AQA GCSE English Language Paper 1 Revision Checklist

Paper 1 of AQA English Language 8700 is "Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing". Every assessment skill and toolkit item is listed below as an "I can…" objective. RAG-rate each one as you revise.

This checklist is taken straight from the official AQA English Language 8700 specification. Every spec statement is listed as an "I can…" objective so you can plan revision sessions, see what's left and walk into the exam knowing nothing has slipped through the cracks.

Specification code 8700/1 · 15 sub-topics across 3 sections.

Section A — Reading (40 marks)

One fiction extract from the 20th or 21st century.

7 sub-topics.

  • Q1 — List four things (4 marks, AO1) — Identify explicit information from a specified section; stay literal and stay inside the lines.
  • Q2 — Language analysis (8 marks, AO2) — Analyse words, phrases, language features and sentence forms; use subject terminology.
  • Q2 — Embedded quotation technique — Quote precisely, zoom on a single word, link effect to writer's intent and reader response.
  • Q3 — Structure analysis (8 marks, AO2) — Analyse how the writer has structured the whole extract — opening, shifts, focus, ending.
  • Q3 — Structural vocabulary — Use terms like foreshadowing, zoom, juxtaposition, cyclical structure, in medias res, asyndetic listing.
  • Q4 — Evaluation (20 marks, AO4) — Evaluate to what extent you agree with a statement about the text; sustain a critical line of argument.
  • Q4 — Methods + effect — Link writer's methods to the impact on the reader; use multiple quotations across the text.

Section B — Creative Writing (40 marks)

One descriptive or narrative response based on an image or written prompt.

4 sub-topics.

  • Q5 — Content & organisation (24 marks, AO5) — Plan a clear structure — opening, development, complication, resolution; keep tense consistent.
  • Q5 — Technical accuracy (16 marks, AO6) — Use a range of punctuation (semicolons, dashes, ellipsis); vary sentence forms.
  • Q5 — Vocabulary and language features — Use sensory imagery, metaphor, simile, personification, pathetic fallacy; show off precise vocabulary.
  • Q5 — Structural craft in writing — Open with intrigue; use flashback or cyclical structure; vary paragraph length for impact.

Toolkit — terminology and timings

4 sub-topics.

  • Language techniques — Metaphor, simile, personification, sibilance, plosives, oxymoron, asyndetic/syndetic listing.
  • Structural techniques — Foreshadowing, shifts in focus, juxtaposition, cyclical structure, zoom in/out.
  • Sentence types — Simple, compound, complex, minor; declarative, imperative, interrogative, exclamatory.
  • Timing plan — 15 min reading + 45 min Section A + 45 min Section B; plan Q5 for 5 minutes before writing.

How to use this checklist

  • RAG-rate every sub-topic. Red = haven't studied; Amber = revised but shaky; Green = confident.
  • Revise reds first. Your marginal mark gains are biggest where you're weakest.
  • Re-rate after every past paper. The list updates with your actual performance, not your feelings.
  • Don't binge. 25-minute focus blocks (try the Pomodoro timer) beat 3-hour sessions.

Suggested revision order

  • Q1 first — easy 4 marks if you stay literal.
  • Q5 next — it's worth 40 marks; plan structure before vocabulary.
  • Q2 and Q3: drill identifying language vs structure (students often confuse them).
  • Q4 last: evaluation is the hardest skill — practise weekly with model answers.

Related resources

Frequently asked questions

How long is AQA English Language Paper 1?

1 hour 45 minutes, worth 80 marks (50% of GCSE).

How should I split my time on Paper 1?

AQA recommends 15 minutes reading + 45 minutes Section A + 45 minutes Section B. Always plan Q5 for 5 minutes before writing.

What's the difference between Q2 and Q3?

Q2 (language) zooms in on words, phrases and sentence forms in a specified section. Q3 (structure) zooms out on how the whole extract is organised — openings, shifts, perspective, endings.

Source: AQA English Language 8700 specification.

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