A complete guide to OCR GCSE English Language

Key takeaways:

• The OCR GCSE English Language exam consists of two written papers and a speaking assessment.

• The papers are both 2 hours long and equally weighted.

• GCSE grade boundaries are set after the exam. Take a look at last year’s boundaries below.

What’s the format of the OCR GCSE English Language exam?

The OCR English Language exam consists of the following:

• Two written papers with a total of 160 marks available.

• Both papers are 2 hours long and worth 80 marks.

• There is also a spoken language assessment graded separately from the exams.

What’s the difference between Papers 1 and 2 for OCR English Language?

The two papers are of equal length and weighting, but test you on different parts of the English Language curriculum.

Paper 1: Communicating information and ideas

Paper 1 is split into two sections:

• In section one, the focus is on reading. You’ll be asked a series of questions on unseen texts provided in the paper. You’ll need to show your understanding of the extracts and analyse how they communicate ideas.

• In section two, the focus is on writing. You’ll be asked to write one of two pieces, communicating to an audience. For example, you might be asked to write a speech or a letter.

Take a look at the OCR English Language Paper 1 from May 2024 to learn more.

Paper 2: Exploring effects and impact

Similar to Paper 1, the second exam is split into two parts, with a focus on reading and then writing:

• In Part 1, you’ll be asked to answer questions on unseen texts, showing your understanding of how they create impact on the reader and comparing the two.

• Part 2 will ask you to write creatively, with two prompts to choose from. This is your chance to use your imagination and creative writing skills.

Take a look at the OCR English Language Paper 2 from May 2024 to learn more.

What are examiners looking for?

Examiners are assessing both your reading comprehension skills and your ability to write in different formats.

The assessment objectives for OCR English Language are:

• AO1: identify and interpret explicit and implicit meanings in texts

• AO2: explain how writers use language and structure to achieve effects

• AO3: compare writers’ ideas, perspectives, methods

• AO4: evaluate texts, and in writing, produce coherent, accurate, effective texts

Examiners are looking for you to show your reading and writing skills throughout this exam. Remember to think about structure, form and to read through your answers carefully to make sure they’re accurate.

Find out more about what examiners are looking for by taking a look at previous OCR GCSE English Language mark schemes.

What are the grade boundaries for OCR GCSE English Language?

It’s important to remember that the exact grade boundaries for your GCSE exams will change every year. Exam boards adjust the grade boundaries after an exam has happened, depending on how advanced the exam content was and how the cohort performed.

This is so students don’t have an advantage or disadvantage because of the year they took the paper. For example, if your paper were harder, grade boundaries would be lowered so that a grade 5 reflects the same level of knowledge as in previous years.

To give a sense of what to expect, here are the grade boundaries for last year’s OCR English Language GCSE:

While we can’t say the exact boundaries for the next exam, the table above should help you understand what marks to aim for to hit your target grade.

How can I prepare for GCSE English Language?

Here are 5 top tips for preparing for your GCSE English Language exams:

1. Master your analytical skills

A key area that GCSE English Language tests is your ability to analyse and understand texts.

• Every time you read a text, annotate it for metaphors, similes, alliteration, rhetorical questions, and tone. Make sure to look at the structural choices, too.

• Always ask yourself; Why did the writer do that? What effect does it produce for the reader?

• Remember to back up your analysis with quotes and explain the impact of these devices.

Top tip: Try teaching others what you know about a text to help build confidence in your understanding.

2. Practise writing little and often

English Language exam questions ask you to answer a variety of questions, including essays, and to write your own pieces.

• Practise writing PEE/PEEL paragraphs (Point, Evidence, Explain, Link) as a clear way to structure your thoughts.

• Use past papers and practise writing answers under timed conditions.

• Focus on analysing the texts. Think about how language, structure, and form create meaning.

• Practise creative writing using prompts and get feedback from your teacher or friends to help you improve.

Top tip: Use practice papers under timed conditions to get used to planning and writing clear answers.

3. Don’t forget to practise comparing and contrasting

In both papers, you’ll be asked to compare and contrast texts. It’s a good idea to practise this and get used to drawing parallels between different source materials.

• Practise comparing vocabulary, tone, viewpoint, structure, and the effects of these on the audience.

• Think about how you structure your comparisons to keep your writing clear and easy to understand.

Top tip: Colour code your notes to help organise your thoughts and make them easier to digest.

4. Practise with past papers and mark schemes

Testing your skills with past papers is a great way to build speed, accuracy and confidence. Incorporate test questions into your revision routine to help put your learning into practice.

• Practise writing plans for answers and outlines for essays to build a strong habit.

• Try taking the full exam, working through it in your own time and noting which sections you found easiest and most challenging.

Top tip: Take a look at our guide to revising with past papers.

5. Mimic test conditions

Set yourself up for success by practising in exam conditions to get used to working quickly and with full focus.

• Try to sit a full paper under timed conditions, without your notes or texts.

• Afterwards, mark your own work using the OCR marking criteria or swap with a friend and mark each other.

• Reflect on the process: How did you manage your time? Did you plan before writing? Which areas do you need to work on?

Top tip: Break down each question into chunks and set yourself enough time to answer each section.

For more revision top tips, check out our blog on GCSE study habits to build.