Help with AS english lang/lit

hey peeps
I'm resitting my AS lang/lit from last year and was wondering if anyone else is doing this/did it last year and didn't fail and has any info or links for the speech analysis part which i find hard as ****. please and thank you much love x :smile:

Reply 1

georgiabryony

I'm retaking this paper as well, for me the best way to revise is to do loads of practice papers. I find my weakest point is finding structure points, so I found past questions and concentrated on writing structure paragraphs under timed conditions. Then I did a practice exam under timed condidtions as well. On the aqa website theres one practice paper becuase its a new syllabus so you could use that

http://web.aqa.org.uk/qual/gce/english/eng_lang_lit_a_materials.php?id=02&prev=02
http://store.aqa.org.uk/qual/gce/pdf/AQA-ELLA1-W-QP-JAN09.PDF

Hope this helps, good luck tomorrow!!

Reply 2

Mirose

1. Context (static/moving text? Audience? two way text?)
2. Relationship (who's dominant? MUL, cooperative/combative/neutral text?)
3. Attitude ( Comment about the attitude of each individual with detailed analysis and terminology)
4. Lexis ( tons to say about this usually)
5. Structure (comment on the syntax and structure of the text)
6. Register (informal features or planned features)
7. Prosodic/kinesthetic features

These are my teacher's 7 step essay plan for the language paper. It worked since everyone in my class got As and the majority had A*s.

Reply 3

blabla321

Mirose

1. Context (static/moving text? Audience? two way text?)
2. Relationship (who's dominant? MUL, cooperative/combative/neutral text?)
3. Attitude ( Comment about the attitude of each individual with detailed analysis and terminology)
4. Lexis ( tons to say about this usually)
5. Structure (comment on the syntax and structure of the text)
6. Register (informal features or planned features)
7. Prosodic/kinesthetic features

These are my teacher's 7 step essay plan for the language paper. It worked since everyone in my class got As and the majority had A*s.

This is so useful, thanks :smile:

I know this thread is old but I've got an English exam on Tuesday.. I just wanted to check, is this for the 1st part of AQA ELLA2 the conversation bit? Do you do 7 paragraphs? Also what's MUL, and static/moving text?
For the mock I'd only been taught do an introduction explaining the CAP (content, audience, purpose) and then I just did spontaneous/prepared, informal/formal, language. I got an A but then he said he marks generously so it was more like a B :/.

Reply 4

Mirose

blabla321

This is so useful, thanks :smile:

I know this thread is old but I've got an English exam on Tuesday.. I just wanted to check, is this for the 1st part of AQA ELLA2 the conversation bit? Do you do 7 paragraphs? Also what's MUL, and static/moving text?
For the mock I'd only been taught do an introduction explaining the CAP (content, audience, purpose) and then I just did spontaneous/prepared, informal/formal, language. I got an A but then he said he marks generously so it was more like a B :/.

This is for the first part, where you have to analyse and compare two different types of speech, a spontaneous one and a prepared one.

Since you seem unfamiliar with some of the terminology, I'm going to break it down for you to make things simpler. Note that as you are constrained by time, you may join lexis with attitude and register with role and relationship. I usually do them in each individual paragraph as it is easier to control and compare between texts and you can group them together.

Point 1: Context

a) Mode? (Spoken or written) - usually the spontaneous is spoken and the planned is written. However, make sure as texts like speeches are written (by a team of professionals) then spoken.
b) Audience? Are there any identifiable audiences? who might be listening in? Is the text directed at someone? (For example speeches can broadcasted nationwide but there are also the people present when the speech was given)
c) Purpose (For spontaneous speech, most of the time its for social interaction but still look closely, it might be for another purpose, ie a boy trying to persuade his dad to give him more money. The prepared speech, well you have to tell for yourself)
d) One-way/ two way text? One way texts are texts which cannot be influenced by the audience and there is only one producer of text. Two way texts are texts which can be influenced and there are more than one speaker.
e) Static/moving text? Static texts are texts which readers can receive in their final form while moving texts develop as it is spoken.

Point two: Role and relationship.

a) Is the conversation friendly/aggressive. What kind of tone and mood does it produce?
b) MUL stands for mean utterance length. Who has the largest amount of text?
c) Who is the topic manager? Note that even if the person's MUL is longer it does not mean he/she is the topic manager so look closely. Usually the topic manager starts out the conversation and directs the conversation using imperatives or questions. Is anyone submissive or ignored in the conversation? DONT FORGET TO GIVE EVIDENCE :smile:

d) What kind of relationship do they have? Is it between parent and child? Teacher and student? Friends? Are there any shared knowledge?

Point 3: Attitude

a) I usually do this one speaker at a time. I can't really tell you what you should do here as every character is different. Maybe the character is proud? hot tempered? Use grouping of words to show your case, such as ' Person A seems to dislike going on holidays as he frequently uses negative adjectives such as ....' perhaps because ' '. (It is usually better but you get the idea...). Provide evidence every time you make a point. If you are unsure, use words like 'might' , 'perhaps' 'seems' or 'probably'.

Point 4: Lexis

a) Comment about different types of lexis, what is the effect is can create? Note when dying with time, combine this with register, which I always do.

Point 5: Syntax

a) I hope you know your syntax terminology.
i) Spontaneous speech : What adjacency pairs is the conversation made up of? Topic? Topic shifts? What type of coordinate conjunctions is used? (mostly its simple ones to join utterances together). Disjuncture? Cohesion? Overlaps? All these show that the conversation is occuring spontaneously.
ii) Prepared speech: This can differ as it might either be a speech or interview. Speech has inversions, tripling and all that jazz I hope you know. Basically prepared speech has more complicated syntax, with multiclausal sentences and stuff that show that it was planned before. Short minor sentences can provide drama or a type of effect. You can also comment about the structure of the text if its more obvious such as a newspaper interview or magazine article where you can tell theres a clear structure.

Point 6: Register

I usually do this before syntax

a) Informal features such as colloqualisms, non standard grammar, deitic references, end-clipping, repitition, reforumulation, voiced pauses etc
b) Planned features such as informal features being edited out, certain quotes or lexis used.

Point 7: Prosodic/Kinesthetic features

a) Show that you are aware that a transcript can't reveal every prosodic or kinesthetic feature.
b) Prosodic features can be noted by emboldening of certain words or mumbled parts.
c) Kinesthetic features: Facial gestures or hand movements. Or perhaps you can tell that the speaker is walking or rubbing his nose?

This is just a helpful form, however do not depend on it, its up to you to see how the paper is like. Certain texts, such as a TV show for example, may seem spontaneous but there are actually loads of planned features there. The speakers might already know the topic beforehand. Speeches also may seem planned, but remember it is received as a spoken text, so there are some attempts to make it seem 'spoken'. Read the text carefully. Remember to give evidence or no marks will be awarded to your point.

Goodluck for your exam.

Reply 5

blabla321

Thank you

I did see this yesterday but I didn't have time to reply

Help with AS english lang/lit

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