Paper 1: The study of religions. Christianity and Islam, in two separate answer booklets. Each religion has two questions: Beliefs and teachings and Practices.
Paper 2A: Thematic studies. Six themes are printed; you answer four. On this site those are Theme A Relationships and families, Theme B Religion and life, Theme D Religion, peace and conflict and Theme E Religion, crime and punishment. One question per theme.
Each paper: 1 hour 45 minutes, 96 marks plus SPaG, 50% of the GCSE. No tiers.
Every question is a five-part question worth 24 marks, so there are four on each paper.
Timing: about 50 minutes per religion on Paper 1, and about 25 minutes per theme on Paper 2A. Inside a question, give the 12-marker about 12–15 minutes; it is half the marks.
On Paper 2A, answer only four themes. Examiners report students who answered more than four, which wastes time and gains nothing.
Write every answer in the answer book, including the multiple-choice ticks. Reports say some students ticked boxes on the question paper, which isn’t marked.
How to split the 1 hour 45 minutes
Exam tipReports say long answers to the short questions are why students run out of time, and some leave the last 12-marker unfinished. Keep the 1-mark answers to a word or a line.
4.4 Question types (2026)
The 2026 pattern, and using older past papers
From June 2026, every five-part question is worth 1, 1, 4, 6, 12 marks. Before that it was 1, 2, 4, 5, 12. The total is still 24.
The .2 question was ‘Give two…’ for 2 marks. Now it is ‘Give…’ or ‘Name…’ one thing, for 1 mark.
The .3 question still has 4 marks. The word ‘contrasting’ has become ‘different’.
The .4 question was 5 marks; now it is 6. You still explain two points (2 + 2), but the source of authority is now worth 2 marks: 1 for naming it, 1 for applying it to your point.
The specification content did not change, only the questions.
All the past papers on AQA’s website (2018 to 2025) use the old pattern, and so do many videos and revision sites. They’re still useful for the 4-mark and 12-mark questions, which haven’t changed.
Using an old paper: on a ‘Give two’ question, practise giving one precise answer; on a 5-marker, write it as a 6-marker, adding a sentence that applies your source.
The five parts of every question
Old and new patterns compared
Exam tipAQA’s 2026 sample papers and its October 2026 commentary on the June 2026 answers are the only official material in the new pattern. They’re linked at the bottom of this page.
4.2 Assessment objectives
Assessment objectives and command words
Half of all the marks are for evaluation. Practising 12-markers is the single best use of revision time.
Key words in brackets in the specification, such as Tawhid (the Oneness of God), are given with their English meaning in questions. Words not in brackets are not explained, so learn them all from AQA’s vocabulary lists.
Objective
What it tests
Where
AO1 (50%)
Knowledge and understanding of beliefs, practices and sources of authority; their influence on people; similarities and differences within and between religions
Parts .1 to .4 (12 marks a question)
AO2 (50%)
Analysing and evaluating: arguing, weighing views and reaching judgements
The 12-marker (12 marks a question)
Command words
What to do
Which one of the following…
Tick one box. ‘…is not…’ questions are common: read carefully
Give / Name
One short answer: a word, phrase or sentence. Only the first answer counts
Explain two ways… influence
Say what the belief is and what it makes believers think, feel or do
Explain two different / similar…
Two points that really differ (or really agree), each developed
Explain two… Refer to sacred writings or another source…
Two developed points, plus a named source applied to one of them
Evaluate
Argue for and against the statement, judge the arguments and reach a conclusion
Exam tipBefore writing, underline three things: the command (Give, Explain, Evaluate), the number (one, two) and the focus (influence? different? similar? which belief?).
4.4 1-mark questions
Multiple choice and Give or Name questions
Multiple choice (.1): four options. The wrong ones are usually near-miss key terms, such as Ascension, Incarnation and Resurrection, or retribution, deterrence and reformation.
Give or Name (.2): one item, one mark. A single word or a short sentence is enough. Write it on the first line: only the first answer is marked, so a second ‘just in case’ answer gains nothing.
If you don’t know, make a sensible guess: there is no penalty.
Worked exampleExample question (Genious, Paper 2A Theme A). Which one of the following is marriage to only one husband or wife at a time? A Polygamy; B Monogamy; C Cohabitation; D Annulment
Polygamy is having more than one husband or wife; cohabitation is living together without marrying; an annulment declares a marriage never existed.Cross out the near-miss terms you can define.
That leaves monogamy.
B: Monogamy (1 mark).
Worked exampleExample question (Genious, Paper 1 Christianity Practices). Give one example of a set prayer, other than the Lord’s Prayer. (1)
‘Praying for people who are ill’ is a type of prayer (intercession), not a set prayer.Check the answer fits the exact wording.
Set prayers are written and shared: the Hail Mary, the Jesus Prayer, a grace before meals, a collect.The Lord’s Prayer itself is excluded by the question.
‘The Hail Mary’ (1 mark). One answer, on the first line.
4.4 4-mark questions: influence
The 4-mark influence question (Paper 1 Beliefs)
The Beliefs .3 question asks: ‘Explain two ways in which belief in… influences Christians (or Muslims) today.’
Each way is marked 1 for a simple explanation, 2 for a detailed one.
The second mark must show the influence: what the belief makes a believer feel, think or do. Reports in almost every series say answers that only describe the belief are capped at 2 out of 4.
A simple shape: ‘Because Christians believe… they… For example…’
The two ways must be different: two actions that come from the same idea count once.
Worked exampleExample question (Genious). Explain two ways in which belief in the Second Coming of Jesus influences Christians today. (4)
‘Christians believe Jesus will return to judge the world.’A belief only: no influence yet, so at most 1.
‘…so many try to live each day as if he could return at any time, avoiding sin and putting things right with others. Jesus told his followers to keep watch because they don’t know when he will come (Matthew 24:42).’Influence on behaviour, with detail: 2 marks.
‘Belief that Jesus will return also gives Christians hope when they suffer or see injustice, because they believe God will one day put the world right, so they don’t give up.’A different influence (feelings and hope), developed: 2 marks.
Example answer: the last two steps together reach 4 marks.
Exam tipUse action words: ‘so they pray…’, ‘this makes them…’, ‘they feel…’, ‘they choose to…’. If your sentence would be true of someone who didn’t hold the belief, it isn’t showing influence.
4.4 4-mark questions: different and similar
The 4-mark different and similar questions
Different (Paper 1 Practices and Paper 2A): two different ways a practice is done, two different reasons, or two different views. They don’t have to be opposites: two different emphases are enough.
If you give two points that are really the same, only one can score, so the maximum is 2.
Similar (Paper 2A only): two beliefs that agree, for example from two denominations or two religions. Giving opposite views to a similar question scores half.
Denominations needn’t be named (‘some Christians… other Christians…’), but naming them makes your detail clearer.
On Paper 2A, these questions ask for religious beliefs: an atheist or humanist view scores nothing here.
Worked exampleExample question (Genious, Paper 1 Christianity Practices). Explain two different ways in which Christians worship informally. (4)
‘In many Pentecostal and charismatic churches, worship is lively and unplanned: people sing, raise their hands, pray aloud and some speak in tongues.’Way 1 with an example: 2 marks.
‘In a Quaker meeting, people sit together mostly in silence, and anyone may stand to speak if they feel moved by God.’Way 2, really different (silent, not lively), with detail: 2 marks.
Example answer: 4 marks. Two kinds of lively worship would have counted as one way.
Worked exampleExample question (Genious, Paper 2A Theme A). Explain two similar religious beliefs about the purpose of a wedding ceremony. In your answer you must refer to one or more religious traditions. (4)
‘Christians and Muslims both see a wedding as a promise made before God. In a church wedding the couple make vows in God’s presence, and in a Muslim nikah the couple agree a contract with God as witness.’Similar belief 1, shown in two religions: 2 marks.
‘Both also see the ceremony as public, so the community can witness and support the marriage: Christian weddings have witnesses who sign the register, and a nikah needs witnesses too.’Similar belief 2, developed: 2 marks.
Example answer: 4 marks. Both points agree, which is what ‘similar’ asks for.
3.2.1, 4.4 Named issues
Themes: the ‘main religious tradition of Great Britain’ rule
Some Paper 2A .3 questions add: ‘In your answer you should refer to the main religious tradition of Great Britain and one or more other religious traditions.’ The main religious tradition is Christianity.
From 2026 this instruction goes with the named issues above. Learn Christian views on all twelve.
One of your two points must be explicitly Christian; the other can be another Christian view or another religion (Islam, on this site). An answer with no Christian view is capped at 2.
Say ‘Christians’, ‘Catholics’, ‘the Church of England’, or ‘Quakers’, so the examiner can see it.
Theme
The three named issues
A Relationships and families
Contraception; sexual relationships before marriage; same-sex relationships
B Religion and life
Abortion; euthanasia; animal experimentation
D Religion, peace and conflict
Violence; weapons of mass destruction; pacifism
E Religion, crime and punishment
Corporal punishment; the death penalty; forgiveness
Worked exampleExample question (Genious, Paper 2A Theme D). Explain two different beliefs in contemporary British society about conscientious objectors who refuse to fight in a war. In your answer you should refer to the main religious tradition of Great Britain and one or more other religious traditions. (4)
‘Many Quakers, who are Christians, support conscientious objectors, because their Peace Testimony rejects all war and they follow Jesus’ teaching to love enemies. In the World Wars many Quakers refused to fight and served in ambulance units instead.’A Christian view, named and developed: 2 marks.
‘Many Muslims believe that when the strict conditions of lesser jihad are met, defending the community is a duty, so refusing to fight a just, defensive war may be letting others down. The Qur’an allows fighting those who attack you but forbids starting hostilities (2:190).’A different view from another religion, developed: 2 marks.
Example answer: 4 marks. Without the Quaker (Christian) point it would be capped at 2.
Exam tipTheme C (not studied on this site) asks for Christianity and non-religious views instead. Don’t bring that rule into Themes A, B, D and E.
4.4 6-mark questions
The 6-mark question: two points and a source
‘Explain two [beliefs / teachings / reasons / ways]… Refer to sacred writings or another source of [Christian / Muslim / religious] belief and teaching in your answer.’
Marks: first point 1 simple, 2 detailed; second point 1 simple, 2 detailed; source: 2 for naming a relevant source and applying it, or 1 for naming it only, or 1 for applying a teaching you don’t name.
What counts as named: ‘the Bible says…’, ‘Jesus taught…’, ‘in the Sermon on the Mount…’, ‘the Qur’an says…’, ‘the Prophet Muhammad taught…’, ‘a hadith says…’, a creed, the Lord’s Prayer, a Pope. Chapter and verse are not needed, and you may paraphrase.
Not enough: a quotation in inverted commas with no source; vague phrases such as ‘in their holy book’; a wrong attribution (for example calling a hadith ‘the Qur’an’), which earns nothing for the source.
Applying means a sentence linking the source to your point: ‘This shows that…’, ‘So Muslims believe…’.
AQA’s marked June 2026 answers show: two simple points = 2; a named quote not applied = 1 of the 2 source marks; repeating the same idea in different words counts as simple, not detailed.
This question is always AO1: no evaluation, influence or comparison is needed. Keep it to about 6 minutes.
Where the six marks come from
Worked exampleExample question (Genious, Paper 1 Islam Practices). Explain two Muslim beliefs that are expressed in the festival of Id-ul-Adha. Refer to sacred writings or another source of Muslim belief and teaching in your answer. (6)
‘Muslims believe in complete submission to God, which Id-ul-Adha remembers through the prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son when God commanded it.’Belief 1, simple: 1 mark.
‘The Qur’an tells how Ibrahim and his son both accepted God’s command, and God provided an animal to sacrifice instead (37:102-107).’A named source: +1.
‘This shows Muslims that true faith means submitting completely to God, so the festival encourages them to put God’s will first in their own lives.’Source applied, which also develops belief 1: belief 1 now 2, source now 2.
‘Muslims also believe they have a duty to share God’s gifts with others. Families who can afford it sacrifice an animal and share the meat with relatives, friends and people in poverty, so that everyone in the community can celebrate.’Belief 2, different and detailed: 2 marks.
Example answer: 6 marks (2 + 2 + 2). Leaving out the ‘This shows Muslims…’ sentence would lose 1 mark.
4.4, 4.5 12-mark questions
The 12-mark ‘Evaluate this statement’ question
Caps: a one-sided answer, or one with no reference to religion, can’t go above Level 2 (6 marks).
Judgements lift an answer from Level 3 to Level 4. Writing ‘this is a strong argument’ earns nothing unless you say why: it rests on scripture, it applies to everyone, it ignores something, it depends on a word in the statement.
Answer the statement’s key words: ‘never’, ‘always’, ‘most important’, ‘should’, ‘today’, ‘only’. Reports say answers that argue about the topic in general, not the actual claim, stay lower.
A plan that works (about 250 words, 12–15 minutes): a paragraph agreeing, with reasons and religious teaching; a paragraph disagreeing, the same; judgements on the arguments as you go; a conclusion that says which side is stronger and why, not just repeats them.
Sources needn’t be quoted in the 12-marker, but teachings used inside the argument help. Famous believers, set prayers and religious leaders all count.
Respect views: never write that believers are stupid, or that atheists and humanists have no morals. Examiners criticise both.
Paper 1 (Christianity, Islam)
Paper 2A (Themes)
The bullets
Refer to Christian (Muslim) teaching; arguments for; arguments for a different view; a justified conclusion
Arguments for; arguments for a different view; should refer to religious arguments; may refer to non-religious arguments; a justified conclusion
Whose views?
Stay inside the religion: Christian views against other Christian views. Non-religious views and other religions aren’t relevant
Religious views are required; Christian and Muslim views work well together. Non-religious views (atheist, humanist) are allowed as extra arguments
The four levels, and the Level 2 cap
Worked exampleExample question (Genious, Paper 2A Theme D). ‘There can be no real peace without justice.’ Evaluate this statement. (12)
Agree: ‘Many Christians agree. Isaiah wrote that ‘the work of righteousness will be peace’ (Isaiah 32:17, World English Bible), and Pope Paul VI said that if you want peace, you should work for justice. If people are poor, oppressed or denied their rights, anger grows and conflict returns, so an end to fighting without fairness is only a pause. Muslims would also agree: the Qur’an commands believers to be ‘staunch in justice’ even against their own families (4:135, Pickthall’s translation), and the Arabic salaam means more than the absence of war.’Reasoned argument with Christian and Muslim teaching: Level 3 material.
Disagree: ‘Other Christians argue that forgiveness can come first. In Northern Ireland, the Corrymeela Community brought Catholics and Protestants together before every injustice had been dealt with, and Jesus taught people to love their enemies. Some peace agreements accept that full justice is impossible, because insisting on punishing everyone could keep a war going. Christians also believe in an inner peace from God that injustice can’t take away (John 14:27).’A different view, with religious reasons: the answer now weighs two views.
Judgement: ‘The disagree side is strong on timing: peace talks often have to begin before justice is complete. But it does not show that peace can last without justice: even Corrymeela’s work aims at fairness and truth in the end.’Weighing the arguments against the statement’s word ‘real’: this is what reaches Level 4.
Conclusion: ‘So I mostly agree. A ceasefire can come before justice, and forgiveness may be the first step, but a real, lasting peace needs justice, because injustice is often the cause of conflict in the first place. A humanist would agree here too, since human rights are the basis of a fair society.’A justified conclusion that answers the statement. A non-religious point is allowed on Paper 2A, as an extra.
Example answer: Level 4 (about 11–12 marks), with SPaG marked separately.
Exam tipReports say many 12-mark answers describe instead of evaluate: for example, listing what happens at a festival. Every paragraph should be an argument about the statement.
4.5 SPaG
SPaG and the most common mistakes
SPaG rewards accurate spelling and punctuation, clear grammar and a good range of specialist terms. Use the key words (Incarnation, Tawhid, sanctity of life, retribution) correctly and spelled right.
The mistakes examiners report most:
1. Not naming the source on the 6-marker: the most common lost mark in every series.
2. No influence on Beliefs 4-markers: capped at 2.
3. Mixing up key terms: evangelism and angels; persecution and prosecution; corporal and capital punishment; Lent and Easter; Ramadan as a festival; having WMD and using them.
4. Answering a nearby question: ‘how’ when asked ‘why’; the wrong festival; parents when asked about children.
5. Describing, not evaluating, and one-sided 12-markers.
6. Stereotypes: ‘all Christians are pacifists’, ‘Muslims all agree’, ‘Catholics are against everything’. Say ‘some’, ‘many’, ‘most’, and name traditions.
7. Misquotes: ‘spare the rod and spoil the child’ isn’t in the Bible; Jesus didn’t teach ‘an eye for an eye’ (he quoted it to reject it); ‘killing one person is like killing all mankind’ is the Qur’an (5:32), not the Bible.
8. Over-long short answers, leaving too little time for the last 12-marker.
SPaG
Where
Marks
Paper 1
The Beliefs 12-marker for each religion (not Practices)
Up to 3 per religion, so 6
Paper 2A
Each theme’s 12-marker is marked; the best one counts
Up to 3
Exam tipLeave three minutes at the end of each paper to check spellings of key terms in your Beliefs 12-markers (Paper 1) and in your strongest theme’s 12-marker (Paper 2A).
Genious