Let me tell you something important: this single writing task is worth the same marks as Questions 1-4 combined on Paper 2. Yes, you read that right. So it deserves your absolute best effort, and I'm here to show you exactly how to deliver it.

Having marked hundreds of these papers, I know precisely what examiners are looking for. Let me share those secrets with you.

Before You Write a Single Word

Remember, AQA gives you ONE statement here—no choices. But don't just dive in and start writing!

First, identify three crucial elements: Form, Audience, and Purpose.

Form means the type of text you're writing. Will it be a letter, article, or speech? These are the three most common forms AQA requests. Want to know which appears most frequently? Since June 2025-2017*, articles have been set 9 times, while letters and speeches have each appeared 3 times.

Audience means knowing exactly who you're addressing. Teenagers? Adults? Your head teacher? The general public? This shapes everything from your vocabulary to your tone.

Purpose is typically to persuade your audience to agree with your viewpoint. While texts can serve multiple purposes, persuasion is usually your main goal here.

The Power of Five Minutes

Before you write, invest five minutes in planning. Just five minutes can transform your final mark.

Jot down:

• 3-5 main points you'll make
• Techniques you'll use
• Your tone (formal or informal, serious or humorous)

Trust me, this planning time pays dividends.

Structure: Your Blueprint for Success

Students always ask me: "How long should this be?" My answer: 1.5-2 sides of paper, roughly 6 paragraphs. Yes, six!

Opening: Hook your reader immediately with something compelling—a bold statement, shocking statistic, rhetorical question, or direct address.

Middle paragraphs: One clear point per paragraph (aim for 4-5). Here's a crucial tip: devote ONE paragraph to the counterargument. Once you've picked your side (and you must pick a side!), give the opposing view some oxygen. Use phrases like "on the other hand" or "some people may argue that..."

Ending: Deliver a strong conclusion that reinforces your viewpoint—perhaps a call to action, bold statement, or rhetorical question.

Format Matters

Show the examiner you understand the form you've been asked to write in.

Article: Create a compelling headline and consider subheadings. Don't write in columns or draw pictures.

Letter: Open with "Dear..." and close appropriately with "Yours sincerely" (if you've named the recipient) or "Yours faithfully" (for "Dear Editor" or "Dear Sir/Madam"). You don't need addresses, though you can include a date if you wish.

Speech: Begin with "Good morning/afternoon..." and use direct address throughout. End appropriately: "Thank you all for coming here this evening and giving up your time."

DAFOREST: Your Persuasive Toolkit

One of my students recently laughed when I mentioned DAFOREST: "How could I not remember? They're on every English classroom wall in my school!" Maybe you're not so lucky, so here's your reminder. Use these techniques to support your view:

• Direct address ("You might think...")
• Anecdotes (brief personal stories)
• Facts and statistics
• Opinions presented as fact
• Rhetorical questions ("Isn't it time we...")
• Emotive language (words that create feelings)
• Superlatives and Triple structures ("the best, most effective, and simplest solution")

Examiner's Insight: The Two-Mark System

Here's something you need to know: examiners mark your response twice. Once for AO5 (Content and Organisation—24 marks) and once for AO6 (Technical Accuracy—16 marks). You have two separate pots of marks to draw from. The next sections focus on boosting your AO6 marks—and these tips work for Paper 1 creative writing too.

Vary Your Sentences

Mix short sentences with longer, complex ones. A one-word sentence can be particularly effective when used correctly. Start sentences in different ways and use different types: statements, questions, exclamations.

Choose Ambitious Vocabulary

Avoid repetition by using synonyms. Select subject-specific vocabulary where appropriate. Choose words that match your tone and purpose.

I challenge my students to download the Word of the Day app and build a bank of impressive words on their phones. Try using new words in your lessons or homework—writing and embedding them into your work consolidates them in your brain.

Vary Your Punctuation

Using only commas, full stops, and apostrophes won't earn you marks for variety. Be mindful of this in Question 5 on both Paper 2 and Paper 1. Show the examiner your range: use colons, semicolons, ellipses, brackets, dashes, hyphens, and quotation marks.

Top tip: write a little checklist in the margin of your paper and tick off each punctuation mark as you use it. You don't need to litter your work with them, but include a good variety where appropriate.

Paragraphs Matter

Start a new paragraph for each new point. Use topic sentences to open paragraphs. Link paragraphs with connectives: However, Furthermore, Consequently, On the other hand, Firstly, Secondly.

Check Your Work

We all make mistakes, especially in high-stress exam situations. Save time to check:

• Spelling: especially commonly confused words (their/there/they're)
• Punctuation: capital letters, full stops, commas, apostrophes
• Grammar: subject-verb agreement, tense consistency

If you need to cross something out, do so clearly and show the examiner what you've written instead.

Time Management: Stick to 45 Minutes

• 5 minutes: Planning
• 35 minutes: Writing
• 5 minutes: Checking and improving

Examiner's Insight: Pick a Side

Read the statement and choose a position. Even if you don't care about the topic or have never thought about it, you must pick a side. "Sitting on the fence" responses that try to balance the argument evenly don't score as well as those demonstrating a strong viewpoint.

Think of it like the creative writing task—you can pretend to hold a view you don't actually have. Imagine someone in your life whom this topic would matter to greatly, perhaps an older relative, and inhabit their perspective if you have no strong opinion of your own.

Bring Your Writing to Life

DAFOREST techniques are where students truly make their writing stand out. Let me give you an example.

In one exam series, students wrote speeches about using cars less and public transport more. Many gave me facts and statistics about environmental damage—perfectly fine, as facts are a DAFOREST technique. However, these responses sometimes read like Wikipedia entries. Dull.

I want to know your opinion on the argument. Put yourself into it! Bring in an expert (use someone's real name for a bit of fun or create one). Include a quotation from them.

Anecdotes are particularly powerful. One student wrote brilliantly about why they'd never use public transport again, describing how train strikes made them miss their grandmother's crucial chemotherapy appointment—it couldn't be rescheduled. That was their last straw. Another vividly described the disgusting sight they encountered when unclipping the table tray on a train, despite being thrilled to actually get a seat.

These stories don't have to be true, but keep them believable. They connect you to the issue and form a bond with your audience.

*This figure is from the new GCSE English Language paper which began in 2017 and includes November resit exams.