How Many GCSE English Language Papers Are There?

There are two GCSE English Language exam papers, but each exam board differs slightly in how many questions you have to answer, how many marks each question is worth, and how long your exam will be.

Find out about the key differences in the format and structure of the GCSE English Language exams and what to expect on the papers. 

GCSE English Language exam boards

There are four main exam boards offering GCSE English Language exams in England, with additional options available for candidates studying in Wales and Northern Ireland. The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) is responsible for national qualifications in Scotland.

The four main exam boards in England for GCSE English Language are:

• AQA

• WJEC Eduqas

• OCR

• Pearson Edexcel

As all English Language courses broadly cover the same skills, for the purposes of this article we will concentrate on the four main English exam boards.

Number of papers

No matter which of the four main exam boards you are sitting with, you will always take two papers for the GCSE English Language exam. 

You are likely to also complete a Spoken Language component as part of your course. However, this is a separate award and does not contribute towards your GCSE grade. You will be awarded a separate grade for this: Distinction, Merit or Pass. This will be shown separately to your GCSE English Language grade on your results sheet, in the format of (D) for Distinction, (M) for Merit or (P) for Pass.

AQA GCSE English Language papers

Format and structure

Paper 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing (80 marks)

• 1 hour 45 minutes

• You will answer 4 questions in Section A, based on one fiction text (either a whole, short text or an extract from a longer text)

• These questions are divided into:

  • 1 short form question (1 x 4 marks)

  • 2 longer form questions (2 x 8 marks)

  • 1 extended question (1 x 20 marks)

• You will one task to complete in Section B:

  • This will be either a piece of descriptive or creative writing

  • You will be given one image prompt and one title prompt to choose from

  • You are awarded up to 24 marks for content, and up to 16 marks for technical accuracy

Paper 2: Writers’ Viewpoints and Perspectives (80 marks)

• 1 hour 45 minutes

• You will answer 4 questions in Section A, based on two linked texts (one non-fiction text taken from the 19th century, and one literary non-fiction text taken from the 20th century)

• These questions are divided into:

  • 1 short form question (1 x 4 marks)

  • 2 longer form questions (1 x 8 marks and 1 x 12 marks)

  • 1 extended question (1 x 16 marks)

• You will also complete one extended writing task in Section B, which will be from a genre of non-fiction (a speech, a letter or an article):

  • You will again be awarded up to 24 marks for content, and up to 16 marks for technical accuracy

WJEC Eduqas GCSE English Language papers

Format and structure

Paper 1: 20th Century Literature Reading and Creative Prose Writing (80 marks)

• 1 hour 45 minutes

• You will answer 5 questions in Section A, based on one fiction text written in the 20th century (either a whole, short text or an extract from a longer text)

• These questions are divided into:

  • 1 short form, 5 mark question

  • 1 paragraph form, 5 mark question

  • 3 longer form questions (3 x 10 marks)

• You will have one creative writing task to complete in Section B:

  • You will choose one title from a choice of 4

  • You are awarded up to 24 marks for content, and up to 16 marks for technical accuracy

Paper 2: 19th and 21st Century Non-Fiction Reading and Transactional/Persuasive Writing (80 marks)

• 2 hours (Paper 2 is a longer exam because it is worth 60% of your grade)

• You will answer 6 questions in Section A, based on two linked texts (one from the 19th century and one from the 21st century)

• These questions are divided into:

  • 2 short form, 3 mark questions

  • 1 paragraph form, 4 mark question

  • 3 longer form questions (3 x 10 marks)

• You will have two transactional, persuasive or discursive writing tasks to complete in Section B, in the form of a letter, an article, a review or a speech

• You are awarded up to 12 marks for content and up to 8 marks for technical accuracy per task

OCR GCSE English Language papers

Format and structure

Paper 1: Communicating information and ideas (80 marks)

• 2 hours

• You will answer 4 questions in Section A, based on two linked non-fiction texts (one from the 19th century and one from either the 20th or 21st century)

• These questions are divided into:

  • 1 short form question (1 x 4 marks)

  • 1 paragraph form, 6 mark question

  • 2 longer form questions (1 x 12 marks and 1 x 18 marks)

• You will have one non-fiction writing task to complete in Section B from a choice of two:

  • You will be asked to write in the format of a letter, a talk or an article

  • You are awarded up to 24 marks for content, and up to 16 marks for technical accuracy

Paper 2: Exploring effects and impact (80 marks)

• 2 hours

• You will answer 4 questions in Section A, based on two texts drawn from the 20th and/or 21st century:

  • One text may be literary non-fiction

• These questions are divided into:

  • 1 short form question (1 x 4 marks)

  • 1 paragraph form, 6 mark question

  • 2 longer form questions (1 x 12 marks and 1 x 18 marks)

• You will one creative writing task to complete in Section B, from a choice of two task prompts:

  • You are awarded up to 24 marks for content, and up to 16 marks for technical accuracy

Pearson Edexcel GCSE English Language 1.0 papers

Format and structure

Paper 1: Fiction and Imaginative Writing (64 marks)

• 1 hour 45 minutes

• You will answer 4 questions in Section A, based on one 19th century fiction extract

• These questions are divided into:

  • 2 short form questions (1 x 1 mark and 1 x 2 marks)

  • 1 paragraph form, 6 mark question

  • 1 longer form question (1 x 15 marks)

• You will have one creative writing task to complete in Section B:

  • You will be offered a choice of one title, or one prompt based on images

  • You are awarded up to 24 marks for content, and up to 16 marks for technical accuracy

Paper 2: 19th and 21st Century Non-Fiction Reading and Transactional/Persuasive Writing (96 marks)

• 2 hours and 5 minutes

• You will answer 8 questions in Section A, based on two linked non-fiction texts

• These questions are divided into:

  • 4 short form questions (2 x 2 marks, 2 x 1 mark)

  • 4 longer responses (2 x 15 marks, 1 x 6 marks, 1 x 14 marks)

• You will have one non-fiction writing task to complete from a choice of two::

  • You may be asked to write in the format of a letter, a talk, an article, a review or a section for a guidebook/textbook/leaflet/booklet

  • You are awarded up to 24 marks for content, and up to 16 marks for technical accuracy

Pearson Edexcel GCSE English Language 2.0 papers

Format and structure

Paper 1: Non-Fiction Texts (80 marks)

• 1 hour 55 minutes

• You will answer 6 questions in Section A, based on two thematically linked non-fiction extracts

• These questions are divided into:

  • 2 short form questions (2 x 4 marks)

  • 2 paragraph questions (2 x 6 marks)

  • 2 longer form questions (1 x 8 marks and 1 x 12 marks)

• You will have one non-fiction transactional writing task to complete in Section B:

  • This will be from a choice of two, in the format of an article, blog, formal email, letter, report, review, speech or a section for a guide/textbook/leaflet/booklet

  • You are awarded up to 24 marks for content, and up to 16 marks for technical accuracy

Paper 2: Contemporary Texts (80 marks)

• 1 hour 55 minutes

• You will answer 6 questions in Section A, based on two linked prose fiction or literary non-fiction texts

• These questions are divided into:

  • 2 short form questions (2 x 1 mark)

  • 2 paragraph questions (2 x 6 marks)

  • 2 longer responses (1 x 10 marks, 1 x 16 marks)

• You will have one imaginative writing task to complete from a choice of titles or prompts:

  • You may wish to base your response on one of the images given

  • You are awarded up to 24 marks for content, and up to 16 marks for technical accuracy

Key differences between exam boards

Each exam board differs in terms of the number of questions per paper, length of exam and number of marks awarded for individual questions. However, the content of the papers and the skills you are being tested on are broadly the same:

• There is always one “fiction” paper and one “non-fiction” paper

• One of the papers will include a text written in the 19th century

• You will compare information across two texts in one of your papers

• You will write a piece of creative writing and a piece of non-fiction writing

One of the keys to success in your exam is to “know” each of your papers really well, so that you are prepared for each style of question and you know exactly what to expect.

It’s also vital that you understand how many marks are available for each question and how long you have to spend on each question so that you can accurately judge how much to write and do not run out of time in your exam.

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