How to compare in Question 4

The weather has been lovely recently, and because of that, I thought it would be lovely to do something useful in the lead-up to AQA Language Paper 2. For the next 10 days, I will be writing a short Substack post each day, taking you through some of the things students often misunderstand or lose marks on in the exam.

So, enjoy, and subscribe if you would like to follow the series and avoid missing the posts before the paper.

Today, we are starting with Question 4.

“Question 4” is worth 16 marks, and from 2026, it asks something slightly different from what students may be used to. For years, the question asked students to compare how the two writers conveyed their “attitudes”, but the new wording asks you to comment on the “methods” each writer uses to present a “viewpoint”.

This means that although comparison remains central, the emphasis has shifted slightly. The question still asks you to move between two sources, but the examiner wants to see that you understand each writer’s viewpoint first, before you begin comparing the methods they use.

The mistake I see all the time is that students, treat “Question 4” as a technique hunt, and they end up writing things like, “Both writers use rhetorical questions” OR “Both writers use emotive language.”

A stronger answer goes beyond naming methods and begins with meaning, because “Question 4” is about perspective first. Ask yourself, ‘‘What does each writer think? What does each writer feel? What attitude are they presenting towards the subject? Where do the two writers agree, and where do they diverge?’’

Once you understand this, the methods and techniques start to matter, because method is the vehicle through which the writer’s viewpoint reaches the reader. In other words, you should lead with the why, then show the how.

Let me show you what I mean. If let’s say you were given the following extracts:

Source A:“A child indulged is a child betrayed. Firmness, soberly and consistently applied, is the truest kindness a guardian can offer the young.”

Source B: “I have stopped issuing orders to my daughter. When I treat her as someone capable of reason, she reasons; the rules she keeps best are the ones she helped to make.”

A Grade 9 comparison might sound like this:

‘‘Both writers believe they are acting in a child’s best interests, but they have very different ideas of what “care” looks like. In Source A, the Victorian writer presents care as discipline, and the phrase “a child indulged is a child betrayed” has the force of a moral judgement, suggesting that leniency is failure dressed as kindness. By contrast, Source B presents care as trust, as the modern parent’s reference to her daughter as “someone capable of reason” suggests a more collaborative relationship, where the child is treated as a thinking person rather than a subject to be controlled. The methods reflect the difference in viewpoint, because Source A relies on the authority of a maxim, as though the writer is handing down a rule, while Source B relies on personal experience, making the argument feel more humane and lived.’’

I have used “PEEL” here, but in a slightly more developed way. The point is the comparison of the two viewpoints, the evidence comes from both sources, the explanation analyses how the methods shape meaning, and the link keeps returning to the difference between the writers’ minds. That is what a strong “Question 4” answer needs to do: compare ideas, use evidence carefully, analyse method, and keep both sources in conversation throughout the paragraph.

 

The Night Before Language Paper 2

If you would like to know how to write like this in the exam, I will be teaching this in the “Night Before Language Paper 2” class. In this class, I will walk you through how to approach EVERY question, how to build answers that feel controlled rather than panicked, and how to use frameworks like “PEEL” in a way that actually earns marks rather than making your writing sound formulaic. If you are interested, it’s on Thursday 4 June at 5pm to 8pm.

If join the class, you will get:

✅ A walkthrough of every question on the AQA Language Paper 2 exam
✅ A clear framework to help you answer ALL five questions
✅ Guidance on what examiners are looking for
✅ Timing strategies for the full paper
✅ Model answers to revise from
✅ The full lesson recording to rewatch before bed

Keen to know more?

🔸 You can get more info here: firstratetutors.com/paper2

🔸 If you have any questions, you can always email me or text me on 07757 274094.

xxx,
Barbara