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English Language: scaling 2026, assessment & grade cut-offs
official VTAC & VCAA data · 2026 forecastA raw study score of 40 in English Language scaled to 43.0 in the 2025 VTAC report, and is forecast to scale to about 42.8 in 2026. English Language scales up: a raw score is worth more than its face value; at a raw 40 its scaling has risen by 1.0 points since 2022. The 2025 mean study score was 32.6.
English Language scaling: raw to scaled study scoreOfficial VTAC scaling reports 2022–2025, plus the 2026 forecast (a recency-weighted blend of the last six reports).
| Raw study score | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 forecast |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 50.0 | 50.0 | 50.0 | 50.0 | 50.0 |
| 45 | 47.0 | 46.0 | 47.0 | 47.0 | 46.9 |
| 40 | 42.0 | 42.0 | 43.0 | 43.0 | 42.8 |
| 35 | 38.0 | 37.0 | 38.0 | 38.0 | 37.9 |
| 30 | 32.0 | 32.0 | 33.0 | 33.0 | 32.8 |
| 25 | 27.0 | 27.0 | 27.0 | 27.0 | 27.0 |
| 20 | 21.0 | 22.0 | 22.0 | 22.0 | 21.9 |
Scaled scores between VTAC's published anchor points are interpolated. See every subject's scaling curve and the method and accuracy.
How English Language is assessedDefault weights from the VCAA study design; the calculator lets you edit them.
| Assessment | Type | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 3 SACs | school-assessed | 25% |
| Unit 4 SACs | school-assessed | 25% |
| End-of-year exam | external | 50% |
English Language grade cut-offs 2026: forecastThe lowest mark each grade starts at, forecast from the last three years' official VCAA cut-offs. Typical error is shown as "likely ±".
Coursework Unit 3 school-assessed · out of 100 · forecast state average 67%
| A+ | A | B+ | B | C+ | C | D+ | D | E+ | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 forecast | 85 | 76 | 69 | 64 | 59 | 52 | 42 | 20 | 14 | 10 |
| likely ± | 1.1 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 1.7 |
| 2025 actual | 85 | 76 | 69 | 63 | 58 | 51 | 40 | 17 | 13 | 10 |
| 2024 actual | 85 | 76 | 69 | 64 | 59 | 53 | 43 | 21 | 13 | 10 |
| 2023 actual | 85 | 77 | 70 | 65 | 60 | 54 | 45 | 33 | 20 | 10 |
Coursework Unit 4 school-assessed · out of 100 · forecast state average 68%
| A+ | A | B+ | B | C+ | C | D+ | D | E+ | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 forecast | 86 | 77 | 69 | 63 | 57 | 48 | 40 | 23 | 20 | 10 |
| likely ± | 1.1 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 1.7 |
| 2025 actual | 86 | 77 | 69 | 63 | 57 | 48 | 40 | 23 | 20 | 10 |
| 2024 actual | 85 | 76 | 69 | 63 | 57 | 48 | 39 | 23 | 20 | 10 |
| 2023 actual | 85 | 77 | 70 | 64 | 58 | 50 | 41 | 26 | 20 | 10 |
Written Examination external · out of 150 · forecast state average 55%
| A+ | A | B+ | B | C+ | C | D+ | D | E+ | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 forecast | 105 | 97 | 90 | 85 | 79 | 73 | 65 | 55 | 35 | 15 |
| likely ± | 4.7 | 5.3 | 5.8 | 6.3 | 6.6 | 6.6 | 6.5 | 6.2 | 4.7 | 2.7 |
| 2025 actual | 106 | 97 | 90 | 84 | 78 | 72 | 64 | 54 | 36 | 15 |
| 2024 actual | 106 | 98 | 92 | 87 | 81 | 75 | 68 | 59 | 30 | 14 |
| 2023 actual | 101 | 94 | 88 | 82 | 76 | 70 | 62 | 53 | 40 | 15 |
Cut-offs change every year with how hard the assessment is, so a harder paper can move every grade together. See the full 2025 grade distribution for English Language →
About English Language
The linguistics option: how English works — phonetics, syntax, discourse analysis, language identity and change — with short-answer and essay exams.
- Scales above mainstream English (typically +2 to +3 at 30)
- Suits analytical minds who dislike text-response essays
- Genuinely different content: closer to a science of language
Typical time commitment: 4–6 hours a week outside class.
Metalanguage precision is everything in the exam.
English Language questions
What does a study score of 40 in English Language scale to?
In the 2025 VTAC scaling report a raw 40 in English Language scaled to 43.0. ATARtools forecasts about 42.8 for 2026, from a recency-weighted blend of the last six reports. Treat it as a guide: VTAC publishes the real 2026 numbers in December.
Is English Language scaled up or down?
English Language scales up: a raw score is worth more than its face value. In 2025 a raw 30 scaled to 33.0, a raw 40 to 43.0 and a raw 45 to 47.0. For 2026 the forecast is 32.8, 42.8 and 46.9. At a raw 40, scaling has risen by 1.0 points since 2022.
What mark do I need for an A+ in the English Language Written Examination?
We forecast the 2026 A+ cut-off at about 105 out of 150 (likely ±4.7 marks) and an A from about 97. For reference the A+ cut-off was 106 in 2025, 106 in 2024 and 101 in 2023. The forecast is the recency-weighted average of the last three years' official cut-offs.
How is English Language assessed?
Unit 3 SACs (25%), Unit 4 SACs (25%), End-of-year exam (50%). School-assessed marks are statistically moderated against the external exam results, then the study score is scaled by VTAC for the ATAR.