English Language photograph

English Language

Use attributes for filter !
Regions British Isles
Native speakers360–400 million (2006); L2 speakers: 750 million; as a foreign language: 600–700 million
Early formsMiddle English
Signed formsManually coded English
Language family Indo-European languages
Writing systems Latin script
English alphabet
Anglo-Saxon runes
English Braille
Unified English Braille
Date of Reg.
Date of Upd.
ID2326059
Send edit request

About English Language


English is a West Germanic language that was first spoken in early medieval England and eventually became a global lingua franca. It is named after the Angles, one of the Germanic tribes that migrated to the area of Great Britain that later took their name, as England.

What China wants from Israel-Hamas war

What China wants from Israel-Hamas war
Oct 31,2023 6:51 am

... The state-run, English Language newspaper of Uncle Sam with bloodstained hands...

Class sizes grow to keep up with GCSE resits

Class sizes grow to keep up with GCSE resits
Oct 24,2023 7:31 pm

... A further 172,000 failed English Language - 38,000 more...

Australian Cheng Lei freed from China detention

Australian Cheng Lei freed from China detention
Oct 11,2023 2:31 am

... Cheng Lei was working as a business reporter for China s state-run English Language TV station CGTN when she was arrested on 13 August 2020...

Sophia Loren: Italian star has emergency surgery after fall

Sophia Loren: Italian star has emergency surgery after fall
Sep 25,2023 8:11 am

... That win was groundbreaking; it was the first time an actor or actress had won an Academy Award for a role not in the English Language...

Five takeaways from this year's GCSE results

Five takeaways from this year's GCSE results
Aug 24,2023 1:25 pm

......

GCSE results set to drop close to pre-Covid levels

GCSE results set to drop close to pre-Covid levels
Aug 23,2023 6:00 pm

... My school put on a GCSE just for me By Christina McSorley, education producerEuan is waiting for GCSE results in science, maths, computer science, English Language and English literature - as well as a BTec in creative media...

UK spent £13m on private schooling for diplomats' children

UK spent £13m on private schooling for diplomats' children
Aug 10,2023 8:01 am

... There is a long-standing policy to cover fees for children of diplomats who may be posted overseas at short notice, or take their children with them to countries where there is no suitable free English Language based schooling...

Cambridge University releases 1913 English test question

Cambridge University releases 1913 English test question
Jul 25,2023 12:21 pm

... " The original papers were a revolution in English Language assessment, setting clear goals and emphasising the ability to use the language...

Five takeaways from this year's GCSE results

Jul 17,2023 9:40 am

By Hazel Shearing, education correspondent, and Marcus O'BrienBBC News

Students who picked up their GCSE results on Thursday were part way through Year 8 when The pandemic hit and schools closed during national lockdowns.

Further school closures followed, while they were in Year 9, and many experienced disruption due to Covid at The Beginning of Year 10 as well.

They sat their first formal exams this year, which England's exam watchdog, Ofqual, said would be about " getting back to normal". But The impact of Covid, and The disruption to children's education, is clear in this year's results.

Here are five key takeaways.

1. GCSE grades have fallen again

GCSE passes in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have fallen for a second year Running - with 68. 2% of all grades 4/C and above.

It will mean disappointment for some students but has nothing to do with their individual performances.

It is all part of a plan to bring grades back down In Line with pre-pandemic levels.

The Pass rate was:

2. The Drop is steepest in England

It was always The Plan for grades to be brought back In Line with 2019 levels this year in England but remain a bit higher in Wales and Northern Ireland .

The Pass rate was:

Ofqual says there was " protection built into The grading process" so students should have achieved The Grades they would have without The pandemic - Even if they performed less well in their exams.

Some Covid measures also remained in place for this year's exams:

But, unlike in The rest of The UK, students in England received no advance information about The Topics on which they would be tested.

3. Tens of thousands more students will have to resit

Tens of thousands more 16-year-olds in England will need to resit their English and maths GCSE exams as a result of this year's grading.

Among 16-year-olds in England, The Number of GCSEs marked as a fail (grade 3 or below) has risen by:

Combined, these numbers are The highest in a decade.

More students sat GCSEs this year but The proportion marked as fails has also risen since 2022 and is now closer to where it was in 2019.

In England, students need maths and English GCSEs at grade 4 or above to move on to further qualifications such as A-levels or T-levels.

Those who failed should be able to start their next courses but will have to resit The GCSEs alongside them.

Julie McCulloch, of The Association of School and College Leaders, said The Extra resits would " put more pressure on sixth forms and colleges" and mean " many students are forced into a series of demoralising retakes where The majority will again fall below The benchmark".

Schools Minister Nick Gibb told Bbc One 's Breakfast programme The policy was " terribly important" but did not say whether more money would be available.

4. Results show a widening regional divide

The Pass rate was:

The Gap between The regions with The highest and lowest proportions of passes was:

Commenting on A-level results last week, The Sutton Trust said The difference reflected " patterns of regional prosperity".

Pupils also experienced different amounts of Covid disruption, depending on how their part of The country was affected.

MPs have warned it could take a decade for The Gap between disadvantaged pupils and others to narrow to what it was before The pandemic.

5. The Drop in passes is steeper in state schools than private

The Pass rate in independent (fee-paying) schools in England was 90. 1% this year, down from 92. 6% in 2022.

In academies, it was 69. 4% down from 74. 6%.

Having narrowed in 2020 and 2021, The Gap between The two different types of school is more or less back where it was in 2019.

But while The Gap in The proportion of top grades grew in 2020 and 2021, it is now slightly smaller than before The pandemic.

What questions do you have about results day? Whether you have queries about A-levels, GCSEs, Highers or vocational courses, you can get In Touch by emailing .

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get In Touch in The Following ways:

If you are reading this page and can't see The form you will need to visit The mobile version of The to submit your question or comment or you can email us at. Please include Your Name , age and location with any submission.

Related Topics

Source of news: bbc.com

Next Profile ❯