Often in the English GCSE exam you are asked to compare two articles, evaluating which is the most effective for a particular purpose. Usually you will be directed to examine: PresentationLanguageContentThe following is a list of the sorts of things you should be looking for when commenting on a text. It is not an exhaustive list, but should cover the main areas. Remember that the key to getting a good mark is not identifying these things; it is your analysis of their purpose and effectiveness. Presentation Language Content Photographs; headlines and subheadings; Bullet points; illustrations; cartoons and diagrams; graphs and grids; Boxes; bold, italic, large or small type; upper case or fancy fonts, colour or black and white. Is it written in a genre/form such as a letter, or article? The Purpose of the writing is crucial. This can be to: Instruct; Persuade; Describe Inform; Entertain; Discuss. The purpose will affect whether the writing is Complex, technical or simple Formal or informal (such as using slang and abbreviations) Literal or poetic / figurative Factual/objective, or opinion based or emotive. Is the content fact-based or opinion-led? Is the piece detailed or short? Is the piece interesting or dull?