2026-Changes-Paper-1-aqa

What are the changes to the AQA GCSE English Language Paper 1 exam?

Question 1

Question 1 is worth 4 marks and previously asked you to list four things about a subject from specific lines of the source text.

Question 1 is changing from the old “list four things” response to a multiple choice question. The skills you are being asked to use are the same, and it is worth the same number of marks. However, the question will now look like this:

You should choose only one answer for each question by ticking the appropriate box, and each right answer is worth 1 mark (4 marks in total).

It is important that you read the question and each of the three possible answers carefully before making your choice, to ensure you do not throw away any marks by misreading something.

Question 2

No changes.

Question 3

Question 3 was, and still is, the structure question. However, the wording of this question has changed slightly to focus on a single effect. Instead of asking how a writer has structured a text to “interest you as a reader”, the question will focus on a particular effect the writer has tried to create in how they have structured the text.

For example:

This change will help you to focus on the specific effect (in the above example, how the writer has created tension) and consider what the writer has purposefully done to achieve it.

Question 4

The wording of question 4 (the evaluation question) has changed slightly to make it clearer. You will now be given a statement and asked to what extent you agree or disagree with that statement. This means that you should focus on evaluating the text in relation to the statement, rather than evaluating the writer’s use of methods.

For example:

Question 5

Question 5 is the writing question. You will still be given two options and a picture prompt, but the picture prompt will remind you that you can use your imagination — you do not have to describe the exact picture. This means you can use the picture as a springboard for your own ideas.

For example:

In addition, you will be able to write “an opening of a story” rather than a whole story.

For example:

You do still need to consider the organisation and structure of your narrative, as this forms part of your marks for AO5. We will provide further guidance on this in our updated revision notes later this year.

For details about the changes in Paper 2, please see our guide “2026 Changes: Paper 2”.