Every AQA GCSE English Literature past paper, mark scheme, examiner report, topic breakdown, worked example, and revision plan — all on one page.
Specification · 8702
You will sit two papers, both closed-book (no copies of the texts are permitted in the exam). Paper 1 (1h 45m, 64 marks): Shakespeare + 19th-century novel. Typical set texts: Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, Much Ado About Nothing, Julius Caesar, The Merchant of Venice / A Christmas Carol, Jane Eyre, Frankenstein, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Great Expectations, The Sign of Four. Paper 2 (2h 15m, 96 marks): Modern texts (e.g. An Inspector Calls, Blood Brothers, DNA, Animal Farm, Anita and Me, Lord of the Flies) + Power & Conflict / Love & Relationships poetry anthology + Unseen poetry. There are no tiers — all candidates sit the same paper.
Paper structure
Two papers · 64 marks Paper 1, 96 marks Paper 2 · Paper 1 is 1h 45m, Paper 2 is 2h 15m · No tiers — all candidates sit the same paper · Closed-book examination (no copies of texts permitted)
Awarded by
Assessment and Qualifications Alliance. Exam code 8702. Specification page: AQA GCSE English Literature.
Past papers · AQA GCSE English Literature
Below is the official series of AQA GCSE English Literature past papers from 2018 onward. Each paper, mark scheme, and examiner report is free to download from the AQA assessment-resources hub. Open the AQA hub →
| Year | Paper | Tier | Duration | Marks | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Paper 1 | — | 1h 45m | 64 | AQA hub → |
| Paper 2 | — | 2h 15m | 96 | AQA hub → | |
| 2023 | Paper 1 | — | 1h 45m | 64 | AQA hub → |
| Paper 2 | — | 2h 15m | 96 | AQA hub → | |
| 2022 | Paper 1 | — | 1h 45m | 64 | AQA hub → |
| Paper 2 | — | 2h 15m | 96 | AQA hub → | |
| 2021 | Paper 1 | — | 1h 45m | 64 | AQA hub → |
| Paper 2 | — | 2h 15m | 96 | AQA hub → | |
| 2020 | — | — | — | — | AQA hub → |
| 2019 | Paper 1 | — | 1h 45m | 64 | AQA hub → |
| Paper 2 | — | 2h 15m | 96 | AQA hub → | |
| 2018 | Paper 1 | — | 1h 45m | 64 | AQA hub → |
| Paper 2 | — | 2h 15m | 96 | AQA hub → |
Topics · full specification
Each topic links to a deeper revision guide. The mark allocation column shows roughly how many marks per paper that topic typically attracts.
One play selected by the school. You answer one extract-based question with a wider-play discussion element (30 marks + 4 AO4 marks). Set texts include Macbeth (most popular), Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, Much Ado About Nothing, Julius Caesar, The Merchant of Venice.
One novel selected by the school. Extract + wider-novel question. Set texts include A Christmas Carol (most popular), Jane Eyre, Frankenstein, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Great Expectations, The Sign of Four.
One text selected by the school. Single essay question with a choice of two prompts. Texts include An Inspector Calls (most popular), Blood Brothers, DNA, Animal Farm, Anita and Me, Lord of the Flies, Pigeon English.
Cluster of 15 poems on a theme: either Power & Conflict (e.g. Ozymandias, My Last Duchess, Storm on the Island) or Love & Relationships. You compare two poems from your studied cluster.
A short poem you have never seen before (24 marks) and a comparison with a second unseen poem (8 marks). Tests analytical skill rather than recall.
Assessment objectives
Examiners award marks against three Assessment Objectives. Knowing the split helps you target practice — most students under-prepare for AO3.
Read, understand and respond
Use textual references, including quotations, to support and illustrate interpretations.
Analyse language, form, structure
Use relevant subject terminology where appropriate to analyse how writers create meaning.
Context
Show understanding of the relationships between texts and the contexts in which they were written.
Spelling, punctuation, grammar
Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate spelling and punctuation.
Worked examples · step by step
Each worked example shows the full mark-scheme path. Steps map to where examiners typically award method (M) and accuracy (A) marks.
Question. Extract from Act 2 Scene 2 after Macbeth has killed Duncan. He says: "Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood / Clean from my hand?" Q: Starting with this extract, write about how Shakespeare presents Macbeth's guilt in the play.
Answer A model paragraph weaving point, evidence, analysis (AO2), context (AO3), and play-wide development.
Examiner tip. For 34-mark Shakespeare questions, write 4–5 PEER paragraphs in 50 minutes. Always start at the extract and move outward to wider play. The 4 AO4 marks reward clarity and accurate spelling, so proofread the last 2 minutes.
Question. Compare how poets present the effects of conflict in Bayonet Charge by Ted Hughes and one other poem from Power & Conflict.
Answer A 4-paragraph comparative essay arguing how both poets present conflict's effect — using theme-driven (not poem-by-poem) paragraph structure.
Examiner tip. Compare WITHIN every paragraph, not poem-by-poem alternating. AQA examiners explicitly flag poem-by-poem structures as Level 3 maximum (out of 6 levels). Theme-by-theme analysis is the only route to top bands.
Examiner-report distilled
Pulled from AQA’s own examiner reports across recent series. Each one costs marks. Each one is fixable.
Mistake 1
Plot-summarising instead of analysing.
Fix. For every quotation you use, write a sentence that begins "this suggests…" or "this implies…" — analysis, not retelling.
Mistake 2
Tacking context on at the end ("…this would have shocked a Victorian audience") without explanatory depth.
Fix. Weave context into the analysis: name the historical fact + explain why it shapes the meaning + show how the writer uses or subverts it.
Mistake 3
Mis-identifying or mis-naming literary techniques (calling personification "metaphor" etc.).
Fix. Drill the top 15 techniques: metaphor, simile, personification, alliteration, assonance, sibilance, enjambment, caesura, juxtaposition, irony, oxymoron, foreshadowing, motif, symbolism, semantic field.
Mistake 4
Using one extended quote across an entire essay instead of multiple shorter quotes.
Fix. Embed 2–4 short quotations per paragraph. Long block-quotes hide what you actually want to analyse.
Mistake 5
Comparing poetry by alternating poems paragraph-by-paragraph rather than comparing within paragraphs.
Fix. Each paragraph should compare BOTH poems on a single theme or technique: "While poem A uses X, poem B uses Y, but both share the underlying Z."
Mistake 6
Spending equal time on each text in Paper 2 even though the modern text question is 30 marks and unseen poetry is 32 marks.
Fix. Time allocation: 50 min for modern text, 50 min for anthology poetry comparison, 30 min for unseen + comparison, 5 min planning each. Stick to it.
Grade boundaries · most recent series
Indicative boundaries from the most recent published series. Boundaries shift slightly year to year. Open the grade-boundary calculator →
| Grade | Marks | % of total |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | 132 | 82.5% |
| 8 | 117 | 73.1% |
| 7 | 102 | 63.8% |
| 6 | 88 | 55% |
| 5 | 74 | 46.3% |
| 4 | 60 | 37.5% |
| 3 | 41 | 25.6% |
| 1 | 8 | 5% |
Revision plan · 8 weeks to exam
A staged sequence designed by examiners, not motivational posters. Each block has a single focus and a single measurable outcome.
Weeks 8–6
Shakespeare deep dive: re-read play, build character/theme/quote bank.
Outcome. Shakespeare question confident.
Weeks 6–4
19th-century novel + Modern text — re-read, build same quote bank for both.
Outcome. Paper 1 part 2 + Paper 2 part 1 covered.
Weeks 4–2
Anthology poems: memorise context for all 15, draft comparison essays for 5 pairs. Daily unseen poetry practice.
Outcome. Anthology + Unseen ready.
Final 2 weeks
Past papers under timed conditions. Practise tight 50-min essays. Memorise final quotes.
Outcome. Exam-ready.
Last reviewed 26 May 2026.
Related · explore the spec further
AQA is the largest exam board in England, setting GCSE and A-Level exams taken by millions of students each year. Known for clear mark schemes and well-structured specifications across all major subjects.
AQA GCSE English Literature comprises two examination papers, each lasting 1 hour 45 minutes, totalling 96 marks. Paper 1 focuses on Shakespeare and Modern Prose texts, while Paper 2 covers Poetry Anthology, Unseen Poetry, and a 19th Century Novel. AQA's specification is distinctive for its rigorous contextual approach—you're expected to analyse how writers' social, historical, and cultural contexts shape their work. Their mark schemes reward precise quotation analysis and thematic exploration, with particular emphasis on your ability to construct sustained arguments. Unlike some exam boards, AQA values sophisticated language analysis alongside thematic discussion, making their papers challenging but fair.
AQA's Paper 1 demands detailed knowledge of set texts. Create revision cards for each character, theme, and key scene in your Shakespeare play and Modern Prose text. Focus on specific quotations you can embed into analytical paragraphs—AQA's mark scheme explicitly rewards textual precision, so avoid vague references. Practise writing timed responses to past paper questions.
For AQA's Poetry section, understand how their Anthology poems interconnect thematically. Rather than memorising all poems equally, identify clusters of poems sharing themes (love, loss, power, nature). This approach helps you select relevant poems quickly during exam conditions. AQA favours comparative analysis between poems, so practise linking poems with sophisticated topic sentences.
Unseen Poetry on AQA's Paper 2 frightens many students, but AQA's approach is systematic. They consistently ask you to analyse poetic techniques (metaphor, enjambment, rhythm) and explore meaning. Practise analysing unfamiliar poems regularly using AQA's command words: 'analyse', 'evaluate', 'explore'. Build confidence by working through multiple unseen extracts.
Context is integral to AQA's marking criteria. Don't simply mention historical dates—explain how specific contextual factors influenced the writer's themes. For example, discuss how the Industrial Revolution shaped 19th Century novel depictions of society. AQA rewards synoptic thinking, where you connect context, form, and meaning cohesively throughout your answers.
AQA allocates 24 marks per question across both papers. Plan your time carefully: allocate 45 minutes per question (excluding reading time). Structure responses with a brief introduction establishing your argument, three developed paragraphs with quotations and analysis, and a conclusion. AQA's mark scheme prioritises quality over quantity—concise, analytical writing scores higher than lengthy responses lacking textual support.
Pay attention to AQA's specific command words. 'Analyse' requires you to break down techniques and explore their effects; 'Evaluate' demands judgment about effectiveness or representation; 'Explore' invites investigation of multiple interpretations. AQA's questions rarely ask for simple summary. Every response must contain embedded quotations with integrated analysis—avoid separating quotations from commentary.
On Paper 2's Unseen Poetry question, AQA typically allocates 24 marks across two linked questions about a single poem. Spend 5 minutes reading and annotating the poem carefully before writing. Use AQA's consistent question types to your advantage: they often ask you to analyse specific stanzas, then explore overall meaning or writer's methods. Structure both answers with the same rigorous textual approach.
AQA GCSE English Literature comprises two papers. Paper 1 (1 hour 45 minutes, 48 marks) covers Shakespeare and Modern Prose. Paper 2 (1 hour 45 minutes, 48 marks) covers Poetry Anthology, Unseen Poetry, and 19th Century Novel. Both papers contain two questions worth 24 marks each, assessed using identical analytical criteria.
AQA's specification includes: Shakespeare (one set play from their approved list), Modern Prose (one novel), Poetry Anthology (Power and Conflict collection with 15 poems), Unseen Poetry (one unseen poem analysed in exam), and 19th Century Novel (one text from their anthology). Students must study one text from each category, allowing some choice within AQA's prescribed options.
AQA's papers are moderately challenging but fair. The difficulty lies not in obscure texts but in demanding analytical depth. AQA rewards sophisticated analysis of form, language, and structure alongside thematic discussion. Unseen Poetry intimidates many students, yet AQA's consistent question types become predictable with practice. Success requires sustained textual engagement and contextual understanding rather than exceptional literary knowledge. With structured revision targeting AQA's specific criteria, most students achieve their target grades.
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