Why can I not quote another paragraph when the question names one?

The named paragraph sets the search area, and the marker only looks for points inside it, so an out-of-bounds answer scores nothing.

Do I score anything for writing only Yes or No?

No. A question that asks for reasons needs the reasons stated with evidence, or it earns zero.

S4 English: DSE Paper 1 Reading (Paper 4, error repair)

2026-10-31

Tutor Prep Guide · Secondary English

Ten items built from the most common reading losses: evidence kept inside the named paragraph, a relative clause that does not change the main fact, a 150-word answer to a 1 200-word passage (12.5%), two marks per question when 8 marks cover 4 questions, fifteen minutes per passage across 45 minutes, pronoun reference back to the fitting noun, why six copied lines ruin a two-mark answer, why few adjectives do not prove neutrality, the demand made by in your own words, and the zero-mark habit of answering Yes to a question asking for two reasons.

Direct answer　Reading marks fail in predictable places: evidence drifts outside the named paragraph, inference answers copy the text, and tone is judged by word count instead of evaluation.

01　Paper details (check answers afterwards)

Item	Detail
Questions	10
Suggested time	25
Difficulty mix	Foundation 4 · Intermediate 3 · Challenge 2 · Error redo 1
Chapter	Chapter: S4 English: DSE Paper 1 Reading
Level	Four error-repair, three advanced, two challenge and one combined repair item

02　Questions (10 items)

FoundationA question says: According to paragraph 2, why did the council close the market? Where must your evidence come from?
FoundationRead: The shop, which opened in 1998, now employs thirty staff. How many staff does it employ?
FoundationA 1 200-word passage is answered in 150 words. What percentage of the passage is the answer?
FoundationPaper 1 gives 8 marks for 4 questions. How many marks are there per question on average?
IntermediatePaper 1 lasts 45 minutes for three passages. How many minutes should you give each passage on average?
IntermediateRead: The bridge was closed for repairs. It had stood for eighty years. What does it refer to?
IntermediateA two-mark question is answered by copying six lines of the passage. Why does this lose marks?
ChallengeA student calls a passage neutral because it contains few adjectives. What is wrong with this reasoning?
ChallengeWhich instruction tells you that copying the wording will not be accepted?
Error redoError repair: asked to give two reasons, a student writes only Yes. What is wrong, and what is better?

03　Answers and one-line notes

#	Answer	One-line note
1	Paragraph 2 only	When the question names a paragraph, the evidence must come from that paragraph only.
2	Thirty	The clause between the commas only adds background, so the main clause gives thirty staff.
3	12.5%	One hundred and fifty out of one thousand two hundred is zero point one two five, one eighth of the passage.
4	2 marks	Eight marks shared by four questions means two marks each, which sets how much detail is needed.
5	15 minutes	Forty-five minutes across three passages means fifteen minutes each; do not overrun on the last one.
6	The bridge	A pronoun points to the nearest noun that fits the meaning, and it is the bridge that stood for eighty years.
7	The copied lines bury the point; only the few words that answer the question earn marks	Two marks reward the key words, so six copied lines hide the point the marker is looking for.
8	Neutrality depends on the absence of evaluation, not on how many adjectives appear	Neutrality is about whether the writer evaluates, not about adjective count.
9	In your own words	In your own words demands a paraphrase, so the original wording cannot be reused.
10	No reason is given at all; the answer should state two separate reasons, each tied to evidence in the passage	Two reasons were demanded and none was given, so the answer must list two reasons with evidence.

04　What to do after marking

After marking, redo only the wrong items and write down which step went wrong (formula, unit, or misread number).
Repeat the same item two days later; move to the next paper only when both attempts are correct.
Parents only need the answer and note columns; there is no need to explain every item.

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