English GCSE Revision

Recommended reading/resources:

1. Revising AQA A English by Peter Buckroyd, Oxford University Press

If you are studying the poets Seamus Heaney and Gillian Clarke:

1. AQA Anthology, The Study Guide, Poems from Heaney, Clarke and pre-1914: Higher poetry study guide by Richard Parsons
2. AQA Anthology, The Study Guide, Poems from Heaney, Clarke and pre-1914: Foundation poetry study guide by Richard Parsons

If you are studying Carol Ann Duffy and Simon Armitage:

1. AQA Anthology, The Study Guide, Poems from Duffy, Armitage and pre-1914: Higher poetry study guide by Richard Parsons
2. AQA Anthology, The Study Guide, Poems from Duffy, Armitage and pre-1914: Foundation poetry study guide by Richard Parsons

**NB: You will only need to buy one of the poetry study guides, depending on whether you are doing higher or foundation tier and which poets your class is studying.

Recommended Websites

http://www.s-cool.co.uk/gcse/english.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english/

http://www.teachit.co.uk/armoore/

http://www.podcastrevision.co.uk/podcasts.html

http://www.englishbiz.co.uk/

Important tips for revision

• Make sure that you have read and re-read your set poems and prose texts; you need to know them inside out – don’t just rely on having read them once in class!
• Note down the important ideas and issues that each text is about. How do you know? What evidence could you find to support your ideas?
• Explore/make notes on all the interesting features of language in your set texts. For good grades, you must then be able to comment on what effect the different language details have on the reader.
• Explore/make notes on all the interesting features of structure and layout in your set texts. As above, comment on the effect these have on the reader.
• Practise writing about your ideas using a PEE (Point, Evidence, Explanation) structure. For the higher grades, you should use a PEA (Point, Evidence, Analysis) structure. Talk to your English teacher about this.
• Practise writing about your ideas in depth and with detail; ask your teacher to show you practice questions.
• Make sure that for every writing question, you remind yourself to consider: Whom am I asked to write it for (audience)? Why am I asked to write it (purpose)? And what form and style should it be in (e.g. letter, leaflet, advert, etc)? If you read the question and remember these three elements, you will get better marks.

Downloadable resources

Ideas for revising English Pdf