This document provides tips and guidance for the English Literature exam, focusing on three key areas: 1. It outlines the sections and texts covered in the English Literature Paper 1 and Paper 2 exams. 2. It describes what examiners will focus on, including themes/ideas, essay skills, references, language/structure, and addressing the question. 3. It provides details on achieving the higher levels on the mark scheme, emphasizing conceptualizing the task, examining the writer's methods, considering multiple interpretations, and linking analysis back to the writer's intentions.

1. English Literature
Top Tips
May 2017

2. English Literature Paper 1
Section A: Shakespeare
Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet
and The Tempest
Section B: 19th Century novel
A Christmas Carol,
Great Expectations and
Frankenstein

3. English Literature Paper 2
Section A: Modern Text
An Inspector Calls and Lord of
the flies
Section B: Poetry
Power and Conflict and
Love and Relationships
Section C: Unseen Poetry

4. What examiners have been told to
focus on…
AO1 37.5% AO2 42.5% AO3 15%
• What the themes and ideas
mean to you as a reader.
• How you respond to the
question, looking at:
- Essay skills
- What you say and how you
say it
- References
• Textual references
- You must use quotations
from extract/poem
- You don’t have to use
quotations for whole text
reference – it is what points
you select that are important.
• Language/Form/Structure
- Anything the writer has used
to create meaning for
example: characterisation,
setting, plot development.
• Subject terminology – not
just technical terms, it is
also the language you
would use when writing an
essay: character, irony,
form, places, setting, plot.
It is how you use these
things to help write your
answer.
• If you answer the question
you are addressing context.
• Other factors to consider:
- Context text was written in
- Context of setting (time,
location, social and cultural
structures
- Genre
- Different
audiences/readers

5. Mark scheme – what does it mean?
These responses tend to:
• Focus on the fact the text is a
conscious construct
• Argument driven by a clear point
of view about the text – this must
shape your response – keep
linking back
• Use references from the text to
help develop argument
• Detailed and fine grained analysis
• Look closely at the effects of
writer’s choices and link them to
interpretations
• Explore lots of ideas in terms of
the writer’s purpose
Level 6 key words:
• Convincing
• Critical analysis
• Explores

6. Level 6 – what does it look like?
You must have a
conceptualised
approach to the
task

7. Level 6 – what does it look like?
You must
analyse and
examine the
writer’s
methods –
explaining why
they were
crafted in a
certain way

8. Mark scheme – what does it mean?
These responses tend to:
• Think about the ideas presented
in the question from different
perspectives, consider more
than one interpretation or
reading of the text
• Be more tentative to show
thoughtful consideration
• Focus in a thoughtful way on
specific writer’s methods, linked
to interpretations
• Keep focused on: themes and
ideas, writer’s purpose and
intention and context
Level 5 key words:
• Thoughtful
• Developed
• Alternative

9. Level 5 – what does it look like?
Detailed
examination of
the writer’s
methods

10. Mark scheme – what does it mean?
These responses tend to:
• Keep focused on question
• Use effective references
• Explain the effects of the writer’s
method on the text – making
sure you keep focused that it has
been consciously written
The writer creates a sense of … in
order to …
• Link effects to the writer’s
purpose
• Show your own understanding of
the themes and ideas
Level 4 key words:
• Clear understanding
• Explain

11. Level 4 – what does it look like?

13. In a nutshell, you must:
• Always refer to the writer – it shows you understand
that the text has been constructed for a particular
reason and that it isn’t real! If you don’t do this you
limit yourself to only achieving level 2/3
• Have an opinion on the task right from the start – you
must have a line of argument
• Make sure your interpretations link back to the writer’s
intention and your opinion
• Ensure you analyse – examine precise details of the
text
• Provide alternative interpretations/effects – if you don’t
do this you limit yourself to level 4
• Be tentative – it shows you are being ‘thoughtful’

14. Checklist:
1. Introduction:
• Define the idea/concept/theme
• Make your argument clear and focussed
• Link to the writer's intentions
2. Response:
• First focus - link to the argument and the writer's
intentions
• Evidence (pattern of precise quotes)
• Explain how your evidence supports your argument
• Analyse key words - link to the effect on the
reader/audience and back to the argument
• Link to the writer's intentions
• Support with further evidence from elsewhere and analyse