GCSE English Language -Top 10 Questions Parents Ask

At Mr Porter Tutoring, we understand how confusing the GCSE English Language course can be for parents. This guide answers the most common questions we hear from families, helping you understand how to support your child on their journey to English success.

1. What is the difference between English Language and English Literature?

English Language focuses on reading comprehension and writing skills. Students analyse unseen texts (fiction and non-fiction) and are assessed on their ability to:

• Understand, interpret and evaluate texts.

• Write clearly, imaginatively or persuasively.

• Use spelling, punctuation and grammar effectively.

English Literature, by contrast, involves studying set texts such as Shakespeare plays, novels, and poetry, with emphasis on literary analysis and essay writing.

At Mr Porter Tutoring, we help students develop the different skill sets required for success in both.

2. What’s in the English Language GCSE exam?

There are two exam papers:

• Paper 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing:

  
  

  • Section A: Reading an unseen fiction extract (literary analysis).

  • Section B: Descriptive or narrative writing.

  
  

• Paper 2: Writers’ Viewpoints and Perspectives:

  
  

  • Section A: Reading two non-fiction texts (modern and older).

  • Section B: Transactional writing (e.g. speeches, letters, articles).

  
  

Each paper tests both reading comprehension and writing ability.

3. How is English Language marked?

Each paper is out of 80 marks: 40 for reading and 40 for writing. Marks are awarded for:

• Reading: Understanding, inference, analysis of language and structure, evaluation and comparison.

• Writing: Content, organisation, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, grammar.

Writing also includes a technical accuracy score (SPaG)—worth 16 marks across both papers.

Our tutors teach students how to meet the exam criteria in each response with confidence and structure.

4. How can my child improve their writing skills?

Improving writing involves:

• Understanding different text types (e.g. stories, speeches, letters).

• Planning ideas clearly before writing.

• Using a wide vocabulary and sentence variety.

• Developing paragraphs with clear structure and purpose.

• Practising spelling, punctuation, and grammar.

At Mr Porter Tutoring, we model high-scoring writing responses and guide students in building strong writing habits through feedback and practice.

5. What’s the best way to revise for English Language?

Unlike Literature, English Language doesn’t rely on memorisation. The best revision strategies include:

• Practising past papers.

• Reading a range of fiction and non-fiction texts.

• Learning how to analyse language and structure.

• Building writing skills through regular timed tasks.

• Reviewing model answers and examiner commentary.

We provide revision packs and step-by-step walkthroughs for each question type in our lessons.

6. What are the biggest challenges students face in English Language?

Common challenges include:

• Understanding complex or older texts.

• Identifying writer’s methods (e.g. metaphor, tone, structure).

• Managing time across multiple questions.

• Writing with clarity, coherence, and correct grammar.

• Avoiding vague or generalised responses.

Our tutoring sessions address these challenges by breaking down questions into manageable steps and practising with clear success criteria.

7. How many papers are there and what do they include?

There are two papers, both approximately 1 hour 45 minutes long:

• Paper 1 tests literary analysis and creative writing (fiction).

• Paper 2 tests comparison of viewpoints and persuasive/transactional writing (non-fiction).

Each paper includes 5 questions:

• Questions 1–4 test reading skills;

• Question 5 tests writing.

We help students understand the structure of each paper and how to maximise marks in every section.

8. My child is great at reading but weak at writing—how can I help?

This is common. Strong reading doesn’t always transfer to confident writing. To support writing:

• Encourage writing practice at home (e.g. journals, creative prompts).

• Use writing frames to model structure.

• Provide sentence starters or scaffolds.

• Practise spelling and punctuation in context.

• Get expert feedback through tutoring sessions.

We focus on boosting writing through personalised tasks, targeted corrections, and positive reinforcement.

9. How can we practise unseen texts at home?

Unseen texts can be practised by:

• Reading short extracts from books, articles, speeches, or newspapers.

• Asking questions like: What is the writer’s purpose? What techniques are used?

• Practising analysis with sample GCSE questions.

• Comparing two texts on the same theme or topic.

Our tutors provide curated unseen texts and comprehension questions tailored to each student’s level and target grade.

10. What role does spelling, punctuation, and grammar (SPaG) play in the final mark?

SPaG contributes 20% of the writing mark—that’s up to 16 marks total across both papers. Mistakes in grammar or punctuation can make a big difference to the final grade.

That’s why we build technical accuracy into every writing task we do. We teach students to edit their work, use punctuation with control, and avoid common errors like comma splices, sentence fragments, or misused apostrophes.

Need More Support?

At Mr Porter Tutoring, we:

• Offer one-to-one and small group sessions in-person and online

• Provide personalised feedback on both reading and writing tasks

• Support students from all ability levels—from grade 3 up to grade 9

• Build confidence, exam technique, and motivation in English

Contact us today to discuss how we can support your child’s English success.