G3 English Paper 2: comprehension and visual text

Paper 2 is comprehension — 50 marks, 35% of G3 English, 1 hour 50 minutes. It works across texts totalling around 1,200 words in three sections: a short visual-text section, a narrative passage, and a non-narrative text that ends with an 80-word summary.

Section A: short and visual texts

A brief opening section tests purpose, tone and a visual text (an advertisement, poster or notice), including a “Both / Neither” item that asks which of two texts a statement applies to. It rewards close, literal reading and an eye for how design and word choice signal purpose.

Section B: the narrative text

A narrative passage is tested with inference questions, “language for effect” (why a writer chose a particular word or image), and quotation-with-explanation. A distinctive G3 feature is the flow-chart completion task — choosing a word or phrase to summarise each stage of the passage — which checks that you've followed the structure, not just the words.

Section C: non-narrative text and summary

A non-narrative text (an issue or science article) is tested, ending with an 80-word summary written in your own words and bounded to named paragraphs. Lifting wholesale from the passage is penalised, so paraphrase is the trained skill. LearnUp's TRACE handles comprehension and the flow-chart, and BOIL drills the summary.

How to score Paper 2

Answer the question actually asked, in your own words for open-ended items; quote precisely and then explain the effect; and for the summary, select only relevant points and compress without copying. Timing matters — the summary is worth real marks, so leave room for it rather than over-running on earlier questions.