Language Paper 1 — Q5 (creative writing)

What you need to know

• Choose a clear concept (mood/setting/conflict) and stick to it.
• Control structure: opening hook → build → turning point → ending.
• Use varied sentence forms and deliberate punctuation for effect.
• Show don’t tell: concrete nouns, sensory detail, strong verbs.

Common mistakes

• Overcomplicated plot.
• Random techniques without control.
• Forgetting paragraphs / ending abruptly.

Self-check

• Do I have a clear voice and consistent tense?
• Have I varied sentences and used paragraphing intentionally?

Support videos

• Mr Bruff (P1 Q5 creative writing) search: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=aqa+english+language+paper+1+question+5+creative+writing+mr+bruff
• First Rate Tutors (AQA Lang Q5) search: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=aqa+english+language+question+5+first+rate+tutors

Practice (teacher routine)

1. Plan under time (5 minutes)
2. Expand the plan into a methods plan (structure + language + punctuation + sentence structures)
3. Write a small chunk (opening / descriptive paragraph / key moment)
4. Write the full response under time (45 mins)
5. A06 drill: practise correct punctuation + sentence variety
6. Pre-learn reusable paragraphs (weather / water / tree / character) and slot them in when useful

• Prompts: pick any suitable image online.
• Past papers (Paper 1): https://www.physicsandmathstutor.com/past-papers/gcse-english-language/aqa-paper-1/