Not all A Level English Language students will sit the same exam papers.

The content and layout of your exams will depend on which exam board you’re with. The exam boards that offer A Level English Language are:

• AQA
• OCR
• Pearson Edexcel
• WJEC Eduqas
• Cambridge International

Checking which exam board you’re with and getting clued up on their unique requirements will ensure you know what to expect on exam day.

This will help you prepare with targeted revision and will also help you overcome exam nerves, as you’ll be more familiar with the format.

It’s important that you know exactly what the examiners are looking for. That way, you can give them what they’re after.

Although each exam board will structure the exams and coursework differently, they’ll all assess the same core skills. Here’s what they want to see, translated into plain English:

1. Apply language analysis properly: Use the right terminology and explain yourself clearly in writing
2. Show you understand key concepts: Demonstrate that you grasp important ideas about how language works
3. Analyse language in context: Explain how the situation, audience, and purpose affect the way language is used
4. Make connections between texts: Compare and contrast how language is used in different texts or situations
5. Use English creatively and expertly: Show you can write effectively in different styles for different purposes

Go through each assessment objective and make sure you’re confident demonstrating these skills to the examiners.

It’s never too early to start revising for your English Language A Level.

The earlier you start, the better. This way, you’ll have more time to build your skills, master the terminology, and practise applying theoretical frameworks to real texts.

We recommend starting your English Language A Level revision at the beginning of Year 13 at the latest. Ideally, you should be consolidating what you learn in lessons throughout the course.

This way, you can spread out your learning across the year and build your understanding gradually – instead of panicking just a few weeks before the big day.

One of the best things you can do to ace your English Language A Level is to read extensively – and consciously.

And we don’t just mean you should read a lot. We also mean you should read a wide variety of texts: novels, broadsheets, tabloid newspapers, academic essays, social media posts, children’s books, instruction manuals, advertising copy – the lot.

Here’s the key: don’t just read them. Analyse them. Ask yourself:

• Who is the intended audience?
• What’s the purpose of this text?
• What language features can I spot? (Sentence structure, vocabulary choices, tone, etc.)
• How would this text be different if it were for a different audience or purpose?

This subject is all about studying the mechanics of the English language and understanding how the use of language changes in different contexts.

Reading and analysing a variety of texts will improve your understanding of how the English language works and give you confidence when responding to unseen texts in the exam room.

English Language has its own vocabulary – words like graphology, pragmatics, deixis, prosodic features, and more.

Don’t just memorise definitions. Make sure you can:

• Recognise these features in real texts
• Explain why a writer might use them
• Use the terms accurately in your own writing

Create flashcards, make posters, teach the concepts to someone else – whatever works for you. But make terminology practice a regular part of your revision.

Attempting past papers is an absolute must when you’re preparing for the exams.

Firstly, it’s a great way to familiarise yourself with the types of questions you’re likely to encounter in the real thing.

Secondly, attempting past papers under timed conditions will help you develop essential exam techniques such as time management and dealing with pressure – which are key to boosting your confidence ahead of the big day.

But that’s not all. Marking your attempts at past papers will also give you a clear idea of the areas where you need to improve, so you know what to focus on for the remainder of your revision.

Just bear in mind that marking an English Language A Level past paper isn’t a simple case of ticking the right answer. The marking is nuanced and subjective. That’s why it can be incredibly useful to get a professional to mark your past papers for you.

Which brings us onto…

Your college or sixth form will help prepare you for your English Language A Level, but they won’t be able to give you the one-to-one attention you’d get from English tuition.

An experienced English A Level tutor will tailor their lesson plans to your strengths, weaknesses and learning style – complementing what you’re learning in the classroom and filling any gaps in your knowledge.

They can help you master tricky concepts, perfect your essay technique, choose coursework topics, and practise analysing unseen texts.

In this way, they’ll be able to help you reach your full potential in this subject – whether your goal is to achieve a pass or to unlock the top grades.

At Tutorful, our tutors are all carefully handpicked so you know you’re getting the very best. Plus, many are also qualified teachers and examiners. You can see why 90% of Tutorful students improve by at least 1 grade.

It can be challenging to get an A in English Language A Level, and the statistics reflect this.

In 2023, 12.3% of pupils achieved a grade A or A*, compared to an average of 27.2% across all subjects.

However, this doesn’t mean it’s impossible – far from it. With dedicated study, the right support, and genuine interest in the subject, there’s no reason you can’t be among those top achievers. Our experienced handpicked tutors can help you get there.

Students who find English Language A Level hard often struggle with a few key things:

Firstly, there isn’t always one “right” answer. Unlike in maths or sciences where there’s a clear right and wrong, in English Language you often need to construct your own interpretations and arguments. This requires independent thinking and confidence.

Secondly, there’s a lot of specialist terminology to master – words like “pragmatics,” “discourse markers,” and “sociolect.” You need to learn these terms and apply them accurately.

Finally, the assessment can be quite rigorous. You’re expected to analyse texts in depth, not just describe them, and the marking standards for top grades are high.

That said, with the right approach and support from a dedicated tutor, these challenges become much more manageable.

English Language AS Level is around the same difficulty level as the full A Level.

This isn’t surprising, as in Wales and Northern Ireland, students who continue the subject beyond AS will have their AS grade count towards their overall A Level result.

According to FFT Education Datalab, 12.5% of students achieved A grades in English Language AS Level, compared to 26.1% for all subjects.

Further Maths is widely seen as one of the most difficult A Level subjects because it’s designed to be harder than regular A Level Maths. It’s meant to really stretch the most able students.

That said, every student is different. The hardest A Level subject for one person won’t be the same for another – it all depends on your natural strengths, interests, and learning style.

English Language is sometimes labelled as a “soft” subject by some universities, despite being academically rigorous.

The Russell Group universities typically view English Literature as a facilitating subject (more widely accepted for entry onto competitive courses) rather than English Language.

However, this doesn’t mean English Language isn’t valuable or respected. Many universities and employers highly value the analytical, research, and communication skills it develops.

If you’re applying to highly competitive universities, it’s worth checking their specific requirements and considering pairing English Language with subjects they consider “facilitating” (like English Literature, Maths, Sciences, History, or Modern Languages).

That will depend on what you’re hoping to study at university.

However, the Russell Group universities (a group of 24 leading universities in the UK) typically view English Literature as a facilitating subject and not English Language.

Many top universities will expect applicants to have at least one A Level in a facilitating subject. This indicates that English Literature may be more widely accepted for competitive courses.

That said, if you’re passionate about linguistics or specific career paths that value language analysis, English Language is still an excellent choice – just make sure to pair it with other strong subjects.

That depends on your skill set and interests – they’re different subjects that suit different types of students.

English Literature focuses on literary texts including novels, poetry and drama. It requires you to analyse themes, characters, and writers’ techniques, and to construct interpretations of creative works.

English Language focuses on the mechanics of language itself. It’s more technical and scientific in its approach, looking at how language works, how it’s structured, and how it’s used in different contexts.

Some students find English Language easier because it’s more systematic and analytical. Others find English Literature easier because it’s more creative and interpretative.

In terms of grade statistics, it’s worth noting that it’s statistically harder to achieve top grades in English Language. In 2023, 25.9% of pupils got a grade A or A* in English Literature, compared to just 12.3% in English Language.

If you’re choosing between the two, think about which style of study appeals to you more. Or consider taking both – they complement each other beautifully and demonstrate breadth of knowledge in English studies.

Many students do take both English Language and English Literature A Levels, and they complement each other brilliantly.

The benefits of taking both:

• You get a comprehensive understanding of English as both an art form and a system
• You demonstrate breadth of knowledge to universities
• The skills from each subject reinforce the other (analytical skills, essay writing, close reading)
• You keep your options open for university courses in English, Linguistics, or related fields

Things to consider:

• It’s a lot of English – make sure you genuinely enjoy the subject
• The workload can be heavy, especially with coursework for both
• Some universities might prefer to see more variety in your subject choices

If you love English and can handle the workload, taking both is a great option. If you’re less certain, choose the one that matches your interests and skills best.