Free GCSE English Language past papers and mark schemes for AQA, Edexcel, OCR. Download free PDFs and check your answers.
We list GCSE English Language papers for AQA, Edexcel, OCR. Choose your exam board to see each paper with its mark scheme.
Papers differ between boards, so use the board you are entered for. Your teacher can tell you which one that is.
Minimum total raw marks across all the papers. There are no tiers: everyone sits the same papers. Boundaries change every series, so use them as a rough guide when you mark an older paper.
Minimum total raw marks across all the papers. There are no tiers: everyone sits the same papers. Match the specification code on your entry. Boundaries change every series, so use them as a rough guide when you mark an older paper.
Minimum total raw marks across all the papers. There are no tiers: everyone sits the same papers. Boundaries change every series, so use them as a rough guide when you mark an older paper.
Go through the mark scheme and write down the topics where you dropped marks, so you know what to revise before you try another paper.
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AQA, Edexcel and OCR each set two papers, and everyone sits both: there are no tiers. The papers and question types differ between boards, so practise your own board's papers.
In June 2026, AQA GCSE English Language 8700 needed 75/160 for grade 4 and 103/160 for grade 7; Pearson Edexcel GCSE English Language 1EN0 needed 87/160 for grade 4 and 115/160 for grade 7; Pearson Edexcel GCSE English Language 2.0 1EN2 needed 85/160 for grade 4 and 117/160 for grade 7; OCR GCSE English Language J351 needed 75/160 for grade 4 and 110/160 for grade 7. One overall mark decides the grade, from 9 to 1. Boundaries change every series, so use them as a guide when you mark a paper, not as a predicted grade.
Sit a complete set: both papers from the same series, timed and without notes. Keep the most recent full set unseen for this, and use older papers for topic practice first. Grade boundaries change every series, so treat any boundary as a rough guide, not a predicted grade.
Choose one response and compare it with the criteria for that question. Identify whether you need clearer explanation, more relevant evidence or better organisation, then rewrite that response. Ask your teacher to check an example if you're unsure how to apply the criteria.
Practise individual questions to work on a particular skill, then attempt full papers to practise timing and moving between tasks. Follow the instructions for your own specification: question types can differ between courses.