Revise
AQA: Paper 1 Phrase Bank
AQA: Paper 1 Phrase Bank Revision
AQA: Paper 1 Phrase Bank
So now that you know how to answer each question in Paper 1, the next step is to enhance your writing with some useful phrases.
Here you will find helpful phrases to:
- Link and contrast ideas
- Start paragraphs
- Introduce ideas
And many more! Including a variety of essay phrases will take your writing to the next level, and impress the examiner by demonstrating a high level of skill.
Starting a Paragraph and Introducing Ideas
In order to gain high marks on a question, it is important when writing to ensure that your answer has a structure as well as a focus.
By including one of the phrases below, you have signposted to the examiner that your answer has a beginning, which makes it easier for them to follow your point!
| Firstly… | One thing I want to highlight… |
| First of all… | One technique worth mentioning… |
| To start with… | It’s important to point out that… |
| I would argue… | The writer has used… |
For example…
In Question 2 of Paper 1, when you’re expected to analyse the writer’s use of language, a good opening paragraph might be:
“Firstly, the writer has used a simile to state that the bridge was ‘like a path to freedom’.”
The use of ‘Firstly’ improves the level of sophistication of your answer, meaning that you will be more likely to gain those extra marks!
Adding Information
When writing, you need to ensure that you write in a fluent, clear manner.
Below are some phrases to use when you need to expand or add new information on a point without disrupting the flow of your answer!
| Moreover… | Also… |
| Furthermore… | What’s more… |
| In addition… | In addition to what’s been said… |
| Additionally… | It could also be said that… |
For example…
In Question 3 of Paper 1, you have to analyse the writer’s use of structure, so a good phrase with which to add information might be:
“The writer has multiple short sentences to increase the tension within the extract. Furthermore, this choice of sentence length mimics the excitable manner in which Sir Rock speaks as he relays the news about the new drink on sale.”
The use of the word ‘furthermore‘ allows the answer to flow, improving the structure of the answer.
Linking Ideas
Throughout your answer, it is important to link sentences together, as well as whole paragraphs.
Linking sentences and paragraphs together to improve the fluency of your answer means that the examiner will find it easier to follow the points that you make.
On the left side of the table are the linking words that you should use when linking sentences together!
On the right side of the table are the linking words to use when linking paragraphs together!
| …and… | Another way in which the writer… |
| …but… | Another technique used by the writer… |
| …because… | Similarly… |
| …so… | Another reason why… |
For example…
In Question 2 of Paper 1, when you’re expected to analyse the writer’s use of language, a good opening to a following paragraph might be:
“… and this use of personification intensifies the sense that the man is not the sole living being in the forest, increasing the scariness of the extract.
Additionally, another technique used by the writer to emphasise the danger the man is in, is a metaphor.”
Can you see how the phrases, ‘and this use of’ and ‘Additionally’, link the two paragraphs together and makes it flow that little bit better?
Giving your Opinion
In Question 4 of Paper 1, you need to state whether you or not you agree with the quote given in the question.
That means that you have to give your own opinion.
Below are some opinion-based phrases which will take your writing to the next level!
| I agree… | I disagree… |
| I share the opinion of… | I’m not convinced by this point of view… |
| I support the viewpoint… | I don’t support this viewpoint… |
| I’m inclined to agree with… | I believe that this is an unfair representation… |
For example…
In Question 4 of in Paper 1, if you disagree with the quote in the question, it would be beneficial to provide a phrase like:
“I believe that the main reason for the man apologising was not because he was sorry, but because he was caught, meaning I disagree with the quote.”
By including an opinion phrase, ‘I disagree‘, in your answer, it shows the examiner that you have evaluated the source and come to a critical conclusion.
Analysing Language and Structure
To reach the high marks, you need to be able to analyse the texts in a detailed, critical way.
Using the below phrases will enable you to integrate your explanations and analysis in a more streamlined manner.
| This implies that… | This demonstrates that… |
| This suggests that… | This emphasises… |
| This connotes that… | This highlights… |
| This indicates that… | This elicits a sense of… |
| This exaggerates… | This intensifies… |
For example…
In Question 2 of Paper 1, when analysing the writer’s use of language in the source, an example sentence including an analytical phrase could be:
“The writer uses an idiom when stating that the woman felt ‘on top of the world’. This emphasises the woman’s happiness, allowing the reader to picture her emotions in a clearer, more relatable manner.”
Can you see how the use of the phrase, ‘This emphasises’, makes the transition between the answer’s point and its subsequent analysis clearer?
Sophisticated Swaps
To make your writing more sophisticated and formal, it is better to use the below phrases rather than common phrases that would be said in a less formal setting.
By using the below phrases, you have shown the examiner that you can adapt your use of language to suit the audience and purpose of the text!
| Because of this… | Consequently… |
| In this way… | Thus… |
| The writer means… | The writer implies… |
| as well… | in addition to… |
| and… | Not only… but also… |
For example…
In Question 3 of Paper 1, where you’re expected to analyse the writer’s use of structure, a sophisticated sentence could be:
“The writer of the extract not only uses a metaphor, but they also use a simile to create a vivid sense of imagery within the extract.”
Now compare the above sentence to the following sentence:
“The writer of the extract uses a metaphor and a simile to create a vivid sense of imagery within the extract.”
Can you see how swapping out the word ‘and’ for ‘not only…but also’ improves the level of formality and efficiency of your answer?
Concluding
For the longer mark answers, providing a conclusion will ensure that your answer is well-structured and rounded!
Use one of the below phrases to close off your answer nicely.
|
In conclusion… |
| This has led me to the conclusion… |
| All things considered… |
| Taking everything into account… |
| With this in mind… |
For example…
In Question 4 of Paper 1, you have to provide your own opinion in response to a quote, so a good conclusion might be:
“As a result, this has led me to the conclusion that the student was correct about the setting being portrayed as mysterious and sinister.”
Improving the level of formality, by using phrases such as ‘this has led me to the conclusion’ in your answer, will impress the examiner!
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