How to Revise A-Level English Language

Master A-Level English Language with practice on language frameworks, sociolinguistics, child language acquisition, and original writing.

Revision Strategy

Revising English Language is fundamentally about practising the skills of reading and writing rather than memorising content. Unlike most other subjects, there is no set body of knowledge to learn — instead, you need to train your ability to analyse unfamiliar texts and produce effective writing under timed conditions. The more texts you read and respond to, the more natural this becomes.

For the reading components, develop a systematic approach to annotation. When you encounter a new text, identify the tone, the writer's purpose, key language techniques, and structural choices. Practise writing analytical paragraphs that quote briefly, identify the technique, and explain the effect on the reader. Speed matters here — aim to annotate a full extract in under five minutes.

For writing, build a toolkit of reliable techniques that you can deploy in any task. Short sentences for impact, carefully chosen metaphors, varied paragraph lengths, and a strong opening line are all techniques that work across creative and transactional writing. Practise applying these in timed conditions so they become instinctive rather than forced.

Study Tips for A-Level English Language

✓ Build a comprehensive glossary of linguistic terminology organised by language level (lexis, semantics, grammar, phonology, pragmatics, discourse) and revise it regularly — precise use of terminology is what distinguishes top-grade analysis from vague commentary.
✓ Practise analysing short unseen texts (advertisements, transcripts, articles) using a systematic framework: work through each language level methodically rather than making scattered observations.
✓ For language change topics, create a timeline of key developments (Great Vowel Shift, printing press, standardisation, digital communication) and learn specific examples of lexical, grammatical, and phonological change for each period.
✓ When studying child language acquisition, memorise key theorists (Skinner, Chomsky, Bruner, Piaget, Vygotsky) and learn specific examples of children s language at each developmental stage to illustrate theoretical points.

Exam Tips for A-Level English Language

✓ In text analysis questions, always link your observations to the effect on the audience or the purpose of the text. Identifying a rhetorical question is only the first step — you must explain why the writer chose it and what response it aims to provoke.
✓ For comparison questions, develop a clear framework before you start writing. Compare the texts point by point (e.g. by language level or by purpose) rather than analysing one text completely before moving to the other.
✓ In your original writing component, demonstrate range and control by consciously varying sentence structures, deploying rhetorical techniques appropriate to your audience, and crafting a distinctive voice.

Topics to Cover

8 topics in A-Level English Language

Language Frameworks

Sociolinguistics

Language Change

Child Language Acquisition

Language & Gender

Language & Power

Original Writing

Investigation Skills

Available Exam Boards

A-Level English Language specification guides for each exam board

AQA Edexcel OCR WJEC

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between A-Level English Language and English Literature? +

English Language focuses on how language works — grammar, sounds, meaning, and social variation. English Literature focuses on analysing literary texts (novels, plays, poetry). Language is more analytical and scientific in approach, while Literature is more interpretive and essayistic. Some students take both, and combined English Language and Literature courses also exist.

Is A-Level English Language accepted by universities? +

Yes, it is widely accepted. It is particularly relevant for linguistics, journalism, media, and communication degrees. However, if you want to study English at university, check whether the course requires English Literature specifically, as some do.

How many exams are there in A-Level English Language? +

Typically two written exam papers plus a non-exam assessment (NEA) coursework component. The exams test unseen text analysis, language topics (such as child language acquisition or language change), and often original writing. The NEA usually involves an investigation into a language topic of your choice.

What careers does A-Level English Language lead to? +

English Language leads to careers in journalism, speech and language therapy, teaching, copywriting, content creation, media analysis, public relations, publishing, user experience writing, and sociolinguistic research.

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