Doing an English Language degree without English Language A level

I went back into education to do an access course in humanities and am almost finished with reasonable results. I want to do an English Language degree next year, but feel as if the huge gaps in my education have left me unprepared. The access course only covered a component of English Literature, not Language.

I've read a few grammar books but some of the terminology and practical uses don't seem to stick no matter how much I revise them; maybe because I'm a visual learner. Aside from reading grammar books, is there anything else I could do? Would revising from A level books prove beneficial?

Thanks.

how would you feel about doing a foundation year?

If I didn't do the access course it would have been something I may have considered, but I'd rather not exacerbate my financial situation at this point.

I think the consideration you could make is that it's unlikely you would pay off your student loan debt anyway, unless it's the living cost side you're concerned about with an extra year as a student?

I was considering both sides, but ideally, I'd rather go to my local university so the worry of living costs may be lessened. I am going to be 26 next December, so time is an issue too.

At the very least I will enquire about my local university's foundation year and what it entails. Thanks.

If you mean english language as in, linguistics, then that's not uncommon. If it's a writing type course then again, it's not really necessary.

Which uni/course is this?

Hello. It is a linguistics based course at Northumbria.

https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/study-at-northumbria/courses/english-language-studies-ba-hons-uuslst1/