Non-examination Assessment – Assignment 1: Skills of effective and accurate drafting and redrafting
This component introduces students to the ways in which language varies depending on the contexts of production and reception. It covers how language choices create personal identities and how language varies over time from c1550 to the present day. Students apply key language frameworks and levels to written, spoken, and multimodal data.
Topic Overview
This component of the Edexcel A-Level English Language course focuses on the process of crafting a piece of original non-fiction writing, followed by a reflective commentary. It is worth 20% of the total A-Level marks and requires you to demonstrate skills in drafting, redrafting, and critical self-evaluation. The assignment is internally assessed and externally moderated, so precision and depth are key.
Effective drafting and redrafting are not just about correcting errors; they involve refining content, structure, and style to achieve a specific purpose and audience. You will learn to make deliberate choices about language, tone, and register, and then justify those choices in your commentary. This process mirrors real-world writing practices in journalism, publishing, and professional communication.
Mastering this skill set is crucial because it develops your ability to write with intention and to reflect critically on your own work. It also prepares you for the analytical demands of other parts of the course, such as the language investigation and the comparative essay. By the end of this assignment, you should be able to produce a polished piece of writing and articulate the reasoning behind your decisions.
Key Concepts
Core ideas you must understand for this topic
- →Drafting: The initial creation of a piece of writing, focusing on getting ideas down without worrying about perfection.
- →Redrafting: The iterative process of revising content, structure, and language to improve clarity, impact, and suitability for the audience and purpose.
- →Reflective commentary: A critical analysis of your own writing process, explaining the choices you made and how they align with your intentions.
- →Audience and purpose: Understanding who you are writing for and why, which guides every decision from vocabulary to sentence structure.
- →Register and tone: The level of formality and the emotional quality of the writing, which must be consistent and appropriate.
What You Need to Demonstrate
Key skills and knowledge for this topic
- Application of concepts relating to language variation to data from different time periods and modes
- Accurate use and application of linguistic terminology
- Critical evaluation of attitudes towards language and its users
- Analysis of how mode, field, function, and audience affect language choices
- Synthesis of language knowledge drawn from different areas of study
- Analysis of historical, geographical, social, and individual varieties of English
- Evaluation of the effect of language variation over time across frameworks (graphology, phonology, morphology, syntax, lexis, semantics, discourse)
Marking Points
Key points examiners look for in your answers
- Application of concepts relating to language variation to data from different time periods and modes
- Accurate use and application of linguistic terminology
- Critical evaluation of attitudes towards language and its users
- Analysis of how mode, field, function, and audience affect language choices
- Synthesis of language knowledge drawn from different areas of study
- Analysis of historical, geographical, social, and individual varieties of English
- Evaluation of the effect of language variation over time across frameworks (graphology, phonology, morphology, syntax, lexis, semantics, discourse)
Examiner Tips
Expert advice for maximising your marks
- 💡Ensure familiarity with the English phonemic reference sheet and transcription mark key provided in the exam
- 💡Use a descriptive approach to evaluate how language choices are affected by social and geographical factors
- 💡Focus on the development of English as a national language and the influences (cultural, social, political, technological) that have changed it over time
- 💡Practice comparative analysis for both 21st-century texts and texts from different historical periods
- 💡Ensure responses are extended and comparative in nature
- 💡Tip 1: Use your commentary to show off your knowledge of linguistic terminology. For example, instead of saying 'I changed this word to make it sound more formal,' say 'I replaced the colloquialism 'kids' with the more formal 'children' to establish a serious register.'
- 💡Tip 2: Ensure your final piece is clearly different from your initial draft. Examiners look for evidence of significant reworking, not just minor edits. Save all drafts to show the progression.
- 💡Tip 3: In the commentary, be specific about the effect of your changes. Use phrases like 'this creates a sense of urgency' or 'this establishes a conversational tone' to demonstrate your understanding of audience and purpose.
Common Mistakes
Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers
- Failure to use appropriate linguistic terminology accurately
- Lack of critical evaluation of attitudes towards language
- Inability to synthesise knowledge across different areas of study
- Superficial analysis of contextual factors (mode, field, function, audience)
- Inconsistent application of language frameworks to data
- Misconception: Redrafting is just about fixing spelling and grammar. Correction: While proofreading is part of redrafting, the main focus is on improving content, structure, and style to better achieve your purpose.
- Misconception: The commentary should describe what you did, not why. Correction: The commentary must explain the reasoning behind your choices, linking them to linguistic theory and the intended effect on the reader.
- Misconception: You should write your final draft first and then make minor tweaks. Correction: Effective redrafting involves multiple substantial revisions; your first draft is just a starting point.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions students ask about this topic
Before You Start
Prior knowledge that will help with this topic
- •Understanding of key linguistic concepts such as register, audience, purpose, and genre.
- •Familiarity with different types of non-fiction texts (e.g., articles, speeches, blogs) and their conventions.
- •Basic knowledge of how to structure a piece of writing for a specific audience and purpose.
Key Terminology
Essential terms to know
- Structural coherence and organizational cohesion
- Lexical precision and register adaptation
- Syntactic variety for rhetorical and stylistic effect
Likely Command Words
How questions on this topic are typically asked
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