If you are preparing for the GCSE English (1 and 2) exam, one of the best ways you can check whether you will achieve your desired results is to download past GCSE English exam papers, complete them under test conditions, and have someone evaluate your work.
The GCSE English exam consists of two papers. Paper 1 is designed to test how you respond to creative reading and writing and examines critical reading and analysis and your ability to evaluate a text. In addition, you are tested on your formal writing skills including the facility with language and the ways it is used to achieve narration, plot, and a specific effect in the reader.
Paper 2 examines writer perspectives and the viewpoints of writers in specific periods in English literature. You’ll be asked to read a provided text and show how the writer’s viewpoints and attitudes are reflected through their writing style and technique. In the second part, you’ll be tested on persuasive writing theory and structure in various types of text such as a letter or article.
Each exam assesses reading and writing skills with reading making up 50% of the mark you receive while writing makes up the other 50%. In each exam, you will need to respond to reading questions on the text in the exam and one writing task that you produce.
It is difficult to revise for GCSE English as there are no ‘right’ answers. Ensuring that you have read the required texts and understanding writing techniques is also a good practice. Taking a past exam paper is a good technique to use because it will allow you to check your preparedness in a practical way.
You can download all of the past GCSE English exam papers online and choose one to take; note that more recent examples might be better than older ones. You should try to do the exam as closely as possible to test conditions by ensuring you finish within the time limit and do not use external sources that would not be allowed in the exam.
Unlike in other subjects, it is very difficult to mark your own GCSE English past paper, and therefore it is advisable to give your results to a teacher at school or get a qualified tutor to mark the papers for you. They will be able to show you where you have made errors and identify the specific areas in which you can improve.