Literary Analysis Skills overview quiz - WJEC A-Level English Literature quiz

AO1, an informed and well-written response

AO2, the analysis of literary method

AO3, the significance and influence of contexts

AO4, exploring connections across texts

Naming as many techniques as possible in each paragraph

Quoting long passages without commenting on them

Moving from a named feature to its effect on meaning

Summarising the plot of the text in order

Because each form makes meaning through different methods

Because only poetry has any methods worth analysing

Because the mark scheme bans analysing prose method

Because the methods are identical and never change

The largest possible quantity of historical facts

A detachable paragraph of period background

The significance and influence of context on meaning

Ignoring context entirely in every answer

Whether it fills at least one full paragraph

Whether it could be lifted out without weakening the reading

Whether it names the exact year of every event

Whether it appears before the analysis begins

AO5, exploring texts through different interpretations

AO2, the analysis of literary method

AO1, an informed and well-written response

AO4, exploring connections across literary texts

Organising the essay around comparative points

Proving each comparative point from both texts

Using explicit connectives to link the texts

Writing everything about text A, then everything about text B

Because subject is banned by the WJEC mark scheme

Because method comparison needs no evidence at all

Because it shows how each text works and where they differ

Because comparing subject takes far longer to write

Exploring texts informed by different interpretations

Spelling, punctuation and grammar accuracy

A neutral summary of the text with no argument

The number of quotations packed into the essay

In the AS poetry single-poem analysis

In the unseen poetry comparison

In the A2 Shakespeare whole-play essay

In the AS prose extract question

Setting two different readings against each other to weigh them

Treating a quoted critical view as contested

Dropping a critic's name and gloss that do no work

Grounding each reading in method and detail

Because it is the only objective that ever matters

Because the other objectives are visible only through your writing

Because it replaces the need for any analysis

Because it is assessed only in the coursework unit

By writing the same generic essay regardless of the wording

By identifying which assessment objectives it rewards

By ignoring the command words entirely

By counting how many marks each line is worth only

Response, method, context, connection, interpretation

Spelling, grammar, length, neatness, speed

Plot, character, setting, theme, ending

Reading, writing, speaking, listening, viewing