Paper 1 Explorations in creative reading and writing: complete overview - AQA GCSE English Language

Paper 1, Explorations in creative reading and writing, is one of the two equally weighted papers in AQA GCSE English Language (8700). It lasts 1 hour 45 minutes, is worth 80 marks (50% of the GCSE), and is built on a single unseen literature fiction extract. This overview maps the question order, the skills each question tests, the writing task, and how to study the whole paper.

The shape of the paper

The paper has two equally weighted sections. Section A is reading on one unseen fiction extract; Section B is creative or descriptive writing. Each section is worth 40 marks. Because the extract is unseen, the paper tests transferable reading and writing skills, not memorised content.

Section A: the four reading questions

The reading questions come in a fixed order and rise in tariff, so they reward a deliberate approach.

• Question 1, retrieval (AO1). List things that are true according to a few named lines. Stay strictly inside those lines and keep it short. See identifying explicit and implicit information.
• Question 2, language (AO2). Analyse how the writer uses language to achieve effects, usually on a named section. Use evidence, named method and effect. See analysing language for effect.
• Question 3, structure (AO2). Analyse how the writer has structured the whole extract to interest the reader. This is a whole-text question. See analysing structure.
• Question 4, evaluation (AO4). Respond to a statement about a named section and evaluate the text critically, with evidence. This is the highest-tariff reading question. See evaluating texts critically.

Section B: creative and descriptive writing

Section B offers two prompts, often with an image, and asks for one piece of descriptive or narrative writing worth 40 marks. AO5 (24 marks) rewards engaging, well-organised content; AO6 (16 marks) rewards accurate, varied sentences, vocabulary, spelling and punctuation. See descriptive and narrative writing.

How the marks split

Section A reading is 40 marks across the four questions (rising in tariff). Section B writing is 40 marks: 24 for AO5 and 16 for AO6. The fixed 16 AO6 marks mean accuracy alone can move your writing band, so proofreading is never optional.

How to study Paper 1

1. Drill the reading questions in order. Practise the retrieval, language, structure and evaluation skills until each has a clear method.
2. Always link method to effect. Naming techniques earns little; explaining their effect on the reader is what AO2 and AO4 reward.
3. Treat structure as whole-text. Question 3 is about order and shape across the extract, not word choice.
4. Plan and craft your writing. A tight structure, vivid showing-not-telling, and a strong opening and ending lift AO5.
5. Protect your accuracy marks. Leave five minutes to proofread for AO6 on every practice paper.

For the official specification

AQA publishes the specification (8700), past papers and mark schemes at aqa.org.uk. Always revise from the current specification and AQA's own past papers, because question wording and mark schemes are board-specific.