English Language and English Literature GCSE – Supporting Revision
English Language
The exams:
Paper 1: 19th Century fiction and imaginative writing
Paper 2: non-fiction and transactional writing (writing for audience and purpose)
100% skills based
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Information retrieval
Language analysis
Evaluation of writer’s success
Acronyms such as PEDICE and SITE
Narrative structure
SPaG
Students must LEARN and KNOW nouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, metaphors, similes,
personification, pronouns as well has how and where to use commas, semi-colons, colons, full stops,
dashes and ellipsis.
All homework MUST be completed.
Workbooks and student guides available on Amazon (New 9-1 GCSE English Language)
English Literature
The exams:
Paper 1: Romeo & Juliet and either An Inspector Calls or Blood Brothers
Paper 2: Jekyll & Hyde or A Christmas Carol and poetry (anthology and unseen poem)
Students are not allowed to have copies of the texts in the exams. These Literature exams are far
more difficult than the previous syllabus.
Paper 1 revision:
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Re-read the drama texts.
Need a good working knowledge of what happens in each Act/Scene
Need a good working knowledge of the key themes in the plays and the functions of the
different characters
Need a good working knowledge of the social/historical background of An Inspector Calls or
Blood Brothers
Need to LEARN and KNOW a range of quotations linking to characters and themes
York Notes/CGP guides available on Amazon (new 9-1 GCSE)
GCSE Bitesize
Paper 2 revision:
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Re-read the novels.
Need a good working knowledge of the key themes in the texts and the functions of
different characters.
Need to LEARN and KNOW a range of quotations linking to characters and themes
York Notes/CGP guides available on Amazon (new 9-1 GCSE)
GCSE Bitesize
Need to understand the links between poems in the anthology section – linked by language
techniques, tone, topic etc
Practise comparing and contrasting
Need to LEARN and KNOW a range of quotations from each poem
Need to LEARN and KNOW a range of poetic devices – rhyme, rhythm, stanza, sonnet etc
General advice:
Everything students need to know and do has been and/or will be covered in class.
Attendance at all lessons is vital. All homework must be completed. Responses to feedback must be
taken seriously.
Learning quotations: Post-Its, mindmaps, testing, look/cover/write/check.
Attendance at after school revision sessions, as and when it is offered, is essential.
Students - make the most of your lessons and teachers: 100% effort and attention in class; ask for
help or clarification. The same goes for Wednesday period 1 or Thursday period 5 English
intervention.
Parents – please do contact your son or daughter’s English teacher directly if you wish for specific
advice on what he or she needs to focus on at home.
Grade 8 is equivalent to an old-style A*
Grade 7 is an A
Grade 6 is a mid to high B
Grade 5 is a high C/low B
Grade 4 is a mid/low C
Grade 3 is a D
Grade 2 is an E/F
Grade 1 is an F/G
For this year only, colleges and sixth forms will accept a 4 as a ‘good pass’. Going forward, it will be a
5. Requirements for A levels at schools/colleges are likely to be grade 6 or above in the subjects
intended to be studied. Either English Language OR English Literature should be accepted by colleges
as fulfilling the ‘English’ requirement.
In the past, students attaining D or below have had to resit until they are 18. This will continue, with
students who achieve a grade 3 or below having to resit at college.