Reading: Non-fiction and Transactional Writing

What you'll learn

This guide covers everything you need for AQA GCSE English Language Paper 2, Section A (Reading non-fiction texts) and Section B (Transactional Writing). You'll master how to analyse non-fiction extracts from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, and produce effective transactional writing that communicates clearly for specific audiences and purposes.

Key terms and definitions

Non-fiction — Writing that presents factual information, real experiences, or attempts to persuade, inform or argue about real-world issues. Includes articles, letters, speeches, travel writing, memoirs and essays.

Transactional writing — Writing with a clear, practical purpose such as to argue, persuade, advise or inform. Typical forms include letters, articles, speeches, essays and reviews.

Inference — Reading between the lines to understand implied meanings that are not directly stated in the text.

Synthesis — Combining information or ideas from two different sources to show connections, patterns or differences.

Viewpoint — The writer's perspective, attitude or opinion on the subject they're writing about.

Tone — The overall mood or attitude conveyed through word choice, sentence structure and language features (e.g. formal, humorous, sarcastic, angry).

Register — The level of formality in language, determined by audience and purpose (formal, informal, or somewhere between).

Rhetorical devices — Techniques writers use to persuade or engage readers, including rhetorical questions, repetition, direct address, emotive language, and the rule of three.

Core concepts

Understanding Paper 2 structure

Paper 2 is called "Writers' Viewpoints and Perspectives" and lasts 1 hour 45 minutes. You'll receive two non-fiction sources from different time periods.

Section A: Reading (40 marks, approximately 1 hour)

• Question 1 (4 marks): Select true statements or identify specific information
• Question 2 (8 marks): Summarise differences or similarities between the two texts
• Question 3 (12 marks): Analyse how a writer uses language to achieve effects
• Question 4 (16 marks): Compare how writers convey attitudes or perspectives

Section B: Writing (40 marks, approximately 45 minutes)

• Question 5: Produce transactional writing for a specified audience, purpose and form

The sources typically include one 19th-century text and one modern text (20th or 21st century) on related themes.

Reading skills: Question 1 — Identifying information

This tests your ability to locate and retrieve explicit information quickly.

What to do:

• Read the question carefully to identify the specific focus
• Skim the indicated section for relevant details
• Select four true statements from a list of eight, or list four facts
• Quote directly or paraphrase briefly
• Spend approximately 5 minutes maximum

Common question formats:

• "Choose four statements that are TRUE"
• "List four things you learn about..."

No analysis required — just accurate retrieval of stated facts.

Reading skills: Question 2 — Synthesis and summary

This tests your ability to synthesise information from both sources and identify differences or similarities.

What to do:

• Read both sources with the question focus in mind
• Identify relevant points from Source A and Source B
• Make clear, distinct points showing difference or similarity
• Use supporting evidence but keep quotations brief
• Write in continuous prose, not a list
• Aim for 8-10 minutes

Effective structure:

"Source A presents... whereas Source B shows... In Source A, the writer describes... However, in Source B... Additionally, Source A focuses on... while Source B emphasises..."

Assessment Objectives tested:

• AO1: Select and synthesise evidence from different texts
• Use inference where appropriate but prioritise clear differences/similarities

Reading skills: Question 3 — Language analysis

This question asks you to analyse how the writer uses language to achieve specific effects, focusing on a section from one source.

What to do:

• Identify the writer's intended effect or perspective stated in the question
• Select specific words, phrases or language features
• Analyse connotations, associations and effects on the reader
• Link analysis back to the question focus
• Write 2-3 detailed paragraphs
• Spend approximately 12-15 minutes

Language features to consider:

• Word choice (vocabulary, connotations, semantic fields)
• Imagery (metaphors, similes, personification)
• Sound patterns (alliteration, sibilance, onomatopoeia)
• Sentence forms (questions, exclamations, minor sentences)
• Figurative language
• Emotive language

Effective analysis pattern:

1. Identify the technique or word choice
2. Quote precisely
3. Explain the connotations or associations
4. Link to the effect on the reader
5. Connect to the writer's viewpoint/perspective

Example: "The writer describes the landscape as 'ravaged,' a verb with violent connotations that suggests destructive force. This creates a sense of devastation and positions the reader to view the environmental damage as an aggressive attack on nature."

Reading skills: Question 4 — Comparing perspectives

The highest-value reading question requires you to compare how both writers convey their different attitudes, perspectives or viewpoints.

What to do:

• Identify each writer's perspective or attitude clearly
• Compare methods used (language and structure)
• Maintain comparison throughout your answer
• Support points with textual evidence
• Write 3-4 developed comparative paragraphs
• Spend approximately 20 minutes

Methods to compare:

• Language choices (word choice, imagery, tone)
• Structural features (text openings, endings, paragraph focus, sentence variety)
• Rhetorical devices (repetition, direct address, rhetorical questions, lists)
• Use of evidence or anecdote
• Presentation of counterarguments

Comparative discourse markers:

• Similarly/Likewise/In the same way
• However/Whereas/In contrast/Conversely
• Both writers.../While Source A..., Source B...
• More/less [formal/emotional/personal]

Strong comparative structure:

"Both writers employ direct address, but to different effects. Source A uses second-person pronouns ('you must consider') to create an accusatory, confrontational tone that challenges the reader. Conversely, Source B's use of 'we' and 'our' establishes solidarity and shared responsibility, positioning the writer alongside the reader rather than in opposition."

Transactional writing: Planning and structure

Question 5 requires you to produce a piece of transactional writing worth 24 marks for content/organisation and 16 marks for technical accuracy.

Forms you might be asked to write:

• Letter (formal or informal)
• Article (newspaper, magazine, website)
• Speech
• Essay
• Review
• Leaflet

Essential planning steps (5 minutes):

1. Identify your audience (who are you writing for?)
2. Clarify your purpose (argue, persuade, advise, inform?)
3. Note your form (which affects structure and register)
4. Generate 5-6 key ideas or arguments
5. Plan a logical sequence

Structural elements for each form:

Article: Headline, strapline/subheading, opening paragraph that hooks the reader, developed middle paragraphs, memorable conclusion

Letter: Address, greeting (Dear...), introduction, developed middle paragraphs, conclusion, sign-off (Yours sincerely/faithfully/appropriate informal ending), signature

Speech: Direct address to audience, engaging opening, clear structure with signposting, rhetorical devices, powerful conclusion

Essay: Clear introduction stating viewpoint, topic sentences, developed paragraphs, balanced consideration of perspectives, conclusion

Transactional writing: Effective techniques

To achieve higher marks, your writing must be convincing, engaging and technically accurate.

AO5: Content and Organisation (24 marks)

Effective techniques include:

• Rhetorical questions to engage readers and emphasise points
• Anecdote (brief relevant stories) to illustrate arguments
• Statistics or facts to provide evidence (can be plausible inventions)
• Direct address ('you', 'we') to connect with audience
• Emotive language to influence feelings
• Counterarguments acknowledged and rebutted
• Rule of three for emphasis and rhythm
• Varied sentence structures for effect
• Topic sentences that introduce paragraph focus clearly
• Discourse markers for cohesion (Furthermore, However, Consequently)

AO6: Technical Accuracy (16 marks)

• Accurate spelling, including ambitious vocabulary
• Consistent punctuation, including semicolons and colons
• Varied sentence structures (simple, compound, complex)
• Paragraphing with clear topic changes
• Standard English throughout
• Appropriate register maintained

Tone and register considerations:

Formal contexts (letters to authorities, broadsheet articles, formal speeches): sophisticated vocabulary, complex sentences, third person or inclusive 'we', no contractions, measured tone

Informal contexts (letters to peers, magazine articles for young people): conversational vocabulary, varied sentence lengths including shorter punchy sentences, personal pronouns, occasional contractions acceptable, warmer tone

Worked examples

Example 1: Question 2 — Synthesis

Question: You need to refer to Source A and Source B for this question. The two sources describe different experiences of city life. Use details from both sources to write a summary of the differences between the experiences described.

Sample response (extract):

"Source A presents city life as overwhelming and alienating, whereas Source B portrays it as energising and full of opportunity. In Source A, the writer describes feeling 'lost among the crowds,' suggesting isolation despite being surrounded by people. However, in Source B, the crowds represent 'endless possibilities,' presenting human density as positive rather than oppressive. Additionally, Source A focuses on the 'relentless noise' and 'exhaust fumes' that assault the senses, whilst Source B emphasises the 'vibrant street music' and 'aromatic food stalls' that engage the senses pleasurably. The pace of life also differs: Source A's writer feels 'swept along' passively by the 'rushing commuters,' but Source B's writer actively 'navigates' the streets, suggesting control and purpose."

Why this works:

• Clear comparative structure with discourse markers
• Specific evidence from both sources
• Inference about differences (isolation vs. opportunity, passive vs. active)
• Focused on the question (different experiences)

Example 2: Question 3 — Language analysis

Question: How does the writer use language to describe the storm? You should comment on: words and phrases, language features and techniques, sentence forms.

Source extract: "The wind screamed through the valley, tearing at the ancient oaks as if they were saplings. Rain hammered the earth with furious intensity. Nature, so long peaceful, had transformed into something vengeful and unforgiving."

Sample response (extract):

"The writer personifies the wind, describing it as 'screamed,' a verb typically associated with human terror or rage. This creates an atmosphere of violence and danger, positioning the storm as a threatening, almost conscious force. The personification continues with 'tearing,' suggesting deliberate aggression, whilst the simile 'as if they were saplings' emphasises the storm's power by reducing mighty 'ancient oaks' to fragile young trees, making the reader recognise the overwhelming force of nature.

The verb 'hammered' intensifies the sense of violent attack, with its connotations of repeated, forceful blows. Combined with the adverbial phrase 'furious intensity,' this creates a relentless, angry tone that positions the reader to feel the storm's power viscerally. The short, declarative sentence 'Rain hammered the earth with furious intensity' mirrors the sharp, sudden impact of the rainfall itself, creating a structural echo of the content."

Why this works:

• Precise terminology (personification, simile, verb, adverbial phrase)
• Clear identification of specific words and techniques
• Explanation of connotations and associations
• Effect on reader explicitly stated
• Links to writer's overall perspective

Example 3: Question 5 — Transactional writing

Question: "Young people today spend too much time on social media and not enough time experiencing real life." Write an article for a broadsheet newspaper in which you argue for or against this statement.

Sample opening paragraphs:

Headline: The Digital Debate: Are We Missing Real Life?

Strapline: Social media's critics claim young people are wasting their lives online — but the reality is far more nuanced.

Walk into any café, bus or waiting room and you'll witness the familiar scene: heads bowed, fingers scrolling, faces illuminated by smartphone screens. For many commentators, this represents a generation lost to digital distraction, sacrificing genuine human connection for virtual validation. However, this narrative oversimplifies a complex reality and unfairly dismisses the legitimate ways young people engage with the world through technology.

Firstly, the assertion that social media time cannot constitute "real life" reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of modern existence. When a teenager organises a climate protest through Instagram, connects with family members abroad via WhatsApp, or develops coding skills through YouTube tutorials, are these experiences less authentic than their offline equivalents? The arbitrary division between digital and physical experience ignores how thoroughly technology has integrated into every aspect of contemporary life, from education to employment to activism.

Why this works:

• Clear article structure (headline, strapline, paragraphs)
• Engaging opening with visual description
• Direct engagement with the question
• Sophisticated vocabulary and complex sentences (broadsheet register)
• Rhetorical question to challenge assumptions
• Discourse marker ('Firstly') signals structured argument
• Clear viewpoint established

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Question 2 (Synthesis):

• Mistake: Writing about each source separately rather than comparing throughout
• Solution: Use comparative discourse markers in every sentence (whereas, however, while)

Question 3 (Language analysis):

• Mistake: Identifying techniques without analysing effects (e.g., "The writer uses a metaphor")
• Solution: Always explain connotations and impact on the reader; link to the writer's viewpoint

Question 4 (Comparison):

• Mistake: Only discussing language or only discussing structure
• Solution: Compare methods, which includes both language choices and structural features

All reading questions:

• Mistake: Retelling what happens rather than analysing how or why
• Solution: Focus on the writer's choices and their effects, not just content

Question 5 (Transactional writing):

• Mistake: Ignoring the specified form, audience or purpose
• Solution: Spend 30 seconds highlighting these in the question; check them during writing

Question 5 (Transactional writing):

• Mistake: Planning for too long or not at all
• Solution: Strict 5-minute planning time; jot down 5-6 key points and sequence them

Exam technique for Reading: Non-fiction and Transactional Writing

Understand command words:

• List/Choose: Simple retrieval, no analysis needed
• Summarise: Synthesise key points, compare sources
• How does the writer...: Analyse methods (language and structure) and effects
• Compare: Discuss both texts throughout, using comparative language
• Write: Produce a complete piece in the specified form for stated audience/purpose

Time management strategy:

• Question 1: 5 minutes
• Question 2: 10 minutes
• Question 3: 12-15 minutes
• Question 4: 18-20 minutes
• Question 5: 45 minutes (5 minutes planning, 35 minutes writing, 5 minutes checking)

Mark allocation awareness:

• Each mark in reading questions typically requires a distinct point with evidence
• Question 5: 24 marks for content/organisation (quality of ideas, structure, discourse markers) + 16 marks for accuracy (SPaG)
• Higher marks require sustained sophistication, not just occasional good points

Answer structure for analysis (Q3 and Q4):

• Use the PEEL structure: Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link to question
• Embed quotations within your sentences; avoid "This is shown by the quote..."
• Write in paragraphs, not bullet points or lists

Quick revision summary

Paper 2 tests your ability to read non-fiction critically and write for specific purposes. Master retrieval (Q1), synthesis of two sources (Q2), language analysis with precise terminology (Q3), and comparison of perspectives using methods (Q4). For transactional writing (Q5), match your form, audience and purpose exactly. Plan for 5 minutes, use persuasive techniques, maintain appropriate register, and leave time to check accuracy. Always support points with evidence, analyse effects not just techniques, and compare throughout comparative questions. Time management separates good responses from excellent ones.