Revise English Paper 1 AQA
GCSE ENGLISH LANGUAGE Paper 1 Explorations in creative reading and writing
Listen and read along!
Exam Strategy for English Language Paper 1
🔍 Skim read the text first — as quickly as you can, just to get the overall idea.
📄 Read all the questions so you know what you’re looking for.
📚 Then go back and read the text carefully with the questions in mind.
✏️ While reading, break the text into parts – spot the changes (like shifts in setting or tone).
📝 Use the margins to label each section – e.g. "build-up," "shift in mood," "description of setting" – this will help with structure questions.
✅ Once the text is broken into chunks, it’s easier to go back to when answering.
➡️ Start with Question 1 – it’s a simple, confidence-boosting start.
✍️ Then you can jump to Question 5 and work backwards if that suits you – it’s up to you.
⏱️ Whatever order you choose, stick to the timings for each question. Your main goal is to complete the whole paper.
Now let’s take a closer look at the questions in detail! 🔍📝
✅ Q1: List four things about Roland (4 marks)
Tips:
Only write what the text says. No inferences, no guesses.
Write in full sentences or bullet points—either is fine.
Stay inside the line reference box. Don’t drift.
Avoid quoting full sentences—extract short phrases.
Don’t overthink it—this is just a retrieval question.
Common student mistake: Writing answers that are too vague, too long, or not directly stated in the text.
✅ Q2: How does the writer use language? (8 marks)
Tips:
Start with a summary sentence
→ e.g. "The writer describes the book as mysterious, powerful, and spellbinding."Use 3 short quotes that include:
▪️ Interesting adjectives
▪️ Language devices (metaphor, simile, personification)
▪️ Strong verbs or phrasesFollow P.E.E.:
▪️ Point – Already given in your summary. No need to repeat.
▪️ Evidence – Short, specific quote.
▪️ Explain – Why that word/device? What’s the effect on the reader?Zoom in on one word and explore its connotations.
Use clear phrases like:
“This suggests…” “This creates…” “This implies…”
Reminders:
Mention sentence form only if it stands out (e.g. short sentence, exclamation, rhetorical question).
Only mention sentence form if it stands out — like:
Short sentence → creates impact
Exclamation → shows emotion
Question → adds mystery
Avoid long quotes. Quote short analyse deep.
How to Analyse Deeply (in 3 short steps):
Zoom in on a word
→ Pick one strong word (e.g. “lurking”)Explain what it suggests
→ “Lurking” suggests danger or something hidden.Say how it affects the reader
→ It makes the reader feel uneasy or tense.
Quick sentence frame:
"‘____’ suggests ____, making the reader feel/think _____."
Avoid vague effects like "It makes the reader want to read on."
Try these instead:It creates suspense by hinting that X is about to uncover something hidden.
The sudden focus on the letter builds mystery and shifts the reader’s attention.
The word ‘secret’ suggests something forbidden, drawing the reader into X dilemma.
✅ Q3: How is the text structured to interest the reader? (8 marks)
Tips:
Use structure words: beginning, shift, flashback, cliffhanger, repetition, contrast.
Go in chronological order—beginning → middle → end.
Talk about focus shifts: What is the writer drawing our attention to and why?
Juxtapositions or changes in mood? Point them out and explain.
Always mention reader impact. “This intrigues the reader…” “This builds suspense…”
✅ Q3 Structure Question – Reminders
❌ Not a language question – don’t analyse word choices.
✅ Focus on where and when things happen and why the writer changes focus.
✅ Keep it clear and simple – no waffle.
❌ Don’t list techniques – explain their effect on the reader.
Example:
The writer starts by focusing on X actions, then shifts to what he discovers. This change creates suspense and keeps the reader interested in what he’ll find next.
✅ Q4: Evaluate – To what extent do you agree? (20 marks)
Tips:
Say if you agree or disagree. “I agree because…”
Start with a summary of what you will argue.
Use short quotes to support your opinion.
Blend language and structure techniques in your analysis.
Include your opinion: How did the scene make you feel? What did you think of Roland?
Student reminders:
Focus on the writer’s choices and reader reaction.
Avoid retelling the story.
Use phrases like: “This suggests…” “This implies…” “This shows…”
Try to analyse Roland’s motives or feelings.
Link ideas together rather than treating quotes like a list.
✅ Q5: Write a story about discovering a hidden object (40 marks)
Tips (Content & Organisation - 24 marks):
Plan first. Think: beginning / middle / end.
Use 5 senses (sound, touch, smell, sight, taste) to show the setting.
Start in the moment – don’t explain everything up front.
Create suspense. Something unusual, surprising, or emotional.
Give your character a motivation or feeling: Why is the object important?
Tips (Technical Accuracy - 16 marks):
Vary sentence starters and lengths.
Use ambitious vocabulary—swap basic words (big → enormous, walked → staggered).
Read here:
Avoid too much dialogue. Use it only when it moves the story.
Use paragraphing for effect—especially one-line paragraphs.
Proofread at the end. 1 or 2 spelling slips are okay, but don’t rush.
Student Reminders:
Make a short list of better vocab before the exam (e.g. said → whispered, showed → revealed).
Prepare a few descriptive phrases (e.g. “The air was thick with silence”).
Practice showing emotions without saying “he was sad.” (e.g. “His fingers trembled around the box”)
Each paragraph should show off a skill—simile, short sentence, flashback, strong adjective use, etc.
📝 Final Pre-Exam Checklist
What students should do before the exam:
Create a list of basic words to upgrade (said, walked, looked, etc.).
Write 2–3 description openers you could use in Q5.
Revise the structure word list: juxtaposition, cyclical, zoom, shift in focus, etc.
Memorise one or two model sentence frames:
“This suggests that the writer wants us to…”
“This shifts our attention to…”
“This evokes a feeling of…”
✍️ Sentence Frames for Q4 Evaluation (Memorise 3–5)
“This suggests that the writer wants us to…”
“This shifts our attention to…”
“This evokes a feeling of…”
✅ More useful sentence frames below:
“This makes the reader feel…”
“This implies that Roland is…”
“By using the word ‘___’, the writer shows…”
“This moment reveals Roland’s inner…”
“This choice helps build a sense of…”
“The writer deliberately contrasts ___ with ___ to highlight…”
“As a reader, I felt ___ because…”
“This reinforces the idea that…”
“The use of short/long sentences here creates…”
“This supports the idea that Roland is portrayed as…”
“The repetition of ‘___’ creates an effect of…”
“The scene becomes more intense when the writer…”
English paper 1
GCSE ENGLISH LANGUAGE Paper 1 Explorations in creative reading and writing
1 hour and 45 minutes
"The extract we’re using comes from this official AQA sample paper — here’s the file I used: https://cdn.sanity.io/files/p28bar15/green/81f858bbcacde1898015f88a8b3fdfec08453a75.pdf"
WHAT THE QUESTIONS LOOK LIKE:
Q1
Read again the first part of the source, from lines 1 to 5.
List four things about Roland from this part of the source.
[4 marks]
Q2
Look in detail at this extract, from lines 6 to 14 of the source:
How does the writer use language here to describe the book?
You could include the writer’s choice of:
words and phrases
language features and techniques
sentence forms.
[8 marks]
Q3
You now need to think about the whole of the source.
This text is from the beginning of a novel.
How has the writer structured the text to interest you as a reader?
You could write about:
what the writer focuses your attention on at the beginning of the source
how and why the writer changes this focus as the source develops
any other structural features that interest you.
[8 marks]
Q4
Focus this part of your answer on the second part of the source, from line 18 to the end.
A student said, “It is clear that the letters Roland finds within the book must be something special. The writer shows us that it is not surprising that Roland steals them.”
To what extent do you agree?
In your response, you could:
consider your own impressions of the letters
evaluate how the writer describes Roland’s reactions to finding the letters
support your response with references to the text.
[20 marks]
Q5
Write a story about discovering a hidden object.
(24 marks for content and organisation
16 marks for technical accuracy)
[40 marks]