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AQA GCSE Critical Reading and Comprehension Revision

The AQA English Language GCSE consists of two papers worth 50% each, both with a time-limit of one hour and 45 minutes. Paper 1 focuses on fiction, usually an extract from a novel or short story, and tests students' reading and creative-writing skills. Paper 2 asks students to summarise and compare two texts, one from the 19th century and another from the present day, and to produce some viewpoint writing. All texts used are unseen, which means students will likely not have encountered them before. There is also a compulsory speaking and listening component which is unweighted and internally assessed.

EdPlace’s GCSE exam-style questions and practice papers help your child hone their exam-technique and prepare them for anything the exam may throw at them.


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Reading Fiction: 'The Tell-Tale Heart'

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Reading Non-fiction: Analysing a News Article 4

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Reading Non-Fiction: Analysing a News Article 5

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Reading Non-Fiction: Analysis and Comparison

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Reading Non-Fiction: Australia

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Reading Non-Fiction: Chilean Miner Rescue

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Reading Non-Fiction: Class Lifesaving

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Reading Non-Fiction: Cloud Land

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Reading Non-Fiction: Comparing Book Excerpts

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Reading Non-Fiction: Comparison

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Reading Non-Fiction: Daddy Daycare

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Reading Non-Fiction: Dogs and Cats

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Reading Non-Fiction: Lifeboat Rescue

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Reading Non-Fiction: Music Lovers, Food Lovers

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Reading Non-Fiction: Pirate Visit

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Our English Language Reading GCSE revision resources and practice papers are designed to help your child become their best future self by giving them the tools they need to succeed in their GCSEs. Imagine a revision book that matches your child’s schooling, progresses them at the right level, and therefore improves their topic knowledge by 150%...that’s EdPlace! All exam-style questions and practice papers are tailored to exam boards and cover all topics used in AQA, Edexcel, OCR, Eduqas specifications; 



  • Critical reading and comprehension: identifying and interpreting themes, ideas and information

  • Critical reading and comprehension: reading in different ways for different purposes, comparing and evaluating

  • Critical reading and comprehension: drawing inferences and justifying these with evidence

  • Critical reading and comprehension: supporting a point of view by referring to evidence within the text

  • Critical reading and comprehension: identifying bias and misuse of evidence 

  • Critical reading and comprehension: reflecting critically and evaluatively on text

  • Critical reading and comprehension: recognising the possibility of different responses to a text

  • Summary and synthesis: identifying the main theme or themes

  • Summary and synthesis: summarising ideas and information from a single text

  • Summary and synthesis: synthesising from more than one text 

  • Evaluation of a writer's choice of vocabulary, form, grammatical and structural features: explaining and illustrating 

  • Evaluation of a writer's choice of vocabulary, form, grammatical and structural features: analysing and evaluating

  • Comparing texts

 

How to ace GCSEs with EdPlace

We know first hand how overwhelming 9-1 GCSEs can be, so we’re here to help clear the waters! The introductory years - often starting as early as year 9 - are all about building comprehension and confidence in each topic, progressing up to exam technique, revision and practice in year 11.

To help you support your child best, all our resources are aligned to exam boards AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR and Eduqas. We also focus on progressive leveling, starting at an introductory level and working up to exam-style questions and practice papers - all available at your fingertips in the EdPlace app.

Learn the skills using our resources, practise what you’ve learnt with our exam-style questions and test for exam readiness with our practice papers - success!

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Thousands of GCSE English, maths and science activities

Thousands of English, maths, science GCSE revision activities created by teachers accelerate your child’s learning with our learn, practise and test approach. Our core activities are designed to develop the skills they’re learning in school to build your child’s confidence. With our exam-style questions and practice papers, we’ll then help them revise for exam success and beyond.

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