Start with your exam board
GCSE English Language papers differ between exam boards: the types of text, the questions and how marks are shared out all vary. Check your exam board's specification, and practise with that board's past papers and mark schemes so the format feels familiar.
Read the extract with purpose
- Read the questions first so you know what to look for.
- Read the whole extract once for meaning, then reread the lines each question points to.
- Underline short quotations as you go and jot a word or two about their effect.
- Notice how the text changes from beginning to end: shifts in focus, mood or viewpoint.
Write about language and structure
- Use short, precise quotations rather than copying whole sentences.
- Name a technique only when you can explain what it does.
- Zoom in on individual words and explain what they suggest.
- Always link back to the effect on the reader and to the exact question asked.
Manage your time
Use the marks printed on the paper as a guide to how long to spend on each question, and keep moving if you get stuck. Leave enough time for the writing task, and a few minutes at the end to check your work.
Plan your own writing
- Spend a few minutes planning: a clear idea, an opening that hooks, a shape and an ending.
- Vary sentence lengths and openings for effect.
- Choose ambitious vocabulary, but only words you can use accurately.
- Paragraph clearly and proofread for spelling and punctuation.
