Practice · AQA 8700
How to revise GCSE English Language: AQA Paper 1 and Paper 2
You can't learn the texts in advance: every source is unseen. Revise the skills each question tests, on new extracts, against the mark scheme.
The plan
- 1. Learn what each question asksPaper 1 is fiction, Paper 2 is non-fiction. Each reading question tests one skill for a set number of marks.The reading questions
- 2. Practise one question at a timeAnswer it on a fresh extract, then mark it against the levels and rewrite the weakest paragraph.Practice by question
- 3. Write a Question 5 every weekIt is half of each paper. Alternate description or narrative (Paper 1) with viewpoint writing (Paper 2).Question 5 practice
- 4. Fix your accuracyTechnical accuracy is 16 marks on each paper. Learn the errors you repeat and check for them.Spelling and punctuation trainer
- 5. Sit full papers to time1 hour 45 minutes each. Mark them, then practise the question that lost the most marks.Practice papers
Questions people ask
Can you revise for GCSE English Language?
Yes. The texts are unseen, but the questions test the same skills every year, so practising each question on new extracts works.
What is on each paper?
Paper 1 (Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing) has a fiction extract and a creative writing task. Paper 2 (Writers' Viewpoints and Perspectives) has two non-fiction sources and a viewpoint writing task. Each is 80 marks.
How often should I practise?
Little and often: two or three short sessions a week on single questions, plus one full piece of writing, beats a long session before the exam.