WS-1 Writing to describe, narrate, explain, instruct, inform and argue Quiz: AQA English Language, Unit 3

The 20 questions

1. Which purpose does a text written to 'argue' most typically have?

   • To give a set of step-by-step instructions so that the reader can complete a practical task
   • To tell a sequence of events that happened to the writer in the past, in chronological order
   • To put forward a point of view and persuade the reader to accept a particular position on an issue
   • To describe the physical features of a place so that the reader can picture it in detail

2. A writer wants to instruct readers how to plant seeds. Which form and features suit this purpose best?

   • A dialogue between two characters who argue about whether the seeds will grow or not at all
   • Numbered or imperative steps, short clear sentences and a logical order from start to finish
   • Rhetorical questions and emotive appeals designed to make the reader feel guilty about gardening
   • Long, flowing sentences with rich metaphors and a first-person account of the writer's feelings

3. Which feature is most typical of writing to describe?

   • A list of statistics and sources used to support a claim about a current social issue overall
   • A set of counter-arguments that are then refuted to show that the writer's position is stronger
   • A numbered sequence of steps that the reader must follow in the correct order to complete a task
   • Sensory vocabulary and figurative language that help the reader picture the scene clearly

4. Which purpose is best served by a formal letter of complaint to a company?

   • To list the steps needed to assemble a product that the company has sold to the complainant
   • To explain a grievance clearly and request a specific response, in a polite but firm register
   • To describe the scenery of the shop's neighbourhood so the reader can imagine walking through it
   • To entertain the reader with a comic story about a shopping trip that went badly wrong one day

5. When writing to inform, which is the best approach?

   • Writing in a highly personal diary style that focuses on the writer's thoughts and private feelings
   • Presenting clear, accurate facts in a logical order, with headings or paragraphs that organise them
   • Using emotional language to make the reader feel strongly about the topic before any facts appear
   • Asking the reader only questions so that they reach the answer through their own reflection alone

6. A writer is asked to write a narrative about a lost dog. Which feature is essential?

   • A balanced argument for and against keeping dogs as pets in cities, with evidence from experts
   • A catalogue of the dog's breeds, colours and sizes, presented as a reference for the reader
   • A numbered list of instructions that tells the reader how to search for a dog in the local area
   • A sequence of events told with a clear beginning, development and ending that engages the reader

7. Which writing purpose is best matched to a travel article that makes readers want to visit a town?

   • To argue that the town should be closed to visitors because of its limited capacity to cope
   • To instruct the reader on the legal requirements for driving a car into the town centre safely
   • To describe and persuade, using vivid detail and an appealing tone to encourage the reader to visit
   • To explain a scientific process step by step so that the reader understands how it happens clearly

8. Which is the best way to match form to purpose in a response to 'write a letter to the head teacher'?

   • Use a list of bullet points with no greeting, since formal letters should never contain sentences
   • Use a formal layout with a greeting, clear paragraphs and a suitably respectful register throughout
   • Use a poem with rhyming couplets so that the head teacher enjoys reading the response aloud
   • Use a text message style with abbreviations and emojis so that the message feels modern and brief

9. Which feature would be most appropriate in a speech intended to persuade an audience?

   • A question-and-answer format with no statement of position, leaving the audience to draw conclusions
   • A glossary of technical terms with definitions, so that listeners can look up any words they miss
   • Direct address, rhetorical questions and emotive language that engage listeners and build a case
   • A timeline of events with exact dates, presented without any comment on their significance at all

10. Which sentence best matches the purpose of writing to narrate?

    • The dog ran through the field, and when the rain began, the children finally found it under the hedge
    • To look after a dog, first fill the bowl, then brush the coat, and finally check the collar for wear
    • A dog's coat has three layers, each with a special function that helps it survive in cold weather
    • Dogs should be kept on a lead in every public park, because they can cause harm to other animals

11. A text 'explains' how a volcano erupts. Which feature best suits this purpose?

    • A personal diary entry that records the writer's emotions as the mountain begins to rumble and shake
    • A logical sequence of cause and effect, with technical terms defined clearly for the reader
    • A series of rhetorical questions that ask the reader to imagine the terror of the eruption itself
    • A dialogue between two scientists who disagree about the volcano and refuse to reach a conclusion

12. Which purpose does a review usually combine?

    • Telling a story about a character who buys a product and then has a series of adventures
    • Giving step-by-step instructions for using the product in the home so that it is set up correctly
    • Giving information about a product or performance together with the writer's evaluation of it
    • Giving only a list of facts about a product, with no opinion or evaluation offered at any point

13. Which is the best description of a 'viewpoint' piece of writing?

    • A text that describes a physical landscape in detail, with no reference to any opinion held by the writer
    • A text that presents the writer's own position on an issue and supports it with reasons and examples
    • A text that gives an account of a sequence of events from the perspective of a neutral observer
    • A text that lists the positions of several other people without offering any view of its own at all

14. A writer must describe a busy market for a magazine. Which feature best achieves the purpose?

    • Multi-sensory detail such as smells, noise and colour, arranged in a clear spatial order
    • A statement that the market should be shut down, supported by facts about the traffic it causes
    • A set of directions showing the reader how to reach the market from the station on foot
    • A numbered list of the stallholders and their opening hours, with no description of the setting

15. What is the main function of a 'call to action' in persuasive writing?

    • To tell a personal story from the writer's childhood to give the text a sense of warmth
    • To explain the scientific process behind a phenomenon so the reader understands it fully
    • To describe the physical details of the setting so that the reader can picture the place clearly
    • To urge the reader to do something specific in response to the argument that has been made

16. Which register is most suitable for an article written for a school newsletter aimed at parents?

    • A friendly but clear register that is accessible and informative, without slang or excessive jargon
    • A slangy register using text speak and emojis, so that the article feels relaxed and very modern
    • An aggressive register that challenges parents to justify every decision they have made about school
    • A highly technical register full of specialist terms that most parents would be unable to follow

17. Which feature best helps a writer to 'inform' a reader about a new scientific discovery?

    • Listing rhetorical questions about the discovery so that the reader feels curious but learns little
    • Presenting the discovery as a debate in which the reader must decide who is right and who is wrong
    • Explaining the discovery in order, defining key terms and giving accurate, checkable details
    • Describing the discovery only through an emotional story about a scientist who felt joy that day

18. Which example best shows writing to 'give and respond to information'?

    • A story about a group of friends who travel to a distant island for an adventure of their own
    • An essay that argues that cities should ban cars entirely, supported by statistics about pollution
    • A description of a painting that focuses on its colours, shapes and the emotions it provokes
    • A reply to an email that answers the questions asked and provides the requested details clearly

19. A piece of writing aims to 'describe, narrate, explain, instruct, inform and argue'. What does this list show?

    • That a writer must select a purpose and adapt form, vocabulary and structure to suit it
    • That every text must include all six purposes in equal measure to be considered successful
    • That the purposes are interchangeable, so the same features can be used for any of them
    • That only the argument purpose matters, because the other purposes are mere decoration

20. Which feature is most likely to make a text 'argue' effectively for a school to change its uniform policy?

    • A narrative about a pupil who wore the wrong uniform and felt sad about it at school one day
    • Clear reasons backed by evidence, alongside an acknowledgement of counter-arguments that is then rebutted
    • A set of instructions for ordering new uniform items from the shop each term in the correct order
    • A list of the uniform colours in the school, with no reasons given to support the proposed change

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