrowed and why they suited your purpose.
- Reflective awareness of the writing process
- Reflecting on the writing process by describing decisions, drafting, redrafting and problems you solved, such as tightening syntax or adjusting register for your audience.
- Evaluation of a finished text against audience and purpose
- Judging how well the final piece meets its audience and purpose and supporting that judgement with evidence from your own text.
- Evidence-based commentary using linguistic terminology
- Supporting evaluative comments with precise evidence from both the style model and your own writing, using appropriate linguistic terminology to discuss choices such as register, syntax, lexis and discourse structure.
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