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How to get an A*/A in A level English Literature

Are you interested in studying English Literature? You’re not alone. English Literature has consistently held its place among the top ten most popular A level subjects from 2001-2021, according to FFT Education. This reflects its lasting popularity and importance in the UK education system. 

Here at The Profs, we can give you all the necessary strategies and guidance to earn your A-A*. Our English tutors are experts in supporting you through your A levels and helping you achieve your best grades. 35% of our students achieved an A* in 2023, compared to the national average of 9.8%, according to Statista.

Whether you’re a student aiming to enhance your academic performance or a parent seeking support for your child, this guide offers the blueprint for achieving an A-A* in A level English Literature. So, keep reading for expert advice! Achieve unparalleled academic success with The Profs’ expert A-Level English Literature Tutors, guiding you towards a future filled with limitless career opportunities.

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A level English Literature: How to prepare to maximise your grades

When it comes to revising for A Level English Literature, your approach can make a significant difference to your performance. Here are some effective preparation techniques to ensure you’re well-prepared for your exams.

Create a Study Schedule

Start by organising your study time. Break down your specification into manageable sections and allocate precise times for each topic. Create revision schedules for each text that you will need for the exam. This will help you cover all the necessary material without feeling overwhelmed. For example, if you are studying The Great Gatsby to divide your study into sections like key scenes, character analysis, major themes, and important quotes. 

Master the assessment objectives

When you start A level English Literature it’s essential to thoroughly understand the marking criteria and assessment objectives. Different exam boards have their own assessment objectives for assigning marks. Once you know your exam board, you can find the relevant assessment objectives that will form the basis for marking. Check out the assessment objectives for each exam board below:

  • AQA A 
  • AQA B
  • Pearson Edexcel 
  • OCR 

Consider printing out the relevant assessment and placing it in a prominent spot in your study area. Having this constant reminder will help you stay focused on the key elements that examiners look for in your work, ensuring that your responses are aligned with their expectations. Embark on a path to career growth by enhancing your skills with expert guidance from The Profs’ talented Online Tutors.

Read, read, read

Deep reading and analysis are essential skills for succeeding in English Literature at A Level. You can never be too familiar with your texts!

General reading:

  • Understand the plot: Begin by reading the text through once without too much analysis. Focus on grasping the storyline, character relationships, and major events.
  • Identify characters and setting: Note down key characters, their roles, and the significance of the setting. Consider how the setting influences the story and characters.

Detailed readings:

  • Focus on themes and motifs: After your initial read, dive deeper into the text’s themes and motifs. Look for recurring ideas or symbols that contribute to the overall meaning.
  • Identify themes: Explore universal themes such as love, power, identity, or conflict and how they are portrayed in the text.
  • Analyse motifs and symbols: Pay attention to recurring symbols or imagery. Consider their deeper meanings and how they contribute to the narrative.
  • Study characters in depth: Analyse character development, motivations, and relationships. Look for character arcs and how they contribute to the themes of the text. Do character sheets to conceptualise your understanding.
  • Literary devices: Identify and analyse literary techniques like hyperbole, metaphors, pathetic fallacy and symbolism. 

Engage in further reading

Engaging in further reading beyond your core A level English literature texts is essential to get a comprehensive understanding of literary works and their contexts. 

Exploring critical analyses

  • Dive deeper into A level English literature by exploring critical essays and analyses that offer alternative interpretations of the themes and characters in your studies.
  • Engaging with these perspectives can reveal other layers of meaning and enhance your ability to critically evaluate literary works. 

Understanding author contexts

  • Go even further and read author biographies. This can offer valuable insights into the lives, influences, and personal contexts of the writers whose works you are studying.
  • Understanding the backgrounds, experiences, and artistic inspirations of authors can enrich your understanding of their literary output and deepen your interpretation of their texts, which can be introduced throughout your exams where necessary. 

The more you read, the better you will become at analysing literature. Need help? Connect with us.

Tips and strategies: A/A* techniques

Do as many past papers as you can!

Complete as many past papers as you can! Past papers are invaluable for familiarising yourself with the format, style, and types of questions that may appear in the exam. 

To use past papers effectively for revision:

  • Allocate time to complete past papers under exam conditions to simulate the real exam experience.
  • Analyse your performance and identify areas of strengths and weaknesses.
  • Review the mark schemes to understand examiners’ expectations and learn how to structure your answers effectively.
  • Pay attention to recurring themes or topics that frequently appear in past papers and ensure a thorough understanding of those areas.

It also has great revision resources for English Literature! Illuminate your path to academic excellence with The Profs’ expert tutors, who are ready to empower your learning journey and transform your future career prospects.

Mind maps

Mind maps prove to be highly effective for visualising and linking concepts and themes you’ve absorbed. By linking characters, symbols, and events, you can create meaningful associations among the elements of a text. Try the steps below.

Text overview:

  • In the central circle, write the title of the literary text you are studying.
  • Branch out with key elements, such as plot summary (major events and key plot points), setting (time period, location, significance), main characters (names, descriptions, roles) and themes (central ideas explored in the text).
  • Connect these elements to show how they relate to each other within the text.

Literary analysis:

  • Create another branch for deeper analysis, such as symbolism (important symbols and their meanings), character relationships (connections between characters), key quotations (notable quotes and their significance) and narrative techniques (point of view, structure, language).
  • Use lines to illustrate relationships between these elements and how they contribute to the overall interpretation of the text.

Perfect practice essays

To excel in A Level English Literature, writing high-level, ‘perfect’ exemplar essays is key to getting used to high-level responses. You can use this as a benchmark as to what your essays should look like in the exams.

Essay writing process

  • Understanding the essay question: Analyse the essay prompt to identify key themes and requirements.
  • Planning your response: Outline main arguments and structure before starting your essay.
  • Supporting arguments with evidence: Use textual examples and literary analysis to strengthen your points.
  • Crafting a compelling introduction and conclusion: Engage the reader from the start and summarise your main points effectively.

Utilising teacher feedback

  • Hand in to teachers: Give your essays to your teachers to receive constructive feedback.
  • Implementing Feedback: Act on suggestions to improve clarity, depth, and sophistication.
  • Studying Exemplar Essays: Analyse high-level essays to learn effective writing techniques and standards. You can always find some in the examiners’ commentaries for each year!

Are your teachers too busy? No problem, connect with us for tailored and detailed feedback! Supercharge your A-level journey with The Profs and their expert English Language Tutors to achieve career-defining grades and broaden your academic horizons.

Set structures for each question!

Each question will often require a different approach and a set structure. As you are working through the course, you will be given exemplar structures to follow. It is imperative you familiarise yourself with these structures as this will save you a lot of time in the exam. You won’t have to think about broad structures, rather it will be muscle memory. 

This familiarity with structured approaches not only streamlines your thought process during the exam but also helps ensure that your responses are well-organised and coherent. Rather than scrambling to piece together a coherent argument on the spot, you’ll be able to focus your mental energy on deeper analysis and critical thinking. 

Do not take the coursework lightly!

Your A Level English Literature coursework is a significant component of your final grade, for example, accounting for 20% in the Pearson Edexcel syllabus. Since this coursework isn’t completed under timed conditions, it offers an excellent opportunity to maximise your marks with thoughtful planning and effort.

Drafting and redrafting are crucial steps in the process. Don’t settle for your first draft. Write multiple drafts, refining your argument, clarifying your points, and improving the flow of your essay each time. Pay attention to feedback from your teacher and peers, using it to strengthen your work.

Meeting all criteria is imperative. Familiarise yourself with the assessment criteria and ensure your coursework meets all the requirements. Address all specified components, such as comparative analysis if required, and adhere to any word limits.

If your coursework is to a high standard, it can boost your grade! Make sure you maximise your efforts and do not leave it to the last minute. Navigate your academic journey and shape your future aspirations with expertise from A-Level Tutors at The Profs, where tailored guidance lights the path to success.

Benefit from our expert guidance in A level English Literature

If you are looking to achieve an A or A* in A level English Literature, reach out to our expert team for dedicated and bespoke support. 35% of our students achieved an A* in 2023, compared to the national average of 7.7%. Hence working with us will increase your chances by a whopping 78%!

Still unsure? The Profs have maintained their title as the highest-rated tuition company on Trustpilot for 7 years! Connect to us today to make your dream results a reality.

FAQs

Why is it important for me to get an A or A*?

Getting an A or A* grade in A level English Literature may be important depending on which universities you are applying to. If you are aspiring to attend prestigious Russell Group universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, University College London (UCL), or Kings they often set high-grade requirements. These universities are renowned globally for their academic excellence, rigorous programmes, and competitive admissions processes. Typically, Oxbridge and Russell Group universities will require As and A*s. Therefore it is important to think about university during the early stages of your A levels to ensure that your grades do not hold you back!

If you feel like you are not reaching your potential, reach out to us today to change that! We can help you achieve, or even exceed, your goals.

What can I do if I’m struggling with a particular text within A level English Literature

There are a number of steps you can take if you are finding a certain text trickier than others.

Active reading techniques

  • Break it down: Divide the text into smaller, more manageable sections.
  • Annotate: Make notes in the margins, highlight key passages, and underline significant quotes.
  • Summarise: Write brief summaries of each section in your own words.

Collaborative learning

  • Discuss: Join a study group or discuss the text with classmates or teachers.
  • Ask for help: Seek assistance from your teacher for additional context and explanations.

Supplemental resources

  • Seek additional resources: Look for study guides, online analyses, or critical essays.
  • Use audio-visual aids: Listen to audiobooks or watch play/film adaptations of the text. 

Contextual understanding

  • Research background: Investigate the historical, cultural, and biographical context of the text.
  • Contextual understanding: Understand the circumstances in which the text was written to gain deeper insights.

Practice and persistence

  • Practice questions: Work on past exam questions or practice essays related to the text.
  • Stay patient and persistent: Keep working through difficulties with consistent effort and patience.

By following these organised strategies, you can systematically approach and overcome challenges in A level English Literature.

Should I choose English Literature or English Language?

If you are fascinated by how language works, A Level English Language might be more appropriate. This course examines the structure and function of language, how it varies in different contexts, and the social factors influencing its use. It’s ideal for students curious about the mechanics of language, including grammar, phonetics, and sociolinguistics. You’ll analyse real-world language use, from everyday conversations to media communications, and study how language evolves and affects society. 

In A Level English Literature, you’ll engage with a variety of texts from different genres and periods, learning to appreciate the richness and diversity of literary expression. You will develop skills in critical analysis, interpreting how authors use language to create meaning, evoke emotions, and reflect cultural and historical contexts.

Consider your long-term goals. A Level English Literature can lead to careers in publishing, journalism, teaching, and the arts, where strong analytical and interpretative skills are valued. A Level English Language is beneficial for careers in linguistics, media, advertising, public relations, and communication roles, offering insights into effective communication and language structure.

How can I effectively balance studying for A level English Literature with my other subjects and commitments?

Consider creating a revision timetable. Start by assessing your schedule and setting priorities based on your strengths and weaknesses, particularly between texts.

Allocate study sessions for English and other subjects throughout the week, making sure to include breaks for rest and recharge. Incorporate various study techniques into your timetable and stay flexible to adjust it as needed. By following a well-structured timetable, you can manage your time efficiently and maximise your chances of success in your exams.

If you are unsure how to effectively structure a revision timetable, kickstart your revision journey by contacting our expert tutors who can work with you to create a tailored revision timetable!

We’ve got expert English Literature tutors who can provide you with bespoke support. We are here to maximise your success, and our success stories are proof that we get results! Secure top marks in A-Level English Literature by connecting with The Profs’ Essay Tutors, who offer expert insights tailored to students’ unique learning needs, paving the way for academic excellence and university success.

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