The Student Room Group

How can I revise for GCSE English Language?

As you most likely know, the English Language exam is coming up soon, and I'm not sure how to revise for it - is it something you can even revise for, or is it more of a case of the skills you've developed over the years rather than what you can cram for a few days before the exam.

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Look at pass papers, and read a markscheme to see what they're looking for

But a lot of it is about skills developed over the years, and natural insight about texts
Reply 2
I did GCSEs last year, and I didn't revise at all for this exam. I didn't see a need to.

However, some revision websites give you some good techniques on how to structure your answers.
I remember my English Language GCSE (I was on AQA English Lang A) was just a lot of analysing articles and creative writing. I'm not sure it's really something you're able to revise for as (as far as I know) the texts they give you are 'unseen'.
No need to...piss easy. Seriously, just familiarise yourself with what's required by your exam boards, review various styles of written materials and analyse the linguistic aspects.
Reply 5
learn the poems well, practice essays etc
learn what they expect for an argument, discussion, article, report etc that they can tell you to write
If you are doing a paper which includes creative writing.
Have a practice at writing out some stories, and think of some possible things you can write about effectively.
You can always adapt these tales to the exam question on the day so its good to have some ideas before you go and sit the paper.

Also, have a go at thinking up some nice metaphors or descriptions you can use when describing things or people. It might gain you a few extra marks.
Reply 7
Something more important than revising is keeping track of time. I missed two ten marks questions out completely due to me not planning my time!
Read books. to get your vocabulary up to scratch.
Reply 9
READ NEWSPAPERS.
Reply 10
read english language revision books that show an A* answer example and annotate. Thats all Im doing.
Can i have your opinions about how to structure the poems. I know this is pretty basic but i think i did it wrong in the english lit...
p.1 intro
p.2 talk about a poem
p.3 talk about another poem
p.4 short paragraph of similarities and differences
p.5 conclusion
nope!

First: It was FOUR poems

This is the order:
1) Intro
2) First poem - most detail
2) Second poem (compare with first poem)
3) Third poem (compare with aspects of above 2 poems)
4) Fourth poem (compare with aspects of above 3 poems) - shortest paragraph

Oh, and dont forget a conclusion....but as long as you got enough points and explained fully and did ALL FOUR poems...your marks willbe good.

:eek:
Reply 13
ermm do we not only have 2 poems to compare in the exam? (AQA A)
Reply 14
minz123
ermm do we not only have 2 poems to compare in the exam? (AQA A)


Yeah in AQA A there's only 2 poems to compare :smile:
we do have to talk about just 2 poems(edexcel) but thanks for the advice dahruishaz
Reply 16
AQA: Cluster 1 & 2 Possible Structure
Context
Language
Structure
Ideas/feelings/attitudes or simply TONE
Overall effect/ conclusion
Reply 17
Why do so little people do OCR? :frown:
i do OCR but expecting a C so dont ask me.. :frown:
You don't need a lot of revision for the exam, as long as you know the poems then you're fine.