How to Revise for GCSE English

Struggling to revise for GCSE English? To succeed in your GCSE English exam, first of all, you will need to familiarise yourself with its wo main components: English Language and English Literature. They each require specific skills, including critical reading, creative writing and textual analysis. Luckily, with time, practice and the right support, you can master all those skills and be ready to ace the exam!

Read on to learn effective revision techniques that are tailored to each area, and make sure you’re thoroughly prepared.

How is the GCSE English Exam Structured?

Students usually take GCSE English Language and GCSE English Literature as separate qualifications (unless you’re in a program combining them, such as WJEC’s upcoming Single/Double Award from 2025​). Each qualification is assessed by two exam papers under the reformed 9–1 grading system (no coursework), with no tiered entries. All students sit the same papers​.  

English Language

All major boards structure English Language into two exam papers focusing on reading comprehension and writing skills​. For example, AQA’s GCSE English Language has: Paper 1 (fiction reading and descriptive/narrative writing) and Paper 2 (non-fiction reading and transactional writing), each 1h 45m and each worth 50%. Generally speaking, you will typically be required to analyse two texts, with a focus on both reading and writing. For more information on the latter, read our guide Creative Writing for GCSE.

English Literature

GCSE Literature exams are also split into two papers for all boards​, and involve the study of prose, poetry, and drama, requiring analysis of themes, characters, and contexts. Across AQA, Edexcel, OCR, and Eduqas, you will study a Shakespeare play, a 19th-century novel, a modern text, and poetry. For example, AQA’s GCSE English Literature has Paper 1 (40%) on Shakespeare and the 19th-century novel (1 hour 45 minutes, 64 marks) and Paper 2 (60%) on the modern prose/drama text, a poetry anthology, and unseen poetry (2 hours 15 minutes, 96 marks)​.

Revision Strategies

Create a Revision Plan and Timetable

A well-structured revision timetable can really help you stay on track and ensure you cover all aspects of the GCSE English syllabus. Plan your weeks leading up to exams, allocating time for each literature text and language skill, but avoid revising only one aspect of English for long periods. Instead, alternate between English Language and English Literature. Start by identifying which topics require more attention and allocate extra time to them. If you struggle with poetry analysis, for instance, dedicate extra revision slots to practicing it. Also, don’t forget to make the plan realistic: schedule specific tasks (e.g. “learn 5 quotes from Macbeth” or “practice Language Paper1 Q5 description”) in each slot rather than just vague “revise English”. Also, consider trying out the Pomodoro technique (25-minute focused study followed by a 5-minute break) or scheduling longer study sessions with breaks. A solid study technique, tailored to your needs, can really help you maintain concentration.

Utilise Active Revision Techniques

Why is active revision better than passive reading? Well, simply reading your set texts over and over isn’t enough. You want to engage actively with each text. Some things you can do to actively revise: rewrite key points in your own words, to ensure that you understand the material rather than just memorising it; explain concepts to someone else (a friend, family member, or even yourself out loud) so you have to clarify your thoughts; use visual diagrams to connect ideas, such as linking different themes in a novel or mapping out common writing techniques; write down key quotes, literary devices, or exam tips on flashcards and test yourself regularly.

Practice Past Papers

Don’t underestimate the importance of practising past questions, as they allow you familiarise yourself with the style and difficulty of the real exam and help build your exam technique. For instance, you’ll become familiar with keywords like “Compare,” “Evaluate how…,” “To what extent…,” etc., and know how to respond to each. By exam day, the format will feel much more comfortable, reducing anxiety.

Pro tip: simulate exam conditions in a quiet environment, with strict timing and no notes. This will improve your time management, and, after a few timed essays, you’ll learn how long it takes to plan and write and adjust your pacing accordingly.

Focus on Weak Areas

Focusing on your weak areas will allow you to make the most of your revision time. It can be tempting to spend time on topics you already understand well, but identifying and addressing your weakest areas will have a greater impact on your performance. You could make a list of the topics you struggle with and dedicate extra time to practising them. Also, if you’re unsure about certain concepts, don’t hesitate to ask your teacher for clarification or seek help from expert tutors.  

Seek Feedback

Feedback is crucial for refining your skills and improving your exam performance. Make it a regular part of your revision process by. Submit practice essays or answers and request specific advice on areas for improvement, such as structure, analysis, or coherence. Swap answers with classmates and critique each other’s work, highlighting strengths and suggesting improvements. Reviewing high-scoring answers can provide insight into what makes an effective response and help you structure your own work accordingly. Keep a record of the feedback you receive and note common errors or weaknesses to focus on during revision.

Simply receiving feedback isn’t enough, you’ll also have to make a conscious effort to apply the suggested improvements in your next practice paper.

Look After Yourself!

Don’t forget, taking care of your physical and mental health is just as important as studying. Diet, exercise and getting enough sleep will help you stay sharp. Avoid excessive caffeine and screen time before bed. Take short breaks during revision – burnout is no joke! If you feel overwhelmed, relaxation techniques like mindfulness or deep breathing can help you manage stress.

Most of all, have confidence in your abilities. While it’s normal to feel nervous, know you’ve worked hard for this and celebrate all wins, big and small. Avoid comparing yourself to others and focus on your own progress. Trust in the effort you’ve put into your revision and remind yourself that you are prepared to ace the exam.

Seek Additional Support

If you’re struggling with particular topics, don’t hesitate to seek additional support. Joining study groups, attending revision sessions at school, or getting a tutor can provide new perspectives and explanations that will help you understand tricky concepts. Discussing problems with classmates can also be great help, as explaining concepts to others reinforces your own understanding.  

How to Revise for English Language GCSE

If you want to get better at writing, there’s one key thing you should do: read. Read widely—fiction, non-fiction, poetry—anything you can get your hands on. The more you read, the more you’ll absorb different writing styles, vocabulary, and techniques. By being an active reader and paying attention to how your favourite authors build complex worlds and compelling narratives, your own writing skills will improve.

Read a variety of texts

Engage with fiction, non-fiction, newspaper articles, speeches, reviews, and classic literature. Each text type exposes you to different writing styles, tones, and structures, which will enhance your ability to analyse unfamiliar extracts in the exam.

Practise summarising

After reading a passage, write a short summary of the main points. This skill is crucial for Paper 2, where you may need to compare and contrast different viewpoints.

Identify literary and rhetorical devices

Recognise techniques such as metaphors, similes, alliteration, rhetorical questions, and juxtaposition. Understanding how writers use language to persuade, describe, or entertain will help you score well in analytical questions.

Work through past paper questions

Answer comprehension and analysis questions under timed conditions. Exam boards (AQA, Edexcel, OCR, WJEC) have slightly different question structures, so make sure you practise with the correct format.

Expand your vocabulary

Keep a personal vocabulary journal and learn high-impact words and phrases to enhance your writing. Make a habit of using new words in your practice essays.

Practise different writing styles

You may be asked to write a story, speech, letter, article, or review. Try writing in each format, ensuring you follow the correct tone, structure, and purpose.

Edit and refine your work

Review your practice essays, checking for clarity, grammar, punctuation, and coherence. Reading your work aloud can help you identify awkward phrasing or missing details.

By combining active reading, frequent practice, and structured writing techniques, you can improve both comprehension and written expression, ensuring success in GCSE English Language.

How to Revise for English Literature GCSE

Excelling in GCSE English Literature requires a thorough knowledge of set texts, the ability to analyse language and structure, and strong comparative and evaluative skills. Since Literature is a closed-book exam, memorising key quotations and understanding major themes is essential.

Know Your Set Texts

Every exam board requires students to study:

  • A Shakespeare play
  • A 19th-century novel
  • A modern drama or prose text
  • A poetry anthology (plus unseen poetry)

Make sure you have read all your set texts multiple times and are familiar with plots, characters, and themes.

Summarise each chapter or scene

Write short summaries after reading each section, highlighting key events and turning points. This will make it easier to recall information during the exam.

Highlight important quotations

Memorising key quotes is crucial for supporting your arguments in essays. Use flashcards, quote banks, or mind maps to group key lines by theme or character.

Understand different interpretations

Literature questions often ask for personal response and critical evaluation. Consider different ways key moments and themes could be interpreted to demonstrate analytical depth.

Analyse Themes and Characters

Identify central ideas such as power, identity, conflict, love, justice, or morality, depending on your text. Create revision tables linking themes, key events, and relevant quotations. Track how key characters evolve throughout the text. Ask yourself: How do their actions shape the story? What motivates them? How do they interact with others?

Literary techniques

Be aware of symbolism, imagery, foreshadowing, irony, and dramatic devices. These techniques add depth to your analysis and help you explain how the author constructs meaning.

Contextual Understanding

Consider how the era in which the text was written affects its themes. For example, Victorian attitudes towards class and gender influence A Christmas Carol and Jane Eyre, while war and conflict shape An Inspector Calls and Poetry of Conflict.

By combining text knowledge, analytical depth, and contextual awareness, you’ll be able to construct sophisticated, well-evidenced responses in your Literature exam.

Get Extra Help Revising for GCSE English

If you would like extra, personal support with your GCSE English revision, working with an expert tutor can be a massive help. A good GCSE English tutor will help you structure your revision, understand complex concepts, mark your practice questions, and provide you with invaluable advice on exam technique. Because all our tutoring is 1-1, the support you receive will be personalised to your unique strengths and weaknesses, ensuring the most effective learning experience.

Many students can improve by 1-3 grades over just a couple of months of intensive revision tuition. All our tutors are highly experienced, with proven track records of GCSE success, and are graduates from top universities. Book a free consultation with us today to get matched with the ideal English GCSE tutor for you.

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