Pearson Edexcel International A Level English Language (WEN01–WEN04): syllabus, papers and marking
Analysis, creative writing and the commentary are marked in the Edexcel bands, with the assessment objective and band descriptor shown against each judgement.
Specification Issue 4 (February 2026), first teaching 2015; paper-based or onscreen · January and June series · grades A*–E
IAL English Language: where the marks go
Edexcel IAL English Language is four 50-mark papers: Language: Context and Identity (1 h 45 min, two unseen texts and a created text), Language in Transition (1 h 45 min, unseen speech and writing), Crafting Language (2 h, a created text and a commentary) and Investigating Language (2 h, one chosen research focus). Units 1 and 2 are the AS; Units 3 and 4 complete the A Level. Pearson’s reports say mid-band candidates describe method and effect but apply too few specific language terms, and that the commentary in Unit 3 is worth 30 of the 50 marks yet gets less time than the creative writing.
Our papers are original, with texts and transcripts written for each question. Marking returns the band and assessment objective for each judgement, with the descriptor quoted and the next band’s requirement named.
Paper structure and what we mark
| Paper | Time | Marks | Weight | Questions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WEN01 — Unit 1: Language: Context and Identity | 1 h 45 min | 50 | 50% AS · 25% A Level | Section A a comparative analysis of two unseen texts (35 marks); Section B a text created for a set audience (15 marks) |
| WEN02 — Unit 2: Language in Transition | 1 h 45 min | 50 | 50% AS · 25% A Level | Section A analysis of an unseen spoken transcript (25 marks); Section B a discussion question using unseen written texts (25 marks) |
| WEN03 — Unit 3: Crafting Language (writing) | 2 h | 50 | 25% A Level | Section A a text created from unseen source texts (20 marks); Section B a commentary on the writing process (30 marks) |
| WEN04 — Unit 4: Investigating Language | 2 h | 50 | 25% A Level | One chosen research focus from four, with a pre-released subtopic; Section A unseen data analysis (20 marks), Section B an extended evaluative response (30 marks) |
Syllabus outline
- Unit 1: context and identity, how language choices reflect and construct identity, creating a text for a specified audience
- Unit 2: the influence of other languages on English, pidgins and creoles, English outside the British Isles, spoken and written language change
- Unit 3: specified writing genres and style models, creating a text from unseen sources, a commentary on the writing process
- Unit 4: one research focus — Contemporary Global English, Children’s Language Development, Language and Power, or Language and Technology
- Assessment objectives AO1 to AO5, and the language levels and key concepts
How each paper is marked here
- Reading and analysis are marked by band and assessment objective, with the descriptor quoted next to the mark.
- Created texts are marked for audience, purpose and use of the source material before style.
- Opening soon: the band rubrics are in testing; ask to be told.
Where IAL English Language candidates lose marks
- Method and effect described without the language term — Mid-band answers say what a writer does but do not name the feature and tie it to the identity or context in the question.
- Creative task that ignores the source texts — The task requires reshaping material from the sources; a lively piece that does not draw on them is self-penalising.
- Writing for the wrong audience or purpose — A generic article on the topic, not addressed to the audience or aimed at the goal set, caps the AO5 mark.
- Commentary short on time — Section B carries 30 of the 50 marks in Unit 3; a long Section A and a brief commentary is a recurring imbalance.
- Unit 4 theory without data — Referencing theory without supporting it from the unseen data or the investigation stays in the lower levels.
Sample papers, mark schemes and marked reports for IAL English Language
See a real handwritten script marked by eight examiners at admitportfolio.com/examiners.
Questions teachers ask
- Is the exam paper-based?
- Pearson offers both paper-based and onscreen versions of every unit; we set papers in the paper-based format.
- Is Unit 4 pre-release material included?
- Yes. The subtopic is released before each series, so a Unit 4 paper is built to the pre-release shape.
- How is the commentary marked?
- Against AO1 to AO4 together: analysis of language choices, reshaping of the source texts, and the effect of context.
- Is this official Pearson Edexcel marking?
- No. Pearson Edexcel International marks the real exam. This is examiner-style marking of mocks and homework for IAL English Language. Only you see the marking, and you decide what reaches the student.
- Do you reproduce past-paper questions?
- No. Every WEN01–WEN04 paper here is original and written to the specification issue 4 (february 2026), first teaching 2015; paper-based or onscreen, in the same structure as the real papers shown above.
- Which papers are marked?
- None yet are marked question by question. Practical exams sat at the centre are not marked here.
- How is the next paper chosen?
- From the marks a student lost: the concepts behind them are ranked by marks dropped, and the new paper weights those topics. It is the same syllabus and structure, with new questions.
- When are the exams?
- January and June series. Grades A*–E.
Other Pearson Edexcel International A Level courses
- Pearson Edexcel International A Level Mathematics (WMA / WME / WST)
- Pearson Edexcel International A Level Physics (WPH11–WPH16)
- Pearson Edexcel International A Level Chemistry (WCH11–WCH16)
- Pearson Edexcel International A Level Biology (WBI11–WBI16)
- Pearson Edexcel International A Level Economics (WEC11–WEC14)
- Pearson Edexcel International A Level Business (WBS11–WBS14)
- Pearson Edexcel International A Level Accounting (WAC11–WAC12)
- Pearson Edexcel International A Level Psychology (WPS01–WPS04)
- Pearson Edexcel International A Level Law (YLA1)
- Pearson Edexcel International A Level Further Mathematics (YFM01 · WFM01–WFM03 with M, S and D options)
- Pearson Edexcel International A Level Pure Mathematics (YPM01 · WMA11–WMA14, WFM01 and WFM02/03)
- Pearson Edexcel International A Level Geography (WGE01–WGE04)
- Pearson Edexcel International A Level History (WHI01–WHI04)
- Pearson Edexcel International A Level English Literature (WET01–WET04)
- Pearson Edexcel International A Level Information Technology (WIT11–WIT14)
Start marking English Language scripts · See a real marked script