i’m in year 11 but i’m nervous about starting A-levels

the one i’m most worried about is english.

(edited 3 years ago)

Hi, I'm assuming you're talking about lit.
I think the reason some people seem to drop so drastically from GCSE to A-Level is that the content is quite different. At GCSE you are almost spoonfed analysis and you just have to memorise it. At A Level you are expected to come up with the majority of the analysis yourself, and the texts you study are more complex. I would also say this depends massively on your teacher, and how much help they are willing to give. I think the best thing you can do is finish your GCSE course so that you have a base knowledge and then get your hands on the texts you will be studying next year to get a headstart. Really try to understand themes, characters etc. Also, a big part of English A Level is crafting sophisticated essays that get your point across whilst also just generally sounding good, so revise your English language stuff as well so that you can excel on this part.
Good luck!

Reply 2

username4528716

English Lang or Lit?

I do Lang, i've heard lit is quite hard, language is okay. there's a lot of theorists you need to know but if you do sociology there is often an overlap. as long as you remember the theory they teach you and the grammar (lot of grammar!) you'll be okay. i thought the same but its all okay

Reply 3

hannahgeo123

I'd say find out asap which one it is as they diverge A LOT at A level. I'd assume it's lit but do be sure to check. And hahaha there absolutely are wrong answers in English at A Level you will soon find!! Are you staying in your school for sixth form or moving elsewhere? If you are staying then ask a y12/13 which texts they study as it usually remains consistent. If you're moving see if it details it on the website or email asking for details.

Reply 4

hannahgeo123

Lit is less about memorising analysis and more about being able to come up with really good analysis on the spot. Obviously, this is a skill that you practice and perfect before you take the exams. My school didn't offer lang so my knowledge is limited but as far as I know there is a fair amount of theoretical knowledge, grammar, and stuff that is wayyyy different from GCSE like language acquisition. I think there is less of a creative writing element than at GCSE too.