english a level coursework plan

A-Level English Literature Guide

In A-Level by Think Student Editor October 21, 2022 Leave a Comment

A-Level English Literature can be a niche or popular subject – sometimes classes have less than 10 people, sometimes classes are full. Whether you’ve picked it for A-Level or are sitting on the fence, it can be one of the hardest subjects to get right. Think you need some help? This guide is here to help answer all your questions.

In this guide I’ll be discussing whether you should take A-Level English Literature, what the course involves and what the benefits are to taking it. Keep reading to find out more!

Table of Contents

Should you take A-Level English Literature?

Personally, I feel that A-Level English Literature is one of the most creative A-Level subjects. If you enjoyed English Literature GCSE, the chances are you’ll also enjoy English Literature A-Level.

I’d only recommended taking English Literature A-Level if you are strongly passionate about it. The workload can be intense, so if you don’t enjoy the subject, you probably won’t enjoy the A-Level course.

Most schools will hold events for future sixth form students to learn more about each subject. From these you find out more about the course the school offers, or you can ask your teachers.

Alternatively, exam board websites usually post their specifications. For example, you can find the OCR specification here .

If you know what you want to pursue beyond A-Levels, you should also consider whether English Literature A-Level is necessary for future careers. This Think Student article has information on the most respected A-Level subjects.

Alternatively, read this Think Student article if you want to read more about A-Level combinations favoured by universities.

However, if you really want to take English Literature, you should choose what you’re interested in — it will make A-Levels in general more enjoyable.

Ultimately, whether you take English Literature A-Level or not is up to you. If you have a passion for the subject or think it could help you in the future, you should definitely consider choosing it.

How hard is A-Level English Literature?

Any A-Level English Literature student will tell you that it’s not an easy A-Level . In fact, this Think Student article has a list of the top 10 hardest A-Levels to take.

However, you shouldn’t let difficulty put you off. If you achieved the GCSE grades required to take the A-Level, you’re good enough to take the subject.

I would say that A-Level English Literature is moderately difficult. What many students, including myself, like about English is that there is technically no “wrong” answer. However, this also means your knowledge has to be on-point .

Still, don’t let difficulty get you down. Your school wouldn’t let you take A-Level English Literature if they thought you couldn’t handle it. Difficulty is also subjective; what other students find hard, you may find easy.

However , if you are a few weeks into the course and you decide it isn’t for you, there will still be time to switch subjects . If you have any concerns, this Think Student article offers advice on how to know if a course is right for you.

Now that we’ve established whether A-Level English Literature is right for you, let’s look at what the A-Level actually involves.

What do you do in A-Level English Literature?

The A-Level English Literature course is different depending on which exam board your sixth form uses. Even so, most of the courses have similar structures or modules.

As I mentioned earlier, if you enjoyed your GCSE English course, you’ll probably like the A-Level course too. Keep reading to find out more about the general structure of A-Level English Literature.

Exam boards provide a list of “set texts”. This means that your school has to choose a text to study from that specific list.

Exactly which texts are chosen is entirely up to your school. Meaning that you might study a different text to someone doing the same course.

What kind of work does A-Level English Literature involve?

The literature you study will cover poetry, prose and drama, and each exam board requires an NEA (non-exam assessment) project as part of the A-Level . Across the course, you’ll be analysing texts in response to questions on specific themes, ideas, characters or events.

The kinds of questions you get can vary . Sometimes, they’ll be a statement which you’ll be asked to agree or disagree with.

As well as this, you’ll be asked open-ended questions like discussing the presentation of a particular feature. This is one of the best things about A-Level English Literature: your opinion matters!

You’ll also have a lot of new and more complex terminology to learn, to help you analyse texts. This can definitely seem daunting when you first start. Although, if English is your favourite subject, then like me, you’ll learn to love it pretty quickly!

Does A-Level English Literature involve a lot of work?

I don’t think I need to tell you that A-Level English Literature is a very essay-based subject. However, this also means that you will have lots of writing to do and you will probably get set essays regularly . Your teachers may even set you an essay every week or two.

Due to this, for English literature, the jump from GCSE to A-Level is pretty noticeable. Especially as you will generally have quite a lot of work to do. If you’re worried that you aren’t prepared enough for it, this Think Student article has tips you’ll find useful.

Like I said earlier, exactly what you do, including how much work, depends on which exam board your school has chosen. Read further to find out more about the different exam boards, and what they offer as part of A-Level English Literature.

What are the exam boards for A-Level English Literature?

All 4 English exam boards – AQA, OCR, Edexcel and Eduqas – offer A-Level English Literature as a subject. Earlier in the guide , I mentioned that each exam board offers different texts and modules.

While your specific texts will depend on your sixth form, the modules are the same for everyone under the exam board. Continue reading for more information.

What is AQA A-Level English Literature like?

AQA, unlike the other exam boards, actually offers 2 different specifications: A and B .

In specification A, there are 3 compulsory modules. These are “Love through the ages”, “Texts in shared contexts”, and “Independent critical study: Texts across time”.

In specification B, there are also 3 compulsory modules. These are “Literary genres”, “Texts and genres”, and “Theory and independence”.

The texts that are part of specification A include one Shakespeare play, one pre-1900 poetry anthology and one pre-1900 prose text in one module. As well as 3 texts (one prose, one poetry and one drama) with at least one text written post-2000 in another module.

The texts that are part of specification B include one Shakespeare play and two pre-1900 texts in one module. As well as one post-2000 prose, one poetry, and one pre-1900 text in another module. As you can see, both specifications feature similar content but divide them differently .

However, this guide can only offer you a brief overview of the A-Level course. You can find the specifications for AQA A-Level English Literature here (specification A) and here (specification B).

What is OCR A-Level English Literature like?

The OCR A-Level English Literature specification is divided into 3 sections. These are “Drama and poetry pre-1900”, “Comparative and contextual study”, and “Literature post-1900”.

The latter section is a coursework module. Some exam boards require coursework as part of A-Level English Literature, but some don’t.

In the first section, you’ll study one Shakespeare play, one pre-1900 drama and one pre-1900 poetry text. In the second section, you’ll choose one theme (from a list provided by the exam board) and two texts, with at least one text from the list provided by OCR.

The third section is a coursework module, which means you don’t sit an exam for it. Instead , you produce an essay over the course which determines a percentage of your final grade . You can find the full OCR A-Level English Literature specification here .

What is Edexcel A-Level English Literature like?

Pearson Edexcel offers 4 components as part of A-Level English Literature. These are “Drama”, “Prose”, “Poetry”, and a coursework module.

As with the components and modules of other exam boards, each module has its own exam (except for coursework). For Edexcel, the “Drama” and “Poetry” exams are 2 hours 15 minutes, and the “Prose” exam is 1 hour 15 minutes .

In “Drama”, students study one Shakespeare play and critical essays related to the play, and one other drama. In “Prose”, students study two prose texts with one text written pre-1900.

In “Poetry”, students study an anthology and a range of poetry from either a specific poet or specific period. The Pearson Edexcel specification is linked here .

What is Eduqas A-Level English Literature like?

The Eduqas English Literature A-Level specification also has 4 components. These are “Poetry”, “Drama”, “Unseen Texts”, and “Prose Study”.

The “Prose Study” component is a coursework module. All 3 Eduqas A-Level English Literature exams are 2 hours long.

In total, you’ll study two selections of poetry (pre-1900 and post-1900), a Shakespeare play, two non-Shakespeare plays (pre-1900 and post-1900), and two prose texts.

Unlike the other exam boards, Eduqas dedicates a whole module to unseen texts , so you can’t directly revise for that. If you want to read the complete specification, you can do so here .

How to do well in A-Level English Literature

Every student knows there’s no set way to do well. There are way too many changing factors to offer you a fool-proof guide to success!

However , there are definitely techniques and processes to help you secure those top grades . Continue reading for my personal advice on how to succeed in A-Level English Literature.

The best advice I received while studying A-Level English Literature is to include your work in your everyday life. This could be as simple as telling your friend about a character you liked. Alternatively, you could use a key quote in a conversation.

These things both count as revision, because it helps you remember important information. For more revision techniques, see this Think Student article.

in A-Level English Literature is to take advantage of peer review . You’ll definitely make mistakes in your work, no one is perfect!

Asking a partner, friend, or family member to read your essay is a great way to pick up on things you miss. This Think Student article has some useful advice for English literature essay writing!

How to write an English literature essay for A-Level?

Sometimes, the exam system can make it feel like you don’t have much self-expression. I know I’ve certainly felt that way.

One of the great things about essays, and English literature, is that you get to voice your own opinion in your own way . I’ll take you through some general tips on what makes a good essay.

The most important thing is to perfect your spelling and grammar as much as possible. One thing I was always told in school was that if your essay is coherent, you’re halfway to a good essay. Obviously, this is harder if English isn’t your first language, but practice makes perfect!

On top of spelling and grammar, you should make your argument as clear as possible. Teachers will often refer to this as “signposting”.

It lets examiners know exactly what you’re going to talk about. It’s also useful if you run out of time, as examiners can see what you were planning to talk about; it shows you had good ideas, you were just limited by time. For tips on how to structure an English essay, check out this Think Student article.

A third, more obvious tip is to keep your assessment objects in mind as much as possible . In your essays, it’s good to mentally check off what criteria you’ve followed. This way you can keep track of the marks you’ve achieved, and the ones you still need.

What can you do with an English literature A-Level?

Being a student who took A-Level English Literature myself, one of my biggest concerns was the pathways available to me afterwards .

English is often talked about as a subject with limited options – but don’t worry! A-Level English Literature is useful for degrees in fields like English, History, Law, Politics, Philosophy and more.

It might surprise you, but English is a subject that a lot of universities and employers like . You don’t have to want to be a writer to find English A-Level useful.

The writing skills you gain are desirable to universities and employers in a range of fields . However, if you’re still uncertain, I’d recommend researching what A-Levels you need to pursue your future degree/job.

For example, if you want to be a vet , midwife , counsellor , nurse , social worker , police officer , pilot or account , you can click on their respective links to see what A-Levels you will need.

Don’t let how useful A-Level English Literature is stop you from taking it if you really want to! The most important thing about A-Levels is that you choose the subjects you like.

From personal experience, I can tell you that if you don’t care about the subject, you won’t enjoy the A-Level. If you think A-Level English Literature is right for you, choose it!

English Literature Coursework Planning

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Thank you to Kat Howard, @saysmiss, whose work on curriculum planning inspired this lesson entirely. We have simply adapted her model for a different purpose!

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Thank you to Kat Howard, @saysmiss, whose work on curriculum planning inspired this lesson entirely. We have simply adapted her model for a different purpose! A PowerPoint to direct students through the initial planning stages of their English Literature coursework (Edexcel). Includes accompanying student note-taking sheet.

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The Complete Guide to Creating an English Study Plan

A good English study plan will turn your dream of fluency into real action. It will help you stay on track and achieve your goals. 

In this article, we’ll show you four steps to build the perfect English study plan for your own needs , with sample plans and tips.

You’ll learn how to create a personalized English study plan that you can adapt as you become more and more advanced.

Why You Should Have an English Study Plan

4 steps to creating an english study plan, 1. ask yourself these questions first, 2. build the outline for your study plan, 3. organize the content in your study plan, 4. make learning easy, extra study tricks to incorporate, make up a rhyme or a saying to remember, sing english songs in the shower, display weekly grammar rules and exceptions, create a vocabulary door with sticky notes, practice challenging concepts daily, and one more thing....

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

There’s so much in the English language to learn. It can feel like a task that’s too big to ever complete. Here’s how an English study plan can help you tackle the challenge: 

• A study plan makes learning English more manageable.  It makes you break down the big task of learning English into smaller steps. When you focus on these smaller steps, learning the language doesn’t look so difficult.
• A study plan helps to measure your progress. Comparing your learning over several weeks will show you how you’re improving and what you need to change. This makes learning more effective.
• Your study plan will force you to set goals. Goals give you clear ideas on where to start and how to move forward.
• Building your own study plan means you can learn at a speed that suits you. Your plan will turn learning English into an easy routine. You can learn when you want to and fit your study around your life , no matter how busy it gets!
• Study plans are motivating. Working towards your goals gives you the boost you need to keep learning, even when studying gets tough!

So how do you start building an English study plan? First, you need to ask yourself some questions. Your honest answers will help you build a study plan that will bring you greater success!

Why do I want to learn English? What are my goals and reasons?

Is it for work? Is it for study? Do you wish to travel the world or speak with friends easily? Or to speak confidently with your teacher at school?

Write a list of the positive things you want to happen if you improve your English. Order them from most to least important. Those at the top of your list are the main reasons you want to learn English.

This process  helps you see your goals clearly . Your goals will determine how you organize your study plan. They’ll determine what you learn and how you’ll learn it.

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How do I learn best? What’s my learning style?

Do you enjoy learning by having conversations? Do you learn better when you write things down or look at pictures? Are you a morning person or do you learn better in the evenings?

The answers to these questions will help you build your study plan around the method and schedule that helps you learn fastest.

How much time do I have?

Setting too much time in your week to study can make you feel like you’ll never complete it. Not setting time to study at all will prevent you from making real progress.

Be realistic. Look at your week and count how much time you’re likely to have for study. If you’re unsure, spend a week living life normally and write down times you could be studying as they happen.

You may find you have an hour before dinner each night, half an hour on the bus ride to work or half a day on the weekends. Add all these up and come to a weekly total.

What learning resources do I have or could I get?

Do you have a computer, smartphone or English textbook ? Do you live or work near a library? Do you have any computer programs or apps that’ll help you learn English ?

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If not, do you know where to get them from? How much money are you willing to pay for learning resources?

This is a great way to find learning tools you may have forgotten about. Think about how you’d like to use these resources in your study plan.

Do I need others to help me? Who? How will I get their help?

Do you learn better by yourself, or would you prefer to learn with other English students? Are there any friends or teachers you could ask for help?

People are amazing resources! Think about contacting other learners for study ideas, sharing achievements with friends or seeking guidance from teachers.

Having a network of people will help you stick to your English study plan and progress your learning.

Use the answers to your questions to create the outline for your English Study plan. Simply follow these steps:

Select your primary learning goal.

Write down your main goal in a clear sentence. Make it positive and something you can accomplish. For example:

• Learn words in the context of sentences
• Swipe left or right to see more examples from other videos
• Go beyond just a superficial understanding

My goal is to give English presentations at work with confidence.

Break your goal into smaller steps.

Write down the smaller steps you’ll have to complete to reach your goal. These steps could involve many areas of English communication including speaking, listening, vocabulary, writing, reading, comprehension or social skills.

• Memorize vocabulary words related to my work
• Develop formal writing skills
• Become confident speaking in front of large groups

Set a timeline and draw your study plan outline.

A week is a good length for a study plan because most people have a weekly routine.

Draw a visual study plan for your week. This is as simple as folding a piece of paper to create eight columns. Write the name of each day across the tops of seven columns. Leave one column blank for writing notes.

Write the hours of the day down the side of each column. At the top, start with the time you wake up. At the bottom, finish with the time you go to bed. Include all the hours in between so you have a vertical timeline.

Start filling in your study plan.

First, add your normal weekly activities to your study plan. If you go to work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday to Friday, write this into those five columns next to the hours on the timeline. Do this for any set activities you complete across the week.

Now think about the number of hours you calculated for study. Begin adding time for study into the spare spaces on your timeline.

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Take the time to move activities around. If you focus better in the morning, move your morning walk to the evening and do an hour of study instead. Move activities to make study sessions longer or shorter. Use a pencil to erase and re-write your plan until you have a weekly routine that you’re happy with. Remember to include breaks!

For example:

Monday 7 a.m.: Breakfast 8 a.m.: Study English at home 9 a.m.: Study English on the bus ride to work 9:30 a.m. Begin work 5 p.m.: Finish work, leave office 5:30 p.m.: Evening walk 6 p.m.: Study English on bus ride home 6:15 p.m.: Take a break for rest of bus ride 6:30 p.m.: Dinner 7:30 p.m.: Relax 9:30 p.m. Bedtime

Set a checkpoint to measure your success.

Decide on a checkpoint. This is a point in time when you’ll check your learning by using a test of your choice. Testing your learning every two weeks is recommended.

This is important. The results from these tests will help you organize your future weekly study plans.

Write the date of the next checkpoint in the notes column on your study plan. For example: Test after two weeks: Nov. 17.

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If you followed the steps above, you now have an outline for a spectacular study plan! Make copies of this outline. This will save you time when creating your English study sessions every week.

Now you can fill in the study plan with the content you’ll learn.

Look back at the list of English skills you need to learn. This will help you decide what to study throughout the week. Here’s our example again:

Prioritize your learning steps.

Remember the small steps you chose earlier that’ll get you to your main goal? Decide which ones you need to work on the most. Also, think about which skills will help improve other skills.

Write your ordered list in the notes column on your study plan. This list may change week to week so re-write the list in order of importance for the week you’re about to begin. For example:

Now use this list to plan out your study time for each one.

Step 1 should take up 50% of your weekly study time.

Step 2 should take 25% of your weekly study time.

Step 3 should also take 25% of your weekly study time.

This is a general rule . If you feel your second step needs more study time throughout the week, you can adjust your English study plan to suit your needs.

Pick the strategies and resources that’ll get you to your goal.

This is where you choose the learning methods and styles you’ll use throughout your study plan.

In our example above, the morning bus ride could be a time to listen to formal English on a podcast .  The afternoon walk could be done with a group of colleagues, which would be a great opportunity to build your English-speaking skills with large groups.

A weekly lunch every Saturday could be arranged with friends who are also learning English. This would be an opportunity to compare notes, practice vocabulary and share helpful books.

Learning apps and immersion software can also help here. One lets you study wherever you are, while the other ensures that you’re learning the practical application of your studies.

FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.

You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app.

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Take your time to see how you can use your resources wisely. On your study plan, add the specific skill you’ll focus on each study session and the resources you’ll use. Write down the task clearly so you know exactly what to do. For example:

Monday 7 a.m.: Breakfast 8 a.m.: Study English at home (vocabulary)      – Read work-related book and make a list of unknown words      – Research word meanings      – Write five sentences using new words to test at work today 9 a.m.: Study English on the bus ride to work (formal speaking) 9:30 a.m. Begin work 5 p.m.: Finish work, leave office 5:30 p.m.: Evening walk (public speaking)      – Talk in English with colleagues 6 p.m.: Study English on bus ride home (vocabulary)      – Drill vocabulary flashcards 6:15 p.m.: Take a break for rest of bus ride 6:30 p.m.: Dinner 7:30 p.m.: Relax 9:30 p.m. Bedtime

Decide how you’ll test your learning

Now that we’ve added our learning resources to our study plan, it’s time to finish the checkpoint preparation. This step should not be skipped or pushed back to a later time. Organizing it before you begin studying will help you stay on track with your English learning from the very beginning.

Test your skills by using formal tests or informal feedback. Formal assessments can be online programs and mini-exams. Informal feedback can be discussions with teachers, your boss, colleagues and friends.

For formal assessments , these sites offer online tests to assess your English skills and comprehension:

• ESL • Englishtag • International House   • Language Level • English Grammar Online • EF Set • Kaplan International • ABA English

Informal testing can be done by simply asking someone to talk about your English skills. You could ask your boss or colleagues to review a work email every two weeks. You and a friend could record your conversations and discuss the language used. You could read part of an English book to a teacher who could suggest other books suited to your skill level.

By setting up checkpoints now, you’re more likely to continue assessing your learning. The results will help you every time you plan your weekly study routine because you’ll have a great understanding of what skills you need to be focusing on.

Now that your English study plan is ready, try using these techniques to make English studying something you actually  want to do.

Make your English study plan look good

A visual study plan is motivating because it catches your eye and encourages you to look at it. Write your goal in big letters and decorate it any way you want to boost your mood every time you check what study you’ll be doing each day. You can also find attractive digital and printable planners on sites like Etsy .

As well as making it look good, make it easy to use . Decide if your study plan should be physical or digital. It should be easy to create each week, easy to check during the day and easy to adjust when you need to. An easy plan makes for easy learning!

Set up your study environment

Make a space at your home or work that feels good to be in. If you’re comfortable, you’ll enjoy learning a lot more! Put time and effort into keeping it clean. Add plants, pictures, cushions and relaxing music. Make it so nice you’ll want to stay in the study zone forever!

Set reminders

Distractions will happen, so be prepared. Set up a system of reminders for those weeks when your brain starts to lose focus. Reminders can be a calendar alert on your phone or a sticky note stuck to your bathroom mirror.

Keep it simple and positive, such as “Get excited for your brain-boosting lesson at 8 a.m.!”

Be flexible with your English study plan

If you start to feel overwhelmed, remove your to-do list. Focus only on the next step. Seeing only one thing on your list will lessen the stress of getting things done. You’ll be able to stay happy and focus on your next lesson.

If you’re avoiding studying then there may be bigger problems. If you’re always bored or feel studying is too hard, you’ll give up your study plan forever. If this is happening week after week, change your study plan! Change your routine to include more of your interests and think positively about all the exciting learning ahead.

Lastly, make sure you celebrate!

Celebrate reaching your goals. Celebrate making it halfway. Even celebrate all the times you failed! Why? Because we all learn from mistakes. Mistakes show that we’re learning more and more each day.

Yes, English can be difficult to learn but celebrating each small step makes it easier and a lot more fun!

Whether it be a small personal gift, a celebratory meal or an outing with friends, do something to feel happy about your learning journey. More happiness brings more motivation. This will keep you excited to continue studying until you’re speaking English like a pro!

Sometimes, even with the best study plans, learning English can be tricky and confusing ! So here are a few tips you can include in your study routine to help you. You can plan these ahead of time or add them to your study plan as you go, depending on your English weaknesses.

Rhymes and sayings are fun ways to turn something forgettable into something memorable.

Rhyming is putting words together that use the same sounds, such as “ the fox throwing rocks from the box is wearing socks .” There are many nursery rhymes that use repetition to help you learn and remember English vocabulary.

Sayings are common groups of words that don’t rhyme, such as “ b etter safe than sorry.” You can search for common English sayings and nursery rhymes but it’s also fun to make up your own!

Ever get frustrated when a song gets stuck in your head? Well, it’s time to get excited about it!

Listening to English songs will help you remember English words and phrases. Set some time in your study plan for listening to songs. The best part is that you can do this while you’re doing something else like cleaning the house, having a shower or walking the dog.

There are many language rules that can help learners understand English quickly and easily. This is especially true for English spelling and grammar.

Choose a rule for each week, such as Add an -er to the end of one-syllable words to form comparative adjectives.  Write it on a card and place it somewhere you’ll see it every day. The fridge, door and computer screen are good options.

Each time you see the note, say it in your head or out loud. The more you say it throughout the week the more you’ll remember it.

Trying to learn how to say or spell a new word ? Put it on a sticky note and stick it to the frame of your door.

Choose a door that’s usually open and one that you walk through many times a day. Each time you go through the door, slap a sticky note. As you do, say or spell the word that’s written on it.

This is a great way to get all the people in your workplace or class involved! Continue adding more words until your vocabulary door is a source of learning for everyone!

If there’s a mistake you keep making , don’t get frustrated. Instead, give your mistake greater attention and focus.

For example, you keep using the word conversation wrong. Instead of avoiding the word, ask an English-speaking friend to give you seven sentences that use the word correctly. Write these down and use one every day that week. This technique will stop your worrying about mistakes and make you feel successful.

You now have all the knowledge you need to build an English study plan!

Take the time to make your plan the best it can be. If you do it right, it will bring you amazing results.

Keep it fun, easy to use and motivating. Then get ready for some spectacular learning!

If you like learning English through movies and online media, you should also check out FluentU. FluentU lets you learn English from popular talk shows, catchy music videos and funny commercials , as you can see here:

If you want to watch it, the FluentU app has probably got it.

The FluentU app and website makes it really easy to watch English videos. There are captions that are interactive. That means you can tap on any word to see an image, definition, and useful examples.

FluentU lets you learn engaging content with world famous celebrities.

For example, when you tap on the word "searching," you see this:

FluentU lets you tap to look up any word.

Learn all the vocabulary in any video with quizzes. Swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you’re learning.

FluentU helps you learn fast with useful questions and multiple examples. Learn more.

The best part? FluentU remembers the vocabulary that you’re learning. It gives you extra practice with difficult words—and reminds you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned. You have a truly personalized experience.

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• How to Make Your Coursework as Good as It Can Possibly Be

Many GCSE and A-level subjects are assessed in part by coursework in addition to exams, meaning that the mark you receive for coursework contributes to your overall grade. Many students prefer coursework, because it’s a chance to showcase your academic abilities away from the high-pressured environment of the exam room, making it ideal for those who don’t perform to the best of their abilities in exams. However, the time you have available for coursework, in contrast with the time constraints of the exam room, can lull some students into a false sense of security. Coursework is arguably just as challenging as exams, just in different ways – and, given the fact that you have more time, much higher standards are expected of you in coursework than in exams. Careful planning and research are needed for successful coursework, as well as strong data-gathering and essay-writing skills. In this article, we look at how to produce excellent coursework, from planning to proofreading. This information might also be useful to you if you’re planning on attending an Oxford Summer School this summer.

What is coursework?

GCSE and A-level coursework typically takes the form of an extended essay or project. Its objectives vary from one subject to another, but there’s usually an emphasis on the student conducting independent research into a topic of their own choice. Thus coursework often takes the form of some sort of investigation; it may, therefore, help to have your ‘detective’ hat on as you explore, investigate and analyse your topic. You can usually work on your coursework at home, though it’s sometimes completed under controlled conditions through sessions at school. To give you a better idea of how coursework varies from one subject to another, here are some examples:

• English – English coursework usually takes the form of an extended essay with a title of your choice. You’re usually given a choice of themes and/or texts to explore, and you could choose a format such as a comparison between a set text and another one.
• Geography – Geography coursework usually focuses on the gathering, reporting and interpretation of data designed to answer a particular geographical question. You could investigate usage of a shopping centre, for example, or look at erosion on a particular beach.
• Sciences – coursework for science subjects often takes the form of a scientific project or experiment that you conduct and report on yourself.

Before you start work on your coursework, it’s essential that you have a thorough understanding of the rules. Failing to conform to the rules – inadvertently or not – may result in your coursework (or possibly even your entire qualification) being disqualified, so it’s a serious matter.

• No plagiarism – this is particularly dangerous given the ready availability of relevant information on the internet these days. Make sure everything is in your own words; you’ll need to sign a declaration stating that it’s your own original work.
• There’s only so much help your teacher can give you . They can provide guidance on what you need to include, and on what the examiners will be looking for. You can ask them questions, but they’ll usually only be able to check through your first draft once and offer broad hints on updating it.
• Check the word count , and stick to it. Find out whether footnotes, appendices and bibliographies are included in the word count.
• Check what topics you’re allowed to do your coursework on; if there’s an exam on this topic, you’ll almost certainly have to choose a different one for your coursework.

Choose your topic wisely

Ideally, choose something you’re genuinely interested in, as your enthusiasm will come across and you’ll find it more enjoyable to write. If there’s something you’ve been working on for the course so far that you’ve particularly enjoyed, you may be able to focus more on this as part of your coursework. For science coursework, you’ll need to choose something to investigate that you can measure, change and control; it should be what’s called a ‘fair test’, meaning that you have to acknowledge all the controls you use in the experiment and why. Try not to pick a topic for which the scope is too vast, as you’ll struggle to research it properly and you’re unlikely to do it justice, and it’ll be hard to keep within the word limit. Ask your teachers for some guidance on choosing your topic if you’re not sure what to write about; they might even tell you a bit about what previous students have done to give you some inspiration.

Plan how long it’s going to take

Never leave your coursework until the last minute, even if this is your normal approach to essays and it usually works for you. Make sure you understand when the deadlines are, including time for submitting a first draft for comments from your teacher. Then schedule blocks of time for working on it, allowing plenty of time before the deadline to cater for any unexpected delays. Allow ample time for making corrections based on teacher feedback on your first draft, and keep some time aside before the deadline for final editing and proofreading. Because actual deadlines are few and far between, you’ll need to take responsibility for the writing process and impose some deadlines on yourself to ensure it’s finished in time. Write down your deadlines on a calendar, with the coursework broken into stages and dates assigned to each, by which time each task should be complete. You can base your stages on the next few points in this article – research and data gathering, a structure plan for the piece of work, writing up, and so on.

Conducting your research and gathering data

As coursework is primarily a research exercise, the research phase is crucial, so don’t be tempted to skimp on it and go straight to writing up. Use as many different resources as you can to gather data: books, journals, newspapers, television, radio, the internet and anything else you think might be relevant. For science and Geography coursework, you’ll need to base your work on a hypothesis, so the research stage should start by coming up with at least one hypothesis, otherwise your research will lack direction. The research phase for some subjects may involve site visits for gathering data, so allow plenty of time for this, particularly if you need your parents to drive you somewhere to do so. If it’s a scientific experiment you’re conducting for your coursework, you’ll need to pay careful attention to planning the experiment using rigorous scientific methods (also noting what Health and Safety precautions you are taking), as well as reading up on the background and theory so that you have an idea of what to expect from the outcome of your experiment. In the research stage, make notes about what you expect to happen, so that you can later compare your expectations with what actually did happen. The experiment itself also forms part of the research and data-gathering stage for your science coursework; in the write-up stage, which we come onto shortly, you analyse and write up the results.

Plan your structure

Once you’ve completed your research, the process of writing up begins. Before you get down to the actual writing, however, it’s advisable to write a plan for how you’re going to structure it – essentially an essay plan for English coursework and other subjects for which the coursework is based on an extended essay. It’ll look slightly different from an essay plan for science subjects and others that revolve around project work, but the principle is the same: plan out what order you’re going to present your information in. For big projects, this is particularly important, because with a lot of information to convey, you risk being disorganised and waffling.

Writing up your project

For any coursework, but particularly coursework based around an extended essay, you’ll need to perfect your essay-writing abilities. For science coursework, writing up your project also involves data analysis, as you interpret the results of your experiment and work your notes into formal scientific language. Follow the links below to find lots more useful advice on writing great essays.

• How to write dazzlingly brilliant essays
• How to write more original essays
• Techniques from creative writing that can improve your essays

When you’re writing up, it’s important to find a place where you can work quietly, without distractions that could cause you to make careless errors. You wouldn’t want noise or distractions when you were in an exam room, so treat your coursework with the same reverence.

Supporting materials and images

For some subjects, namely the sciences and Geography, it would be appropriate to include images, graphs, charts, tables and so on in your coursework. For example, for Geography coursework, your extra material could include annotated images and maps of the site you’re talking about, plus tables, graphs and charts. An appendix could then detail your raw data; if, for example, your coursework focused on the results of a survey, you could put the raw survey responses in an appendix and provide summaries and analysis in the main body of the coursework.

Footnotes and bibliography

As we said earlier, it’s important that you always use your own words in your coursework to avoid the possibility of falling foul of plagiarism rules. However, it’s acceptable to quote from another source, as you would in any piece of academic writing, but you must make sure that you state where it is from and use quotation marks to show that it’s a quote from somewhere else. The best way of citing another work is to use a footnote; word processors will allow you to insert one, and it just puts a little number at the end of the sentence and another in the footer of the document, into which you put the name of the author and work, and the page within that work that the quote can be found. At the end of your piece of work, include a bibliography that includes a list of every external source you’ve used in the creation of your coursework. Stick to a set formula when including books. A common format is: Author Surname, Initial. (Date) – Title of Book , page number For example: Lewis, C.S. (1960) – Studies in Words , p. 45 When you get to university, you’ll be expected to include footnotes and bibliographies in all your essays, so it’s a good habit to get into and coursework gives you good practice at it.

The final pre-submission check

Having completed a first draft, received feedback from your teacher, and honed your work into a finished piece of coursework, have a final check through it before you send off your coursework for submission.

• Sense check : have a read through your completed piece of work and check that it all makes sense. Make sure you haven’t contradicted yourself anywhere, or repeated yourself, or laboured the point. If there are any facts that you may have meant to look up to double check their accuracy, do so now.
• Word count : ensure that the completed work falls within the word count, and double check whether the bibliography should be included in the word count. If you’ve exceeded it, you’ll need to work through the piece and tighten up your writing, omitting unnecessary information, reordering sentences so that they use fewer words, and so on.
• Proofread : check your spelling and grammar, and ensure that there are no typos. Don’t just use the spellcheck – go through it with a fine toothcomb, manually, and if you can, ask someone to read through it for you to see if they spot anything you haven’t.
• Formatting : check that you’ve included page numbers, and that the font and line spacing is consistent throughout the work. Ensure that the font is plain and easy to read, such as Arial or Times New Roman.
• Bibliography : check that you’ve included everything, that the format is the same for all sources mentioned, and that the right information is included for each.

Once this stage is complete, you’re ready to submit your coursework along with your declaration that it’s entirely your own work. Get ready for a feeling of immense satisfaction when you finally send off your hard work!

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Programmes & Qualifications

Cambridge international as & a level english language (9093).

• Syllabus overview

Cambridge International AS and A Level English Language provides learners with the opportunity to study English language and its use in communication. Learners will be encouraged to respond critically to a wide variety of texts in a range of forms, styles and contexts, and to promote skills of communication, reading, research and analysis.

Through their study, learners will develop an ability to read and analyse material, gaining further knowledge and understanding of English language features and issues. Learners will also develop the skills of writing clearly, accurately, creatively and effectively for different purposes and audiences.

Changes have been made to this syllabus for first examination in 2021 onwards. Please see the 2021-2023 syllabus for detailed information.

The syllabus year refers to the year in which the examination will be taken.

• -->2021 - 2023 Syllabus update (PDF, 163KB)
• -->2024 - 2026 Syllabus update (PDF, 136KB)

Syllabus support

• -->Support for English Language (PDF, 1MB)

Syllabus updates

We worked with teachers, subject expert panels and universities around the world to update our Cambridge International AS & A Level English subject group as part of our on-going review process. We have made some changes to the syllabus for examination in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Many teachers told us that they offer more than one English subject from this group, so we have made some changes so that the syllabuses work together regardless of whether a student is studying one or more subject from this group. To make it clearer for teachers, we have separated this syllabus from our other English Cambridge International AS & A Levels.

How has the syllabus changed?

• We have included a specific subject content section that sets out what students should study across the Cambridge International AS & A Level.
• After feedback from teachers, new content has been added within Paper 3 that focuses on the analysis and intrepretation of language data.
• We have increased the number of assessment objectives from three to five and have updated the wording so the expectations of each assessment objective is clearer.
• The levels of response mark schemes have changed based on feedback from schools to make sure we maintain valid and reliable assessments.
• Text and context
• Meaning and style
• We have added a list of command words and their meanings to help learners know what’s expected of them in the exam.

How has assessment changed?

• Changes to the papers have been made to update and retain the strengths of the current model. We are keeping the assessment model for English Language as a four component, exam only model.
• The A Level Paper 3 will have stimulus texts that will be accompanied by some quantitative language data, in graph and table form. This change is based on feedback from teachers who feel the skill of data analysis would be valuable for students and engage their interest.
• Language acquisition has been moved to Paper 3 from Paper 4 as this topic represents language analysis more than a language topic.
• English in the World - a new title for the current English as a global language
• Language and the self - a new topic that concentrates on the relationships between language and thought, and language and social identity. This change was made after consultation with centres, who felt the current topics in Paper 4 were not discrete enough.

When do these changes take place?

The updated syllabus will be assessed in June and November 2021, 2022 and 2023. It is also available in March 2021, 2022 and 2023 (India only). Please see the 2021-2023 syllabus above for full details.

Coming soon

We are developing a wide range of support to help you plan and teach the 2021-2023 syllabus. Visit our School Support Hub from April 2019 onwards.

Look out for our comprehensive support package to help you deliver the 2021-2023 syllabus including a Scheme of work, Example candidate responses and Specimen paper answers. There will also be Teacher and Learner guides from April 2019 onwards through our School Support Hub .

Endorsed resources

View the latest resources that are being developed for the Cambridge International AS & A Level English Language syllabus (9093).

Helps students gain an understanding of how language works for different audiences and purposes. Improve reading skills through analysis of different text types – from blogs to letters – and create imaginative, discursive and critical writing.

Read more on the Cambridge University Press website

Build skills and knowledge in a clear sequence and help students to apply skills to a range of language tasks, with up-to-date coverage of the syllabus topics and a stimulating range of international texts.

Read more on the Collins website

Important notices

Find out more about our range of English syllabuses to suit every level and ambition.

For some subjects, we publish grade descriptions to help understand the level of performance candidates’ grades represent.

We paused the publication of grade descriptions in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and the temporary changes to the awarding standard in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

As the awarding standard has now returned to the pre-pandemic standard, we are working to produce up-to-date grade descriptions for most of our general qualifications. These will be based on the awarding standards in place from June 2023 onwards.

School Support Hub

Teachers at registered Cambridge schools can unlock over 30 000 teaching and learning resources to help plan and deliver Cambridge programmes and qualifications, including Schemes of work, Example candidate responses, Past papers, Specimen paper answers, as well as digital and multimedia resources.

Schemes of work

Example responses, past papers, specimen paper answers.

Register your interest in becoming a Cambridge School

Course Plans

Type of English

Lesson time

I want to learn

RESOURCES FOR ENGLISH TEACHERS

Provide a comprehensive course with our esl worksheets. each of our evolving course plans and worksheet series can be followed systematically or you can select lessons to use as supplementary material., general english course plans.

English for Life

Level: Intermediate (B1-B2) Upper-intermediate (B2-C1) Pre-intermediate (A2-B1)

English Vocabulary to Go

A rich vocabulary is the key to better communication. This supplementary course programme is designed to help learners develop their vocabulary beyond the lexical scope of traditional coursebooks. A full range of topic areas are covered and the worksheets provide plenty of opportunities for putting the new words and expressions into practice. Use the programme as a supplementary resource or as a standalone course with students who want to focus primarily on improving their vocabulary as well as spoken English.

Video Talks

Level: Upper-intermediate (B2-C1)

This series of worksheets for advanced students is based on online video talks in English, given by expert speakers at conferences.

English Grammar Reference

Level: Intermediate (B1-B2)

Elementary English

Level: Elementary (A1-A2)

English Speaking and Conversation

This innovative series of worksheets is designed to get students talking about a variety of topics. Each worksheet includes a self-study preparation activity, in which the students can review and learn by heart useful vocabulary with Expemo, our spaced repetition learning platform. Page 1 of each worksheet includes instructions for students on how to memorize the key words on our site, and it should be handed out at least a few days before the lesson. Page 2 presents an exhaustive list of conversation questions designed to stimulate a long discussion on the worksheet topic during the speaking lesson. Follow the instructions in the key.

Biographies

Level: Pre-intermediate (A2-B1) Intermediate (B1-B2)

This collection of lessons offers A2/B1 students an opportunity to practise listening and speaking skills, add to their vocabulary, briefly explore language points and increase their general knowledge. The lessons cover a range of historical figures including famous (and infamous) scientists, explorers and political leaders.

Visiting Places

The “Visiting places” course introduces students to the culture, geography and history of a variety of countries. The lessons are based on tourism websites of individual countries and focus on ideas about what to do and see in these countries. As well as offering plenty speaking practice, each lesson tests students’ listening and reading skills, introduces relevant vocabulary and gives the opportunity to prepare a presentation at the end.

Business English course plans

English for Business

This course plan helps learners improve their English for business or work. A diverse range of topics, language areas and activities are covered. The course plan can be used as a supplementary resource or as a standalone course.

Business English Vocabulary

Use this course plan to help learners develop their business English vocabulary. A diverse range of topics are covered. The worksheets provide plenty of opportunities for putting the new words and expressions into practice. The course plan can be used as a supplementary resource or as a standalone course.

English for Human Resources

This course plan is a short series of worksheets for students working in human resources and recruitment, who need to use English in their work.

Business Talks

This evolving course plan consists of a series of EFL/ESL worksheets based on business-related TED talks. In each lesson, students watch a talk, which can be played online via the lesson summary page or downloaded as a video file. Each worksheet includes several key vocabulary exercises followed by a discussion on the subject of the talk.

English for Special Purposes course plans

Questions about work

This worksheet series is designed to get your students talking about their professions. You can use the worksheets to encourage your ESP students to discuss their work, prepare for job interviews or even practise their speaking skills for exams such as the IELTS Speaking Test.

Exam preparation course plans

IELTS Speaking

Use this evolving worksheet series as part of your preparation course for IELTS speaking test candidates. The worksheets cater for students whose current band level is around 5.5-7 and the target language is designed to help them express themselves in a clear, coherent way without confusing them with advanced structures that are likely to lead to mistakes in the test. Use our other speaking materials for a thorough preparation.

IELTS Academic

Use this worksheet series as part of your preparation course for IELTS test candidates aiming for a score of 7.0-7.5 on the exam. The course is organised around basic themes that appear on the exam and which students will also use in academic contexts. Each unit in the course consists of four lessons. The first lesson introduces the theme along with relevant academic vocabulary, and subsequent units offer practice in listening and speaking, reading and writing, as well as further development of vocabulary and phrases. Academic vocabulary is indicated throughout, and the lessons include tips for tackling each paper and question type.

Mixed course plans

Current Issues

Level: Intermediate (B1-B2) Upper-intermediate (B2-C1)

English for Work and Life

Level: Intermediate (B1-B2) Upper-intermediate (B2-C1) Elementary (A1-A2) Pre-intermediate (A2-B1)

Medical English course plans

Medical English

This worksheet series is designed for B1-B2 students with a medical/healthcare background who want to develop a higher level of English in their field. Students who are interested in working in English-speaking countries will especially benefit from the course material. Each lesson will focus on a different medical theme, for example, the doctor-patient exchanges, medical emergencies or body systems. It also offers audio-visual materials and articles that are both engaging and relevant for students at this level. There is a total of 20 units in this course with a review and an assessment every fifth lesson.

English for Teenagers course plans

English for Teenagers (13-15)

This course is specifically designed for teenagers aged between 13 and 15 years old moving towards an upper-intermediate level of English. Each unit is based around a specific theme and level-appropriate lexis which encourages communication and debate about real-life issues and situations while at the same time improving language levels. The course materials consist of 6 units at an intermediate level (B1–B2) with each unit of 6 lessons focusing on one theme. The core material of each lesson is a reading text with either a listening or an extended speaking task or roleplay, containing a minimum of 60 minutes classroom-based work. This can be expanded in the classroom or at home via class projects and additional extra activities that are included in each lesson. Each unit ends with a review that focuses on the B2-level vocabulary and grammar points covered in the preceding lessons with an optional speaking test included.

Legal English course plans

Legal English

This worksheet series is designed for students with a legal background or students who want to develop a higher level of professional English through topics related to law. Students who are preparing for the legal exams or the study of law in an English-speaking country will also benefit from working with relevant academic vocabulary and usage in authentic contexts. The series does not teach legal concepts, but each lesson focuses on a legal theme, for example, copyright, contracts and government regulation, and approaches this often dry content through engaging articles and audio-visual materials that B2 students from diverse backgrounds can understand. Each five lessons create a unit, with four content lessons followed by one assessment lesson. There are twenty-five lessons in the series.

English for Kids course plans

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U.K. 2024 General Election: What to Know

• Share full article

By Esther Bintliff

Reporting from London

Why does this election matter?

How does britain vote, what are the main issues, who is running, and who is likely to win, when will we find out the results, where can i find more information.

The general election on July 4 is a pivotal moment for Britain after 14 years of government by the Conservative Party. The last full parliamentary election was in December 2019, when Boris Johnson won a landslide victory for the Conservatives , propelled by his charisma and a promise to “Get Brexit done” after the country’s decision to leave the European Union in a 2016 referendum.

A lot has changed since then. In July, voters will give their verdict on five tumultuous years of government that have spanned the coronavirus pandemic , the troubled implementation of Brexit , the “Partygate” scandal around Mr. Johnson’s rule-breaking during pandemic lockdowns and the disastrous six-week tenure of Prime Minister Liz Truss .

Polls suggest that the center-left Labour Party is set to return to power after more than a decade in opposition, which would bring a fundamental realignment to British politics.

The United Kingdom — which consists of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales — is divided into 650 constituencies.

Voters in each constituency select a candidate to represent them as a member of Parliament, and the political party that wins the most seats usually forms the next government. That party’s leader also becomes prime minister.

To win an overall majority, a party must secure 326 seats. If the top party falls short of that, the outcome is known as a “hung Parliament” and the party can try to form a coalition government with other parties. In 2010, the Conservatives joined with the Liberal Democrats to form Britain’s first coalition government since World War II, and, in 2017 , the Conservatives allied with Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party.

The state of Britain’s economy is the top issue for most voters today, according to polls, in the wake of a cost-of-living crisis and record inflation — which reached a peak of 11.1 percent in 2022 and has only recently begun to return to target levels .

The National Health Service , the state-funded health care system that provides free care across the country, is another top priority. A decade of fiscal austerity that began under Prime Minister David Cameron after the 2009 global financial crisis left Britain’s public services deeply underfunded and facing chronic staff shortages. Waiting lists for N.H.S. treatment were already growing before the pandemic, and have since rocketed further upward , a major source of public dissatisfaction.

Immigration comes third in many voters’ lists of top issues, although its importance differs starkly according to party preference. Only 20 percent of Labour voters said it was one of their most pressing national concerns, compared with 65 percent of Conservatives in a recent poll conducted by YouGov .

The two largest parties in Britain are the Conservatives, led by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak , and the Labour Party, led by Keir Starmer , a former public prosecutor and human rights lawyer.

Labour has maintained a double-digit lead in the polls for more than 18 months , during which time the Conservatives have suffered a series of stinging losses in parliamentary special elections and elections for mayors and local councils . Although the polls often narrow in the final weeks of an election campaign, analysts believe the Conservatives would have to achieve something close to miraculous to win a majority.

In Scotland, the Scottish National Party became the most popular party in 2015 , displacing Labour there. But a funding scandal and the departure of Nicola Sturgeon as first minister has weakened the party’s support over the past year. Polls now suggest that Labour has a chance of gaining significant ground in Scotland this time round, which would ease Mr. Starmer’s path to becoming prime minister.

The populist Reform Party, which was co-founded by Nigel Farage, the champion of Brexit , has risen in the polls in recent months. Conservative Party officials fear that the anti-immigration party could siphon away supporters from their candidates, although Mr. Farage’s decision not to run as a candidate will have been welcomed by the Tories.

Two other parties, the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party , made sizable gains in local elections in early May. But while both are aiming to add seats in July, Britain’s electoral system makes it harder for smaller parties to win seats in a parliamentary election.

Just after polls close at 10 p.m. on July 4, exit-poll results are announced, based on surveys of thousands of voters after they have cast their ballots.

Exit polls are not always accurate — famously, in Britain’s 1992 and 2015 elections, they predicted a hung Parliament, when in fact the Conservative Party went on to win a majority. But they have become increasingly reliable in the country in recent years and are generally seen as offering a good early indication of how the public has voted.

The first results from a few individual constituencies will be announced from around 11 p.m., and then a steady rhythm of results arrive through the early hours of the next morning. By around 7 a.m., the overall result is usually clear, although some rural seats can be announced later.

Sunak Announces U.K. Elections for July 4, Months Earlier Than Expected

Rishi Sunak’s Dismal Task: Leading U.K. Conservatives to Likely Defeat

Scotland’s Governing S.N.P. Looks to a Stalwart After Its Leader Quits

England’s Local Elections and Their Wider Significance, Explained