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To those that are aiming for that A* in English..

How are you preparing to achieve it? With everything that Mr Gove is proposing, it seems it is nigh on impossible to achieve so, what are your strategies on getting this?

I'm predicted and would like to get A*. But as it stands i think i'll scratch an A.

Reply 1

Dynnste

If you're predicted an A* then you're perfectly capable of achieving it, whatever ridiculous changes the government makes. Honestly, all I can suggest is work on it a lot. English isn't one of those subjects where you can go in without revision or planning and just ace it; it requires work. Read and write essays, read books, read character analyses, chapter summaries, anything that'll help really. Really get to know the book or play you're working on. Read short stories and use them to help you in your creative writing. Just keep working at it, and good luck!

Reply 2

JamRose

I'm also predicted an A*, but it seems very unlikely for me to achieve it, as I don't see myself good at English..
But the GCSE is made up of controlled assessments and exams.
For the exam have a look at your board, and past papers, you could do a past paper and ask your teacher to mark it, ask them what you need to improve on, and focus on that.. Also revise what your exams include, like I know for one of my English exams I have to memorize 15 poems, so I'm mainly familiarizing myself with poem techniques and devices, that I can apply to most poems (e.g structure, alliteration, caesuras, juxtaposition,etc)

Reply 3

iWillWalker23

See I've done all my controlled assessments but one now - the Spoken Language Study. It's annoying that they've gotten rid of speaking and listening but if anything it brought my marks down from a mid A* to a lower one.

At the minute, I'm on 55/60 for English Language. And 40/40 for English Literature. Strange thing is I'm only predicted an A for Lit but an A* for Language.

I am concerned that the English Language paper will be harder, but if you look at the June 2013 grade boundaries, it was 58/80 for an A* which isn't that high. Only about 73%. In Year 10, we had an internal practise one and I got 54/80 so I'm confident I'll be able to get an A* at the end of the year. Where I lost marks is the reading bit - got 3/8 on the first question, 5/8 on the second and third then 10/16 on the fourth. This is 23/40. On the writing, I got 13 and 18. Which is 31. My point is with practise all I really needed was 4 more marks, and there's plenty of room there for me to get it. Just practise and I'm sure you can do it, and even still, an A is really good.

Reply 4

Student_27

If you are predicted an A* then you are definitely capable of achieving one.

There's no point on focusing on the negative side and just assuming that you'll miss out on getting an A*, you need to go out and make sure that you do get an A* if you're predicted one and work for it!

Any type of revision will count and will push you towards that final grade that you want!

Last year, in English literature I did an essay and got it back and I had received really low marks; to which I was extremely disappointed with. I just felt as if I was going to fail and as if I just couldn't do it! But then I thought to myself that there's no point in making myself feel like this because I don't want to be feeling like this after the exam or after I get my results (the exam at this point was 3 ish weeks away) and so I went home revised loads and did a practise question, got really good marks on that one and then went into the exam incredibly nervous but determined to do it and got an A!

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Reply 5

Bobjim12

Thank you all for your replies, i have looked over my question and it presents myself as quite ignorant.

I had a look at some boundaries and past papers and confident that i'll achieve an A at language. I went in to my last june language exam (mock) and got a B; with no real clue/revision of how i'm supposed to answer.

I falter most at the writing questions because i get quite opinionated and off what i'm asked to write (not the topic, but more to argue/persuade). So i need to practise writing, is there things i can find that give examples and/or pointers for the writing part of the exam.

Since i have made this post i have done 2 pieces of literature. I only got 19/30 on the first piece but i'm only going for a B. the second piece i'm confident i'll get about 25+/40.

So a measly 44/70... a C right? Hmm :/

What can i do i to ensure the B in literature?