Dates for the examinations:
Unit 1 – Mice and Men and Poetry TUESDAY 20th MAY 2014 (Morning)
Unit 2 – Prose and Drama
THURSDAY 22 MAY 2014 (Afternoon)
GCSE
THE ENGLISH LITERATURE EXAMS
Information on the Two Lit Exams
UNIT 1
2 hours

Of Mice and Men and Unseen Poetry
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You should divide your time as follows:
Of Mice and Men:
Extract Question – 20 mins
Longer Question – 40 mins

Unseen Poetry:
10 minutes annotating and planning
50 minutes writing the response
Unit 2
2 hours

Drama and Prose Texts

A Christmas Carol
Extract Question – 20 mins
Longer Question – 40 mins
Either Blood Brothers (11wx)
OR History Boys (11yz)
Extract Question – 20 mins
Longer Question – 40 mins

Critical response to texts (AO1)
Candidates will:
display some
understanding of main
features;
make generalised
reference to relevant
aspects of the text,
echoing and paraphrasing;
begin to select relevant
detail.
D / E GRADE
Candidates will
make more detailed
reference to text;
discuss thoroughly, and
increasingly thoughtfully,
characters and
relationships;
probe the sub-text with
increasing confidence;
select and evaluate
relevant textual details;
understand and
demonstrate how
writers use ideas,
themes and settings to
affect the reader;
convey ideas clearly and
appropriately.
C/B GRADE
Candidates will:
make increasingly assured
selection and incorporation of
relevant detail;
are able to speculate/offer
tentative judgements;
are able to evaluate
characters/relationships and
attitudes/motives;
at the highest level,
consistently handle texts with
confidence, have an overview
and ability to move from the
specific to the general: convey
ideas persuasively
and cogently with apt textual
support.
A / A* GRADE
Language, structure and form (AO2)
Candidates will
be able to recognise
and make simple
comments on
particular features of
style and structure.
Candidates will
see how different
aspects of style and
structure combine to
create effects;
show increasingly
clear appreciation of
how meanings and
ideas are conveyed
through language,
structure and form.
D / E GRADE
C/B GRADE
Candidates will
show appreciation of
how writers use
language to achieve
specific effects;
make assured
exploration and
evaluation of the ways
meaning, ideas and
feeling are conveyed
through language,
structure and form;
at the highest level,
make assured
analysis of stylistic
features.
A / A* GRADE
Social, cultural, and historical contexts (AO4)
Candidates will
show a limited
awareness of
social/cultural and
historical contexts.
begin to be aware how
social/cultural and
historical context is
relevant to
understanding the
texts(
Candidates
are able to set texts in
contexts more securely;
begin to see how texts
have been influential.
have a clear grasp of
social/cultural and
historical context;
begin to be able to
relate texts to own and
others' experience.
D / E GRADE
C/B GRADE
Candidates will
show a clear understanding of
social/cultural and historical
contexts; are able to relate texts
to own and others' experience;
are able to identify and
comment on importance of
social/cultural and historical
contexts; Awareness of literary
tradition shown; at the highest
level, show a clear understanding
of social/cultural and historical
contexts; Able to relate details of
text to literary background and
explain how texts have been /
are influential at different times.
A / A* GRADE
Question Types – Typical Question Patterns
Section A – Extract Questions 20 minutes = 10 marks
• With close reference to the extract, show how _____
creates mood and atmosphere here
• Look closely at how _____ speaks and behaves here. How
does it affect your feelings towards him/ her?
• Look closely at how _____ speaks and behaves here.
• How does _____ suggest ______’s thoughts and feelings?
• Look closely at how ____ speaks and behaves here. What
impressions does an audience receive of the character?
• Look at how _____ and _____ speak and behave here.
What does it reveal about their relationship?
Section B – Essays (40 mins = 20 marks)

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
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Character Questions
Write about the relationship of _____ and ______
What do you think of _______ and how he / she is
presented in the novel/play?
Imagine you are _______. At the end of the novel / play,
you think back over the events. Write down your
thoughts and feelings.
How is the character of _______ important to the novel
as a whole?
Show how the character of ______ changes throughout
the novel /play
Themes, setting, titles and incidents

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How does _____ present the theme of _____?
Why do you think ________ called the play/novel
_____?
To what extent do you find ________ an effective title
for the novel / play?
How is _______important to the play / novel as a
whole?
How does the setting of ________ contribute to the
themes of _______?
Poetry Questions
This also tests AO3 – Making links and comparisons
GRADE E / D
Candidates
make straightforward
links and connections
between texts;
select some obvious
features of similarity
and difference.
GRADE C / B
Candidates
compare and make
some evaluation of
subject, theme,
character and the
impact of texts;
begin to explore links
and comparisons of
theme and style;
are able to explain the
relevance and impact of
connections and
comparisons between
texts.
GRADE A / A*
Candidates
make a sustained
discussion of links and
comparisons between
texts;
make apt selection of
details for cross
reference;
at the highest level,
make subtle points of
comparison and probe
links confidently.