A-Level: What can you expect? Part I – English Language
According to the specification, the AQA English Language A-Level (the AS phase) is assessed by two exams, which work as below:
Paper 1: Language and the individual
What's assessed
- Textual variations and representations
- Methods of language analysis are integrated into the activities
Assessed
- written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes
- 70 marks
- 50% of AS
Questions
Textual variations and representations
Two texts, linked by topic or theme.
- A question requiring analysis of one text (25 marks)
- A question requiring analysis of a second text (25 marks)
- A question requiring comparison of the two texts (20 marks)
Paper 2: Language varieties
What's assessed
- Language diversity
- Writing skills
- Methods of language analysis are integrated into the activities
Assessed
- written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes
- 70 marks
- 50% of AS Questions
Then, the A-Level outright is assessed across three components, including two exam papers:
Paper 1: Language, the individual and society
What's assessed
- Textual variations and representations
- Children's language development (0–11 years)
- Methods of language analysis are integrated into the activities
Assessed
- written exam: 2 hours 30 minutes
- 100 marks
- 40% of A-level
Questions
Section A – Textual variations and representations
Two texts (one contemporary and one older text) linked by topic or theme.
- A question requiring analysis of one text (25 marks)
- A question requiring analysis of a second text (25 marks)
- A question requiring comparison of the two texts (20 marks)
Section B – Children's language development
A discursive essay on children’s language development, with a choice of two questions where the data provided will focus on spoken, written or multimodal language (30 marks)
Paper 2: Language diversity and change
What's assessed
- Language diversity and change
- Language discourses
- Writing skills
- Methods of language analysis are integrated into the activities
Assessed
- written exam: 2 hours 30 minutes
- 100 marks
- 40% of A-level Questions
Section A – Diversity and change
One question from a choice of two: either: an evaluative essay on language diversity (30 marks) or: an evaluative essay on language change (30 marks)
Section B – Language discourses
Two texts about a topic linked to the study of diversity and change.
- A question requiring analysis of how the texts use language to present ideas, attitudes and opinions (40 marks)
- A directed writing task linked to the same topic and the ideas in the texts (30 marks)
Non-exam assessment: Language in action
What's assessed
- Language investigation
- Original writing
- Methods of language analysis are integrated into the activities
Assessed
- word count: 3,500
- 100 marks
- 20% of A-level
- assessed by teachers
- moderated by AQA
Tasks Students produce:
- a language investigation (2,000 words excluding data)
- a piece of original writing and commentary (1,500 words total)