English Language GCSE
Standard English
What Standard English means in English Language GCSE, as defined for OCR, Pearson Edexcel.
Definitions of Standard English
Exam boards and our study guides word this term in slightly different ways. Learn the version your board uses.
The variety of English universally accepted as the conventional form for formal communication, following established grammatical rules.
The universally accepted dialect of English that carries a degree of prestige, using standard grammar and vocabulary.
The formal, grammatically correct form of the English language, free from regional slang or informal colloquialisms.
Topics that use Standard English
- Responding to spoken language (OCR GCSE)
- Using spoken Standard English (OCR GCSE)
- Spoken Language (Pearson Edexcel GCSE)
Related terms
- Prosodic features
- Anecdote
- Dialect
- Discourse Markers
- Register
- Rhetorical Question
- Active Listening
- Adjacency pair
Using Standard English in the exam
Definition questions usually carry one or two marks, and examiners look for the precise wording. Write the definition from memory, check it against the version above, and then use the term in a longer answer on the same topic so it sticks.
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