Key Changes to AQA GCSE English Language for 2026: What Students Need to Know

As you may have heard, AQA recently announced and published the changes to the English Language exam papers, which will be first examined in 2026. Although these changes are minor and should greatly benefit the students, some teachers and parents are concerned that the current Year 10 cohort may have already started to prepare using the old-style papers.

We would like to provide you with a brief summary of the changes and reassure you that we are familiar with the updates. We will be incorporating these changes into all relevant sessions for Year 10 moving forward.

Summary of the Changes :

Paper 1:

• Question 1: Now multiple choice with 3 options per idea (still 4 in total).

• Question 2: Unchanged.

• Question 3: Now has a focus to the question instead of a broad spectrum; for example, it will now ask how the writer has structured the extract to create tension (or similar).

• Question 4: The reference to a student making a statement has been removed, making the focus clearer. The wording of the second bullet point has also been changed to ‘comment on the methods the writer uses to present X, Y, or Z.’

• Question 5: The narrative option now gives students the option of just an ‘opening’ rather than the necessity to produce a whole story. The descriptive option reminds students they do NOT have to describe the exact picture given and can use their imaginations.

  
  

Paper 2:

• Question 1: Unchanged

• Question 2: Reworded to provide clarity – it now asks what the student can infer, rather than for a summary.

• Question 3: Unchanged

• Question 4: The wording of the second bullet point has also been changed to ‘comment on the methods the writers use to convey (their feelings and perspectives, etc).

  
  

In their briefing on the changes, AQA mentioned that they have been 'listening' and are currently reviewing the text types provided, recognising that they should ‘reflect the modern world.’ However, this review appears to be ongoing, and the results will not be published until later this year.

These updates are intended to help students of all abilities engage with the questions and demonstrate their learning with greater confidence. The overall structure of the exam papers remains unchanged, with the same number of questions, marks, and assessment objectives.