I’m presenting my research at the NATE Conference, Saturday 24th June 2017, 09.15 Research slot.
This analysis of Text 2 from the sample assessment material (SAM) for the Edexcel English language GCSE specification builds on my analysis of the SAM for Edexcel Paper 2 Text 1, AQA Source A and Source B.
Tier Two words
| 73 Tier Two words
|
||||
| armed | assume | babble | background | basis |
| break | breaking | brief | cheer | combinations |
| complex | concealing | confidence | confirmed | converted |
| convinced | crumpled | currency | describes | dictionaries |
| discovered | during | elementary | embarking | enemy |
| enough | extract | frequency | hardly | increasingly |
| individual | information | ink | innocent | intelligence |
| interest | invisible | judgement | lack | letters |
| marginally | message | millions | pairs | patience |
| permutation | phrase | plain | proceeded | repetition |
| responsible | resting | secure | self-esteem | set |
| showed | slightest | slogging | solved | stake |
| stammer | step | substitution | success | suitable |
| supervisor | task | tedious | text | tricky |
| unbreakable | uncover | uphill | ||
There were 229 Tier Two words overall in the two Edexcel texts compared to 136 in the two AQA extracts.
There is very little overlap of Tier Two words across the four texts so far: only one word (‘increasingly’) appears in three (out of four) extracts; eleven appear in two of the extracts (assignment, attention, conceal[ing], crumpled, information, intelligence, interview, received, text, typical, whether).
Low frequency words (in the corpus)
The contexts for the least frequently occurring words in the British National Corpus (BNC) for this extract follow a similar pattern to the AQA texts. There are 23 words that had less than 1000 frequency, very similar numbers to the two AQA extracts (25 and 22 words), but fewer than the other Edexcel text (46). Fiction and academic texts were, again, the most frequent sources for these unusual words (8/23 and 7/23 respectively).
Contexts
Over the four extracts analysed so far academic texts feature as an important context for Tier Two words. They are very dominant in this text (24/73 – of which 14 are nouns). Fiction was next in line (15/73 – of which 7 are adjectives). The important question here is just how much access students have to academic writing at secondary school. I’m assuming text books would be the most likely source – the question is how much reading from text books secondary school students actually do.
Other useful knowledge
The Tier Three words are linguistic (consonants, indicators, linguist), related to coding (code(s), enciphered – which is in the glossary, Playfair) and to do with World War 2 (government-in-exile, Dutch, German, Netherlands). Knowledge of places has come up as useful before: Lisbon, Czech, Africa, the Middle East in the first Edexcel text and the distance between Yorkshire and Islington in the second AQA text.
Onwards …
Next stop the WJEC/Educas SAMS. It will be interesting to see if these texts fit into the average number of Tier 2 words appearing (around 70), if academic texts remain an important context and if knowledge of places is useful again …
Tier 2 Words – Alphabetical Order
| Tier 2 Word | Type of word – in context | British National Corpus Frequency | Largest context |
| armed | Verb | 4526 | Non-academic |
| assume | Verb | 4004 | Academic |
| babble | Noun | 103 | Fiction |
| background | Noun | 5997 | Academic |
| basis | Noun | 14228 | Academic |
| break | Verb | 8976 | Newspaper |
| breaking | Verb | 3131 | Newspaper |
| brief | Adjective | 5416 | Fiction |
| cheer | Noun | 724 | Fiction |
| combinations | Noun | 940 | Academic |
| complex | Adjective | 9294 | Academic |
| concealing | Verb | 230 | Fiction |
| confidence | Noun | 6766 | Newspaper |
| confirmed | Verb | 4758 | Newspaper |
| converted | Verb | 2258 | Newspaper/non-academic |
| convinced | Verb | 3128 | Newspaper |
| crumpled | Verb | 379 | Fiction |
| currency | Noun | 3329 | Non-academic |
| describes | Verb | 2599 | Academic |
| dictionaries | Noun | 394 | Academic |
| discovered | Verb | 6124 | newspaper |
| during | preposition | 42784 | Non-academic |
| elementary | Adjective | 699 | Non-academic |
| embarking | Verb | 302 | Misc |
| enemy | Noun | 3127 | Non-academic |
| enough | Adjective | 30765 | Fiction |
| extract | Noun | 1421 | Academic |
| frequency | Noun | 2775 | Academic |
| hardly | Adverb | 8323 | Fiction |
| increasingly | Adverb | 6494 | Academic |
| individual | Adjective | 18797 | Academic |
| information | Noun | 37833 | Misc |
| ink | Noun | 786 | Magazine |
| innocent | Adjectives | 2440 | Fiction |
| Intelligence | Proper noun | 3344 | Non-academic |
| interest | Verb | 26772 | Misc |
| invisible | Adjective | 1188 | Fiction |
| judgement | Noun | 2421 | Academic |
| lack | Noun | 9751 | Academic |
| letters | Noun | 7606 | Magazine |
| marginally | Adverb | 431 | Academic |
| message | Noun | 6557 | Misc/newspaper |
| millions | Noun | 2578 | Newspaper |
| pairs | Noun | 2075 | Academic |
| patience | Noun | 1144 | Fiction |
| permutation | Noun | 29 | Academic |
| phrase | Noun | 2995 | Academic |
| plain | Adjective | 4002 | Magazine |
| proceeded | Verb | 1020 | Non-academic |
| repetition | Noun | 882 | Academic |
| responsible | Adjective | 9177 | Non-academic/academic |
| resting | Verb | 1166 | Fiction |
| Secure | Adjective | 4501 | Non-academic/academic |
| self-esteem | Noun | 432 | Non-academic/academic |
| set | Verb | 43431 | Magazine, newspaper, misc |
| showed | Verb | 10294 | Academic |
| slightest | Adjective | 844 | Fiction |
| slogging | Verb | 30 | Magazine/newspaper |
| solved | Verb | 1125 | Academic |
| stake | Noun | 2072 | Newspaper |
| stammer | Verb | 67 | Fiction |
| step | Noun | 8412 | Magazine/fiction |
| substitution | Adjective | 677 | Academic |
| success | Noun | 13067 | Newspaper/misc |
| suitable | Adjective | 5953 | Misc/magazine |
| supervisor | Noun | 707 | Misc |
| task | Noun | 8917 | Academic |
| tedious | Adjective | 499 | Fiction/magazine |
| text | Noun | 6865 | Academic |
| tricky | Adjective | 627 | Magazine |
| unbreakable | Adjective | 57 | Fiction |
| uncover | Verb | 240 | Academic |
| uphill | adjective | 351 | Magazine |
Tier 2 Words – in order of BNC frequency
| Tier 2 Word | Type of word – in context | British National Corpus Frequency | Largest context |
| set | Verb | 43431 | Magazine, newspaper, misc |
| during | preposition | 42784 | Non-academic |
| information | Noun | 37833 | Misc |
| enough | Adjective | 30765 | Fiction |
| interest | Verb | 26772 | Misc |
| individual | Adjective | 18797 | Academic |
| basis | Noun | 14228 | Academic |
| success | Noun | 13067 | Newspaper/misc |
| showed | Verb | 10294 | Academic |
| lack | Noun | 9751 | Academic |
| complex | Adjective | 9294 | Academic |
| responsible | Adjective | 9177 | Non-academic/academic |
| break | Verb | 8976 | newspaper |
| task | Noun | 8917 | Academic |
| step | Noun | 8412 | Magazine/fiction |
| hardly | Adverb | 8323 | Fiction |
| letters | Noun | 7606 | Magazine |
| text | Noun | 6865 | Academic |
| confidence | Noun | 6766 | Newspaper |
| message | Noun | 6557 | Misc/newspaper |
| increasingly | Adverb | 6494 | Academic |
| discovered | Verb | 6124 | newspaper |
| background | Noun | 5997 | Academic |
| suitable | Adjective | 5953 | Misc/magazine |
| brief | Adjective | 5416 | Fiction |
| confirmed | Verb | 4758 | Newspaper |
| armed | Verb | 4526 | Non-academic |
| Secure | Adjective | 4501 | Non-academic/academic |
| assume | Verb | 4004 | Academic |
| plain | Adjective | 4002 | Magazine |
| Intelligence | Proper noun | 3344 | Non-academic |
| currency | Noun | 3329 | Non-academic |
| breaking | Verb | 3131 | Newspaper |
| convinced | Verb | 3128 | Newspaper |
| enemy | Noun | 3127 | Non-academic |
| phrase | Noun | 2995 | Academic |
| frequency | Noun | 2775 | Academic |
| describes | Verb | 2599 | Academic |
| millions | Noun | 2578 | Newspaper |
| innocent | Adjectives | 2440 | Fiction |
| judgement | Noun | 2421 | Academic |
| converted | Verb | 2258 | Newspaper/non-academic |
| pairs | Noun | 2075 | Academic |
| stake | Noun | 2072 | Newspaper |
| extract | Noun | 1421 | Academic |
| invisible | Adjective | 1188 | Fiction |
| resting | Verb | 1166 | Fiction |
| patience | Noun | 1144 | Fiction |
| solved | Verb | 1125 | Academic |
| proceeded | Verb | 1020 | Non-academic |
| combinations | Noun | 940 | Academic |
| repetition | Noun | 882 | Academic |
| slightest | Adjective | 844 | Fiction |
| ink | Noun | 786 | Magazine |
| cheer | Noun | 724 | Fiction |
| supervisor | Noun | 707 | Misc |
| elementary | Adjective | 699 | Non-academic |
| substitution | Adjective | 677 | Academic |
| tricky | Adjective | 627 | Magazine |
| tedious | Adjective | 499 | Fiction/magazine |
| self-esteem | Noun | 432 | Non-academic/academic |
| marginally | Adverb | 431 | Academic |
| dictionaries | Noun | 394 | Academic |
| crumpled | Verb | 379 | Fiction |
| uphill | adjective | 351 | Magazine |
| embarking | Verb | 302 | Misc |
| uncover | Verb | 240 | Academic |
| concealing | Verb | 230 | Fiction |
| babble | Noun | 103 | Fiction |
| stammer | Verb | 67 | Fiction |
| unbreakable | Adjective | 57 | Fiction |
| slogging | Verb | 30 | Magazine/newspaper |
| permutation | Noun | 29 | Academic |
Notes:
- 23 words under 1000 frequency: 9/23 nouns; 7/23 adjectives; 6/23 verbs; 1 adverb
- 7/23 Academic (4 nouns); 8/23 Fiction (3 verbs, 3 adjectives, 2 nouns); 4/23 Magazine; 2/23 Misc; 2/23 non-academic
- Edexcel Text 1: 46 words under 1000 frequency
- AQA Text 1: 25 words under 1000 frequency
- AQA Text 2: 22 words under 1000 frequency
Tier 2 words – in order of largest context
| Tier 2 Word | Type of word – in context | British National Corpus Frequency | Largest context |
| Complex | Adjective | 9294 | Academic |
| Individual | Adjective | 18797 | Academic |
| Substitution | Adjective | 677 | Academic |
| Increasingly | Adverb | 6494 | Academic |
| Marginally | Adverb | 431 | Academic |
| Background | Noun | 5997 | Academic |
| Basis | Noun | 14228 | Academic |
| Combinations | Noun | 940 | Academic |
| Dictionaries | Noun | 394 | Academic |
| Extract | Noun | 1421 | Academic |
| Frequency | Noun | 2775 | Academic |
| Judgement | Noun | 2421 | Academic |
| Lack | Noun | 9751 | Academic |
| Pairs | Noun | 2075 | Academic |
| Permutation | Noun | 29 | Academic |
| Phrase | Noun | 2995 | Academic |
| Repetition | Noun | 882 | Academic |
| Task | Noun | 8917 | Academic |
| Text | Noun | 6865 | Academic |
| Assume | Verb | 4004 | Academic |
| Describes | Verb | 2599 | Academic |
| Showed | Verb | 10294 | Academic |
| Solved | Verb | 1125 | Academic |
| Uncover | Verb | 240 | Academic |
| Brief | Adjective | 5416 | Fiction |
| Enough | Adjective | 30765 | Fiction |
| Invisible | Adjective | 1188 | Fiction |
| Slightest | Adjective | 844 | Fiction |
| Unbreakable | Adjective | 57 | Fiction |
| Innocent | Adjective | 2440 | Fiction |
| Hardly | Adverb | 8323 | Fiction |
| Babble | Noun | 103 | Fiction |
| Cheer | Noun | 724 | Fiction |
| Patience | Noun | 1144 | Fiction |
| Concealing | Verb | 230 | Fiction |
| Crumpled | Verb | 379 | Fiction |
| Resting | Verb | 1166 | Fiction |
| Stammer | Verb | 67 | Fiction |
| Tedious | Adjective | 499 | Fiction/magazine |
| plain | Adjective | 4002 | Magazine |
| tricky | Adjective | 627 | Magazine |
| uphill | adjective | 351 | Magazine |
| ink | Noun | 786 | Magazine |
| letters | Noun | 7606 | Magazine |
| set | Verb | 43431 | Magazine, newspaper, misc |
| step | Noun | 8412 | Magazine/fiction |
| slogging | Verb | 30 | Magazine/newspaper |
| information | Noun | 37833 | Misc |
| supervisor | Noun | 707 | Misc |
| embarking | Verb | 302 | Misc |
| interest | Verb | 26772 | Misc |
| suitable | Adjective | 5953 | Misc/magazine |
| message | Noun | 6557 | Misc/newspaper |
| confidence | Noun | 6766 | Newspaper |
| millions | Noun | 2578 | Newspaper |
| stake | Noun | 2072 | Newspaper |
| break | Verb | 8976 | Newspaper |
| breaking | Verb | 3131 | Newspaper |
| confirmed | Verb | 4758 | Newspaper |
| convinced | Verb | 3128 | Newspaper |
| discovered | Verb | 6124 | Newspaper |
| success | Noun | 13067 | Newspaper/misc |
| converted | Verb | 2258 | Newspaper/non-academic |
| elementary | Adjective | 699 | Non-academic |
| currency | Noun | 3329 | Non-academic |
| enemy | Noun | 3127 | Non-academic |
| during | preposition | 42784 | Non-academic |
| Intelligence | Proper noun | 3344 | Non-academic |
| armed | Verb | 4526 | Non-academic |
| proceeded | Verb | 1020 | Non-academic |
| responsible | Adjective | 9177 | Non-academic/academic |
| Secure | Adjective | 4501 | Non-academic/academic |
| self-esteem | Noun | 432 | Non-academic/academic |
Notes: 24 Academic (14 nouns); 15 Fiction (7 adjectives); 10 newspaper; 10 non-academic; 8 magazine; 6 miscellaneous
Tier 2 Words – in order or type of word
| Tier 2 Word | Type of word – in context | British National Corpus Frequency | Largest context |
| brief | Adjective | 5416 | Fiction |
| complex | Adjective | 9294 | Academic |
| elementary | Adjective | 699 | Non-academic |
| enough | Adjective | 30765 | Fiction |
| individual | Adjective | 18797 | Academic |
| invisible | Adjective | 1188 | Fiction |
| plain | Adjective | 4002 | Magazine |
| responsible | Adjective | 9177 | Non-academic/academic |
| Secure | Adjective | 4501 | Non-academic/academic |
| slightest | Adjective | 844 | Fiction |
| substitution | Adjective | 677 | Academic |
| suitable | Adjective | 5953 | Misc/magazine |
| tedious | Adjective | 499 | Fiction/magazine |
| tricky | Adjective | 627 | Magazine |
| unbreakable | Adjective | 57 | Fiction |
| uphill | adjective | 351 | Magazine |
| innocent | Adjectives | 2440 | Fiction |
| hardly | Adverb | 8323 | Fiction |
| increasingly | Adverb | 6494 | Academic |
| marginally | Adverb | 431 | Academic |
| babble | Noun | 103 | Fiction |
| background | Noun | 5997 | Academic |
| basis | Noun | 14228 | Academic |
| cheer | Noun | 724 | Fiction |
| combinations | Noun | 940 | Academic |
| confidence | Noun | 6766 | Newspaper |
| currency | Noun | 3329 | Non-academic |
| dictionaries | Noun | 394 | Academic |
| enemy | Noun | 3127 | Non-academic |
| extract | Noun | 1421 | Academic |
| frequency | Noun | 2775 | Academic |
| information | Noun | 37833 | Misc |
| Ink | Noun | 786 | Magazine |
| judgement | Noun | 2421 | Academic |
| Lack | Noun | 9751 | Academic |
| Letters | Noun | 7606 | Magazine |
| message | Noun | 6557 | Misc/newspaper |
| millions | Noun | 2578 | Newspaper |
| Pairs | Noun | 2075 | Academic |
| patience | Noun | 1144 | Fiction |
| permutation | Noun | 29 | Academic |
| phrase | Noun | 2995 | Academic |
| repetition | Noun | 882 | Academic |
| self-esteem | Noun | 432 | Non-academic/academic |
| Stake | Noun | 2072 | Newspaper |
| Step | Noun | 8412 | Magazine/fiction |
| success | Noun | 13067 | Newspaper/misc |
| supervisor | Noun | 707 | Misc |
| Task | Noun | 8917 | Academic |
| Text | Noun | 6865 | Academic |
| During | preposition | 42784 | Non-academic |
| Intelligence | Proper noun | 3344 | Non-academic |
| Armed | Verb | 4526 | Non-academic |
| assume | Verb | 4004 | Academic |
| Break | Verb | 8976 | newspaper |
| breaking | Verb | 3131 | Newspaper |
| concealing | Verb | 230 | Fiction |
| confirmed | Verb | 4758 | Newspaper |
| converted | Verb | 2258 | Newspaper/non-academic |
| convinced | Verb | 3128 | Newspaper |
| crumpled | Verb | 379 | Fiction |
| describes | Verb | 2599 | Academic |
| discovered | Verb | 6124 | newspaper |
| embarking | Verb | 302 | Misc |
| interest | Verb | 26772 | Misc |
| proceeded | Verb | 1020 | Non-academic |
| Resting | Verb | 1166 | Fiction |
| Set | Verb | 43431 | Magazine, newspaper, misc |
| showed | Verb | 10294 | Academic |
| slogging | Verb | 30 | Magazine/newspaper |
| Solved | Verb | 1125 | Academic |
| stammer | Verb | 67 | Fiction |
| uncover | Verb | 240 | Academic |
Notes: 30 nouns; 21 Verbs; 17 adjectives; 3 adverbs
Tier Three Words
| code | 3 | ||
| codes | 3 | ||
| consonants | 3 | ||
| enciphered | 3 | ||
| government-in-exile | 3 | ||
| guilders | 3 | ||
| indicators | 3 | ||
| linguist | 3 | ||
| Playfair | 3 | ||
| Dutch | 3 | ||
| German | 3 | ||
| Netherlands | 3 |
