A LEVEL

English Combined

What is English Combined?

If you’re fascinated by language and what people can do with it, or you love reading and want to develop your writing skills, the English Language and Literature A Level is the right course for you. You will get the opportunity to study some of the most engaging texts ever written, including novels, poems, Shakespearean and post-1900 drama, and classic non-literary texts, such as Truman Capote’s fascinating ‘non-fiction novel’, ‘In Cold Blood’. You will also study creative writing and how to produce highly effective pieces in a broad range of genres, which will allow you to focus on developing your own writing techniques and skills.
Detailed understanding of the writer’s craft is a core aspect of the course and you will develop superb analytical skills that will allow you to understand in-depth how writers use both literary and linguistic techniques to produce intricately detailed works with multi-layered meanings.

What Will You Study?

The pre-1914 Poetry Anthology will give you a comprehensive introduction to the development of English Literature from the Renaissance to the Victorian period, referencing key literary movements and the broad range of social, political, historical and cultural factors that influenced writers.
Literary study will also include detailed analysis of Charlotte Bronte’s classic 19th century novel ‘Jane Eyre’, combined with an extensive exploration of the Victorian period and the ways in which society and culture influenced the production of this text. Both Shakespearean and Modern drama are explored through detailed study of ‘Othello’ and Tennessee Williams’ ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’.
Non-fiction is covered through the study of ‘In Cold Blood’, where narrative bias is explored alongside the novelist and journalistic devices used by Capote to produce this classic American text. You will also learn how to analyse spoken English in a variety of forms, including transcript analysis, script-writing and dramatic monologues.
For coursework you will study a particular prose genre and will analyse key works of fiction and/or non-fiction, producing an extended essay on one distinct area of literature. You will also produce two pieces of creative writing with close links to your chosen area of genre study.

What Next?

A level English Language and Literature is a core subject and so the skills developed will give students opportunities to move forward into a range of areas, such as journalism, teaching, publishing, public relations and marketing. Many students go onto study the subject in its various forms at university, including English Literature, English Language, Combined English, Linguistics, Journalism and Creative Writing. English at degree level also combines well with many other subjects.

Exam Board

Eduqas (WJEC)

Entry Requirements

At least two 5s and three 4s, including at least a 5 in GCSE English Language and English Literature, if studied.

Course Type

A Level

What other subjects go well with this subject?

History, Religious Studies, Modern Foreign Languages, Philosophy, Psychology, Sociology, Film Studies and Media Studies.