OCRGCSE62 resources

OCR GCSE English Language (9-1) Past Papers & Mark Schemes

Download free OCR GCSE English Language (J351) past papers, mark schemes & examiner reports. Includes inserts and spoken language materials. 62 resources.

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62 of 62 resources — page 1 of 3

June 2023

3 files

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English Language (9-1) – Question paper – Communicating information and ideas

Question Paper

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English Language (9-1) – Mark scheme – Exploring effects and impact

Mark Scheme

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English Language (9-1) – Question paper – Exploring effects and impact insert

Question Paper

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November 2023

3 files

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English Language (9-1) – Question paper – Communicating information and ideas

Question Paper

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English Language (9-1) – Mark scheme – Exploring effects and impact

Mark Scheme

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English Language (9-1) – Question paper – Exploring effects and impact insert

Question Paper

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June 2022

4 files

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English Language (9-1) – Question paper – Communicating information and ideas

Question Paper

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English Language (9-1) – Mark scheme – Exploring effects and impact

Mark Scheme

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English Language (9-1) – Question paper – Exploring effects and impact insert

Question Paper

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English Language (9-1) – Question paper – Communicating information and ideas insert

Question Paper

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November 2022

4 files

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English Language (9-1) – Question paper – Communicating information and ideas

Question Paper

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English Language (9-1) – Mark scheme – Exploring effects and impact

Mark Scheme

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English Language (9-1) – Question paper – Exploring effects and impact insert

Question Paper

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English Language (9-1) – Question paper – Communicating information and ideas insert

Question Paper

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November 2021

3 files

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English Language (9-1) – Mark scheme – Exploring effects and impact

Mark Scheme

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English Language (9-1) – Question paper – Exploring effects and impact insert

Question Paper

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English Language (9-1) – Question paper – Communicating information and ideas insert

Question Paper

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November 2020

4 files

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English Language (9-1) – Mark scheme – Exploring effects and impact

Mark Scheme

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English Language (9-1) – Question paper – Exploring effects and impact insert

Question Paper

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English Language (9-1) – Question paper – Communicating information and ideas insert

Question Paper

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English Language (9-1) – Modified papers

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No date

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English Language (9-1) – Mark scheme – Practice Set 1

Mark Scheme

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English Language (9-1) – Question paper – Practice Set 1

Question Paper

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English Language (9-1) – Mark scheme – Practice Set 1

Mark Scheme

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English Language (9-1) – Question paper – Practice Set 1

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OCR English Language (J351): Two Papers, Insert Texts, and What Examiners Actually Reward

OCR GCSE English Language (J351) is assessed through two written examinations and a separate Spoken Language endorsement that is reported but does not contribute to the 9–1 grade. Paper 1, Communicating Information and Ideas, lasts 2 hours and is worth 80 marks (50%). It gives students unseen non-fiction texts in an insert booklet and asks them to retrieve information, analyse language, compare writers' perspectives, and produce a piece of transactional writing. Paper 2, Exploring Effects and Impact, is similarly a 2-hour paper worth 80 marks (50%). It uses fiction and literary non-fiction extracts, asking students to analyse how writers create effects through language and structure, and to produce an imaginative or creative piece of writing. The insert texts are central to performance. OCR selects extracts from a range of periods — 19th-century journalism sits alongside 21st-century reportage in Paper 1, while Paper 2 may use anything from Victorian fiction to contemporary short stories. Students who practise only with modern texts often struggle with the vocabulary and syntax of older sources. Marking is criterion-referenced: reading responses are assessed against five descriptors from Level 1 (simple awareness) to Level 5 (critical and perceptive analysis), while writing is assessed for communication/organisation, vocabulary/sentence structure, and spelling/punctuation/grammar. The top level requires not just quotation but embedded analysis that links language choices to the writer's purpose and the reader's response. There is no controlled assessment or coursework — the entire grade rests on the two exam papers.

Exam Paper Structure

Paper 1

Communicating Information and Ideas

⏱ 2 hours🎯 80 marks📊 50% of grade

Reading non-fiction texts (Section A)Transactional/discursive writing (Section B)Comparing writers' perspectives

Paper 2

Exploring Effects and Impact

⏱ 2 hours🎯 80 marks📊 50% of grade

Reading fiction and literary non-fiction (Section A)Imaginative/creative writing (Section B)Language and structural analysis

Key Information

Exam Board	OCR
Specification Code	J351
Qualification	GCSE
Grading Scale	9–1
Assessment Type	2 written exams + Spoken Language endorsement (separate)
Tiers	None (single tier)
Number Of Papers	2
Exam Duration	2 hours per paper
Total Marks	160 (80 per paper)
Calculator Status	Not applicable
Total Resources	62

Key Topics in English Language (9-1)

Topics you need to know

Reading non-fiction — information retrieval and synthesisAnalysing writers' language and structural choicesComparing writers' perspectives across textsTransactional and discursive writingImaginative and creative writingSpelling, punctuation and grammar accuracy

Exam Command Words

Command word	What the examiner expects
Analyse	Examine how language or structure creates effects, supporting with embedded quotation
Evaluate	Judge how successfully the writer achieves their purpose, using textual evidence
Explain	Give reasons supported by specific references to the text
Compare	Identify similarities and differences between two texts or writers' methods
Identify	Select or name specific evidence from the text
Summarise	Write a concise account of the key points from the source material
Write	Produce a piece in the specified form, for a stated audience and purpose

Typical Grade Boundaries

Grade	Approximate mark needed
Grade 9	72–82%
Grade 8	62–71%
Grade 7	52–61%
Grade 6	43–51%
Grade 5	35–42%
Grade 4	27–34%
Grade 3	19–26%
Grade 2	11–18%
Grade 1	~5–10%

⚠️ Typical boundaries across two papers (160 total marks). Actual boundaries vary by series — check OCR's website.

Reading the Insert Before the Questions — and Other OCR English Language Strategies

OCR English Language gives you an insert booklet with your unseen texts. Spend the first 8–10 minutes reading the insert carefully — annotating key phrases, circling powerful vocabulary, and noting shifts in tone or structure. This investment pays off across every question because you will not need to re-read the whole text for each answer. For reading questions, the mark schemes reward analysis at word level. Instead of saying 'the writer uses a metaphor', explain what the metaphor suggests, why that particular image was chosen, and how it shapes the reader's response. The difference between Level 3 and Level 5 is the depth of explanation, not the number of quotations. Three well-analysed quotations outperform eight identified techniques with surface-level comment. For writing tasks, plan for 5 minutes before you write. OCR examiners consistently note that unplanned responses meander and lose structural coherence after the first paragraph. Plan your opening hook, three or four key points, and a deliberate ending — then write with purpose. When practising past papers, compare your work against the published exemplar responses that OCR releases alongside certain mark schemes. These show exactly what a Level 5 response looks like in practice and reveal the analytical habits you need to develop.

More OCR GCSE Subjects

Explore other GCSE subjects from OCR

Related Past Papers

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OCR GCSE English Language (9-1) Past Papers & Mark Schemes

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June 2023

November 2023

June 2022

November 2022

November 2021

November 2020

No date

OCR English Language (J351): Two Papers, Insert Texts, and What Examiners Actually Reward

Exam Paper Structure

Key Information

Key Topics in English Language (9-1)

Exam Command Words

Typical Grade Boundaries

Reading the Insert Before the Questions — and Other OCR English Language Strategies

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