AQA GCSE Language Paper 1 Question 2 EXPLAINED

Mrs Wear runs through the five essentials for tackling Paper 1, Section A, Question 2 (the language analysis question):

What you need to do – The question is always phrased the same way: “How does the writer use language to describe X?” Your task is language analysis (not structure).

Marks and timing – It’s worth 8 marks. Spend around 10–15 minutes on it depending on your timing plan.

Analyse the right section – You’re given a specific line range, copied above the question on the paper. Only analyse that section — anything outside won’t earn marks.

What is language analysis – It means zooming in on the writer’s word choices and techniques (metaphor, imagery, semantic fields, etc.) and explaining how they create meaning linked to the question.

How much to write – Aim for roughly two paragraphs, which works out at about two AQA answer pages. This could be:

One idea explored in depth across two paragraphs, or

Two different ideas, one per paragraph (her recommended approach).
Handwriting size makes a difference to how much space this fills, but the content should be balanced and detailed.

She closes by stressing: if you can manage two clear ideas with strong analysis, that shows deeper understanding. But if you’re stuck, it’s better to do one idea really well than two with one weak one.

Timestamps
0:00 What do you have to do for AQA English Language GCSE paper 1 question two?
0:50 what are the marks and timings for AQA English Language GCSE paper 1 question two?
1:07 what section of the text should I be analysing for AQA English Language GCSE paper 1 question two?
1:44 what is language analysis?
2:23 How much do I need to write for  AQA English Language GCSE paper 1 question two?