English Language/Literature A level too hard?

Hello, I'm choosing my A-Levels for for this year.I love reading and writing (creative), I enjoy doing this two things.I want to do English Lang and Lit as A-Level, but people say is very very hard? Is that true? Just wondering.

Reply 1

Kermitt

Well, I do A level English lit and I have to say the workload is demanding, for me, due to the two pieces of coursework and also the exam, that is the hard part, getting through the workload as it is much more than GCSE. Apart from that, actually I enjoyed it as I really enjoyed the literature I was reading and want to it at university.

Overall, it is a good subject to take and I would recommend it.

Reply 2

username1221364

Original post by BitxiBitxina

Do you have any idea what you want to do at uni?

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Reply 3

ChloeBonner

Original post by BitxiBitxina

I've just finished my A-Levels and I did English Language and Literature combined. It definitely goes up a notch from GCSE, the workload is large sometimes with essays but it has to be in order to prepare you for the exams. I think it can also depend what books/plays your school chooses for you to study for the exam as to how much you enjoy it or how easy you find it. I enjoyed it overall, but it was my least favoured subject because I couldn't grasp how to expand in English from GCSE, but that's just me :smile:

Reply 4

HibbsicleBean19

I've just finished my A2s. I did English Literature and absolutely loved it (A2 more than AS but that was due to the texts). I would advise that you really need to be committed to getting essays in, on time and to a high standard. You also need to be prepared to read around the texts - you need critics, historical knowledge and genre knowledge to be able to fully answer an A Level type question.

Reply 5

awkwardusername

Original post by BitxiBitxina

I only do Literature, but it's difficult.
I achieved an A* with no revision at GCSE, and then in my first AS exam, I got a D! (I misread the question but that's not the point!)
AS is a lot easier than A2, but AS is still difficult until you've grasped a good exam technique, and even then, it depends on the questions you get in the exam.
A2 means learning about either gothic or pastoral literature (LITB3 on AQA this is, which is the most common!), which means a whole lot of new terminology and techniques etc (eg who knew what a Byronic hero was before A2 Lit?!)
Difficult as it is, a lot of people (myself included) absolutely love it! At AS my class was 25, and 25 people kept it to A2, along with 10 of us continuing it to degree level.
It's a lot of fun :smile:

Reply 6

Changing Skies

Original post by BitxiBitxina

I do Literature alone and actually found it my least workload! I know a lot of people who did the combined course, and they enjoyed it and didn't find it too challenging :smile:

It all depends on your skill, what are you predicted at GCSE? :smile:

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Reply 7

Anonymous #2

I've just finished Lit at AS Level and I loved it so much! I had a great class and a good teacher so that definitely helped. I'd say it was probably my easiest subject out of Chemistry, Biology and RS and my second least in terms of workload (RS least). I'm not sure if that's because it's my favourite subject or whatever but you get out what you put in! I only dropped two marks across both of the courseworks combined, just keep re-editing and take on any advice you're given from your teacher. Good luck :smile:

Reply 8

The Empire Odyssey

I don't know if you're asking about taking them separately or choosing the combined course? Well I do both English Language and English Literature (separately) and together, they are really, really demanding! They will be more demanding with your other subjects especially if they are essay based subjects.

I have no regrets about taking them both because they come hand-in-hand with each other. English lang when used in lit allows you to pick out specific word classes and you can definitely use this as your advantage. Most students who just pick lit their analysis is normally "this words shows" but language and lit students are like "this intransitive verb shows". So you get a big advantage over language when analyzing lit.

Lit allows you to reader closer to the lines and look at many different interpretations of language, especially poetry side. You study quite a bit of pragmatics in poetry (well at least I did) so that comes in handy in language.

Both A-levels are strenuous and challenging, respectively. The workload is heavier if you're going to take them separately. If you find it as a challenge and not a chore, then take the two. Some days however, I had Lang then lit straight after which sometimes did become tiring because you'd come out of one lesson of an hours writing, then going into the next to do another hours writing!

I love studying them both and I plan to take both of them up to A2. Make sure you have lots of pens and highlighters! You highlight so much in lit and lang!
It would also be good to have a dictionary at hand, or a literary language pocket sized book.

Reply 9

tgwktm

if you are talking about the course where English lang and lit is combined then I study it and I plan to carry on for A2. I found AS was okay once you got into it. If you have a good technique at analysing texts and writing detailed essays then you'll be fine. The coursework for AS is half analysis half creative writing. A2 coursework is all creative writing which is great cause I love creative writing too. The AS exam is based on analysing two 'seem texts from your anthology and 2 'unseen' texts and comparing each pair of texts under the areas of lexis, grammar, syntax, presentation, structure, figurative language. I really enjoyed it and I enjoyed English more at A level than I did at gcse.

Reply 10

sarah385

Original post by Changing Skies

I do Literature alone and actually found it my least workload! I know a lot of people who did the combined course, and they enjoyed it and didn't find it too challenging :smile:

It all depends on your skill, what are you predicted at GCSE? :smile:

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What exam board where you with for Lit?

Reply 11

miaellenx

I did English Literature and Language Combined for AS and I loved it. The workload is a little tricky to adjust to - just make sure you start reading the books ASAP. I didn't; I left it until a month before the exam to read one all the way though and I didn't finish it. The Creative Writing coursework is amazing and so much fun, though! It's certainly harder than GCSE English, but if you're passionate about English, I'd go for it. I did and I'm continuing it next year hopefully!

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Reply 12

Changing Skies

Original post by sarah385

What exam board where you with for Lit?

AQA B

Reply 13

sarah385

Original post by Changing Skies

AQA B

Can I ask what did you get for it and for History?? Hope you did well!

Reply 14

Changing Skies

Original post by sarah385

Can I ask what did you get for it and for History?? Hope you did well!

Got an A in literature but a B in history after getting an awful mark in the last exam :frown:

Reply 15

sarah385

Original post by Changing Skies

Got an A in literature but a B in history after getting an awful mark in the last exam :frown:

Well done on the A! And a B isnt bad at all, where you expecting to get an A in History initially or did you expect to not do as well in the last exam? I think you still done amazing, you should be proud!

Reply 16

Changing Skies

Original post by sarah385

Thank you, the A was a shock, never thought I'd get one in lit :tongue:

I was expecting an A in history really, my other modules were aaa so :frown:

I knew I hadn't done amazingly in the last exam but I didn't think it would bring me down to a B! Thank you very much :h:

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Reply 17

jolliek

Original post by ChloeBonner

Sorry to bring up an old post, but I was wondering how your AS results were in comparison to your A2 results? I really want an A at A2 but I got a B in my AS!(70 in one exam and 76 in the other)