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What if I fail English?

I need to get 5 in both language and literature, to do chemistry and biology. But so far I'm getting 4 in language and 5 in literature. I'm nervous that I'm going to fail. If I do, does that mean I will have to take other A-levels. I know I'm going to have to retake English.
If you fail English then it will feel big on results day, but then you'll go and talk to your head of sixth form and they may tell you that if you work hard and let them monitor your prpgress you can do your chosen options, or they may say that you have to take different subjects. But at the end of the day, if you then retake English and get a 5 you could probably restart the year the year after and take the subjects that you want. But instead of thinking about that, go and do some English reivison... choose a newspaper article or the first page of a book and annotate it. Here is a way of planning and English language essay:

1. Read through and write on the side how I'm feeling/ expecting about the text as I go through. Do I expect a character to die? DO I think a romance will develope? Do I think the author likes the topic they're talking about?

2. Very simply, what is the author saying about their topic? Do they like it? Do they think that it's safe? Are they confused? Excited? Angry?

3. Highlight all the words in the extract that support your opinion. Last year the AQA Eng lang paper was on surfboards, and one of the authors described a surfboard as like a 'coffin lid' so I could highlight that to show that the author didn't think that these surfboards were safe.

4. Write your paragraphs! The 3 key things to remember are:
A) that you need to name the techniques or at least word types being used, e.g. similie, repetition, adjective, metaphor.

B) You need to keep comparing between the two texts, saying that 'therefore, unlike author A, author B believes that...' , 'like author B, AUthor A suggests...' etc.

C) You cannot really go too far as long as you use evidence. If you have a quote with a colour name in, mention the stereotypes surrounding that colour and how that could impact the meaning of the text (even if you don't think it does), if there's a verb, say what that kind of action suggests- joy? Sadness? Anger? Passivity? Just make sure that you don't say anything without relating it to a quote.


You can revise by analysing almost any text. And remember that the creative writing aspect of the exam is quite large, so practice that too.

Good luck!
wait why is there English stipulations above a pass for science?
Original post by Afterlife?
wait why is there English stipulations above a pass for science?


In A level science there are essays to write.
Reply 4
Yeah, furthermore I'm really good at logical stuff like science and maths, but my english is going to pull me down just like this boy (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVjnPvFENEE&t=116s)
Original post by redmeercat
In A level science there are essays to write.
Original post by redmeercat
In A level science there are essays to write.


hmm dunno then, i was allowed to do physics and i got a 4.
was allowed to do psychology as well and you have to write stuff for that one.
Original post by Song Quan
Yeah, furthermore I'm really good at logical stuff like science and maths, but my english is going to pull me down just like this boy (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVjnPvFENEE&t=116s)


Original post by Afterlife?
hmm dunno then, i was allowed to do physics and i got a 4.
was allowed to do psychology as well and you have to write stuff for that one.


I know less about physics and chemistry, but I know that there are definitely essays is biology! Don't worry, though- English exams are difficult because they're never just a case of learning the content. Also, grade requirements are set by individual colleges and sixth forms, so it depends on what your teachers think that you need, so there may well be inconsistencies between similar subjects!
I would reccomend checking out Mr Bruff on youtube for english, i went from a D grade to an A because of him!

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