INTRODUCTION TO ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Introduction

This module should be read in conjunction with the Programme of Study.

The Programme of Study lists the topics that are in the module and gives you the relevant page references for your textbook. This module aims to give you more direction as you work through the various topics. It will aim to highlight the most important items in the topic, as well as areas that need particular care. It will also point you towards the resources you should be using.

Remember to double-check the syllabus to make sure you cover all the items that you need to.

Module Overview

This module introduces you to some key skills and documents which you will need to use throughout this course – and at AL if you complete the full A Level. For AS and A Level English Language, you need to have a good understanding of how language works and be able to identify a range of grammatical features. You will have encountered some of these at (I)GCSE, but you will now need to go into more detail so you can add precision to your analytical essays.

You will cover a lot of new information and terminology in this module, so a range of quizzes and activities have been included to help you test yourself on what you have learnt. Work carefully through the topics and make sure you have a solid grasp of all the material before moving onto Module Two. Don’t be tempted to skip through the detail covered here as it will be relevant throughout the course. You may therefore find that this module takes you a little longer than anticipated, but that’s fine – other modules are shorter and you will catch up later on.

Don’t worry if you can’t remember all of these new terms at first. The key is to keep revisiting the material regularly so you can establish a really strong foundation on which to build. The more you bring this material into your work, the easier it will be to remember.

Topics

Topic One (1.1): Introduction to AS English Language – Examinations and Course Structure

Topic Two (1.2): Context, Audience and Purpose: GASP

Topic Three (1.3): Form and Structure

Topic Four (1.4): Language and Style

Topic Five (1.5): Introduction to Word Classes – Nouns and Adjectives

Topic Six (1.6): Verbs and Adverbs

Topic Seven (1.7): Pronouns and Determiners

Topic Eight (1.8): Conjunctions and Prepositions

Topic Nine (1.9): Meaning and Interpretation

Topic Ten (1.10): Figurative Language