English Language and English
Literature GCSEs
AQA Specification A
http://www.aqa.org.uk/qualifications/gcse/english-and-media/english/english-a.php
Higher tier – A* - D
Foundation tier C - G
English Language
Paper 1 – Monday 16th May (9 am)
30% of total marks
Section A – Reading Media and Non-fiction
texts (1 hour) – 15%
Section B - Writing to argue, persuade,
advise (45 mins) - 15%
Paper 1 Section A – 27 marks
Reading -Media and Non-fiction
Skills need for this section of the exam:
• Read with understanding and develop interpretations (pages 8-27)
• Explain how facts and opinions are used (pages 8-9)
• Explain how arguments or ideas are presented (pages 10-13)
• Explain how the writers use language and structural devices (pages
14-17)
• Explain how presentational devices are used (pages 18-21)
• Select appropriate evidence and compare how writers use devices
(pages 22-27)
Practise in the workbook (pages 100 – 123), using websites like BBC
Bitesize, or using any junk mail, newspaper and magazine articles,
holiday brochures, etc.
• Revision sessions in school on Thursdays at 3.45 – 5.00 pm
Writing
Section B - Papers 1 and 2
Skills needed for this exam:
• Clear communication appropriate for the audience and purpose of
the task (pages 62-73)
• Ideas organised into effective paragraphs (pages 52-53)
• Ideas organised into effective sentence structures (pages 54-55)
• Use a range of punctuation effectively and accurately (pages 58-60)
• Use a variety of language features and a wide vocabulary (pages 5657)
• Use accurate spelling (page 61)
Practise using the workbook (pages 162-189) or by using
newspapers, magazines, web pages as a model.
Revision sessions in school on Thursdays 3.45 – 5.00 pm
Paper 1 Section B – 27 marks
Writing to argue, persuade or advise
One question of a choice of four:
• Write to argue (pages 62-5)
• Write to persuade (pages 66-69)
• Write to advise (pages 70-73)
• Write for a blend of two of the above purposes
45 minutes can be divided as follows:
5 minutes – Read questions, choose one, highlight key words, and plan for an
introduction, four paragraphs and a conclusion.
2 minutes – Write a short introduction outlining the purpose of the writing (link
to the key words of the question).
8 minutes each – Follow the plan and write four paragraphs.
2 minutes – Draw ideas together in a short conclusion outlining the overall point
4 minutes – Edit and proof read for accuracy.
English Language
Paper 2 – Wednesday 18th May
(1.30 pm)
30% of total marks
Section A – Reading Poems from Different
Cultures (45 minutes) – 15%
Section B - Writing to inform, explain, describe
(45 minutes) - 15%
Reading Poems from Different Cultures
Content for this section of the exam:
Students have an anthology in which they are making notes. They will receive a
clean copy of the anthology in the exam.
There will be a named poem which must be compared with one other poem in the
Different Cultures section (pages 5-18 in the Anthology)
They must know ALL the poems in at least one of the two clusters (8 poems)
Skills needed for this section of the exam:
Read with insight and engagement, develop and sustain interpretations (pages 3047)
Understand and analyse how writers use devices to achieve effects (pages 36-47)
Select appropriate, short quotations to support points made . Integrate
comparisons. (pages 32-47)
Practise: Workbook pages 126-141 for Cluster 1, pages 142-159 for Cluster 2, or by
using BBC Bitesize or by making up questions, or by looking at past papers on:
http://www.aqa.org.uk/qualifications/gcse/english-and-media/english/english-a.php
Paper 2 Section B – 27 marks Writing to inform, explain,
describe
One question from a choice of four:
• Write to inform
• Write to explain
• Write to advise
• Write for a specified audience using a blend of two of the above
purposes
• Skills as for Paper 1 Section B (slide 5)
• Time management (see slide 6)
Practise: Revision Guide (pages 74-87 and Workbook (pages 182-189) or by
making up questions, or by looking at past papers on
http://www.aqa.org.uk/qualifications/gcse/english-and-media/english/english-a.php
English Literature
24th May (9 am)
Section A - 45 minutes (27 marks)
Students are studying EITHER:
To Kill A Mockingbird (NCH group)
OR
Of Mice and Men (JLW, JEH-A, LSL, CVP groups)
OR
Lord of the Flies (RJS group)
and should answer one question on the book they are studying
Section B – 1 hour (36 marks)
Students are studying poems in the Anthology:
EITHER
Seamus Heaney and Gillian Clarke (pages 19-31) – RJS group
OR
Carol Ann Duffy and Simon Armitage (pages 32-45)
AND
From the Pre-1914 Poetry Bank (page 46-58)
and should answer one question using four of the poems they have studied
Revising for English Literature
• KNOW texts well: share reading them at home, talk
about them;
• UNDERSTAND texts: explain to each other what the
main ideas and characters are all about;
• PRACTISE exam answers;
• ATTEND after school exam preparation sessions;
• To help: useful websites, study guides,
teachers (!!), and AQA past papers available online.
Advice for English Literature exam
• Find the pages for the texts studied
• Read the questions for your texts BEFORE
planning answers
• Answer section B FIRST. It is worth 36 marks
(9 more than Section A). Spend one hour on
Section B before moving on to Section A.
• Put the number of the question answered in
the box provided
Good Luck in your exams
With best wishes from
The English Department
English exams:
Language Paper 1: Monday 16th May (am)
Revise Reading Media and non-fiction texts
Revise/practise writing—to discuss, argue, persuade
Language Paper 2: Wednesday 18th May (pm)
Revise Poems from Different Cultures (Cluster 1 and/or Cluster 2
in Anthology)
Revise/practise writing—to inform, explain, describe
Literature: Tuesday, 24th May (am)
Revise and bring To Kill a Mockingbird orOf Mice and Men or Lord
of the Flies
Revise Duffy/Armitage OR Heaney/Clarke poems and pre-1914
poems