These are original Marlbridge practice questions, not past exam questions. Every text was written by Marlbridge for this page and bold, italics and capitals are shown as they would appear. The rubrics are a suggested Marlbridge rubric to help you check your work; they are not an official scoring guideline. No calculator is needed.
Question 1 (multiple choice · foundation)
In a notice that reads “Entry is free only before noon,” what does the boldface mainly do?
- (A) It shows that the phrase is a title.
- (B) It makes the condition prominent so that readers do not miss it.
- (C) It signals that the phrase is a quotation.
- (D) It marks the end of the sentence.
Answer and explanation
Answer: (B). Bold makes “only before noon” stand out from the plain text, so the condition is noticed.
- (A) Titles are usually italicised or set in larger type.
- (C) Quotations take quotation marks.
- (D) End punctuation marks the end of the sentence.
Question 2 (multiple choice · core)
A flyer prints every word in bold capitals. Which is the best explanation of why this weakens the emphasis?
- (A) Capitals cannot be read.
- (B) Emphasis depends on contrast, and when everything is emphasised nothing stands out.
- (C) Bold type is never appropriate for flyers.
- (D) Readers dislike flyers.
Answer and explanation
Answer: (B). A feature stands out only against a plainer background.
- (A) Capitals can be read; long passages are harder, but that is not the main point here.
- (C) overgeneralises: bold is useful when used sparingly.
- (D) is irrelevant to the question.
Question 3 (multiple choice · core)
Which choice of design is best suited to an essay that will be read slowly and carefully by one reader?
- (A) Large coloured headlines for every paragraph
- (B) Plain paragraphs with italics used only for titles and the occasional stressed word
- (C) Capitals for each key claim
- (D) A bulleted list in place of paragraphs
Answer and explanation
Answer: (B). A formal essay expects restrained design, with emphasis carried by sentences.
- (A) is more suited to a poster or webpage.
- (C) gives a shouting tone that does not suit careful argument.
- (D) removes the connected reasoning that an essay depends on.
Question 4 (multiple choice · core)
A webpage sets the sentence “You could lose your deposit” in small grey type below a large, bold, brightly coloured “WIN A HOLIDAY”. What does the design suggest about the writer’s priorities?
- (A) The writer wants the reader to notice the prize first and the risk less.
- (B) The writer wants the reader to focus on the risk.
- (C) The writer treats both ideas as equally important.
- (D) The writer has no particular priorities.
Answer and explanation
Answer: (A). The size, boldness and colour put the prize first, while the small grey type makes the risk easy to overlook.
- (B) is the reverse of what the hierarchy shows.
- (C) Equal importance would be shown by similar prominence.
- (D) Design choices always create a hierarchy, so they suggest priorities.
Question 5 (multiple choice · stretch)
Which statement about the use of italics is the most accurate?
- (A) Italics only ever indicate emphasis.
- (B) Italics can indicate emphasis, mark a title or foreign word, or mention a word as a word, so the context decides.
- (C) Italics should be used throughout a paragraph to make it important.
- (D) Italics are never used in formal writing.
Answer and explanation
Answer: (B). Italics have several conventional jobs and a reader decides which applies from the context.
- (A) ignores titles and mentioned words.
- (C) Overuse removes the contrast that makes emphasis work.
- (D) Formal writing uses italics for titles and for occasional stress.
Question 6 (constructed response · core)
Read the text below, written by Marlbridge, as it would appear on a poster.
FREE BIKE CHECKS (large heading)
Every Thursday after school, by the gate.
Bring your bike and your lock.
Spare parts at cost price.
Explain how the design creates emphasis and what it suggests about the poster’s purpose and audience. (5 marks)
Sample answer and suggested rubric
Sample. The large heading in capitals makes “free bike checks” the first thing seen, which attracts the audience’s attention with the offer. Bold on “Thursday” makes the day the key practical fact. The italics on the instruction to bring a bike and lock mark it as a gentle reminder rather than a headline. The final line is plain, so the price information is available but not competing with the offer. The hierarchy (offer, day, reminder, extra) matches what a student walking past needs to know, so the design suggests the purpose is to get students to turn up on a particular day, and the audience is passers-by with little time.
| Mark | What earns it |
|---|---|
| 1 | Identifies the heading and its prominence |
| 1 | Identifies bold on “Thursday” and what it emphasises |
| 1 | Identifies the italics and their softer effect |
| 1 | Describes the hierarchy or path of the reader’s eye |
| 1 | Links the design to the purpose and audience |
Question 7 (constructed response · core)
The following notice (written by Marlbridge) over-uses emphasis.
LOST!!! A RED SCARF was LEFT in THE CANTEEN on MONDAY!!! PLEASE HAND IT to THE OFFICE IF YOU FIND IT!!!
(a) Explain why the design is ineffective. (2 marks) (b) Redesign the notice, showing which words you would emphasise and how. (3 marks)
Sample answer and suggested rubric
(a) Almost every phrase is bold or in capitals, with repeated exclamation marks, so no item is more prominent than another and the reader cannot see what matters most. It also sounds like shouting.
(b) Sample redesign: “Lost red scarf (large heading). Left in the canteen on Monday. If you find it, please hand it to the office.” Only the item is emphasised, because that is what a reader needs to recognise; the rest is plain.
| Mark | What earns it |
|---|---|
| 1 | Identifies that everything is emphasised |
| 1 | Explains the loss of contrast |
| 1 | Chooses one or two items to emphasise |
| 1 | Keeps the remaining text plain |
| 1 | Explains why the chosen item deserves the emphasis |
Question 8 (constructed response · stretch)
A shop window sign (written by Marlbridge) reads:
SALE: EVERYTHING MUST GO (very large, red)
Up to 50% off selected items. (medium, black)
Excludes new arrivals, electricals and gift cards; offer ends when stock runs out. (very small, grey)
Explain what the design emphasises, what it plays down, and what this reveals about the writer’s purpose. Judge whether the design might undermine the writer’s credibility with some audiences. (6 marks)
Sample answer and suggested rubric
Sample. The design makes “SALE: EVERYTHING MUST GO” the most prominent element through size and colour, which suggests the writer wants passers-by to notice a big opportunity. The medium-sized line “Up to 50% off selected items” is less prominent, and it already qualifies the heading: “up to” and “selected” limit the claim that everything must go. The very small grey print contains the most restrictive conditions (exclusions and a time limit), so it is the hardest to see. The pattern of prominence against restriction shows that the writer’s purpose is to attract customers with a strong claim and to keep the limits in the background. For sceptical or careful readers, the gap between the headline’s absolute (“everything”) and the exclusions may reduce trust, because it looks like the writer hoped the limits would be overlooked.
| Mark | What earns it |
|---|---|
| 1 | Identifies the most prominent element and how it is made prominent |
| 1 | Identifies the less prominent qualifying line |
| 1 | Identifies the small print and what it contains |
| 1 | Explains the writer’s purpose from the pattern of prominence |
| 1 | Notes the gap between headline and conditions |
| 1 | Judges the likely effect on credibility for a particular audience |
How did you do? If you missed Questions 1 to 5, reread “A catalogue of design features” and “Emphasis works by contrast”. If you lost marks in 6 to 8, check that you named the feature, what it makes prominent and why the writer wants that.