[thesilvermagnolia]

I studied AQA English Language and Literature (A) for AS and A2. I got an A* overall, so if anyone needs any advice with techniques, essay planning, or anything at all, post here

My results were:

AS (Jan exam): A
AS (June exam): A
A2 (Coursework): A*
A2 (June exam): A*

[ShiphDeef:)]

Wow! I am in your awe

What texts did you do?
Did you do both AS exams in June?
When did you start serious work?
Did you annotate your texts?
What revision guides did you use?
How much work did you do a week?
How often did you write essays / do practise papers?

I'm ok on the lit. part, but awful at Language analysis; any advice?

Thank you!

[thesilvermagnolia]

(Original post by ShiphDeef:))
Wow! I am in your awe

What texts did you do?
Did you do both AS exams in June?
When did you start serious work?
Did you annotate your texts?
What revision guides did you use?
How much work did you do a week?
How often did you write essays / do practise papers?

I'm ok on the lit. part, but awful at Language analysis; any advice?

Thank you so SO much!

I'm really hoping for an A

For AS, we did 'A Streetcar Named Desire' and 'The Kite Runner'. If these aren't the same as you, I will still try my best to help out if you have any questions!

In terms of the exam layout, we had one in January and one in June. Then for A2 a coursework deadline in March (I think!) and an exam in June. I was trying to work for it throughout the year, because I knew that all of my exams for my subjects fell on 2 or 3 days together!

Yes, I annotated my texts using different coloured pencils, to determine different themes, speech features etc. I also highlighted any important quotes, sections or page numbers that would be of use to me.

I didn't use a text book, but I'm sure that AQA have one written for the course itself Try Amazon if you haven't already got it. I tried to write an essay a week, but more than this in the run up to the exam. For AS, your question is most likely to be linking a character to a theme. For example; 'How is the the theme of X presented though the relationship between characters Y and Z'. I created my own essay questions using this format, and swapped the themes and characters around as I went on. I found that this helped me a lot. This way, when you go into the exam, you may have even already done a very similar question!

In terms of the language analysis, the best way to improve is to really get to grips with the terminology! AQA used to have past papers online, so have a look through those to familiarise yourself with the exam layout, and you will see the different types of unseen texts that you could be given. Make yourself a terminology glossary, or flash cards, and learn them! Don't forget to test yourself!

Another way is to always ask yourself; How did speaker A convey X emotion? What techniques did they use? What impact did this have? and why?

Really try and dig deep into the language. Even if it feels as though you're ranting, its most likely that you aren't! You will find yourself being able to write a paragraph about the significance of a micropause!!

Hope this helps!! Feel free to ask more questions

[ShiphDeef:)]

Yes - I'm doing Streetcar, The Kite Runner, and Othello.

Um, my school is only letting us take the two exams in June

I'll annotate my texts: I've been doing so a bit, but not properly.

I've sort of been doing essays quite regularly, but I mean to start doing them weekly. I love doing them though - you really see improvement!

Terminology. Ok. my teacher has given us a massive glossary to learn. I'll learn 'em!

Past papers, past papers. Check.

Haha! Thanks tons.

So: Learn terminology, 1 essay a week, annotate book, delve deep, expand points. Is that the jist of things?

[thesilvermagnolia]

(Original post by ShiphDeef:))
Yes - I'm doing Streetcar, The Kite Runner, and Othello.

Um, my school is only letting us take the two exams in June

I'll annotate my texts: I've been doing so a bit, but not properly.

I've sort of been doing essays quite regularly, but I mean to start doing them weekly. I love doing them though - you really see improvement!

Terminology. Ok. my teacher has given us a massive glossary to learn. I'll learn 'em!

Past papers, past papers. Check.

Haha! Thanks tons.

So: Learn terminology, 1 essay a week, annotate book, delve deep, expand points. Is that the jist of things?

Yep that's the list!
The terminology is a massive one, because the examiners will tick tick tick whenever they see a lovely word! haha

[Pandapop14]

Hi there,

Just wondering if you did Othello Language based so were the questions like "how does character X's language portray a sense of Y." Cause i got a question like that coming up in jan and I'm struggling on them. I don't really understand how to go about answering the question. Is there any sort of structure to follow?

Thanks in advance.

[thesilvermagnolia]

(Original post by Pandapop14)
Hi there,

Just wondering if you did Othello Language based so were the questions like "how does character X's language portray a sense of Y." Cause i got a question like that coming up in jan and I'm struggling on them. I don't really understand how to go about answering the question. Is there any sort of structure to follow?

Thanks in advance.

No, we didn't do Othello, but I can try and help

If your question is based around; "how does character X's language portray a sense of Y", then the best way to formulate a well structured answer is to start from the top and work your way through. Your key words here are as follows:

'how'- What techniques have been used? Here, you need to really know your terminology! You will gain marks for each technical term you use.

'character X'- Does this character speak with a certain accent or use a specific dialect? This is important, as it will impact on the language that the use. Register, tone etc.

'language'- Delve deep! Pick out words that you think are significant and used with a strong purpose. Analyse them! You must be analytical, else you won't be able to surpass a low-mid band mark; D-C

'portray a sense of Y'- Think, what is 'Y'? what do we associate with it? what impact does it have? Why is it significant?

Hope this helps

[...geeky...]

Hey...
I am doing Enduring Love, Dubliners and Browining Poetry
In the 1st section the question is "how does x tell the story in y?"
I know I need to include form, structure, language, tone, narrative method and setting but I am not sure what that includes?
I would be really gratefull with any help at all

[thesilvermagnolia]

(Original post by ...geeky...)
Hey...
I am doing Enduring Love, Dubliners and Browining Poetry
In the 1st section the question is "how does x tell the story in y?"
I know I need to include form, structure, language, tone, narrative method and setting but I am not sure what that includes?
I would be really gratefull with any help at all

Which course? Which exam board? Is this for AS or A2?

[...geeky...]

English Lit
AQA Board
AS
Thanks

[thesilvermagnolia]

(Original post by ...geeky...)
English Lit
AQA Board
AS
Thanks

Ah thought so. This thread is for English Language and Literature A, which is a course in itself. Personally, I don't specialize in literature alone, as I have never studied it. Sorry to be useless! Perhaps there is a literature thread?

[thesilvermagnolia]

(Original post by ...geeky...)
English Lit
AQA Board
AS
Thanks

Try this
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/show....php?t=1864951

[...geeky...]

Thanks

[TheHoodatron]

Is there an AQA AS/A2 Lang/Lit B syllabus thread?

I need help with language analysis - in A2 this year we're doing Talk in Life and Literature which involves comparing spoken word in literature and in the form of transcripts.

I have a pretty good grasp on my terminology, just need some advice on how to analyse the texts for their salient features, like a systematic method or something.

[thesilvermagnolia]

(Original post by TheHoodatron)
Is there an AQA AS/A2 Lang/Lit B syllabus thread?

I need help with language analysis - in A2 this year we're doing Talk in Life and Literature which involves comparing spoken word in literature and in the form of transcripts.

I have a pretty good grasp on my terminology, just need some advice on how to analyse the texts for their salient features, like a systematic method or something.

I'm not sure, you will have to look around! I studied Lang/Lit A!

[hoiman]

Firstly, I must say you are my god.
For a second could we hypothesise that I am 2 weeks away from the exam, and revised very little at all. Where would you say is a good place to start?

[thesilvermagnolia]

(Original post by hoiman)
Firstly, I must say you are my god.
For a second could we hypothesise that I am 2 weeks away from the exam, and revised very little at all. Where would you say is a good place to start?

Which texts are you doing?

[tif49]

For The Kite Runner, did you choose to do the analytical or production question?

[thesilvermagnolia]

(Original post by tif49)
For The Kite Runner, did you choose to do the analytical or production question?

If by production question, you mean the one where you will be asked to write a diary entry/letter etc. then I did that one I did my analytical question on A Streetcar Named Desire

[tif49]

(Original post by thesilvermagnolia)
If by production question, you mean the one where you will be asked to write a diary entry/letter etc. then I did that one I did my analytical question on A Streetcar Named Desire

Yeah thanks, that's what I'm going to do as well. The other text we are doing is The History Boys.