The reading paper asks about organisational features in short, precise questions worth one or two marks: which feature helps the reader find X, why a numbered list rather than a paragraph, match the subheading to the section. This free worksheet gives you eleven of those questions on two realistic texts, with a mark scheme written the way examiners write theirs.
Free to download, print and share for personal or classroom use. Answers included.
What’s in this worksheet
- Text B – web page (11 marks)
- Text C – report (9 marks)
- Full answers written as a mark scheme
Common mistakes on this topic
From our tutors’ marking and the most recent examiner reports – check your work against these:
- Answering a 2-mark ‘explain’ question with a name only – ‘the table’ scores 1; ‘the table, so the reader can find the right contact for their problem’ scores 2.
- Listing language features (formal tone, statistics as persuasion) when the question says organisational.
- Explaining what the feature is in general (‘a glossary explains words’) rather than what it does in this text for this reader.
How to use it
- Do the basic multiple-choice sheet first, without notes, and mark it. Anything under 80% – reread the Remember box and redo the ones you got wrong.
- Then do the exam-style sheet with a time limit: about a minute per mark.
- Mark it using the mark scheme exactly as written – no half marks for vague answers – and note which question types cost you.
Related free resources
- Organisational Features – Basic Multiple-Choice Worksheet – Functional Skills English Level 2
- Language Devices and Techniques – Basic Multiple-Choice Worksheet – Functional Skills English Level 2
- Functional Skills English Level 2 Language Features Worksheet
- All free Functional Skills English Level 2 resources
Frequently asked questions
How many marks are organisational feature questions worth?
Usually 1 or 2 marks each, with occasionally a 4-mark question asking you to identify two features and explain each. Across a paper they add up to around 4 marks – easy marks if you know the vocabulary.
What is a good answer to ‘explain how the feature helps the reader’?
Name the feature, then say what it lets this reader do: ‘The contents list lets a first-time renter jump straight to the section on deposits without reading everything.’ Two parts, two marks.
Can I say ‘it makes the text easier to read’?
Only as a starting point. On its own it is too vague to score. Say easier to do what – compare prices, follow steps in order, find a contact number, understand a technical word.
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