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The 16-mark essay questions are the highest-value questions on both AQA GCSE History papers. With an additional 4 SPaG marks, a single essay is worth 20 marks — nearly a quarter of an entire paper. This lesson shows you exactly how the AQA mark scheme works, how to reach Level 4, how to structure paragraphs, and how to write a conclusion that earns marks rather than wastes time.
AQA uses two main essay formats. Both carry 16 marks for content plus 4 marks for SPaG.
| Essay Type | Where It Appears | What You Must Do |
|---|---|---|
| "How far do you agree?" | Paper 1 Section A, Paper 1 Section B | Evaluate a statement by considering arguments for and against, then make a sustained judgement |
| "Has [factor] been the main factor/reason for..." | Paper 2 Section A | Evaluate the importance of a named factor against at least two other factors, then make a sustained judgement about which was most important |
Both essay types require the same core skills: knowledge, analysis, multiple perspectives, and a genuine judgement.
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