Source passage
The instruction invites reference to what the candidate has read; the paper’s supplied reading text is the following poem in Section A:
A Bone Flute
made from the radius bone of a whooper swan wing, circa 40,000 years ago
Swans flying in across the lagoon at dusk, muscled as horses;
sky filling with bells. The swans dip and rock, lanterns
on the grey water and we raise our phones’ small lamps
as if we should honour the messengers returning at nightfall
to patient souls who stand beside cars with their children
in bright winter coats holding bags of grain,
provisioned for a journey. The swans lift their necks,
open the great doors of their wings. Our faces are fading
behind our white breath; a flute’s seven feathery notes
still dissolving on the air. Mothers or sisters
walking towards us, hold out their hands.
They will sit with us, watch the hours swing round,
skeins streaming north. Soon the year’s sharp light
will sing in the bone. Soon they will take what they came for.
Judith Willson
Writing task
Section C — Essay Writing (20 marks; 45 minutes allocated in the paper).
The future is frightening.
- Write a short essay expressing your views on this statement.
- Consider what you have read, as well as what you believe.
You will be rewarded for the clarity and creativity of your writing. Accurate punctuation, grammar and spelling are also extremely important.
Practise this exact question with personalised feedback on your writing.
Understand the task
Is the Future Something to Fear? is a discursive essay task that tests logical argument, counterarguments, structure. Consider both real uncertainties and reasons for optimism; finish with a defensible judgement.
- logical argument
- counterarguments
- structure
- accuracy
Requirements to keep in mind
Recommended writing time: approximately 45 minutes (as indicated in the paper/section); Writing marks: 20 (subject to separately awarded SPaG marks); Published task/option: C (where the source offers alternatives, pupils answer the paper's specified number, not all)
Plan your response
- Consider both real uncertainties and reasons for optimism; finish with a defensible judgement.
- Plan a clear beginning, development and ending within the time available.
- Use precise vocabulary and vary sentence lengths where appropriate.
- Proofread spelling, punctuation and paragraphing before finishing.
Check your response against the task requirements. Leave time to review sentence clarity, punctuation and spelling.
Short atoply teaching example
Written by atoply, not an official school answer or mark scheme. This short illustration shows selected techniques. It does not set a target length or expected mark for the timed task.
Reveal example and teaching notes
The future can be frightening because its greatest feature is uncertainty. We cannot know which difficulties will affect our families, the climate or the wider world. However, uncertainty also allows for possibility. Many problems that once seemed impossible have been addressed by people willing to learn and cooperate. It would be foolish to ignore genuine threats, but equally foolish to believe that every change must make life worse. Fear can warn us about danger; it should not prevent us from preparing, inventing and hoping. The future is not simply something that happens to us. It is also something we help to shape.
Learn from the example
- The response connects a central idea to reasons or qualifications, creating a line of thought rather than a list of opinions.
- In a full response, develop the supporting examples and address a different view before reaching a conclusion that answers the question.