Half Bad - Sally Green. 2026 style mock paper with support and scaffolding

This high-quality, ready-to-use resource provides a full AQA GCSE English Language Paper 1 practice paper, designed around the gripping opening of Half Bad by Sally Green. The extract focuses on the narrator’s harsh morning routine, the oppressive cage environment, and the tense power dynamic with “she”, making it ideal for teaching close reading, inference and analysis skills.

This is based around the AQA language paper 1 questions but offeres full support including scaffolding, example answers/ example paragraphs and comprehension questions for each exam question to help students build their confidence in answering the paper.

This download includes everything needed for a full mock exam, classroom assessment, or revision lesson.

What’s Included

Complete Section A (Reading) – 40 marks

Question 1: Multiple-choice questions

Question 2: Retrieval & inference

Question 3: Language analysis

Question 4: Structural analysis

✔ Section A Extras

Model Grade 5 example responses for Q2, Q3, and Q4

Scaffolding notes and key features to analyse

Linked comprehension questions for class discussion or homework

Full Section B (Writing) – 40 marks

Two creative writing options (narrative OR descriptive)

Assessment guidance and planning prompts

Clear expectations for AO5/AO6

Extract Information

The resource uses the opening of Chapter 1 (“Push-up”) from Half Bad, including:

The narrator’s description of waking in a cage

Sensory detail and natural imagery

The routine of unlocking shackles

The controlling presence of “she”

The tension created by the final command: “Fifty.”
(All fully included in the PDF for ease of printing and teaching.)

Half Bad

Why Teachers Love This Resource

Fully aligned to the AQA 2026 assessment model

Clear structure that offers examples and scaffolding

Ideal for KS4 students preparing for mock exams

Can be used for whole-class teaching, homework, intervention groups or revision

Provides reliable model answers to support mid-ability learners and stretch others