AQA Paper Structure & Assessment

Understanding the structure of the AQA GCSE English Literature exam is the foundation of effective revision. This lesson explains exactly what each paper looks like, how many marks each section is worth, what the Assessment Objectives mean, and how to manage your time. If you know how the exam works before you walk in, you can focus entirely on writing the best possible answers.

Overview of the Exam

AQA GCSE English Literature (8702) is assessed by two written exams. There is no coursework and no controlled assessment — 100% of your grade comes from these papers.

Paper	Title	Duration	Marks	Weighting
Paper 1	Shakespeare and the 19th-Century Novel	1 hour 45 minutes	64 marks	40%
Paper 2	Modern Texts and Poetry	2 hours 15 minutes	96 marks	60%
Total		4 hours	160 marks	100%

Critical fact: CLOSED BOOK exam

AQA GCSE English Literature is a closed book exam. You are not allowed to take any texts into the exam room. This means:

You must memorise quotations for every text you study.
You will be given a short extract for Paper 1 questions only — but you must also write about the rest of the text from memory.
Paper 2 Section A (Modern Texts) gives you no extract at all — you must recall everything from memory.
Paper 2 Section B (Poetry Anthology) prints the named poem on the exam paper, but you must choose and write about a second poem from memory.

Exam Tip: The closed book format makes quotation learning one of the single most important revision activities. Start memorising quotations early — do not leave it until the week before the exam.

Paper 1: Shakespeare and the 19th-Century Novel

Paper 1 is 1 hour 45 minutes long and is worth 64 marks (40% of your total grade). It has two sections.

Section A: Shakespeare (30 marks + 4 SPaG marks = 34 marks total)

You answer one question on the Shakespeare play you have studied.

Feature	Detail
Question format	You are given a short extract from the play and asked a question about a theme, character, or idea
What you must do	Write about the extract in detail AND refer to the play as a whole
Marks	30 marks for the response + 4 marks for SPaG
Time allocation	Approximately 50–55 minutes (including reading and planning time)

How the Shakespeare question works

The question will look something like this:

Starting with this extract, explore how Shakespeare presents [theme/character/idea] in Macbeth.

Write about:

how Shakespeare presents [theme/character/idea] in this extract

how Shakespeare presents [theme/character/idea] in the play as a whole.

You are expected to:

Analyse the extract closely — identify language techniques, discuss word choices, comment on structure and form.
Link to the wider play — discuss how the theme or character appears in other parts of the play.
Include context — show how historical, social, or literary context illuminates the text.

Exam Tip: Aim for approximately 60% extract and 40% wider play. Do not spend the entire essay on the extract alone, but equally do not skim over it. The extract is there to give you material — use it.

SPaG marks in Section A

There are 4 marks available for Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar (SPaG) on the Shakespeare question. These are awarded for:

SPaG Level	Marks	Criteria
High	4 marks	Spelling is consistently accurate, including complex literary terminology. Punctuation and grammar are used with consistent accuracy. Meaning is always clear.
Intermediate	2–3 marks	Spelling is generally accurate. Punctuation and grammar are generally used correctly. Meaning is generally clear.
Threshold	1 mark	Spelling of simple and common words is usually accurate. Some punctuation and grammar is correct. Meaning is sometimes clear.
No marks	0 marks	Does not meet the Threshold criteria.

Exam Tip: SPaG marks are easy marks. Practise spelling character names (Macbeth, Scrooge, Jekyll), author names (Shakespeare, Dickens, Stevenson), and literary terms (metaphor, soliloquy, foreshadowing) correctly.

Section B: The 19th-Century Novel (30 marks)

You answer one question on the 19th-century novel you have studied.

Feature	Detail
Question format	You are given a short extract and asked a question about a theme, character, or idea
What you must do	Write about the extract AND refer to the novel as a whole
Marks	30 marks (no SPaG marks in this section)
Time allocation	Approximately 50 minutes

The format is very similar to the Shakespeare question, but there are no SPaG marks in Section B.

Exam Tip: The 19th-century novel question tests the same skills as the Shakespeare question — close analysis of the extract, links to the wider text, and context. Practise both in the same way.

Paper 2: Modern Texts and Poetry

Paper 2 is 2 hours 15 minutes long and is worth 96 marks (60% of your total grade). It has three sections.

Section A: Modern Texts (30 marks + 4 SPaG marks = 34 marks total)

You answer one question on the modern prose or drama text you have studied.

Feature	Detail
Question format	You are given a choice of two questions on your text — pick ONE
What you must do	Write an essay from memory (no extract is provided)
Marks	30 marks for the response + 4 marks for SPaG
Time allocation	Approximately 45 minutes

Key difference from Paper 1

There is no extract for the Modern Texts question. You must recall the text entirely from memory. This makes thorough knowledge of your modern text absolutely essential.

The question will look something like this:

How does Priestley use the character of Mr Birling to explore ideas about social responsibility in An Inspector Calls?

Or:

How does Golding present the theme of civilisation and savagery in Lord of the Flies?

You choose one of two questions. Read both carefully before deciding — choose the one where you have the strongest quotations and arguments.

Exam Tip: For modern texts, you need to know your quotations especially well because there is no extract to fall back on. Aim to learn at least 15–20 key quotations for your modern text.

Section B: Poetry Anthology (30 marks)

You answer one question comparing two poems from the AQA Poetry Anthology.

Feature	Detail
Question format	One named poem is printed on the exam paper. You choose a second poem to compare it with.
What you must do	Compare how both poems present a particular theme or idea
Marks	30 marks
Time allocation	Approximately 45 minutes

The question will look something like this:

Compare how poets present ideas about conflict in 'Exposure' and in one other poem from 'Power and Conflict'.

The named poem will be printed on the exam paper, so you can analyse it closely. However, you must recall the second poem entirely from memory — including quotations.

Choosing your comparison poem

This is one of the most important decisions you make in the exam. Choose a poem where:

You can make clear thematic links to the named poem.
You know several quotations well enough to write about them in detail.
You can discuss language, structure, and form with confidence.

Exam Tip: Before the exam, prepare a "comparison grid" — for each poem in your anthology, list 2–3 poems it pairs well with and the themes that connect them. This preparation will save you valuable thinking time in the exam.

Section C: Unseen Poetry (32 marks)

You answer two questions on poems you have never seen before.

Question	What you do	Marks	Time
Question 27 (or similar)	Analyse one unseen poem	24 marks	Approximately 25 minutes
Question 28 (or similar)	Compare the first poem with a second unseen poem	8 marks	Approximately 15 minutes

Question 1: Single poem analysis (24 marks)

You are given a poem you have never seen before and asked to analyse it. For example:

In 'The Emigree', how does the poet present feelings about a place left behind?

You should:

Read the poem twice — once for overall meaning, once for detail.
Identify the tone and theme.
Find 3–4 techniques (language, structure, form) and analyse their effects.
Write a focused, well-organised response.

Question 2: Comparison (8 marks)

You are given a second unseen poem and asked to compare it with the first. For example:

In both '[Poem 1]' and '[Poem 2]', the poets describe feelings about home. What are the similarities and/or differences between the ways the poets present those feelings?

This question is worth only 8 marks, so keep your response concise and comparative. Focus on 2–3 points of similarity or difference.

Exam Tip: Many students rush through the unseen poetry section because it comes at the end of a long paper. Budget your time carefully — 32 marks is a significant chunk of Paper 2.

Assessment Objectives

Every mark in the exam is awarded against one of four Assessment Objectives. Understanding these is crucial for knowing what the examiner is looking for.

AO1: Read, respond, and use textual references (worth approximately 12 marks per essay question)

AO1 is about:

Responding to the text — showing that you understand what it means.
Using textual references — this includes direct quotations and paraphrasing.
Maintaining a critical style — writing analytically, not just describing or retelling.

What AO1 looks like in practice:

Weak AO1	Strong AO1
"Macbeth kills Duncan."	"Shakespeare presents Macbeth's decision to murder Duncan as a violation of the natural order, reflecting Jacobean beliefs about divine right."
"The poet uses a metaphor."	"The poet's extended metaphor of the sea as a 'ravenous mouth' creates a sense of nature as an all-consuming, uncontrollable force."

AO2: Analyse language, form, structure, and writer's methods (worth approximately 12 marks per essay question)

AO2 is the most heavily weighted assessment objective. It asks you to:

Analyse language — word choices, imagery, figurative language, sound devices.
Analyse form — the type of text (sonnet, dramatic monologue, tragedy, epistolary novel, etc.) and how that shapes meaning.
Analyse structure — how the text is organised (narrative arc, stanza structure, shifts in perspective, use of flashback, beginning/ending, etc.).
Discuss the effect of the writer's methods on the reader.

Exam Tip: The key word for AO2 is EFFECT. It is not enough to identify a technique — you must explain what it does, how it makes the reader feel, and why the writer chose it.

AO3: Show understanding of contexts (worth approximately 6 marks per essay question)

AO3 is about the relationship between texts and the contexts in which they were written. This includes:

Historical context — when was the text written? What was happening in society?
Social context — what were attitudes towards class, gender, race, religion?
Literary context — what literary traditions or genres does the text belong to?
Biographical context — is the author's life relevant to the text?

The important thing about AO3 is that context should illuminate the text, not replace analysis of it. Do not write a paragraph of pure history — weave context into your analysis.

Weak AO3	Strong AO3
"In Victorian times, women were not allowed to do much."	"Brontë's portrayal of Jane's fierce independence challenges the Victorian ideal of the submissive 'Angel in the House', reflecting growing tensions around women's roles in the 1840s."

AO4: Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar (8 marks total across both papers)

AO4 is assessed on two questions only:

Paper 1, Section A (Shakespeare) — 4 marks
Paper 2, Section A (Modern Texts) — 4 marks

These 8 marks are straightforward to earn if you:

Spell character names, author names, and literary terms correctly.
Use full sentences with correct punctuation.
Write in paragraphs with a clear, coherent structure.

Timing Strategy

Time management is one of the most common reasons students underperform. Here is a recommended timing strategy for each paper.

Paper 1 Timing (1 hour 45 minutes = 105 minutes)

Section	Task	Recommended Time
Section A	Read and annotate the Shakespeare extract	5 minutes
Section A	Plan your Shakespeare essay	5 minutes
Section A	Write your Shakespeare essay	40–45 minutes
Section B	Read and annotate the 19th-Century Novel extract	5 minutes
Section B	Plan your essay	5 minutes
Section B	Write your essay	40 minutes
	Buffer / proofreading	5 minutes

Paper 2 Timing (2 hours 15 minutes = 135 minutes)

Section	Task	Recommended Time
Section A	Read both Modern Texts questions, choose one, and plan	5 minutes
Section A	Write your Modern Texts essay	40 minutes
Section B	Read the named poem, choose your comparison poem, and plan	5 minutes
Section B	Write your Poetry Anthology comparison	40 minutes
Section C, Q1	Read the first unseen poem twice, annotate, and plan	5 minutes
Section C, Q1	Write your analysis	20 minutes
Section C, Q2	Read the second unseen poem, compare with the first	15 minutes
	Buffer / proofreading	5 minutes

Exam Tip: Practise writing to time. Set a timer and write a full essay in 45 minutes. If you consistently run over, you need to practise being more concise — four excellent paragraphs are better than six mediocre ones.

Mark Allocation Summary

Here is the full breakdown of marks across both papers:

Paper	Section	Text/Task	Marks	AOs Assessed	SPaG
1A	Shakespeare	Extract + whole play	30	AO1, AO2, AO3	4
1B	19th-Century Novel	Extract + whole novel	30	AO1, AO2, AO3	0
2A	Modern Texts	Essay from memory	30	AO1, AO2, AO3	4
2B	Poetry Anthology	Compare two poems	30	AO1, AO2, AO3	0
2C	Unseen Poetry (Q1)	Analyse one poem	24	AO1, AO2	0
2C	Unseen Poetry (Q2)	Compare two poems	8	AO1, AO2	0
	TOTAL		152		8

Notice that:

AO1 and AO2 are assessed holistically in AQA's level-based mark scheme. You do not get separate marks for each — the examiner reads your response and matches it to a level descriptor that covers both knowledge and analysis together.
AO3 (context) applies to all essay questions except unseen poetry — it matters, but do not let it dominate your essay. Context should be woven in to support your analysis, not bolted on.
AO4 (SPaG) is worth 8 marks total — easy marks, but only available on the Shakespeare and Modern Texts questions.
Unseen poetry has no AO3 — you are not expected to write about context for poems you have never seen.

Summary

AQA GCSE English Literature is assessed by two written exams worth 160 marks in total.
Paper 1 covers Shakespeare (extract + essay, 34 marks with SPaG) and the 19th-Century Novel (extract + essay, 30 marks).
Paper 2 covers Modern Texts (essay from memory, 34 marks with SPaG), the Poetry Anthology (compare two poems, 30 marks), and Unseen Poetry (analyse and compare, 32 marks).
The exam is closed book — you cannot take any texts into the exam room.
The four Assessment Objectives are: AO1 (response and textual references), AO2 (language, form, structure, and writer's methods), AO3 (context), and AO4 (SPaG).
AO2 is the most important single objective — always analyse the effect of the writer's choices.
Time management is critical — plan your time for each section and stick to it.