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Eduqas GCSE English Literature (C720QS): complete guide to the texts, the components and the skills

A complete guide to Eduqas GCSE English Literature (specification C720QS, the WJEC Eduqas linear GCSE for England). Covers the two closed-book components, the Shakespeare play, the poetry anthology (Poetry 1789 to the present day), the post-1914 prose or drama text, the 19th century novel, unseen poetry, the four assessment objectives, and how to study each part for the top grades 7 to 9.

Browse guides →Syllabus dot points (30)

Eduqas GCSE English Literature (specification C720QS) is the WJEC Eduqas linear GCSE for England: a two-year course assessed by two closed-book written components at the end of the course. There is no coursework. The qualification is built around five text types: a Shakespeare play, a poetry anthology, a post-1914 prose or drama text, a 19th century novel, and unseen poetry. This page is the index: below is a map of the five study areas, the four assessment objectives, the component 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, examined in Component 1 Section A by an extract-based question: analyse the printed extract, then trace the same character, theme or idea across the whole play.
The poetry anthology
The Eduqas anthology of poems, Poetry 1789 to the present day, examined in Component 1 Section B by a two-part question: analyse one named printed poem, then compare it with a second anthology poem recalled from memory.
Post-1914 prose or drama
One post-1914 prose or drama text, examined in Component 2 Section A by a whole-text essay chosen from two questions, with no extract printed, so all evidence is memorised.
The 19th century novel
One novel from the set list, examined in Component 2 Section B by an extract-based question: analyse the printed extract, then link it to the whole novel.
Unseen poetry
Two poems you have never seen, printed in Component 2 Section C. You analyse the first poem, then compare the second with it. This part 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 - read, understand and respond with a critical, informed personal 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 for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate spelling and punctuation.

AO1 and AO2 carry the most marks (roughly 40 percent each); AO3 is about 15 percent and is targeted in the poetry anthology and 19th century prose questions; AO4 is about 5 percent and is marked in the Shakespeare essay and the post-1914 prose or drama essay.

Component structure

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

  • Component 1, Shakespeare and Poetry - two hours, 40%. Section A is a Shakespeare extract-based question (analyse the printed extract and the play as a whole), worth 20 marks (AO1, AO2 and AO4). Section B is a two-part anthology question: analyse one named printed poem (15 marks), then compare it with a second anthology poem from memory (25 marks), worth 40 marks together (AO1, AO2 and AO3).
  • Component 2, Post-1914 Prose/Drama, 19th Century Prose and Unseen Poetry - two hours 30 minutes, 60%. Section A is a post-1914 prose or drama essay chosen from two, with no extract, worth 40 marks (AO1, AO2 and AO4). Section B is a 19th century prose extract-based question linking the extract to the whole novel, worth 40 marks (AO1, AO2 and AO3). Section C is unseen poetry: analyse the first poem (15 marks), then compare the second with it (25 marks), worth 40 marks together (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 or audience (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 a second 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 structures. Practise the extract-to-whole-text structure for Shakespeare and the novel, the whole-text essay for the post-1914 text, and the idea-led comparison for the poetry tasks.
  5. Practise the unseen and protect AO4. Practise the unseen comparison often because it needs no memorising, and reserve proofreading time for the Shakespeare and post-1914 essays where AO4 accuracy is marked.

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, and there is a dedicated module on the transferable exam skills. Browse the full set at /gcse-eduqas/english-literature/syllabus.

For the official specification

Eduqas publishes the full specification (C720QS), set text lists, the poetry anthology, past papers and mark schemes at eduqas.co.uk. Always revise from the current specification and Eduqas'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-EDUQAS system, explained

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Common questions about English Literature

How is Eduqas GCSE English Literature (C720QS) structured?
Eduqas GCSE English Literature is a two-year linear course assessed by two closed-book written exams at the end of the course, with no coursework. Component 1, Shakespeare and Poetry, is two hours and 40 percent. Section A is a Shakespeare extract-based question; Section B examines the poetry anthology (Poetry 1789 to the present day) in a two-part question. Component 2, Post-1914 Prose/Drama, 19th Century Prose and Unseen Poetry, is two hours and 30 minutes and 60 percent, with three sections. The four assessment objectives AO1 to AO4 are tested across the qualification.
What are the two Eduqas GCSE English Literature components?
Component 1, Shakespeare and Poetry, is two hours and 40 percent. Section A is one extract-based question on your Shakespeare play (analyse the printed extract and the play as a whole); Section B is a two-part anthology question (analyse one printed anthology poem, then compare it with a second anthology poem from memory). Component 2 is two hours and 30 minutes and 60 percent, with three sections: Section A, a Post-1914 prose or drama essay chosen from two with no extract; Section B, a 19th century prose extract-based question linking the extract to the whole novel; and Section C, unseen poetry, analysing one unseen poem then comparing it with a second unseen poem.
What are the four assessment objectives?
AO1 is reading, understanding and responding to texts with a critical, informed personal response using 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 relationships between texts and the contexts in which they were written. AO4 is using a range of vocabulary and sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate spelling and punctuation. Across the qualification AO1 and AO2 are each about 40 percent, AO3 is about 15 percent, and AO4 is about 5 percent. AO3 is targeted in the poetry anthology and 19th century prose questions; AO4 is marked in the Shakespeare essay and the post-1914 prose or drama essay.
Are the Eduqas GCSE English Literature exams closed book?
Yes. Both components are closed book, so you cannot take copies of the texts into the exam. You must memorise short, flexible quotations for the Shakespeare play, the second anthology poem, the post-1914 text, and the 19th century novel. The Shakespeare and 19th century novel questions print one extract to work from, and the anthology question prints one named poem, but the rest of your evidence comes from memory. Only the unseen poems are read fresh, with nothing to memorise.
How should I revise Eduqas 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 a second anthology poem, and weave context in only where it changes the reading (AO3). Drill the extract-to-whole-text structure for Shakespeare and the 19th century novel, the whole-text essay for the post-1914 text, and the idea-led comparison for the poetry tasks. Reserve proofreading time for the Shakespeare and post-1914 essays where AO4 is marked, and practise the unseen comparison often because it needs no memorising.
How does Eduqas GCSE English Literature compare to other boards?
All GCSE English Literature specifications (Eduqas, AQA, OCR, Pearson Edexcel) cover the same regulated core: a Shakespeare play, a 19th century novel, post-1914 prose or drama, poetry and unseen poetry, assessed on the same four objectives. Eduqas's distinctive features are its anthology of poems titled Poetry 1789 to the present day; its two-part anthology question that pairs one printed poem with a second from memory; its post-1914 essay with no printed extract; and a standalone unseen poetry section comparing two unseen poems. Always revise from the current Eduqas specification and Eduqas past papers, because set texts and question wording are board-specific.