Key points
For OCR, Leave Taking, is part of Paper 2: Exploring modern and literary heritage texts.
You will be presented with a question in two parts and with two extracts.
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Remember
As part of your revision, spend time practising planning answers and writing within the time limit.
This will help to build your confidence for the final exam.
GCSE exam-style question
Exam format
In the OCR exam on Leave Taking, which is part of Paper 2: Exploring modern and literary heritage texts, you will be presented with a question in two parts and with two extracts.
Part (a) will ask you to compare an extract from Leave Taking with an extract from another modern ‘unseen’ play.
Part (b) will ask you to answer a linked question on Leave Taking only. You can use the extract to help you.
In this guide, we will focus on writing about Leave Taking using an extract (Part b). At the end of the guide, you can find further support on how to compare texts and how to write about ‘unseen’ extracts (Part a).
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Exam top tip
It is a good idea to spend a few minutes planning your answer before you start writing. You should identify the key words and plan out some of your main points.
You could plan using bullet points or a mind-map, or any other way that you find useful.
Example question
Explore how family members behave towards each other in this extract.
VIV: She was the last of our grandparents. Imagine that, a whole generation gone, and we never met any of them. Never even seen a photograph…
DEL: That’s life isn’t it? What you doing here anyway? Shouldn’t you be sitting some exam?
VIV: 9 a.m. English Literature. Paper One.
DEL: So, you’d better get a move on. You’re late.
VIV: I’ve already been.
DEL: That was quick. You are a clever girl.
VIV: I walked out.
DEL: What?
VIV: My one act of rebellion and I’m shitting myself.
DEL: Why did you do that? Didn’t your answers come up?
VIV: Oh, I knew all the answers. Pat me on the head and they all come tumbling out, say exactly what the examiners want to hear. But no matter how hard I search for myself in them books, I’m never there.
DEL: And where’s walking out gonna get you? A job in a factory?
VIV: Me and those teachers don’t speak the same lingo. Things I feel they haven’t got words for. I need another language to express myself.
DEL: Go back to school and sit that exam.
VIV: It’s too late. I failed it now.
DEL: You’re bright. You’ll make up the marks in the next paper.
VIV: I thought you of all people would understand.
Activity: Inspecting the question
Before you start writing your answer, make sure you understand the question properly by asking yourself some questions.
1. What are the key words in the question?
Explore how family members behave towards each other in this extract.
‘E³æ±è±ô´Ç°ù±ð’ – This word tells you to look at the writer’s choice of language and techniques. What tools have they used?
‘Family members’ – The question focuses on multiple characters.
‘Towards each other’ – Think about the relationships between characters, not what they do on their own.
2. What are some important moments involving family?
You might choose to write about:
Enid, Viv and Del visiting Mai at the start of the play
Enid and Del’s argument
Enid’s comments about her sister Cynthia and when she tells Viv about her Jamaican childhood
Viv giving Del the money Enid saved for Viv’s university studies
Del giving Enid a reading at the end of the play.
3. How do family relationships change throughout the play?
You might choose to write about:
Enid’s anxiety about Del and her protectiveness towards Viv
Del’s increasing rebellion against Enid
Enid’s resentment towards her sister, Cynthia, turning to guilt after their mother’s death
Viv’s attempts to look after Del
Enid’s conflicting feelings about her Jamaican relatives and her husband
Del embracing her role of older sister role towards the end of the play and To settle an argument and go back to being friendly. with Enid in the final scene.
Looking at the extract
In the exam, the extract from the play will have been chosen to help you answer the question and to shape your argument.
It is a good idea to briefly Add notes with some explanation or comment. the extract before you write your answer. This can help you focus your ideas and show you which quotations you could use as supporting evidence.
Some quotations that you might choose to focus on from the extract above are:
Imagine that, a whole generation gone…
This is a hyperbole (an exaggeration). Viv feels regret at never meeting her grandma.
9 a.m. English Literature. Paper One.
Pauses created by the full stops suggest Viv's uncertainty at revealing to Del that she has left the exam.
That was quick. You are a clever girl.
This suggests a mocking tone. Del knows that being "clever" is what separates her from Viv.
And where’s walking out gonna get you?
Del asks "Why did you do that? Didn’t your answers come up?" and then "And where’s walking out gonna get you? A job in a factory?" Her repeated questions show disbelief and anger at Viv's actions.
Things I feel they haven’t got words for.
Viv refers to her teachers and "those" and "they". Her repeated use of third person pronouns shows the distance between Viv and her teachers.
Go back to school and sit that exam.
Imperative verbs (commands) suggest Del trying to reassert herself as the older sibling.
Assessment Objectives
Your exam response will be marked using Assessment Objectives (AOs).
The ones for this question are below.
| What is the objective? | How do I do well? |
|---|---|
| AO1: The quality of your ideas, understanding of the text and use of supporting evidence | Stay focused on the question and show that you understand the text and the writer’s messages well. Use evidence clearly and carefully to support your answer. |
| AO2: Analysis of the writer’s methods and effects | Explain how the writer uses different tools to create meaning. - Use the correct language to explain these techniques and their effects on the audience. |
| AO3: Use of contextual ideas to support your argument | When it’s relevant, refer to context points that support your answer. These can be social, historical or biographical. |
Structuring your answer
At the start of your answer, it is helpful to have a short introduction. An effective introduction should give a summary of the ideas you are about to present, and link to the question and the writer’s message.
After your introduction, each paragraph should include:
A topic sentence, which uses some of the language of the question, to introduce your argument
Evidence that supports your argument
Analysis of the effects of language or dramatic techniques
A final sentence that acts as a mini-summary.
An awareness of the writer’s purpose is important. You should also remember to include references to context when they are relevant to the point you are making.
You could include a short conclusion at the end of your answer to summarise the points you have made.
Activity
Example answers
Read and compare these two sample answers to the question:
Example answer 1
Viv and Del behave in different ways in this extract and in the rest of the play. At first Viv seems like she is quite calm as she is talking about the past. We see this when she says "a whole generation gone".
Then when Del asks her about her exam Viv seems to be stressed and feels she has to defend herself. Del asks her a lot of questions repeatedly, showing that she can’t believe what she is hearing, but this puts more pressure on Viv. At the start of the play, Viv was hard-working and obedient but now she has done something rebellious, and she expects Del to support her, when she says "I thought you of all people would understand".
However, Del takes back the big sister role and needs to remind Viv of the consequences of her actions. Del commands Viv to "go back to school and sit that exam". This direct sentence shows that Del is being honest but also taking responsibility. It reminds the audience that Viv is still young, but her sister is older and wiser and wants Viv to avoid making the same mistakes she did.
Feedback
There is some focus on the question but there could be more explanation, instead of describing what happens.
The answer includes some good quotations and references to the writer’s methods, but more detail is needed on the effects of those methods.
The answer does not consider why Viv is acting the way she is.
Example answer 2
In this extract, Viv and Del are presented as having a typical sibling relationship, where they can be both open and argumentative with each other. Viv’s language is quite tentative at first, and Pinnock uses the hyperbole of "a whole generation gone" to suggest that Viv is thinking about her ancestors and what her future could be like. Viv’s pauses imply that she is uncertain about Del’s reaction to what she is about to say, as this is her "one act of rebellion" – the singular "one" implies that Viv is aware of how Del will recognise this as a dramatic change in her character.
By contrast, Del is more direct, as her questions imply that she is in disbelief but also pressuring Viv into explaining the change in her attitude. Despite Viv’s protests, Del reclaims the role of the older sibling, with the imperatives in "go back to school and sit that exam" reminding Viv of the consequences of her actions.
When Viv replies, "I thought you of all people would understand", Pinnock is using an accusing tone to suggest to the audience that what Viv thinks she needs is sisterly reassurance, not criticism. However, it is clear to the audience that Del is not being cruel: she is taking responsibility. She is older and wiser and wants Viv to avoid making the same mistakes she did.
Comparing with 'unseen' texts
Your OCR exam will also ask you to compare Leave Taking with an extract from another, ‘unseen’ text.
See Bitesize for more support on how to read an 'unseen' extract or structure a comparative essay response.
More on Leave Taking
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