Exam-style question
Try this first
Which answer best distinguishes AO4 from AO5 in The Handmaid's Tale? Focus: AO1 argument, terminology and expression.
- A.Use AO4 to connect texts directly and AO5 to explore different evidence-supported interpretations of the literary text.
- B.Use AO4 for spelling and AO5 for personal preference about the characters.
- C.Write about each text separately for AO4 and add an unsupported opinion for AO5.
- D.Treat context, comparison and criticism as interchangeable evidence.
Model answer
What a good answer should say
- The correct answer is Use AO4 to connect texts directly and AO5 to explore different evidence-supported interpretations of the literary text.
Explanation
Why this works
Use AO4 to connect texts directly and AO5 to explore different evidence-supported interpretations of the literary text. This is correct because for A-Level 7717, AO4 is connection across texts and AO5 is engagement with different interpretations.
It supports the approved objective "Identify The Handmaid's Tale as an official set-text option." while avoiding invented quotations, plot summary, option mixing and unsupported interpretation.
Common mistake
The Handmaid's Tale literary-analysis mistake 1
Treating Identify The Handmaid's Tale as an official set-text option. as plot summary, unsupported opinion or a place to invent quotations, while blurring analysis vs plot summary.
Make an AO1 claim, use accurate textual evidence, analyse a method for AO2, add relevant AO3 context, connect texts for AO4 and test interpretations for AO5 only where the task requires them.