A Complete Guide to OCR A
Level English Language
Contents:
Section A: APPROACHING THE EXAM (OVERVIEW OF A LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE)
- WRITTEN ASSESSMENT OVERVIEW OF THEORIES, CONCEPTS AND TERMINOLOGY
- PAPER 1, SECTION A: LANGUAGE UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
- PAPER 1, SECTION B: TOPICAL LANGUAGE ISSUE
- PAPER 1, SECTION C: COMPARING AND CONTRASTING TEXTS
- PAPER 2, SECTION A: CHILD LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
- PAPER 2, SECTION B: LANGUAGE IN THE MEDIA PAPER 2, SECTION C: LANGUAGE
CHANGE
Section B: YEAR 1 (Year 12) (WRITTEN LANGUAGE)
- TERMINOLOGY SPOKEN LANGUAGE
- TERMINOLOGY AND THEORIES RHETORIC
- TERMINOLOGY LANGUAGE AND POWER
- TERMINOLOGY AND THEORIES LANGUAGE AND GENDER- TERMINOLOGY AND THEORIES
Section C: YEAR 2 (Year 13) (LANGUAGE AND TECHNOLOGY)
- TERMINOLOGIES AND THEORIES LANGUAGE IN THE MEDIA
- TERMINOLOGY AND THEORIES LANGUAGE CHANGE- TERMINOLOGY AND THEORIES
CHILD LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
- TERMINOLOGY AND THEORIES
Year 2 (Year 13) also includes a non-examined assessment (coursework) which is worth
20% of the A Level course with 40 marks available
1
, APPROACHING THE EXAM
SECTION A :
1) CONTENTS OVERVIEW OF A LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE - WRITTEN ASSESSMENT
2) OVERVIEW OF THEORIES, CONCEPTS AND TERMINOLOGY
3) PAPER 1, SECTION A: LANGUAGE UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
4) PAPER 1, SECTION B: TOPICAL LANGUAGE ISSUE
5) PAPER 1, SECTION C: COMPARING AND CONTRASTING TEXTS
6) PAPER 2, SECTION A: CHILD LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
7) PAPER 2, SECTION B: LANGUAGE IN THE MEDIA
8) PAPER 2, SECTION C: LANGUAGE CHANGE
2
, OVERVIEW OF A LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE- WRITTEN ASSESSMENT:
P1: Exploring language (80 marks) 2 P2: Dimensions of linguistic variation
hours 30 minutes (80 marks) 2 hours 30 minutes
SA: Language under the microscope (20 SA: Child language acquisition (20
marks) marks)
SB: Topical language issue (24 marks) SB: Language in the media (24 marks)
SC: Comparing and contrasting texts SC: Language change (36 marks)
(36 marks)
Assessment objectives
Apply appropriate language analysis, using associated terminology and
AO1
coherent written expression.
Demonstrate critical understanding of concepts and issues relevant to
AO2
language use.
Analyse and evaluate how contextual factors and language features are
AO3
associated with the construction of meaning.
Explore connections across texts, informed by linguistic concepts and
AO4
methods.
Demonstrate expertise and creativity in the use of English to
communicate in different ways.
AO5
Note: This assessment objective must be targeted with at least one of AO2,
AO3 or AO4, either in the same task or in two or more linked tasks.
AO Distribution (% of A-Level)
Component
AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4 AO5
Paper 1 11% 6% 11% 6% 6%
Paper 2 11% 11% 12% 6% 0%
3
, LANGUAGE LEVELS- BASIC TERMINOLOGY
GRAMPS - Genre, Register, Representation, Audience, Mode, Purpose, Subject
matter and style Register- mode, manner/tenor, field
Lexis Pragmatics
- High/ low frequency lexis - Implied meaning
- Polysyllabic, disyllabic, monosyllabic - Grice’s maxims
- Jargon, technical vocabulary, taboo - Pragmatic rules
- Under-specificity, over-specificity - Implication of context, social
- Hyperbole, oxymoron practices
Semantics Discourse
- Connotation, denotation - Features of written mode and
- Hyponymy, hypernym, hyponym conventions
- Synonym, antonym, metonym, - Lists, narrative, analysis
semantic field - Sections, bullet points, sub-headings
- Dysphemism, euphemism, pun - Discourse markers
- Figurative language, metaphor,
conceptual metaphor, personification, (Link to quizlet with all definitions -
simile https://quizlet.com/gb/849485729/a-
level-english-language-terminology-
Grammar flash-cards/?i=5akn29&x=1jqY)
- Adverbial phrases, noun phrases,
prepositional phrase, verb phrase
- Adverb, adjective, modifiers
- Pronoun, proper noun, common
noun, concrete noun, abstract noun
- Main clause, subordinate clause,
syntax
- Dynamic verbs, stative verbs,
imperative verbs, modal verbs, main
verb, auxiliary verb
- Simple, compound, complex, minor
sentence
- Cohesion, conjunction
- Determiner, preposition
- Declarative, imperative, exclamatory,
interrogative
4
Level English Language
Contents:
Section A: APPROACHING THE EXAM (OVERVIEW OF A LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE)
- WRITTEN ASSESSMENT OVERVIEW OF THEORIES, CONCEPTS AND TERMINOLOGY
- PAPER 1, SECTION A: LANGUAGE UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
- PAPER 1, SECTION B: TOPICAL LANGUAGE ISSUE
- PAPER 1, SECTION C: COMPARING AND CONTRASTING TEXTS
- PAPER 2, SECTION A: CHILD LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
- PAPER 2, SECTION B: LANGUAGE IN THE MEDIA PAPER 2, SECTION C: LANGUAGE
CHANGE
Section B: YEAR 1 (Year 12) (WRITTEN LANGUAGE)
- TERMINOLOGY SPOKEN LANGUAGE
- TERMINOLOGY AND THEORIES RHETORIC
- TERMINOLOGY LANGUAGE AND POWER
- TERMINOLOGY AND THEORIES LANGUAGE AND GENDER- TERMINOLOGY AND THEORIES
Section C: YEAR 2 (Year 13) (LANGUAGE AND TECHNOLOGY)
- TERMINOLOGIES AND THEORIES LANGUAGE IN THE MEDIA
- TERMINOLOGY AND THEORIES LANGUAGE CHANGE- TERMINOLOGY AND THEORIES
CHILD LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
- TERMINOLOGY AND THEORIES
Year 2 (Year 13) also includes a non-examined assessment (coursework) which is worth
20% of the A Level course with 40 marks available
1
, APPROACHING THE EXAM
SECTION A :
1) CONTENTS OVERVIEW OF A LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE - WRITTEN ASSESSMENT
2) OVERVIEW OF THEORIES, CONCEPTS AND TERMINOLOGY
3) PAPER 1, SECTION A: LANGUAGE UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
4) PAPER 1, SECTION B: TOPICAL LANGUAGE ISSUE
5) PAPER 1, SECTION C: COMPARING AND CONTRASTING TEXTS
6) PAPER 2, SECTION A: CHILD LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
7) PAPER 2, SECTION B: LANGUAGE IN THE MEDIA
8) PAPER 2, SECTION C: LANGUAGE CHANGE
2
, OVERVIEW OF A LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE- WRITTEN ASSESSMENT:
P1: Exploring language (80 marks) 2 P2: Dimensions of linguistic variation
hours 30 minutes (80 marks) 2 hours 30 minutes
SA: Language under the microscope (20 SA: Child language acquisition (20
marks) marks)
SB: Topical language issue (24 marks) SB: Language in the media (24 marks)
SC: Comparing and contrasting texts SC: Language change (36 marks)
(36 marks)
Assessment objectives
Apply appropriate language analysis, using associated terminology and
AO1
coherent written expression.
Demonstrate critical understanding of concepts and issues relevant to
AO2
language use.
Analyse and evaluate how contextual factors and language features are
AO3
associated with the construction of meaning.
Explore connections across texts, informed by linguistic concepts and
AO4
methods.
Demonstrate expertise and creativity in the use of English to
communicate in different ways.
AO5
Note: This assessment objective must be targeted with at least one of AO2,
AO3 or AO4, either in the same task or in two or more linked tasks.
AO Distribution (% of A-Level)
Component
AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4 AO5
Paper 1 11% 6% 11% 6% 6%
Paper 2 11% 11% 12% 6% 0%
3
, LANGUAGE LEVELS- BASIC TERMINOLOGY
GRAMPS - Genre, Register, Representation, Audience, Mode, Purpose, Subject
matter and style Register- mode, manner/tenor, field
Lexis Pragmatics
- High/ low frequency lexis - Implied meaning
- Polysyllabic, disyllabic, monosyllabic - Grice’s maxims
- Jargon, technical vocabulary, taboo - Pragmatic rules
- Under-specificity, over-specificity - Implication of context, social
- Hyperbole, oxymoron practices
Semantics Discourse
- Connotation, denotation - Features of written mode and
- Hyponymy, hypernym, hyponym conventions
- Synonym, antonym, metonym, - Lists, narrative, analysis
semantic field - Sections, bullet points, sub-headings
- Dysphemism, euphemism, pun - Discourse markers
- Figurative language, metaphor,
conceptual metaphor, personification, (Link to quizlet with all definitions -
simile https://quizlet.com/gb/849485729/a-
level-english-language-terminology-
Grammar flash-cards/?i=5akn29&x=1jqY)
- Adverbial phrases, noun phrases,
prepositional phrase, verb phrase
- Adverb, adjective, modifiers
- Pronoun, proper noun, common
noun, concrete noun, abstract noun
- Main clause, subordinate clause,
syntax
- Dynamic verbs, stative verbs,
imperative verbs, modal verbs, main
verb, auxiliary verb
- Simple, compound, complex, minor
sentence
- Cohesion, conjunction
- Determiner, preposition
- Declarative, imperative, exclamatory,
interrogative
4
