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AQA GCSE English Literature (8702): complete guide to the texts, the papers and the skills

A complete guide to AQA GCSE English Literature (specification 8702). Covers the two closed-book exam papers, the Shakespeare play, the 19th-century novel, modern texts, the poetry anthology, unseen poetry, the four assessment objectives, and how to study each part for the top grades 7 to 9.

Browse guides →Syllabus dot points (23)

AQA GCSE English Literature (specification 8702) is a two-year linear course assessed by two closed-book written papers at the end of Year 11. There is no coursework. The qualification is built around five text types: a Shakespeare play, a 19th-century novel, a modern prose or drama text, a cluster of anthology poems, and unseen poetry. This page is the index: below is a map of the five study areas, the four assessment objectives, the exam structure, and how to study each part.

The five study areas of English Literature

The specification groups your reading into five areas, each assessed on the four objectives. Because the exams are closed book, the real subject is transferable analysis skill, not memorised plot.

Shakespeare
One play studied in full (for example a tragedy or a history). The Paper 1 question prints an extract and asks you to analyse it and then track the same idea, character or theme across the whole play.
The 19th-century novel
One novel from the set list, also examined on Paper 1 in the extract-plus-whole-text format, with the social and historical context of the period prominent.
Modern texts
One post-1914 prose or drama text, examined on Paper 2 by an essay question with no extract, so all evidence comes from memory.
The poetry anthology
A cluster of 15 thematically linked poems (Power and conflict, or Love and relationships), examined by comparing one named poem with one of your choice.
Unseen poetry
Two poems you have never seen, printed in the exam: one analysed alone, then the two compared. This section needs no memorising and rewards pure reading skill.

The four assessment objectives

Every answer is marked against the same four objectives, so mastering them as transferable skills matters more than memorising notes on a particular text.

  • AO1 - respond with a personal, informed interpretation, using well-chosen textual references.
  • AO2 - analyse the language, form and structure a writer uses to create meanings and effects, with subject terminology.
  • AO3 - show understanding of the relationship between texts and the contexts in which they were written.
  • AO4 - use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures with accurate spelling and punctuation.

AO1 and AO2 carry the most marks overall; AO3 is heavily weighted on the modern text and anthology questions; AO4 is assessed only on the Shakespeare question.

Exam structure

English Literature is assessed by two closed-book written papers, both sat at the end of the course.

  • Paper 1, Shakespeare and the 19th-century novel - 1 hour 45 minutes, 64 marks, 40%. Section A is a Shakespeare extract-plus-whole-play question (AO1, AO2 and AO4); Section B is a 19th-century novel extract-plus-whole-text question (AO1, AO2 and AO3).
  • Paper 2, Modern texts and poetry - 2 hours 15 minutes, 96 marks, 60%. Section A is a modern text essay (AO1, AO2 and AO3); Section B compares an anthology poem with one of your choice (AO1, AO2 and AO3); Section C compares two unseen poems (AO1 and AO2).

How to study English Literature

This subject rewards transferable skill over memorised content.

  1. Master the method-to-effect move. Go from naming a technique to explaining its effect on the reader and on meaning (AO2), the foundation of every answer.
  2. Build a flexible quotation bank. Because the exams are closed book, learn short, multi-use quotations for every set text and anthology poem.
  3. Use context precisely. Weave context in only where it changes the reading of a specific moment (AO3), never as a bolted-on history paragraph.
  4. Drill the two structures. Practise the extract-to-whole-text structure for Paper 1 and the idea-led comparison structure for the poetry sections.
  5. Practise the unseen. The unseen section needs no memorising, so frequent timed practice quickly lifts the grade.

The five areas, dot point by dot point

Each area has specification-level answer pages with practice questions and cross-links, plus a deep-dive overview guide. Browse the full set at /gcse-aqa/english-literature/syllabus.

For the official specification

AQA publishes the full specification (8702), set text lists, the poetry anthology, past papers and mark schemes at aqa.org.uk. Always revise from the current specification and AQA's own past papers, because set texts and question wording are 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 GCSE-AQA system, explained

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Common questions about English Literature

How is AQA GCSE English Literature (8702) structured?
AQA GCSE English Literature is a two-year linear course assessed by two closed-book written exams at the end of Year 11, with no coursework. Paper 1, Shakespeare and the 19th-century novel, is worth 40% of the GCSE. Paper 2, Modern texts and poetry, is worth 60%. Across both papers you study a Shakespeare play, a 19th-century novel, a modern prose or drama text, a cluster of 15 anthology poems, and unseen poetry. The four assessment objectives AO1 to AO4 are tested throughout, and AO4 (vocabulary, spelling, sentence structure and punctuation) is assessed in one named question.
What are the two AQA GCSE English Literature exam papers?
Paper 1, Shakespeare and the 19th-century novel, lasts 1 hour 45 minutes and is worth 64 marks (40%). It has two sections: a Shakespeare question giving you a printed extract and asking you to write about the extract and the whole play, and a 19th-century novel question in the same extract-plus-whole-text format. Paper 2, Modern texts and poetry, lasts 2 hours 15 minutes and is worth 96 marks (60%). It has three sections: an essay on your modern text from a choice of two questions, a question comparing one named anthology poem with one of your choice, and a question comparing two unseen poems.
What are the four assessment objectives?
AO1 is responding to texts with a personal, informed interpretation, using well-chosen textual references. AO2 is analysing the language, form and structure a writer uses to create meanings and effects, with subject terminology. AO3 is showing understanding of the relationship between texts and the contexts in which they were written. AO4 is using a range of vocabulary and sentence structures with accurate spelling and punctuation. AO1 and AO2 carry the most marks across the qualification; AO3 is weighted heavily on some questions; AO4 is assessed only on the Shakespeare question.
Are the AQA GCSE English Literature exams closed book?
Yes. Both papers are closed book, so you cannot take copies of the texts into the exam. This means you must memorise short, flexible quotations for the Shakespeare play, the 19th-century novel, the modern text and every anthology poem. The Shakespeare and 19th-century novel questions print one extract from the text to work from, but the rest of your evidence must come from memory. The unseen poetry section prints the poems, so nothing needs to be memorised there.
How should I revise AQA GCSE English Literature?
Build transferable analysis skills, not just plot notes. Master the move from quotation to method to effect (AO2), learn a flexible bank of short quotations for each set text, and practise weaving context in only where it changes the reading (AO3). Drill the extract-to-whole-text structure for Paper 1, and the idea-led comparison structure for the anthology and unseen poems on Paper 2. Practise the unseen poetry section often, because it needs no memorising and rewards pure reading skill.
How does AQA GCSE English Literature compare to other boards?
All GCSE English Literature specifications (AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR, Eduqas) cover the same regulated core: a Shakespeare play, a 19th-century novel, modern prose or drama, poetry and unseen poetry, assessed on the same four objectives. AQA's distinctive features are its specific anthology clusters (Power and conflict, and Love and relationships), its set-text lists, and its closed-book extract-plus-whole-text question style on Paper 1. Always revise from the current AQA specification and AQA past papers, because set texts and question wording are board-specific.