Past papers and mark schemes
Here you can find past papers for AQA GCSE English Literature. Use the links below to download question papers and mark schemes. If you’re unsure whether you need Foundation or Higher papers, consult your teacher.
June 2023
Paper 1 - Higher tier - Past paper | Mark scheme
Paper 2 - Higher tier - Past paper | Mark scheme
June 2022
Paper 1 - Higher tier - Past paper | Mark scheme
Paper 2 - Higher tier - Past paper | Mark scheme
2021
Paper 1 - Higher tier - Past paper | Mark scheme
Paper 2 - Higher tier - Past paper | Mark scheme
These resources were created to support your exam preparation. The past papers and mark schemes are the intellectual property of AQA and are copyright © AQA. All AQA material is reproduced here with their permission.
Practicing questions
This page provides tailored tips to help you approach your English literature exam questions effectively. You'll find advice on structuring your answers, identifying key themes and using evidence to support your points. These insights will help you develop the skills needed to tackle a variety of questions with clarity and confidence.
Use these tips to identify areas where you feel strong and those that may need more practice. Remember, the actual exam questions will only be revealed on the day of the exam, but the advice here will help you prepare for the types of questions you may encounter.
Top tips: Paper 1
1. Shakespeare (Section A)
Past paper trend: In Paper 1 Section A there will be one question on the Shakespeare text that you have studied.
The Shakespeare question will provide an extract from the play. You must analyse this extract in detail and link it to the play as a whole. There is only one question available for your chosen play.
The question will provide a small extract from the play and ask how a character or theme is portrayed both in the extract and in the rest of the play. To answer this effectively, plan your response by reading the extract closely and examining it in relation to the question. Annotate the extract by highlighting evidence that can be used to support your answer. As you annotate, think about how the extract connects to the wider play. Note down any relevant points alongside the extract. This will help you write an answer that covers both the extract and the broader context of the play.
Remember: This question is also marked for spelling, punctuation and grammar. There are four marks available for writing clearly and with technical accuracy. Be sure to check your answer, ensuring it makes sense and is punctuated correctly.
2. Pre-1914 novel (Section B)
Past paper trend: In Section B you will answer a question on the Pre-1914 novel (written before 1914) that you have studied.
You will also be given an extract, which may vary in length, but the approach to answering is similar to the Shakespeare question. There is only one question for this section.
Similarly to the Shakespeare question, you will be asked about a character or theme. The question will have bullet points to help guide your thinking. Make sure to read them carefully as they will support your response.
Prepare by closely annotating the extract. Look for strong evidence that you can use as quotes or references. Be ready to identify literary techniques within those quotes to help you achieve higher marks.
Top tips: Paper 2
1. Modern prose or drama (Section A)
Past paper trend: There will be two questions in Section A and you only need to choose one to answer. The question will focus on a character, theme, or the writer's methods in the novel or play you have studied. There is no extract provided for this question. To be fully prepared you need to revise themes, characters, plot events, the social and historical context and key quotes.
Where possible use precise quotations, but if you cannot recall an exact quote a close paraphrase or reference to a key moment in the text is still valid. For example, if you can’t recall a full quote you can describe it instead. If a character says, "Is this the ring you wanted me to have?", you can summarise it like this: 'The character asks if the ring she has received is the one her fiancé wanted her to have.'
2. Poetry anthology (Section B)
Past paper trend: Section B of Paper 2 will always ask a question about the poetry anthology.
Firstly, make sure to locate the correct poetry anthology and question. AQA provides three poetry clusters:
- Love and Relationships
- Power and Conflict
- Worlds and Lives (examined from 2025 onwards)
You will have studied only one of these so ensure you choose the correct question.
The question will provide one poem and you will need to compare it with another poem from your anthology based on a given theme. Since the other poems will not be included in the exam paper it's important to be familiar with their key themes and ideas. To answer effectively try to remember key quotes and references that connect to the theme, as this will strengthen your comparison.
This question will specifically ask how the poets present a particular idea. This means you need to focus on the language and structural techniques used in the poem and explain their impact on you as a reader. To score the highest marks you should aim to explain these techniques in detail.
3. Unseen poetry (Section C)
Past paper trend: Section C of Paper 2 is the unseen poetry component. This section is sometimes left unfinished because candidates do not always manage their time during the exam.
As unseen poetry is worth 32 marks, make sure you leave enough time for both questions. Consider spending around 40-45 minutes on this section, but adjust the time based on your strengths and exam strategy. Move on when you run out of the time that you have allocated for Section A and Section B. You can always go back to your other answers on Paper 2 if you have time at the end. Here are the top tips for attempting this part of the paper:
Remember that there are two questions for you to answer in Section C - you need to attempt both of them.
Reuse quotes and ideas: For the second unseen poetry question compare ideas and techniques between the two poems. You do not need to recall quotes from memory, but focus on interpreting the language, structure and themes presented.
Focus on identifying ideas and explaining methods: You must identify ideas, select evidence and explain how the poet’s language and structure create meaning and effect. You do not need to write about the social or historical context of the poem.
Support your points with evidence: Show that you understand the poem by making clear points backed up with evidence related to the question.
Name techniques that you explore: Identify techniques (such as imagery, metaphor, etc.) and explain their effect on meaning and tone. Simply naming techniques without analysis will not gain full marks.
Example question
There are two poems and two questions in Section C. The first question will have a poem that you have not studied before and then one question about how the poet has presented something within that poem. Here is an example:
Some Days
Some days, the weight of the air pushes into my chest
So that I grasp for breath in thick fog,
Unable to find oxygen in the suffocating darkness;
There has been no weather forecast to warn
Of the impending weather
But it stops me from turning.
Or moving.
Or breathing.
And it locks me in place.
Question
In 'Some Days' how does the poet present the speaker's feelings about life? (24 marks)
For this question you will be evaluated on your ability to read, understand, and respond to texts, as well as analyse the language, form, and structure a writer uses to create meaning. You should demonstrate that you can:
maintain a critical style and develop an informed personal response
use textual references, including quotations, to support and illustrate your points
Here are some tips to help you respond effectively:
Read the poem as you would a piece of prose, paying attention to punctuation. This approach will help you read it in full sentences and understand it better. Additionally, it will allow you to analyse the poet's use of punctuation, which contributes to the poem's structure. For example, note that the poet often does not use punctuation at the end of lines, particularly at the beginning. This technique, known as enjambment, may suggest that the poet is illustrating the feeling of endless anxiety, as if the ‘suffocating darkness’ has no end.
Identify techniques in key lines. You will be marked on your ability to recognise the impact of these techniques and to use subject terminology such as ‘simile,’ ‘metaphor,’ ‘imagery,’ and ‘phrase.’ If you notice a technique, try to name it, but don’t worry if you can’t.
Annotate the poem as you read. This will help you create a plan for your response. Keep in mind that you have about 30 minutes to answer the question and earn 24 marks.
Always explain the impact when you are responding. Consider using a ‘What, How, Why’ structure in your response. This is a structure that you can use for at least three good ideas, and it will help you to keep your writing concise and to the point. Here is an example:
What: What does the poet do?
The poet presents the speaker as suffering from crippling anxiety on ‘some days’ and this reflects their view of life. When the poet writes ‘I grasp for breath in thick fog,’ we get the impression that the anxiety is overwhelming and even life-threatening.
How: How is this done?
We don’t usually ‘grasp’ for breath, we ‘gasp’ for it. The use of the verb ‘grasp’ here seems quite violent, as it has connotations of struggling and forcefully trying to take hold of something. It could mean that the poet is trying everything they can to get hold of air that they can breathe. Therefore, this seems life threatening. By describing the air with the metaphor of ‘thick fog’, the speaker makes the reader feel as if they cannot see fresh air, making the reader feel that the speaker is trapped in darkness, unable to escape their suffocating thoughts.
Why: Why might the poet have done this?
The poet seems to be trying to present to the reader how difficult it can feel for the speaker when they are anxious so that we can understand the feelings of desperation.
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