1. English Language
Paper 1

2. What does the paper look like?
2 hours long; 1 hour for each section
Section A: Reading
Students read ONE non-fiction prose passage and answer 3-5 questions on it using PEE/PQA
Section B
Students answer ONE question from a choice of 3

3. Where can I get past papers from?
Class teacher
AQA website:
Central Resource Library at School (print off at school or take a USB stick into school):
Start/Computer/Central Resource Library/English/000Past Papers for GCSE

4. Reading
Section A

5. Top Tips for the Reading Section
Read the questions first
Use a highlighter (these will be provided) to highlight key words
Ensure you always link back to the question in your answer
Practise reading articles and summarising them using quotes. There are extracts and questions in the booklet all pupils have received from their class teachers
Practise past papers (available from AQA online or from class teachers) in order to ensure timing is accurate

6. Mark Scheme for the Reading Section
Use PEE/PQA
Use short quotes
Ensure you infer meaning from the quotes and develop your explanation or analysis of the quote
Aim for between 2-4 paragraphs depending on the number of marks awarded for the question (normally between 4-10 marks)
Foundation paper: sometimes it asks you to list for question 1 and this is fine without using PEE.

7. Higher Paper
Example Question and Answer

8. Sample Question (Summer 2012)
Text: Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell Question 4: What does this passage tell us about attitudes towards tramps in England in the early 1930s?

9. Sample answer for the Reading Section (Q4)

10. Sample answer for the Reading Section (Q4)

11. Foundation Paper
Sample Question and Answer

12. Sample Question (Summer 2012)
Text: Among the Thugs by Bill Buford
Question 5:
Refer to the whole passage (lines 1 – 37). What impression of football supporters does the writer give? Select evidence from the whole passage (lines 1 – 37) to support your ideas.

13. Sample answer for the Reading Section (Q5)

14. Sample answer for the Reading Section (Q5)

15. Sample answer for the Reading Section (Q5)

16. Writing
Section B

17. Tasks They are normally very similar for both HIGHER and FOUNDATION
They are loosely linked to the extract that is used for Section A

18. Sample Questions HIGHER (Summer 2012)

19. Sample Questions Foundation (Summer 2012)

20. Writing Options
Story
Description
Writing to argue/writing an argument

21. Top Tips for the Writing Section
Centres should be aware that candidates who offer very brief responses (3 paragraphs or less as a rough guide) are inevitably limiting their potential achievement.
The Mark Scheme is divided into bands with each band containing four bullet points. The first of these is focused on content, the second on structure, the third on sentence structure and variation, and the fourth on technical accuracy. Centres should be aware that each of these four elements is given equal weight in the assessment of writing.
It was noted that comma splicing was a frequent and detrimental feature of some candidates’ work, whilst the achievement of others was hampered by an inability to use commas accurately within sentences.
Spend 5-10 minutes planning a good response – the examiners are looking for a ‘consciously crafted’ piece of work.
Remember to ensure that you are writing for a specific audience and purpose
Spend 5 minutes at the end checking your work
You could create a plan that looks like this:
Idea/part of the story
Technique

22. Mark Scheme for the Writing Section
It is divided EQUALLY into 4 sections:
Content
Structure
Sentence structure and variation
Technical accuracy (SPAG)

23. Content: what are they looking for?
Clear ideas and communication
Conscious decisions made about writing to suit AUDIENCE and PURPOSE; evidence of crafting for a purpose and audience
Selection of vocabulary for effect
Use of discourse markers

24. Structure – what are they looking for?
Paragraphs
Repetition or a cohesive device
Timeline
More than one narrative strand
Connectives (if applicable)
3rd person, 1st person
Range of appropriate and sophisticated vocabulary
Range of writing techniques used, e.g. similes
Top End: use of a narrative structure and/or genre such as stream of consciousness, epistolary, Martian perspective, Todorov, tragedy, thriller, gothic and so on.

25. What are they looking for - Sentence Structure and Variation?
Simple – short sentence normally with a subject, verb and object.
Compound – 2 or more simple sentences using a connective such as: and, but, or, although etc.
Complex – use of a subordinate clause
Vary your use of these sentence types for impact.

26. What are they looking for – Technical Accuracy?
Spelling of common words MUST be correct. This includes homophones (their/they’re/there) as well as words that are commonly misspelt such as successful, necessary, beautiful, beginning and so on. See here:
Punctuation must be correct – misuse of commas was a common complaint by the exam board. Students should be using a range of punctuation accurately.

27. Higher: Section B
Example question and answer

28. Sample Question
“At about seven o’clock the cell doors were locked on the outside.” Write a story which starts or ends with this sentence. (25 marks)

29. Sample answer for the Writing Section

36. What do I do with this?
Use it as an exemplary piece of writing and it’s only 3 ½ sides long.
It achieved 25/25 despite 1 or 2 glaringly obvious mistakes
You could use the mark scheme on slides and highlight evidence of how they achieve this mark, using a different highlighter colour for each strand of the mark scheme

37. Foundation: Section B
Example Question and Answer

38. Sample Question
Describe a frightening place. (25 marks)

39. Sample answer for the Writing Section

42. What do I do with this?
Use it as an exemplary piece of writing and it’s only 2 ½ sides long.
It achieved 25/25 despite 1 or 2 glaringly obvious mistakes
You could use the mark scheme on slides and highlight evidence of how they achieve this mark, using a different highlighter colour for each strand of the mark scheme

43. Useful Hints and Tips
Revision Ideas

44. If you only have 10-15 minutes…
Print out a past paper
Read the questions for Section A
Read the extract, making brief notes in margin as you go to ensure you understand what you’re reading
Re-read/skim read the extract, highlighting quotes in response to the questions
Try to do this in 15 minutes – be strict with yourself and use a timer.
When you have more time, write the answers up using PEE/PQA

45. Use the detail in the extract to explore the writer.
Are they witty?
Do you get a sense of their attitude?
What have we learnt about them?
How would you identify their style?
What’s their purpose?
What tone does the writer convey?
Are they likeable?
Can you relate to them?

46. What techniques does the writer employ?
Paragraph structure.
Sentence types.
Imagery.
Repetition
Rhetorical questioning
Emotive language
Emphatic Language
Sense of humour

47. What techniques does the writer employ?
Formal style
Colloquial language
Personal pronoun
Punctuation
Rule of three
Simile
Metaphor
Sound bites (catchy phrases)
Involve the audience
Analogy
Conviction
Alliteration
Empathy

48. What techniques does the writer employ?
Involve the audience
Analogy
Conviction
Alliteration
Empathy
Contrasts
Elaborate language
Verbs – adjectives - adverbs

49. The writer creates a sense of…
The passage succeeds in…
The author’s use of…
The passage is written in …
The author’s method of…
Structurally, the piece…
There are clear tensions in the writing…

50. Websites to help you with SPAG

51. Writing to Argue: Helpful Hints and Techniques

52. Writing to Argue
The purpose of this style of writing is to present a case for or against a point of view to convince the reader.
Use the present tense and morality
You need to…
Use a formal tone
Make your writing impersonal. Don’t direct accusations at anyone
Write about counter arguments and say why they are wrong
Clearly state your point of view in the introduction

53. Writing to Argue Continued… Develop your paragraphs logically
You also need to…
Use connectives to link paragraphs and within paragraphs
Conclude by restating your opinion
Use modal verbs to show options
Remember to use PEE – make a point, give the evidence and expand upon your ideas
Go through A FOREST!

54. Go through A FOREST:
A: ANECDOTES - A personal experience & story as proof.
F: FACTS – Don’t know any? Then borrow some from Section A of the exam or invent them!
O: OPINION - Strong words, such as, ‘It is outrageous that…’
R: RHETORICAL QUESTIONS - Express yourself powerfully with questions that don’t need an answer, but remember to add question marks.
E: EXAMPLES & EXPERTS - Give examples as support. Invent an expert and quote from them: for example, ‘Professor Jane Morris of Oxford University says that…’
S: STATISTICS – Invent them! Eg “In a recent survey conducted by York University, 73%…”
T: TRIPLES - Lists of three –maybe with alliteration? For example, “It is cruel, callous and criminal to…”