6 Articles to Read for GCSE Language Paper 2
One of the best things you can do for Language Paper 2 is get a lot of exposure to different non-fiction texts by reading different examples. We’ve deliberately chosen a range of examples at different levels - if you’re reading a more difficult one and find it hard, feel free to look up words as you go, or research a summary of the main ideas in the article. As you read, make sure to keep track of these things:
Interesting vocabulary
Punctuation and structuring
Any rhetorical or poetic devices
How the writer presents his/her opinions
If you’re looking for full support with AQA GCSE English Language, take a look at our Complete Revision Pack here - it contains everything you need to get top marks on the exams, including tons of example answers, question breakdowns, stories to read, practice questions + more!
Here’s a list of 6 articles to read to get you started:
Teenagers At The End of The World - teens who are fighting climate change https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/07/21/magazine/teenage-activist-climate-change.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur
The Dire Wolf is Back by DT Max - about the genetic revival of extinct wolves using bioengineering
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/04/14/the-dire-wolf-is-back
You Are The Product by John Lancaster - an article that made me question how I’m using social media - I actually left Facebook after reading this article!
https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v39/n16/john-lanchester/you-are-the-product
Why I Keep A Notebook by Joan Didion - about the need to record and document life
The Efficiency Curse by Michael Pollan - about the problems with modern supermarkets
https://michaelpollan.com/articles-archive/the-efficiency-curse/
The Death of The Moth by Virginia Woolf - about witnessing a moth’s last moments
https://eprofiles.isucomm.iastate.edu/string/the-death-of-the-moth-by-virginia-woolf/
Bonus Challenge: David Foster Wallace’s ‘Consider the Lobster’, about the ethics of eating lobsters
https://www.columbia.edu/~col8/lobsterarticle.pdf
As you read these articles, you should also start to develop your own thoughts and opinions on the topics they explore. This will help you with your own writing and analysis on Language paper 2.
Thanks for reading!
Try our complete AQA GCSE English Language Papers 1 + 2 course!
This course includes:
Writers' Viewpoints and Perspectives
Section A Breakdown (Analysis of Perspectives)
Section B Breakdown (Nonfiction Writing)
How to Write Comparative Analysis + Summaries
Planning Support for Persuasive + Informative Writing
Example Student Responses, L5-L9
Example Full Mark Answers by a Tutor
Practice Papers Written by an AQA Examiner
Nonfiction Writing Practice Questions
Grade Boundaries Explained
Mark Scheme Breakdown
BONUS MATERIAL: How to write great speeches, letters, diary entries + articles
Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing
Section A Breakdown (Creative Reading)
Section B Breakdown (Creative Writing)
How to Analyse Language Features + Structural Devices
Planning Support for Creative Writing
Example Student Responses, L5-L9
Example Full Mark Answers by a Tutor
Practice Papers Written by an AQA Examiner
Creative Writing Practice Questions
Grade Boundaries Explained
Mark Scheme Breakdown
BONUS MATERIAL: Reading Support + Recommended Short Stories
