Welcome to English Language

English Language will encourage you to enjoy your interest in the written and spoken word through learning about its variety, its accent, dialects and its use in occupations, leisure and all other walks of life.

Topics of study include age, gender, ethnicity, language acquisition and language change.

Part of your coursework will involve an investigation of data which you will collect and write about. What interests you about how we use language? You will also write and analyse your own short story.

English Language will enable you to explore questions such as:

• How are men and women treated differently in the media?
• Does where you live affect your speech?
• How do we create our online identities?
• What is “correct” English?
• How has language changed over time?
• Do children simply learn through imitation?

Assessment

The English Language is assessed across three units, two written examinations and one coursework unit.

• Paper 1: Language, The Individual & Society
  This unit is an exam-based unit, lasting for 2 hours and 30 minutes. It is worth 100 marks, which is equal to 40% of the course certification.
  This examination will focus on three compulsory analytical questions on two unseen texts (one will be a contemporary text, and one will be an older text). This section is 70 marks.
  Additionally, there will be one question (from a choice) of two discursive essays on children’s language and development. This section is worth 30 marks.
• Paper 2: Language, Diversity & Change
  This unit is an exam-based unit, lasting for 2 hours and 30 minutes. It is worth 100 marks, which is equal to 40% of the course certification.
  This examination will consist of one question (from a choice of two) evaluative essays (worth 30 marks), alongside an analytical essay on a text about language attitudes (worth 30 marks), and a directed writing task (worth 30 marks).
• Coursework Unit: A Language Investigation
  This unit is a language investigation (a 2,000 word essay), along with a piece of original writing and commentary (1,500 words).

Career & Progression Opportunities

Having studied English Language, exciting career opportunities can include: marketing executive, public
relations executive, team leader, sales representative, digital copywriter, editorial assistant, English as a
foreign language teacher, lexicographer, magazine journalist, newspaper journalist, primary school
teacher, secondary school teacher.

Entry Requirements

If you’d like to study English Language, you will need at least a Grade 5 in English Language, or at least a Grade 5 in English Literature.

Additionally, you will need 5 other qualifications, at a Grade 5 or above.

If you’d like to, you can download this information as a PDF file. Download the English Language course information sheet (opens in a new tab) →