This document provides a guide for students taking the GCSE English Language exam. It outlines the 6 questions that will be on the exam and provides tips for answering each question. For question 1, it advises starting with the most important points from the text and including details and quotes. For question 2, it says to explain how the heading, subheading and picture are effective and link to the main text. For the writing questions 5 and 6, it provides advice on paragraph structure, sentence variety, and language features to include. It allocates suggested timing for reading the texts and answering each question.

1. GCSE English Language
Unit 1 Exam
Don’t
panic!
Prepare yourself
with this helpful
guide 

2. Step one: read the questions, then
the items.
• As soon as possible, please invest in a
highlighter or even better a pack of
them !– use them to mark key points,
interesting uses of language etc as you
read the items so you can find them
quickly later!
• This should take you about fifteen minutes
• Begin answering question 1 only when
you have read the lot!

3. Question 1
• The examiner wants to see that you have fully
understood the whole text.
• Start your answer with the most important
points.
• Then add lots of detail, using BREADCRUMB
QUOTES.
• You should include some inference too, eg the
reader can tell she enjoyed it, he was nervous…
• DON’T analyse use of language
• X3 SPEED 12 MINS.

4. Question 2
• Explain why heading, subheading & picture are
effective AND how EACH of them link to the
main text.
• This will entail some stating of the obvious, eg
the heading mentions ‘new life’ which the main
text explains is newly-discovered species.
• You may point out effective language use.
• You MUST refer to (quote from?) the main text –
don’t discuss the headline, sub head and picture
in isolation!
• X3 SPEED 12 MINS

5. Question 3
• The examiner wants to see that you can
infer (read between the lines) what the
main person in item 3 is thinking and
feeling.
• Use quotes – SPEED structure is fine.
• Try to cover the whole of item 3
• X3 SPEED 12 MINS

6. Question 4
• Compare use of language – hopefully, you will
have already highlighted a few interesting
features (short sentences, technical language,
informality, imagery…)
• SPEED back & forth between your 2 chosen
items – link with comparison connectives.
• How are the items similar & how different?
• Your answer should show you understand that
the language differs with PURPOSE &
AUDIENCE.
• X6 SPEED 24 MINS

7. Question 5
• Writing to INFORM, EXPLAIN, DESCRIBE
• .,:;””!?-/…()
• PLAN 3 or 4 paras, order and LINK them
• SHOW OFF as much as you can from the very
first sentence!
• Use a variety of sentence structures.
• -LY and –ING openers
• Engage your readers!!
• BAG OF FULL STOPS

8. Question 6
• Writing to ARGUE or PERSUADE
• .,!””()?:;…
• SHOW OFF as much as you can from the very first
sentence!
• Use a variety of sentence structures.
• Anecdote
• Pivot paragraph
• Magic sentence: 1; 2; 3.
• 1
• 2
• 3
• Anecdote

9. Check your
answers.

10. Timing
• 15 mins reading
• 1h for qs1,2,3 & 4
» Q1 – 12 mins
» Q2 – 12 mins
» Q3 – 12 mins
» Q4 – 24 mins
• 1h for qs 5 & 6
» Q5 – 25 mins
» Q6 – 35 mins