Please check the examination details below before entering your candidate information
Candidate surname Other names
Centre Number Candidate Number
Pearson Edexcel Level 1/Level 2 GCSE (9–1)
Thursday 21 May 2026
Morning (Time: 1 hour 45 minutes) Paper
reference 1EN0/01
English Language
PAPER 1: Fiction and Imaginative Writing
You must have: Total Marks
Reading Text Insert (enclosed)
Instructions
•• Use black ink or ball-point pen.
Fill in the boxes at the top of this page with your name,
centre number and candidate number.
•• Answer all questions in Section A and ONE in Section B.
You should spend about 1 hour on Section A.
•• You should spend about 45 minutes on Section B.
Answer the questions in the spaces provided
– there may be more space than you need.
• Plan your answers in the lined spaces/planning box provided. Plans will not be
marked unless no other response is provided.
Information
•• The total mark for this paper is 64.
The marks for each question are shown in brackets
– use this as a guide as to how much time to spend on each question.
• written
Questions labelled with an asterisk (*) are ones where the quality of your
communication will be assessed
– you should take particular care on these questions with your spelling, punctuation
and grammar, as well as the clarity of expression.
Advice
•• Read each question carefully before you start to answer it.
Check your answers if you have time at the end. Turn over
P79183A
©2026 Pearson Education Ltd.
P:1/1/1/1/1/1/
*P79183A0120*
,DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
*P79183A0220*
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2
, SECTION A
Reading
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
Read the text in the Reading Text Insert provided and answer ALL questions.
You should spend about 1 hour on this section.
Write your answers in the spaces provided.
1 From lines 1–3, identify a word or phrase which shows that the writer is unhappy.
. . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................ ................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(Total for Question 1 = 1 mark)
2 Read this extract.
A woman was standing ankle deep in the snow that lay upon the step. I caught
but a dim glimpse of her, for the night was cloudy; but I could hear her teeth
rattling like castanets.**
“Come in, come in, my good woman,” I said hastily, for the wind seemed to
catch eagerly at the opportunity of making itself at home in my hall, and was
rapidly forcing an entrance through the half-open door.
From the extract, give two things that the reader learns about the weather.
You may use your own words or quotations from the text.
1 .. . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......................................................................................................................................................... .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2 .. . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......................................................................................................................................................... .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(Total for Question 2 = 2 marks)
3
*P79183A0320* Turn over
Candidate surname Other names
Centre Number Candidate Number
Pearson Edexcel Level 1/Level 2 GCSE (9–1)
Thursday 21 May 2026
Morning (Time: 1 hour 45 minutes) Paper
reference 1EN0/01
English Language
PAPER 1: Fiction and Imaginative Writing
You must have: Total Marks
Reading Text Insert (enclosed)
Instructions
•• Use black ink or ball-point pen.
Fill in the boxes at the top of this page with your name,
centre number and candidate number.
•• Answer all questions in Section A and ONE in Section B.
You should spend about 1 hour on Section A.
•• You should spend about 45 minutes on Section B.
Answer the questions in the spaces provided
– there may be more space than you need.
• Plan your answers in the lined spaces/planning box provided. Plans will not be
marked unless no other response is provided.
Information
•• The total mark for this paper is 64.
The marks for each question are shown in brackets
– use this as a guide as to how much time to spend on each question.
• written
Questions labelled with an asterisk (*) are ones where the quality of your
communication will be assessed
– you should take particular care on these questions with your spelling, punctuation
and grammar, as well as the clarity of expression.
Advice
•• Read each question carefully before you start to answer it.
Check your answers if you have time at the end. Turn over
P79183A
©2026 Pearson Education Ltd.
P:1/1/1/1/1/1/
*P79183A0120*
,DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
*P79183A0220*
BLANK PAGE
2
, SECTION A
Reading
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
Read the text in the Reading Text Insert provided and answer ALL questions.
You should spend about 1 hour on this section.
Write your answers in the spaces provided.
1 From lines 1–3, identify a word or phrase which shows that the writer is unhappy.
. . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................ ................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(Total for Question 1 = 1 mark)
2 Read this extract.
A woman was standing ankle deep in the snow that lay upon the step. I caught
but a dim glimpse of her, for the night was cloudy; but I could hear her teeth
rattling like castanets.**
“Come in, come in, my good woman,” I said hastily, for the wind seemed to
catch eagerly at the opportunity of making itself at home in my hall, and was
rapidly forcing an entrance through the half-open door.
From the extract, give two things that the reader learns about the weather.
You may use your own words or quotations from the text.
1 .. . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......................................................................................................................................................... .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2 .. . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................................................................................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......................................................................................................................................................... .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(Total for Question 2 = 2 marks)
3
*P79183A0320* Turn over
