English Language A Level

AQA A Level English Language explores how language works in real life. You’ll study how people use language in speech and writing, how it changes over time, and how it varies between people, groups, and places.

This course will help you to become a more effective communicator and to explore how language has changed and is used in the modern world. You will develop your own writing skills in a range of real-life contexts, as well as your ability to analyse other people’s speech and writing. You will learn about English grammar and the way people use language differently in different social situations. This course will develop your communication and writing skills through a range of practical applications, including fiction and non-fiction writing.

Paper 1: Language, the Individual and Society

• Textual Variations and Representations: You analyse two texts (usually one spoken, one written) from different genres.
• You explore how language varies (e.g. audience, purpose, mode) and how people or ideas are represented.
• Children’s Language Development: You study how children acquire spoken and written language. You’ll be asked to analyse real examples of children’s speech or writing and apply theories of language development.

Paper 2: Language Diversity and Change

Language Diversity or Language Change. You choose one question (not both):

• Language Diversity: How language varies due to region, gender, occupation, ethnicity, social groups.
• Language Change: How English has evolved over time (e.g. technology, standardisation, global English).
• Close analysis and a discursive article: You write a comparative analysis of two articles covering a topic about language. You then respond to the ideas in the article with your own discursive article or opinion piece about a language issue (e.g. slang, political correctness, accents).

Non-Exam Assessment

• Language Investigation: You choose your own language topic to research (e.g. TikTok comments, political speeches, football commentary). You collect real data, analyse it and apply linguistic concepts. Independent, creative and academic – almost like a mini dissertation.
• Original Writing + Commentary: Write one original piece (e.g. blog, speech, article, memoir) for a chosen audience/purpose. Then write a commentary explaining your language choices and techniques.

This course is perfect if you’re curious about how language shapes the world, the media, and the way people think and communicate. If you enjoy analysing how words influence society and culture — from advertising to politics — and you’re interested in exploring language in depth, then this course could be the right fit for you.

An A-Level in English Language opens up a wide range of futures. Our students have gone on to study at university and into careers such as:

• Media and Communications
• Forensic Linguistics
• Speech and Language Therapy
• Journalism
• Law
• Politics
• Teaching

The skills you gain — from critical analysis to confident communication — are highly valued by employers and will give you the flexibility to pursue many exciting pathways.