England · AQASyllabus
English Language syllabus, dot point by dot point
Every dot point in the England English Languagesyllabus, with a focused answer for each one. Click any dot point for a worked explainer, past exam questions, and links to related dot points. Written by Claude Opus 4.8, Anthropic's latest AI.
Core reading skills
Module overview →- What transferable reading skills underpin every reading question across both AQA English Language papers?Inferring and deducing implied meaning from an unseen text, supporting interpretations with evidence, and building from literal understanding to layered interpretation across all reading questions.7 min answer →
- What transferable reading skills underpin every reading question across both AQA English Language papers?Recognising and naming language techniques with accurate subject terminology, and using terminology to analyse effect rather than to label, across fiction and non-fiction reading questions.8 min answer →
- What transferable reading skills underpin every reading question across both AQA English Language papers?Recognising structural features at whole-text and sentence level, naming them with subject terminology, and explaining how a writer's ordering and shaping choices affect the reader.8 min answer →
- What transferable reading skills underpin every reading question across both AQA English Language papers?Identifying tone, mood and register in a text and explaining how a writer's choices create them, across fiction and non-fiction reading questions and for comparison of perspectives.7 min answer →
Core writing skills
Module overview →- What transferable writing skills lift both the creative task and the viewpoint task into the top bands?Crafting effective openings and endings that engage the reader and frame the writing (AO5), including hooks, deliberate first lines, satisfying conclusions and circular structures, in both creative and viewpoint tasks.7 min answer →
- What transferable writing skills lift both the creative task and the viewpoint task into the top bands?Planning and organising writing for clear, deliberate structure (AO5), including planning before writing, paragraphing, sequencing ideas and using structural and grammatical features to guide the reader.8 min answer →
- What transferable writing skills lift both the creative task and the viewpoint task into the top bands?Using a range of sentence structures and accurate punctuation for clarity, purpose and effect (AO6), including varying sentence forms deliberately and using a range of punctuation correctly.8 min answer →
- What transferable writing skills lift both the creative task and the viewpoint task into the top bands?Using a range of ambitious vocabulary accurately and spelling correctly for clarity, purpose and effect (AO6), including choosing precise words and securing accurate spelling under exam conditions.7 min answer →
Paper 1: Explorations in creative reading and writing
Module overview →- How do you read an unseen fiction extract closely enough to retrieve, analyse, evaluate and respond to it under exam pressure?Analysing how a writer uses language to achieve effects in an unseen fiction extract (AO2), including word choice, imagery, sentence forms and the move from method to effect on the reader.8 min answer →
- How do you read an unseen fiction extract closely enough to retrieve, analyse, evaluate and respond to it under exam pressure?Analysing how a writer has structured a whole text to interest the reader (AO2), including openings, shifts in focus, zooming in and out, and how endings are shaped across the full extract.8 min answer →
- How do you read an unseen fiction extract closely enough to retrieve, analyse, evaluate and respond to it under exam pressure?Producing clear and imaginative descriptive or narrative writing for the Paper 1 Section B task (AO5 and AO6), including matching purpose and audience, crafting and varying style, and securing accuracy.9 min answer →
- How do you read an unseen fiction extract closely enough to retrieve, analyse, evaluate and respond to it under exam pressure?Evaluating an unseen fiction extract critically and supporting the evaluation with textual references (AO4), including responding to a given statement and judging how successfully the writer achieves an effect.8 min answer →
- How do you read an unseen fiction extract closely enough to retrieve, analyse, evaluate and respond to it under exam pressure?Identifying and interpreting explicit and implicit information and ideas in an unseen fiction extract (AO1), including the short list-style retrieval question and inference from the text.7 min answer →
Paper 2: Writers' viewpoints and perspectives
Module overview →- How do you read two unseen non-fiction texts from different times, draw ideas together, compare perspectives and write to argue a viewpoint?Analysing how a writer uses language in a non-fiction text to achieve effects (AO2), including persuasive and rhetorical devices, tone and word choice in one named text.8 min answer →
- How do you read two unseen non-fiction texts from different times, draw ideas together, compare perspectives and write to argue a viewpoint?Comparing writers' ideas and perspectives and how these are conveyed across two non-fiction texts (AO3), including identifying viewpoint, methods and the integrated comparison structure.9 min answer →
- How do you read two unseen non-fiction texts from different times, draw ideas together, compare perspectives and write to argue a viewpoint?Selecting and synthesising evidence and ideas from two non-fiction texts (AO1), including the true-or-false retrieval question and the question that summarises differences across both texts.8 min answer →
- How do you read two unseen non-fiction texts from different times, draw ideas together, compare perspectives and write to argue a viewpoint?Writing non-fiction to present a point of view for the Paper 2 Section B task (AO5 and AO6), including matching form, audience and purpose, building an argument and using rhetorical devices and accuracy.9 min answer →
Spoken Language (endorsement)
Module overview →- How do you prepare and deliver a formal spoken-language presentation that earns the AQA endorsement?Preparing and delivering a formal spoken presentation for the Spoken Language endorsement (AO7), including selecting and organising content, sustaining a clear talk and using effective delivery techniques.7 min answer →
- How do you prepare and deliver a formal spoken-language presentation that earns the AQA endorsement?Listening and responding to questions and feedback after the presentation (AO8), including understanding what is asked, answering with developed points and handling unexpected or challenging questions.6 min answer →
- How do you prepare and deliver a formal spoken-language presentation that earns the AQA endorsement?Using spoken Standard English and an appropriate register for a formal presentation (AO9), including controlling formality, vocabulary and grammar for the audience and purpose of the talk.6 min answer →