English Language · Code: 9093
English Literature · Code: 9695
AS & A Level English
Language analysis, creative writing, literary criticism, Shakespeare, and poetry — complete AS & A Level English expertise
Book Your Free Demo
About Cambridge AS & A Level English
📘 English Language — 9093
📗 English Literature — 9695
Cambridge AS & A Level English Language (9093) develops sophisticated linguistic analysis skills — examining how language varies across contexts, how it changes over time, how it constructs identity, and how it is acquired. Students work with real texts, produce original writing, and conduct independent language investigation. Essential for Linguistics, Journalism, Law, Media, and English degrees.
Cambridge AS & A Level English Literature (9695) builds the critical reading, close analysis, and essay-writing skills to engage deeply with poetry, prose, and drama across historical periods. Students study Shakespeare, Victorian and modern texts, and develop an independent critical voice. Highly valued for English, Law, PPE, History, and all humanities degrees.
Full Language & Literature coverage
Cambridge-specialist English tutors
Coursework & essay mastery
Critical frameworks & analysis skills
📘 ENGLISH LANGUAGE — 9093
AS LEVEL — YEAR 12
Code: 9093
AS Level English Language Topics
The AS Level builds core analytical and compositional skills — reading non-fiction, directed writing, summary, text types, and the contexts that shape meaning in spoken and written language.
- Language & Context — language variation, register, audience, purpose, and the contexts that shape meaning
- Text Types & Genre — analysing informational, argumentative, descriptive, and narrative non-fiction texts
- Summary Skills — extracting and synthesising key information from multiple sources accurately
- Language & Power — how language constructs authority, identity, and social roles
- Media Language — analysing newspapers, advertisements, digital texts, and multimodal communication
- Argument & Persuasion — constructing and deconstructing persuasive texts across a range of contexts
- Reading & Analysis — directed writing responses, identifying language features, writer's craft and techniques
- Directed Writing — transforming and adapting source texts for a specified audience and purpose
- Writing Techniques — sentence structure, diction, tone, rhetoric, and stylistic choices for effect
- Spoken Language — transcription analysis, discourse features, politeness theory, conversation strategies
- Coursework Introduction — planning extended writing and commentary pieces for component coursework
A LEVEL — YEAR 13
Code: 9093
A Level English Language Topics
The full A Level deepens into linguistic frameworks — language change, identity, acquisition, world Englishes, critical discourse analysis — plus independent language investigation for coursework.
- Advanced Language Analysis — linguistic frameworks: lexis, syntax, pragmatics, discourse, phonology
- Language & Identity — sociolects, idiolects, accent, dialect, gender, ethnicity, and regional variation
- World Englishes — global spread of English, creoles, pidgins, postcolonial varieties (Kachru's model)
- Language & Technology — digital communication, netspeak, CMC, social media registers
- Comparative Language Study — comparing texts across time periods, genres, and cultural contexts
- Synoptic Language Skills — integrating all frameworks across Paper 3 extended response questions
- Language Change — historical shifts in English, attitudes to change, standardisation, prescriptivism vs descriptivism
- Language Acquisition — theories of child language development (Chomsky, Skinner, Piaget, Vygotsky)
- Critical Discourse Analysis — analysing ideology, power, and representation in political and media texts
- Independent Research — conducting and writing up original language investigation for coursework
- Unseen Text Analysis — applying linguistic frameworks to unseen data passages under exam conditions
English Language Exam Components (9093)
Comprehensive preparation for every Language exam and coursework component
Paper 1 — Reading (AS)
Directed writing and summary questions based on two unseen non-fiction texts. Tests comprehension, text transformation, and the ability to synthesise information for a specific audience.
- Duration
- 2 hr
- Marks
- 50 Marks
Paper 2 — Writing (AS)
Two extended writing tasks in different genres and for different purposes. Tests original composition, stylistic control, and the ability to adapt language for effect.
- Duration
- 2 hr
- Marks
- 50 Marks
Paper 3 — Language Topics (A Level)
Extended responses on language topics — language change, language & identity, language acquisition, and world Englishes. Tests analytical frameworks and evaluative writing.
- Duration
- 2 hr 45 min
- Marks
- 60 Marks
Coursework (A Level)
Two pieces: an independent language investigation and a piece of original writing with commentary. Submitted for moderation.
- Duration
- Coursework
- Marks
- 50 Marks
📗 ENGLISH LITERATURE — 9695
AS LEVEL — YEAR 12
Code: 9695
AS Level English Literature Topics
The AS Level builds the close reading, literary analysis, and essay-writing skills to engage with poetry, prose, and drama — developing a confident critical voice for all three text types.
- Reading Literature — close reading skills, responding to unseen passages, identifying literary techniques
- Prose Fiction — narrative voice, character, setting, themes, and structure in the novel form
- Shakespeare — close reading of language, imagery, themes, and dramatic effect in prescribed plays
- Critical Essays — thesis-driven argument, close textual analysis, integrating evidence and commentary
- Unseen Poetry — responding to previously unstudied poems with analytical skill and confidence
- Essay Planning — constructing clear arguments, organising evidence, and developing a coherent response
- Poetry Analysis — structure, form, rhyme, rhythm, imagery, tone, voice; comparing poems within a collection
- Drama — stagecraft, dramatic irony, dialogue, soliloquy, character relationships, theatrical context
- Context & Interpretation — historical, social, biographical, and cultural contexts shaping literary meaning
- Comparative Reading — identifying similarities and differences in theme, form, and technique across texts
- Writers' Craft — appreciating authorial choices: structure, perspective, symbolism, and intertextuality
A LEVEL — YEAR 13
Code: 9695
A Level English Literature Topics
The full A Level advances into pre-20th century literature, tragedy and comedy conventions, literary theory (feminist, Marxist, post-colonial), and independent extended literary study for coursework.
- Extended Literary Study — in-depth independent study of a major literary work for coursework
- 20th & 21st Century Literature — modernism, postmodernism, post-colonial, contemporary British writing
- Tragedy — conventions of tragic form from classical Greek drama to Shakespeare to modern tragedy
- Pre-20th Century Literature — Victorian and Romantic texts; historical context and literary traditions
- Comparative Literary Analysis — comparing texts across periods, genres, and cultural backgrounds
- Comedy — conventions of comic form; social satire, farce, wit, and irony across literary periods
English Literature Exam Components (9695)
Paper 1 — Poetry & Prose (AS)
Section A: essay on prescribed poetry collection. Section B: essay on prescribed prose text. Closed book — tests memorised close reading and literary argument.
- Duration
- 2 hr
- Marks
- 50 Marks
Paper 2 — Drama (AS)
Essay question on a prescribed Shakespeare play and one other drama text. Tests understanding of dramatic technique, context, and stagecraft.
- Duration
- 1 hr 30 min
- Marks
- 50 Marks
Paper 3 — Shakespeare & Poetry (A Level)
Extended comparative and critical response on Shakespeare and pre-20th century poetry. Tests literary argument, close reading, and contextual understanding.
- Duration
- 2 hr 15 min
- Marks
- 60 Marks
Coursework (A Level)
Extended independent literary study — one major comparative essay on two texts, demonstrating critical voice and engagement with literary theory.
- Duration
- Coursework
- Marks
- 50 Marks
Student Success Stories
"A Level English Language at EDU-RADIATION was exceptional. The linguistic frameworks — pragmatics, discourse analysis, language change — were taught with academic rigour. My language investigation scored full marks because the methodology and analysis were so thoroughly prepared. The unseen text approach for Paper 3 was brilliant. A* achieved!"
"Close reading Shakespeare and Victorian novels felt daunting but EDU-RADIATION made literary analysis feel natural. The essay structure training — thesis, evidence, commentary — transformed my writing. Applying feminist and post-colonial theory to texts in Paper 3 gave my essays a critical edge examiners loved. Proud A!"
"Studying both Language and Literature with EDU-RADIATION was one of the best decisions I made. The skills complement each other beautifully, and my tutor made the connections across both subjects explicit. Directed writing for Language Paper 1 and poetry analysis for Literature Paper 1 were both prepared to an exceptional standard!"
Ready to Excel in A Level English?
Join our expert Cambridge AS & A Level English Language & Literature programme today!
