Understanding writers’ language

1.3 choices
Learning objectives Checkpoint progress test
7R01; 7Ri1; 7Rw1 • Paper 1, Section A

Differentiated learning outcomes Resources

• Lower: All students must use inference and deduction to • Student Book: pp. 14–17
work out meaning.
• Worksheet: 1.3
• Mid: Most students should identify similes and metaphors
in writing. • PPT: 1.3
• High: Some students could make an informed personal • Workbook links: Unit 1.3, p. 9–10
response, explaining the use of implicit and explicit meaning.

Introducing the skills

Before students answer Question 1, remind them that factual details are explicit –
they do not require readers to work out anything for themselves using inference or deduction.
Talk through the definition of these terms using the ‘Key terms’ panel on
page 14 of the Student Book to ensure students fully understand the tasks they will be doing in
this topic.
Ask students to write a list of emotions (sadness, anger, etc.). They should then create five
explicit statements using some of these emotions. Get students to write in the first person. For
example:
I was angry when my sister dropped my phone.
Ask students to swap their books. Using the five explicit statements their partner has written,
students should try to deduce something about that person’s character. Remind them that
deduction is adding up all the information in a text to find an overall meaning. So, a series of
statements about getting worried, anxious or upset might lead someone to deduce that their
partner is quite stressed.
Explain that writers often convey a lot of emotion in their work, but it is not always explicit.
Recap the difference between explicit and implicit meaning in writing using slide 1 in
PowerPoint 1.3. As a class, work through the examples on slide 2 to decide what emotion the
red words are implicitly suggesting.
Students should then read Jackie Kay’s description of her father and complete Questions 2–4,
looking for explicit and implicit meaning.

Give extra challenge by showing students the different sentence stems on slide 3, including Cambridge Checkpoint English
the example given in the Student Book, to allow them to develop their thoughts and
explanations of the meaning in the writing.

When students have finished these questions, ask them to complete Worksheet 1.3 to
consolidate their understanding of the skills practised so far.
As a homework task or quiet writing task at the end of a lesson, students could write a
description of themselves using both the explicit and implicit sentences on appearance and
emotion that they have created.

Developing the skills

Once students have completed Questions 5 and 6, get them to reinforce their understanding of
similes and metaphors by doing one or more of the following activities.
1 Choose one of the similes or metaphors in Question 5 and use it to write one paragraph of
a story that includes further similes and/or metaphors. Students could then swap their
Stage 7

work with a partner and identify these techniques in their partner’s writing.

© HarperCollinsPublishers 2016 1.3 Understanding writers’ language choices • 7

 2 Take each of the statements in Question 5 and change them from similes to metaphors or
vice versa.
3 Write five similes and/or metaphors about their own lives, their family, their school etc.

Applying the skills

In order to successfully analyse writers’ use of language and give an informed personal
response to a piece of writing, students need to look at individual words as well as how they
relate to one another. To help with this, spend some time reviewing the text in this section
before students answer Question 7. Focus on individual words and how they connect to build an
overall picture. For example, in the phrase nightmare of endless vehicles:
• The word ‘nightmare’ suggests that the situation is so bad that it seems unreal, like a dream.
Nightmares are often also quite frightening, which implies that this situation is quite alarming
for those experiencing it.
• The word ‘endless’ suggests that the situation is carrying on and on, and implies that this is
both boring and frustrating.
• Putting the two words together gives a sense that although you can usually wake up from a
nightmare, the scary part of this situation is that there seems to be no end. The writer is
eternally trapped behind a great number of other vehicles in the same predicament.
Students may find the sentence stems on slide 3 useful when completing Question 7.

Give extra support by working with students in small groups as they talk through their ideas
and plan their responses to Question 7. Listen to their discussions and offer guidance where
appropriate.

Plenary It is important that students understand how to check their own work and peer-assess each
other’s. Once they have completed Question 7, tell students swap books with a partner. Show
them slide 4 and ask them to use the list to check each other’s work. They could write the
numbers 1 to 6 at the bottom of the piece and mark each number with a tick or cross to
indicate whether it includes the stated evidence.
When they have completed the assessment, help students write comments for their partner to
help them improve their writing. They should give a comment, focusing on the point of
learning. Encourage students to avoid comments such as ‘well done’ or ‘very good’, which do
not offer advice. They should identify areas of strength and make ‘target’ suggestions on what
could be done to improve the writing.
Students should then swap back and spend 10 minutes revising their writing according to the
recommendations given by their partner.
Cambridge Checkpoint English
Stage 7

6 • 1.3 Understanding writers’ language choices © HarperCollinsPublishers 2016