Short answer? Yes, absolutely! 🙌
Even though English Language might feel a bit different from subjects like science or maths, you can and should revise for it. It's not just about being naturally good at writing or reading – it's about learning how to approach the questions, understanding what examiners are looking for, and practising your skills.
Here’s how you can revise effectively:
Each exam board has slightly different formats, but the key things to look for are:
Reading section – understanding and analysing texts
Writing section – crafting responses to tasks like descriptive or persuasive writing
You don’t need to write full essays every time. Try:
Describing a photo in 5 minutes
Writing a quick opinion paragraph on a news story
Using a prompt to practise opening lines
Make a word bank of powerful verbs, descriptive adjectives, or persuasive phrases. Challenge yourself to use a few in your practice writing.
Know your language features (like similes, metaphors, rhetorical questions) and structural techniques (like sentence variety, paragraphing). Spot them in real texts – and use them in your own!
The more you read, the better you write. Fiction, non-fiction, newspapers, blogs – anything that gets you thinking about how language is used.
Past papers are one of your best revision tools – they help you practise real questions, spot patterns, and get used to the timing. But just doing a past paper isn’t enough. Here’s how to get the most out of them:
Pick a paper from your exam board (AQA, Edexcel, OCR, etc.). If you're not sure which one you’re doing, check with your teacher – or ask us!
Before diving into writing, spend a few minutes looking at what each question is asking. What skills are they testing? For example:
Is it asking you to analyse?
Are you supposed to compare?
Is it a creative writing task?
Try doing one or two papers under exam conditions – no distractions, timed, and no help. It’s great practice for building exam stamina.
Pause and plan
Try different approaches
Rework your answers
Use the mark scheme to check your answers. They can be a bit tricky at first, but look for:
What would have got more marks?
Did I answer the actual question?
Did I explain my ideas clearly?
Don’t just do a paper once and move on. Revisit it a week later:
Could you improve your answer?
Try a different question
Rewrite a paragraph using better techniques.
It’s a common question – and an important one! While both are part of your GCSEs and involve reading and writing, English Language and English Literature are actually very different subjects.
Here’s a quick breakdown 👇
This is about how language works. You’ll be tested on your ability to:
Read and understand unseen texts (like articles, letters, stories)
Analyse how writers use language and structure
Write clearly and creatively (descriptive or persuasive writing)
You don’t need to memorise any books or quotes – it’s all about your reading and writing skills on the day.
This focuses on the texts you’ve studied in class – like:
A Shakespeare play (e.g. Macbeth)
A 19th-century novel (e.g. A Christmas Carol)
A modern text (e.g. An Inspector Calls)
A poetry anthology and unseen poetry
You’ll need to:
Analyse characters, themes, and language
Remember quotes
Write essays about texts
Getting at least a grade 4 in GCSE English Language is important – but if you don’t quite get there, it’s not the end of the world. Promise 💛
A grade 4 is what’s called a “standard pass”, and it’s important because:
Most colleges and sixth forms ask for it
Apprenticeships usually require it too
Employers often see it as proof you can read, write, and communicate clearly
Many university courses require it – even non-English subjects
It’s seen as a key skill for adult life – kind of like being able to cook pasta or manage your own emails 🍝💌
If you get below a grade 4, don’t worry. Here’s what happens:
Most colleges will let you start your course but ask you to resit English Language alongside it. You won’t be alone – loads of students resit!
Many colleges offer special classes or tutors to help you pass next time. You might even get a second chance in November or the following summer.
Think of a resit as a chance to show what you’ve learned, not a punishment. You’ll go in with more experience, more skills, and a better idea of what to expect.
Missing a grade 4 doesn’t make you a failure. It just means you need a bit more time – and that’s okay. Life doesn’t follow one perfect path, and your worth is not based on a single exam result. You’re more than a grade 💖
