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English Style Guide for GCSE

An easy-to-use guide for GCSE students covering common problem areas for English to improve writing style and encourage movement up the grades.

Effective for both GCSE and A Level, ensuring students have a firm grasp on the nuts-and-bolts of both creative and technical writing

K Emmerson, English Teacher & Peer Reviewer

Concepts include:

  • Delightful description
  • Prize-winning paragraphs
  • Punctuation revision
  • Planning and structuring
  • Skimming and scanning

And much more!

Promotes independent learning and development with:

  • Clear, accessible explanations of key concepts taught in the classroom, including Writing Well and Reading Skilfully
  • Interspersed examples and tips to contextualise concepts
  • A variety of focused ‘Give It a Go’ exercises – ‘allows pupils to practise the skill before developing further writing skills’ E Hewitt, Head of English & Peer Reviewer

Plus! Key terms glossary and indicative content provided.

Ready to use in class or by individual students at home. The perfect follow-on from English Style Guide for KS3!

What do teachers say about this resource? (11936)

The resource is effective, thorough and clearly explained. It would be a useful aide memoire for teachers, especially those who are not subject specialists... It would also be useful for students to use without a teacher present - for cover, for example, or home learning. The activities could also be easily adapted to be used as homework... The resource features a wide range of activities which would prevent the teaching of grammar from becoming stale... The 'Have a Go' sections are accessible and provide quick consolidation activities - lots of schools are employing school-led tutors in English and Maths now and these kind of activities would be very useful in this context... The resource is very informative and thorough. It would improve students' grammar and writing skills if these activities were used regularly... I would envisage the resource being used to shape lesson starters and plenaries... I really like this resource. It is one of the most thorough of its kind that I have seen / reviewed.

N Selwood, HoD & Peer Reviewer

Very comprehensive resource as it covered the skills and techniques needed for GCSE English... I liked the mix of informal student-friendly voice combined with the more formal and technical language which the students are required to know and understand. I particularly liked the Delightful Description section, especially the treatment of mood. The section on Common Problems and Persuasive Techniques were excellent. I also liked the explanation of discourse markers and the table provided... The resource helps students improve their writing through adhering to the conventions of SPAG, form and structure and literary techniques. It is a useful handbook/revision tool for students studying for all specifications of GCSE English... The resource matches and interprets the specifications well.

D Massey, Tutor & Peer Reviewer

A comprehensive coverage of writing styles and punctuation of various types... I liked the examples provided followed by practice exercises. This could be used by the teacher to improve style significantly... It leads the learner through from basic punctuation to sophisticated devices and punctuation for effect. It also allows pupils to practice the skill before developing further writing skills... It successfully provides resources to teach writing skills, especially range of styles and punctuation devices... This would be useful to support KS4 learners who struggle to improve from a simple writing style. Hopefully it would encourage movement up the grades.

E Hewitt, Head of English & Peer Reviewer

This resource is both clear and effective. It contains a range of detailed exercises and how-to guides which would definitely allow KS3, KS4 and KS5 students to get to grips with academic English... I found the exercises and the range of checklists/exemplars really clear, which is particularly effective for students... The punctuation exercises in the early sections are especially effective... Effective for both GCSE and A Level, ensuring students have a firm grasp on the nuts-and-bolts of both creative and technical writing.

K Emmerson, English Teacher & Peer Reviewer

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