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English Literature and Language GCSE AQA A

Basically the story is to get into my sixth form i need roughly 8A*'s,

and I was just wondering how to get an A* in both lit+ language...
Its absoloutely imperative I can pick up 2 A*s in these two subjects...

I was just looking over the mark schemes for the two papers ( AQA, English Language A, Litreture A)

and found thats its soooo DAMN SUBJECTIVE :mad:

and there is no clear cut method of getting an A*, unlike maths for example or science, where the right answer prevails, instead with english its just a massive fog of confusion... to add more salt to the wound i hear that examiners dont mark mark the whole essay, just get a brief idea of your grade, by looking at the first+ last paragraphs...

And.....How do these examiners determine your exact mark, the markscheme only gives them a band i.e 19-27 :confused:

Maybe im wrong??

If i am please tell me any tips on getting an A* are much appreciated

P.S.. I just had a lightbulb moment, perhaps I can literally spell it out to the examiners....eg for 19-27
i would need to ;

evaluation of writer?s use of language/structure/form and effect(s) on readers

would i say...an evaluation of the writers use of language, consists of....the effects on the readers include....'

you know...like building in the markscheme into my answer...

thants it :biggrin:

THANKS ALOT

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Reply 1

Ears

Original post by user

THANKS ALOT

Know the poems/book perfectly so you can be prepared for any question that comes up. Do practice papers and ask a teacher to mark it. Be original - the examiners always like that. After all, they read 100's of the same questions. Good luck :biggrin:

Reply 2

InadequateJusticex

8A*s to get into your sixth form? That's extremely high...

Reply 3

user

Original post by InadequateJusticex

8A*s to get into your sixth form? That's extremely high...

Its got to be done, by hook or crook :colone:

Reply 4

tom181

Original post by user

Basically the story is to get into my sixth form i need roughly 8A*'s,

What school is this? At my school for internals its 4 as 4 bs but for externals it's 8*s...

Reply 5

user

Original post by tom181

What school is this? At my school for internals its 4 as 4 bs but for externals it's 8*s...

KEGS

Reply 6

user

Original post by tom181

High 5 for my school!

Great school, shame its soo bloody hard to get in :/ :mad:

Reply 7

tom181

Original post by user

Great school, shame its soo bloody hard to get in :/ :mad:

Which school are you coming from?

Reply 8

user

Original post by tom181

Which school are you coming from?

Seven Kings

Reply 9

Kidioteque

Wow, 8A*s. I've applied for a grammar school in my area which was 2nd in the league tables for GCSEs nationally and in the top 10 for A-Levels, and they only ask for A/A*s in each of the subjects you apply for plus at least B's in Eng and Maths if you're not taking them. However, the intake is quite big (50-60). How many people are admitted to KEGS?

Reply 10

user

Original post by Kidioteque

Not too sure, what school you talking about?

Reply 11

tom181

Original post by Kidioteque

45 kids. We're 3rd nationally for A levels, and have like a massive oversubscription.

Reply 12

Kidioteque

Original post by tom181

45 kids. We're 3rd nationally for A levels, and have like a massive oversubscription.

Ahh ok, I suppose in an Oxbridge-esque kind of way they can afford to stipulate high grades then.

Original post by user

Not too sure, what school you talking about?

It's called King Edward's Five Ways, in Birmingham. :smile:

Reply 13

user

BUMP.

...Back to the topic...

Reply 14

Kalliope

Hey

What do you want to know? I'd point you to my post in the current year 11 thread on Poetry for that. Media the key thing is practice practice practice paper and get your teacher to mark for you - give you model answers etc. Make sure you know the A0s and techniques of the back of your hand. You'll need a certain amount of flair for the descriptive writing but practice is also the key. I would really advise looking at great passages of descriptive writing in Literature and try to soak it up. If it isn't your thing a formulaic thing eg PASSPORT would help you to get the key aspects nailed at least - personification, similes and all that jazz. I always find I like to have an original take on a question to get the creative juices flowing but that might not work for you. With Persuasion you'll want to be doing all the rhetorical devices by bucket load and writing articulately and understandably, that's all you need really. With the Lit book you need to know it like the back of your hand - key quotes, themes which could be in questions, do all the jazzy analysis stuff which you should cover in class etc and then you want to be doing many practice essays. Ask your teacher/englishy friends what they find works for them. You need to make sure you are doing practical revision - talking it through with someone, mind maps or practice papers as english isn't one of those subjects where you can just write your notes out shedloads. This is fairly rushed as I haven't got much time on my hands atm so if you want me to expand on anything/specific questions please say!

Reply 15

user

Original post by BookWormShanti

Hey

I would really advise looking at great passages of descriptive writing in Literature and try to soak it up. If it isn't your thing a formulaic thing eg PASSPORT would help you .

if you want me to expand on anything/specific questions please say!

1) whats PASSPORT?

2) how would I get from an A- A*, whats the difference?

please go into detail :biggrin:

Thnx

Reply 16

user

^ messed up the quote thing :/

Reply 17

anil10100

Having gained my A*s in English Lang & Lit, I'd say knowing more advanced things than are taught by your teachers using the internet. Gain fixed things to talk about for each poem which can be manipulated to match the question, and read the exemplar ones on the website of candidates who got full marks and basically, make it like that. :smile:

Reply 18

Kalliope

Original post by user

1) whats PASSPORT?

2) how would I get from an A- A*, whats the difference?

please go into detail :biggrin:

Thnx

everyone seems to be messing up to quotes (lily_academia).

1) ahh can't remember exactly - that's why I didn't say :ninja:

think it is
Personification
A...?
Similes
S...
Paragraphs/Punctuation
Openings?
Repetition
T..

okay, sorry, I doubt that helps! But it's the little mnemonic the set 3s ink onto their hands before tests :confused:

b) I'm not sure what the difference is, not ever having been borderline (sorry!) or read work of people who are, but I am told it is very much down to flair. Can you write what you mean well and with pizas (sp)? Do you use correct grammar? Is your vocabulary impressive or at the least appropriate? Is your writing well structured? Do you use literary techniques often and well? At the end of the day, do you make the examiner sit up and think - they know their stuff!?

Literature-wise it is largely down to how much of the high level analysis you put it. Do you unpick single lines of poems/look for the connotations of certain words? Do you know the themes well? Is there evidence you understand what the author is trying to say? Do you mention rhyme/rhythm - especially when it breaks down?

If the answer to those is yes then you are on the right lines! Some times the difference between A and A* is very small, especially with the level of subjective marking there inevitably is in English, but if you know the content and mark scheme well and you are well practiced there is no reason why you shouldn't get the highest grade even if you are lacking in style/flair. If you've got the latter, you can blag your way a long way. Very often the difference between the two is down mainly to whether the examiner reads your work and thinks "good" or "great", though and is hard to pin down.

(I can send you some of my work if it would help you to look at it? - I got 536/540 on my Lang GCSE)

EDIT: in reply to the user above - I would definitely second the bit about knowing formulaic phrases/essay plans for poetry/reading good answers. However, I don't think you need titbits of the internet provided you have a basically competent teacher, but it may help you to get a feel for it. Teachit has a great poetry section.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 19

user

Original post by BookWormShanti

everyone seems to be messing up to quotes (lily_academia).

1) ahh can't remember exactly - that's why I didn't say :ninja:

think it is
Personification
A...?
Similes
S...
Paragraphs/Punctuation
Openings?
Repetition
T..

(I can send you some of my work if it would help you to look at it? - I got 536/540 on my Lang GCSE)

EDIT: in reply to the user above - I would definitely second the bit about knowing formulaic phrases/essay plans for poetry/reading good answers. However, I don't think you need titbits of the internet provided you have a basically competent teacher, but it may help you to get a feel for it. Teachit has a great poetry section.