I developed this resource because many students dislike AQA GCSE English Language Paper 2, Question 2, often finding it frustrating to read two texts for only eight marks. This resource is designed to help students develop the required comparison skills without excessive reading, allowing them to focus on technique rather than stamina.

The two texts are 363 and 350 words long respectively. Both are written by mothers and focus on their sons’ bedrooms, providing a clear shared topic while allowing for meaningful comparison.

There are two Word document versions included: one for classroom use, and one suitable for emailing to students or uploading to a VLE, enabling learners to type their responses directly. I have included PDFs too.

In terms of stretch and challenge, the resource is primarily aimed at students who, with targeted support, could move from a Grade 3 to a Grade 4. However, it has been used successfully and enjoyed by students across a range of abilities.

The resource has been trialled both in class and as homework, with students engaging well with the texts and responding positively to both questions. To reduce workload, a mark scheme is included, closely mirroring the AQA mark scheme and clearly modelling the quality expected at each mark level.

To extend the task, a Paper 2, Question 3 has also been included, meaning the resource covers 20 of the 80 marks available for Paper 2. Question 1 has been deliberately omitted to allow students to focus on the two questions that most commonly limit progress - and which, when mastered, can help students move up a grade or more in the exam.