English is taught to the AQA GCSE syllabus. There are two different GCSE's:

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• English Language

• English Literature

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English Language has two papers.

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Paper 1.

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Section A is to test your reading. You are given a short text, then asked the following questions:

1. A quick question to check that you understand what the words mean.

2. A question on a short extract of the text, asking about the writer's use of language - their word choices, use of sentence construction and any other language techniques you can spot.

3. A question on the whole text, asking about how the writer structures their work. How does the focus change. Who is narrating the text? How does the time-fame work? Etc.

4. A question that asks for your informed personal response to the text. Did it excite you? Impress you? WHY?

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Section B is to test your writing. There is a choice of creative tasks. You respond to one of them. Don't forget, the best answers are about quality, not quantity.

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Paper 2

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Section A is to test your reading - this time of two different pieces of writing. You read the texts, then answer the following questions:

1. A quick multiple choice question to check that you have a basic understanding.

2. You are asked to summarise one aspect of both texts. What do both texts tell you about a particular thing?

3. You are asked to analyse the language use of one of the writers. Why is it effective? What techniques do they use?

4. A comparison task. How do the two writers tackle the same topic? Compare them - concentrating on how they write, not just what they write.

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Section B is to test your writing. You are given one task, perhaps to argue, persuade and/or inform. You are marked on how well you write, and how well you adapt your writing to the task.

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