OCR A-Level English Language (H470): complete guide to the components and the exams

OCR A-Level English Language (specification H470) is a two-year linear course assessed by two written papers at the end of Year 13 plus a non-exam assessment. It is built around the systematic analysis of real language data, spoken, written and multimodal, against the same five assessment objectives. This page is the index: below is a map of the three components, the five objectives, the language levels toolkit, the exam structure, and how to study each part.

The three components of English Language

The specification is built around three components, all assessed on the five assessment objectives.

Component 01: Exploring language

A written paper worth 80 marks (40 percent), 2 hours 30 minutes. Section A, Language under the microscope, is a close analysis of an unseen text in two parts (20 marks). Section B, Writing about a topical language issue, is a piece of discursive writing on a language debate for a non-specialist audience (24 marks). Section C, Comparing and contrasting texts, compares two unseen texts in different modes or contexts (36 marks).

Component 02: Dimensions of linguistic variation

A written paper worth 80 marks (40 percent), 2 hours 30 minutes. Section A examines child language acquisition through transcripts and data (20 marks). Section B examines language in the media through media texts (24 marks). Section C examines language change over time through historical and contemporary texts (36 marks). The strand of language and social groups (gender, class, age, region, occupation, power) runs through Sections B and C.

Component 03: Independent language research

The non-exam assessment, worth 40 marks (20 percent). Task 1 is an independent language investigation of 2000 to 2500 words (assessed for AO1, AO2 and AO3, 30 marks); Task 2 is an academic poster of 750 to 1000 words presenting the investigation (assessed for AO5 only, 10 marks). Marked by the school and moderated by OCR.

The five assessment objectives

Every component is assessed against the same five objectives, so mastering them as transferable skills matters more than memorising notes on a single topic.

• AO1 - apply appropriate methods of language analysis, using associated terminology and coherent, accurate written expression.
• AO2 - demonstrate critical understanding of concepts and issues relevant to language use.
• AO3 - analyse and evaluate how contextual factors and language features are associated with the construction of meaning.
• AO4 - explore connections across texts, informed by linguistic concepts and methods.
• AO5 - demonstrate expertise and creativity in the use of English to communicate in different ways.

Across the whole qualification AO1 and AO3 carry the most marks. AO1 and AO3 dominate the analytical tasks (Section A and Section C of Paper 1, and the data questions on Paper 2); AO2 weights the theory-led topics on Paper 2; AO4 rewards comparison; AO5 is tested in the Section B writing task and the NEA poster.

The language levels toolkit

Every analytical task rewards the systematic use of the language levels (linguistic methods). They are the shared vocabulary of the qualification.

• Lexis and semantics - word choice, word classes, semantic fields, connotation and denotation, formality.
• Grammar (morphology and syntax) - word formation and inflection, word classes, phrases and clauses, sentence types and functions, word order.
• Phonetics, phonology and prosody - speech sounds, the IPA, intonation, stress, rhythm, and sound patterning.
• Pragmatics - implied meaning, politeness, speech acts, implicature, shared knowledge and context.
• Discourse - whole-text structure, cohesion, conversational organisation such as turn-taking and adjacency pairs.
• Graphology - layout, typography, images and the multimodal features of written and digital texts.

The decisive habit across every level is to move from feature to effect: name the feature, use the precise term, and explain what it does to meaning in context.

Exam structure

English Language is assessed by two written papers and one non-exam assessment.

• Component 01, Exploring language (H470/01) - 80 marks, 2 hours 30 minutes, 40 percent. Section A: close analysis of a text (20 marks, AO1 and AO3). Section B: discursive writing on a topical language issue (24 marks, AO2 and AO5). Section C: comparison of two unseen texts (36 marks, AO1, AO3 and AO4).
• Component 02, Dimensions of linguistic variation (H470/02) - 80 marks, 2 hours 30 minutes, 40 percent. Section A: child language acquisition (20 marks, AO1, AO2 and AO3). Section B: language in the media (24 marks, AO1, AO3 and AO4). Section C: language change over time (36 marks, AO1, AO2, AO3 and AO4).
• Component 03, Independent language research (H470/03) - 40 marks, 20 percent, non-exam assessment. Task 1: language investigation, 2000 to 2500 words (AO1, AO2, AO3, 30 marks). Task 2: academic poster, 750 to 1000 words (AO5, 10 marks). Marked by the school and moderated by OCR.

How to study English Language

This subject rewards transferable analytical skill over memorised content.

1. Master the language levels. Build fluency in lexis, grammar, phonology, pragmatics, discourse and graphology, and always move from feature to effect (AO1, AO3), the core of every analytical task.
2. Analyse data, not your opinion. Work from the language on the page or in the transcript outward, grounding every claim in a feature.
3. Learn the concepts for each topic. Deploy theories of acquisition, media and change critically to develop an argument (AO2), not as name-drops.
4. Drill comparison by idea. Structure Section C and the media question around shared ideas, weaving the texts together (AO4).
5. Write fluently for an audience. Rehearse the Section B discursive task and the NEA poster, crafting voice and structure for a specified reader (AO5).
6. Practise under timed, unseen conditions. Both papers present unseen data under time pressure, so drill analysing fresh texts and transcripts fast.
7. Plan the investigation early. Choose a focused research question and a workable data set for the NEA, and build an independent, methodical study.

The components, dot point by dot point

Each component has specification-level answer pages with practice questions and cross-links, plus deep-dive overview guides. Browse the full set at /a-level-ocr/english-language/syllabus.

For the official specification

OCR publishes the full specification (H470), sample assessment materials, past papers, mark schemes and the NEA guidance at ocr.org.uk. Always revise from the current specification and OCR's own past papers, because question styles and the NEA requirements are board-specific.