Evaluate structural effectiveness

A student says: "The writer's decision to end each paragraph with a question is the most effective structural choice in the text, because it keeps the reader engaged."

Evaluate this view in ONE paragraph of 100–150 words. [6 marks]

Indicative top-band response:

I partially agree. Ending each paragraph with a question is an effective technique for sustaining engagement because it prevents the reader from reaching a point of resolution and moving on — the question at the close of each paragraph creates an ongoing obligation to continue reading. However, the student's claim that this is the "most effective" structural choice implies a comparison with alternatives not made. In fact, a sequence of unresolved questions can become tedious if they feel formulaic, and a reader who senses a pattern may begin to expect and therefore discount each question rather than feel genuinely challenged by it. The technique's effectiveness therefore depends on whether the questions feel urgent and genuinely difficult — or rhetorical filler dressed up as intellectual challenge.

Mark scheme cues:

• Partial agreement: B2.
• Explanation of why technique works: B2.
• Qualification (pattern → discounting): B2.