## **Learning Outcomes**

By the end of this revision, you will be able to summarise similarities and differences across two non-fiction texts from different centuries, selecting precise evidence and making clear comparative inferences about writers’ viewpoints and perspectives (AO1) and how context shapes those viewpoints (AO3).

## **AQA GCSE English Language 8700 Syllabus**

Paper 2 (1 hour 45 minutes, 80 marks) asks you to read two linked non-fiction texts (one 19th century; one modern) and compare ideas and perspectives clearly and accurately.

- AO1: Identify and interpret explicit and implicit information; select and synthesise evidence from different texts
- AO3: Compare writers' ideas and perspectives, and how these are conveyed, across two texts
- Question 2 (8 marks, ~10 minutes): summarise similarities or differences using both sources — this is where summary skills are tested most directly
- Question 4 (16 marks, ~20 minutes): compare viewpoints and methods across both texts — summary skills support stronger comparisons here too

## **Test Your Knowledge**

_Answer without looking back at the texts first._

1. What does it mean to “synthesise” information from two sources?
2. What is the difference between a “difference in viewpoint” and a “difference in method”?
3. Why is it useful to write an overview sentence before your comparison points?
4. Give one reason a 19th-century writer might sound more formal than a 21st-century writer.
5. What is a common mistake students make when summarising two texts?

## **Introduction**

Summarising similarities and differences is a core skill in Paper 2 because the exam rewards students who can combine information from both sources into a clear, comparative response. The key is to avoid retelling each text separately. Instead, you should make paired points that show what is similar/different, supported by short quotations.

> **Key Term: synthesis**
> Combining relevant information from both texts into a single, coherent comparison.
>
> **Key Term: viewpoint**
> What the writer thinks or believes about the topic.
>
> **Key Term: inference**
> A logical conclusion drawn from evidence in the text, going beyond what is directly stated.

A strong summary does three things: it stays focused on the question, it uses evidence from _both_ texts, and it makes an inference (what the detail suggests about the writer/subject), not just a surface statement.

## **Understanding what “summary” really means (AO1)**

In Paper 2, summary questions (often Question 2) are not asking for a full recap of each text. They want a selection of the most relevant differences or similarities, written in your own words, with brief supporting evidence.

### What examiners reward in AO1 summaries

- Clear comparative statements (paired ideas)
- Relevant, precise evidence from both sources
- Inferences about what details suggest (implicit meaning)
- A range of points (not repeating the same idea)

### A simple structure that works

Use 3–4 comparative points. For each point:

- Make a comparison statement (difference or similarity)
- Add a short quote from Source A
- Add a short quote from Source B
- Explain what this shows (inference)

### **Worked Example 1.1**

**Task:** Summarise the differences between the writers’ attitudes to helping orphans (19th-century letter vs modern diary).

Point 1 (attitude to responsibility):  
Source A presents helping as a moral obligation, shown by the firm modal verb in “we must” and the claim it is “our duty”. In contrast, Source B resists personal responsibility, arguing “it shouldn’t be my job” and shifting blame to “Their government”.

Point 2 (reaction to poverty):  
Source A is shocked by what she sees, saying she was “simply astonished” and “nothing could have prepared” her, suggesting sheltered expectations. Source B is saddened but not surprised, describing it as “really sad” yet “not really that surprising”, implying the writer expects deprivation in that area.

This is effective because each point directly contrasts the writers and uses short evidence from both.

### **Exam Warning**

Do not write two separate mini-summaries (one for A, one for B). If your paragraphs don't _link_ the texts, you limit yourself to lower levels. Level 3 (5–6 marks) requires "secure synthesis" and Level 4 (7–8 marks) requires "perceptive synthesis and interpretation". Question 2 does not require language analysis (that is Question 3) — focus on _what_ is said and implied, not on identifying techniques.

## **Comparing ideas and perspectives across centuries (AO3)**

AO3 is about comparison, but it is also about _why_ viewpoints differ. When texts are from the 19th and 21st centuries, context often explains differences in tone, assumptions, and values.

### What to look for in 19th vs 21st century non-fiction

- Social attitudes (class, gender roles, government responsibility)
- Expected “voice” (formal letter vs informal diary/article)
- Assumptions about duty, charity, and authority
- How directly the writer addresses the reader

Context should support your comparison, not replace it. You still need evidence from the text.

### **Worked Example 2.1**

**Task:** Summarise differences in views about marriage roles (19th-century magazine vs 21st-century article).

Source A argues for a traditional hierarchy: the wife should be “amenable” and “silent” if the husband wants “quiet”, presenting the home as “her sphere”. Source B presents marriage as equality, stating it is a “partnership of equals” and that responsibilities should be “shared evenly”. Contextually, Source A reflects 19th-century expectations of women’s domestic submission, while Source B reflects modern attitudes shaped by women working “full-time” and changing gender norms.

Notice how the context comment is brief and directly linked to the textual difference.

## **How to write high-scoring similarity/difference points**

The best comparisons are not just “A says X, B says Y”. They show a relationship between the ideas.

### Useful comparison stems

- “Both writers suggest…, but they differ because…”
- “Similarly…, however…”
- “Whereas Source A…, Source B…”
- “This implies…, while in Source B it suggests…”

### Building a range of points

Try to cover different angles:

- Viewpoint/attitude (what they believe)
- Degree of certainty (confident vs doubtful)
- Responsibility/blame (individual vs government)
- Emotional response (shock vs acceptance)
- Assumptions/values (duty, equality, tradition)

### **Worked Example 3.1**

**Task:** Summarise one similarity and two differences about the orphanage extracts.

Similarity (both recognise hardship):  
Both writers acknowledge poor living conditions for children, with Source A describing “poverty” and Source B noting “basic conditions”, showing shared awareness of deprivation.

Difference 1 (tone and emotion):  
Source A uses heightened emotion (“astonished”, “destitution”) to create urgency, while Source B is more restrained and pragmatic, calling it “sad” but focusing on funding and responsibility.

Difference 2 (solution offered):  
Source A proposes direct charitable action (“investing our funds”), whereas Source B argues systemic change is needed, insisting the “government should be providing”.

This is a strong summary because it mixes similarity and difference while staying tightly focused.

## **Selecting quotations and making inferences quickly**

You do not need long quotations. In fact, long quotations often hide weak understanding. Choose 1–4 word phrases that capture the viewpoint.

### What makes a quotation “useful”?

- It contains an attitude word (e.g., “duty”, “equals”)
- It shows certainty or judgement (e.g., “must”, “shouldn’t”)
- It reveals assumptions (e.g., “her sphere”)

### Turning evidence into inference

Inference answers: “What does this suggest about the writer’s perspective?”

Example:

- Quote: “our duty”
- Inference: suggests the writer sees charity as a moral responsibility tied to social status and religious/ethical values.

### **Revision Tip**

When you annotate, label each key quote with one of these tags: **attitude**, **cause**, **solution**, **tone**, **assumption**. Then build your summary points by pairing matching tags across the two sources.

## **Summary**

To summarise similarities and differences effectively in Paper 2, you must synthesise both texts: make paired comparative points, support each with short quotations (1–4 words), and add inferences that show what the details suggest about viewpoint. Quality beats quantity — 3–4 well-developed comparative points with clear evidence and inference will outscore a longer list of surface-level observations. For 19th- and 21st-century texts, brief contextual awareness can strengthen AO3, as long as it is clearly linked to evidence.

## **Key Point Checklist**

_Use this to self-check any summary answer before you move on._

- I made direct comparisons (not two separate summaries)
- I used 3–4 clear points focused on the question
- I included evidence from both texts for each point
- I used short, precise quotations
- I explained what the evidence suggests (inference)
- I added brief context only where it clearly explains viewpoint (AO3)

## **Key Terms and Concepts**

- synthesis
- viewpoint
- perspective
- inference
- explicit information
- implicit information
- context
- tone
- evidence
- comparative connectives


Reading two non-fiction texts (19th and 21st century) - Summarising similarities and differences