The difference between a grade 4 and a grade 9 Inspector Calls GCSE essay
Stop writing rubbish.. learn from other student mistakes
On YouTube, I posted a video about Inspector Calls - a play that's easy to understand. So easy.. that students spend ZERO time practicing past papers. Then in their ACTUAL GCSEs (in 6 WEEKS) they end up getting the lowest marks in this question:
Why? Students cram quotes for this "easy" play, then DESCRIBE what happens, rather than ANALYSE the exam question.
I found TWO student essays that I'd like you to look at:
1️⃣ One is how MOST students write about Inspector Calls in their exam.. and then end up with Grades 3 & 4.
2️⃣ The other is what fewer students do (analysis, context, themes, message) and it got this student a Grade 9.
READ IT! (Incase this question comes up this year) and LEARN from it! And don't forget you can join my Inspector Calls Easter Revision Class where I'll show students how to go up by 3 GCSE grades before their final exams: https://www.firstratetutors.com/literature/inspector 😊
GCSE QUESTION: How does Priestley present the character of Gerald Croft?
Grade 4 Paragraph:
Priestley reveals Gerald as a sexist man who is prejudice towards poor women. Right from the start, Gerald seems shallow as he says, ‘I hate those…dough-faced women. But then I notice a girl… She was very pretty.’ This shows he thinks he can pick and choose who he wants. The adjective ‘dough-faced’ highlights he is prejudice to women of a lower class who are ugly.
Grade 9 Paragraph:
From the outset, Gerald is described as privileged and duplicitous. The stage directions portray him as ‘well-bred’ and a ‘man about town’. Priestley presents him to the audience as privileged and typical of his gender. The description of him as a ‘man about town’ could be seen as a euphemism for the behaviour of men in Edwardian society who could have multiple affairs with women. Despite appearing like a respectable aristocrat, he seems sexually promiscuous. Equally, his deception of both Daisy and Sheila is made possible by the patriarchal values of the time. Gerald abuses his power as a wealthy man to ‘keep’ Daisy as a mistress before discarding her. Equally his mistreatment of Sheila, who he ignored all summer, demonstrates how duplicitous and selfish he really is. Thus, Gerald is evidently privileged, duplicitous and he takes advantage of his superior position in society.
Can you see the difference? What's obvious is..
⭐️ The Grade 9 paragraph has LOTS of analysis and context. Even if there are less quotes, this answer immediately analyses.
⭐️ The Grade 4 paragraph describes and basically dumps a bunch of quotes in the answer - yet it's WEAK & SHALLOW!
P.S: You just reading this answer is GCSE REVISION!
You are one step closer to getting a 6, 7, 8 and 9 because you now KNOW what top responses look like. Don't forget in my GCSE Inspector Calls class - I will show you how to go up by 3 GCSE Grades I write a GCSE Grade 9 answer for the 2025 Inspector Calls GCSE Exam!
✨Sign up here: https://www.firstratetutors.com/literature/inspector ✨