Language Paper 1: fiction reading and creative writing
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This lesson is specifically about AQA GCSE English Language 8700 Paper 1. Other qualifications have different paper numbering and formats.
Use the current task and specimen materials for your exam series. The summer 2026 updates replace the earlier Question 1 list format and revise some prompts.
AQA Paper 1: marks
Typical reading questions
Question 1 now has four multiple-choice information items.
Question 2 analyses language; Question 3 analyses structure across the source with a named focus.
Question 4 asks for a supported judgement about the specified section. Follow its exact statement and boundaries.
Writing task
Choose one Question 5 option. The updated descriptive prompt permits imagination; the narrative prompt asks for a story opening. Do not force a complete resolution when only an opening is requested.
Writing awards 24 marks for content and organisation and 16 for technical accuracy. Develop ideas and control the language rather than chasing length.
Match the task
Timing (typical 1 hour 45 minutes)
105 minutes is the total. A workable strategy may reserve 15 for reading and 45 for each section’s answers, with planning and checking included. Adapt this to the actual paper and your needs.
One possible 105-minute plan
Common pitfalls
Spending too long on early low-mark questions; analysing only the beginning; not answering the question asked; writing no plan; running out of time.
Slides
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