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CCEA A-Level English Literature: complete guide to the AS and A2 units, the assessment objectives and how to study each

A complete guide to CCEA A-Level English Literature (specification 2016). Covers the four externally examined units (AS poetry and drama, AS prose pre-1900, A2 Shakespeare, A2 pre-1900 and unseen poetry), the five assessment objectives, open versus closed book, and how to study each unit for top grades.

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CCEA A-Level English Literature (specification first taught 2016) is a two-year course split into AS and A2, assessed entirely by external examination with no coursework, set and marked by CCEA in Northern Ireland. This page is the index: below is a map of the four units, the five assessment objectives the course tests, the open and closed book arrangements, and how to study each unit.

The CCEA English Literature units

The qualification has four externally examined units, two at AS and two at A2.

AS 1 The Study of Poetry 1900 to Present and Drama 1900 to Present
A two-hour paper in two sections: Section A is a modern drama essay (open book), Section B is a comparison of two modern poems (closed book). It counts for 60 percent of the AS and 24 percent of the full A-level.
AS 2 The Study of Prose Pre-1900
A one-hour, closed-book single essay on a pre-1900 prose work, usually a nineteenth-century novel, rewarding analysis of narrative method and context. It counts for 40 percent of the AS and 16 percent of the full A-level.
A2 1 Shakespearean Genres
A one-hour-thirty-minute, closed-book essay on one Shakespeare play studied through the lens of its genre (tragedy or comedy), testing all five assessment objectives with a strong demand for interpretation. It counts for 20 percent of the full A-level.
A2 2 The Study of Poetry Pre-1900 and Unseen Poetry
A closed-book paper with a resource booklet, in two sections: a set pre-1900 poet (with context and interpretation) and an unseen poem (close reading under time pressure).

The assessment objectives

Five objectives run across all four units and separate average answers from top grades.

  • AO1. An informed, personal response in accurate prose using literary terminology.
  • AO2. Analysis of how meaning is shaped through language, form and structure.
  • AO3. The significance and influence of context, of production and reception.
  • AO4. Connections across texts.
  • AO5. Engaging with different interpretations.

AO1 and AO2 appear in every task and carry the heaviest combined weight, so a method-led personal argument is the safest route to the top bands.

Open book and closed book

The units differ in whether the text is available.

  • Open book: Section A of AS 1 (modern drama) only. Use it for precise quotation.
  • Closed book: Section B of AS 1, AS 2, A2 1, and A2 2. These require a memorised quotation bank.
  • Resource booklet: the unseen poem in A2 2 is provided to analyse cold.

How to study CCEA English Literature

The course rewards close analysis, balanced judgement, and exam technique tuned to each format.

  1. Read as the genre demands. Read plays as performance, novels for narrative method, poems for form and effect.
  2. Build quotation banks. Memorise method-linked quotations for every closed-book unit.
  3. Lead with method (AO2). After each quotation, name the technique and explain its effect.
  4. Add context and interpretation. Weave relevant context (AO3) and weigh readings (AO5), especially for Shakespeare and pre-1900 poetry.
  5. Drill the unseen. Rehearse a reliable close-reading method under timed conditions.

The units, dot point by dot point

Each unit has a specification-level overview with worked questions and cross-links, plus dot-point pages and a quiz, alongside a set of cross-cutting literary-skills pages. Browse the full set at /ccea-a-level/english-literature/syllabus.

For the official specification

CCEA publishes the full specification, set-text lists, past papers and mark schemes at ccea.org.uk. Always revise from the current CCEA specification, the current set texts and CCEA's own past papers, because question style is board-specific.

English Literature guides

In-depth written guides with paired practice quizzes.

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English Literature practice quizzes

Multiple-choice drills with worked answer explanations. Your scores stay on this device.

The CCEA-A-LEVEL system, explained

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Common questions about English Literature

How is CCEA A-Level English Literature structured?
CCEA A-Level English Literature is a two-year course split into AS and A2, assessed entirely by external written examination with no coursework. There are four units: AS 1, the study of poetry and drama 1900 to present; AS 2, the study of prose pre-1900; A2 1, Shakespearean Genres; and A2 2, the study of poetry pre-1900 and unseen poetry. The AS counts for 40 percent of the full A-level and the A2 for 60 percent.
Is there any coursework in CCEA A-Level English Literature?
No. CCEA A-Level English Literature is assessed entirely by external examination across its four units, with no coursework or non-examination assessment component. This makes exam technique especially important, since every mark is earned under timed conditions, and it differs from some other examination boards whose English Literature A-levels include a coursework element.
What are the five assessment objectives in CCEA English Literature?
AO1 rewards an informed, personal response in accurate academic prose using literary terminology. AO2 rewards analysis of how meaning is shaped through language, form and structure. AO3 rewards the significance and influence of context. AO4 rewards connections across texts. AO5 rewards engaging with different interpretations. AO1 and AO2 appear in every unit and carry the heaviest combined weight, so a method-led personal argument is the safest route to high marks.
Which units are open book and which are closed book?
Section A of AS 1 (modern drama) is open book, so students may take a clean copy of the play in. Section B of AS 1 (modern poetry comparison) is closed book. AS 2 (prose pre-1900) is closed book. A2 1 (Shakespearean Genres) is closed book. A2 2 (pre-1900 and unseen poetry) is closed book, with a resource booklet for the unseen poem. Closed-book units require a memorised quotation bank.
What is the unseen poetry task in CCEA English Literature?
One section of A2 2 gives students a poem they have never read before, to analyse under time pressure with no prepared context. It rests almost entirely on AO1 and AO2: a personal interpretation built on close reading of form, imagery, voice and any turn. The skill is to read for the whole first, analyse method and explain its effect, build an argument from the evidence, and avoid line-by-line paraphrase.
How should I revise CCEA A-Level English Literature?
Work unit by unit and prepare for each format. Build method-linked quotation banks for the closed-book units, and use the open book in the drama section for precise quotation. Practise comparison by method for AO4, weave relevant context for AO3, and rehearse weighing interpretations for AO5, especially for Shakespeare. Drill a close-reading method for the unseen poem. Revise from the current CCEA specification, set-text lists, past papers and mark schemes, because question style is board-specific.