Paper 1 Overview (AQA GCSE English Language)

GCSE English Language Paper 1 Overview

How often do you hear “you can’t revise for English Language”? In fact, nothing could be further from the truth! Achieving top marks in this exam is all about revision, but revision in terms of knowing exactly what to expect on each paper, what the examiner is expecting from you in your answers and mastering the underpinning skills required to achieve the best possible outcome in each question.

Language Paper 1 is the “fiction” paper, and is all about exploring creative reading and writing. It is divided into two sections:

Section A: Reading

• Here you will be assessed on the quality of your reading skills based on one literature fiction text

• 40 marks

Section B: Writing

• Here you will be assessed on the quality of your descriptive or narrative writing

• 40 marks

There are five Assessment Objectives for this paper. These are the skills which you will be assessed on:

Timings

It does not matter whether you complete Section A or Section B first, although the topic of the source document in Section A will, in some way, link to your writing prompts in Section B. What is essential, however, is that you are aware of your time and manage how long you spend answering each question, so that you do not run out of time in the exam. It is equally important that you judge how much you need to write according to the number of marks awarded. For example, do not spend 30 minutes answering an 8-mark question and only leave yourself 10 minutes for Question 4, which is worth 20 marks on its own.

In Section A, AQA advises that you should spend 15 minutes reading through the source document and the Section A questions before you start to write. It is probably a more sensible use of time to skim the source material to get an overall sense of what it is about, read each question carefully, and then carefully read the section or whole of the source document, according to the question instructions.

Below are some suggested timings for the four reading questions including reading time:

In Section B, you should spend 5 minutes reading both writing options and planning your response, 35 minutes writing and 5 minutes to re-read your response. Please refer to our detailed guides on Paper 1 Question 5 here.

Examiner comments

Section A:

• Where a question points you to a specific section of the text, make sure you do not select any information from outside of the given lines

• For Question 1, avoid copying sections from the text which do not make sense alone or in relation to the focus of the question

• Avoid answering Question 2 by focusing on content only - you should focus on individual words and short phrases and consider why the writer has used them in relation to the question focus

• Ensure quotes are short, relevant and to the point

• Ensure your answer for Question 3 focuses on structural features, rather than language features

• In any answer, do not simply list linguistic features or word types without any relevant or sensible analysis of the writer’s intention and how these things contribute to the effect

Section B:

• Planning is essential for a controlled and cohesive response

• Keep your writing to a tight focus on fewer events - stick to no more than two main characters and one setting

• Avoid contrived vocabulary which does not support you in creating an atmosphere or mood

• Instead focus on vocabulary that is more subtle

• Do not use too much dialogue or direct speech. This does not add anything to your narrative, and should be avoided completely if you choose the descriptive writing option

• If you choose to write about the image, remember that this is designed to be a prompt to be added to by your own imagination

Further reading

• How to revise for GCSE English Language 

• How to achieve a grade 9 in GCSE English Language 

• How to pass a GCSE English Language resit