STUDENT GUIDE TO ENGLISH LITERATURE

PAPER 1 50% 1h 45m Macbeth + Lord of the Flies (post-1914 text)

SECTI QUESTION MAR TIMIN YOU MUST: POSSIBLE TOPICS

ON KS G
A Macbeth 20 30m Spend 5 minutes annotating extract as
extract (a) you read
question Spend 25 minutes writing

Underline key words of question

Start with a brief overview
Then comment on how the extract begins

For the rest of your answer:

Select key structure and language points
you cant write about everything
Structure key shifts in content / tone /
mood
Language comment on effects of key
words / phrases in your quotes

Keep focus on the question throughout

dont simply explain whats happening in
the extract

Do NOT make context points.

Macbeth 20 30m Spend 5 minutes underlining key words of Violence / brutality

essay (b) question and planning (e.g. by bullets or Ambition / greed
question mind map) Kingship
Spend 25 minutes writing Guilt / remorse
Friendship / rivalry

1
STUDENT GUIDE TO ENGLISH LITERATURE

Start with a brief overview Disturbed minds

Support each point you make with a brief Marriage
quote (or indirect reference if you cant Superstition
remember the quote)
Develop points and link them to the next
one
Make a couple of concise points about
context where relevant dont write about
context in a separate paragraph
Make sure as you write that each sentence
answers the question

B Lord of the 40 45m Spend 10 minutes underlining key words The importance OR
Flies in both the quote and the question significance of:
essay Spend 30 minutes writing Simon
question Spend 5 minutes checking SPaG its Roger
worth 8 / 40 marks for this question Piggy
Choose The Conch
one of the Start with a brief overview The Fire
two Support each point you make with a brief
printed quote (or indirect reference if you cant Relationships between
remember the quote) characters: e.g.
Develop points and link them to the next Jack and Ralph
one Piggy and Ralph
Link context points to your points about the
theme or character(s) given in the question Themes such as:
remember that points about context come Loyalty
after points about the text Comradeship
Make sure as you write that each sentence Society and Rules
answers the question Social class

2
STUDENT GUIDE TO ENGLISH LITERATURE

Proof-read your answer during the last 5

minutes.

Note: the timings are the ones recommended by your teachers and are slightly different from the timings on the
question paper.

PAPER 2 50% 2h 15m Jekyll and Hyde + Poetry Anthology + Poetry Unseen

SECTI QUESTIO MAR TIMIN YOU MUST: POSSIBLE TOPICS

ON N KS G
A Jekyll 20 30m Spend 5 minutes annotating extract as you
and Hyde read
extract Spend 25 minutes writing
(a)
question Underline key words of question
Start with a brief overview
Then comment on how the extract begins

For the rest of your answer:

Select key structure and language points you
cant write about everything
Structure key shifts in content / tone / mood
Language comment on effects of key words /
phrases in your quotes

Keep focus on the question throughout dont

simply explain whats happening in the extract

3
STUDENT GUIDE TO ENGLISH LITERATURE

Do NOT make context points.

Jekyll 20 30m Spend 5 minutes underlining key words of The characters:

and Hyde question and planning (e.g. by bullets or Jekyll
essay (b) mind map) Hyde
question Spend 25 minutes writing Utterson
Lanyon
Start with a brief overview
Support each point you make with a brief Relationships between
quote (or indirect reference if you cant characters
remember the quote)
Develop points and link them to the next Impressions of London
one
Make sure as you write that each sentence Themes such as:
answers the question Evil
Horror
Do NOT make context points. Friendship and the loss
of friendship
Violence
Death

B Poetry 20 35m Spend 10 minutes underlining key words in Memories

Antholog the question and annotating the printed Striking locations /
y poem - use arrows to show where you will places
comparis make links to the poem you choose Mood
on Spend 25 minutes writing

Start with a brief overview comparing the

poems in a way that address the question
Then comment on the way the printed poem
begins

4
STUDENT GUIDE TO ENGLISH LITERATURE

Either compare the two poems throughout

or analyse Poem 1 first and make linking
points as you go through key points about
Poem 2
Use compare / contrast words (similarly,
likewise, unlike, whereas, by contrast)
Keep focused on the question and dont fall
into the trap of simply explaining the poems
Use phrases such as The poem starts with,
In the second stanza and The ending of
the poem to signal your structure points
Comment briefly on the effects of key words /
phrases
Make brief context points link them to
quotes (dont write separate paragraphs)
Unseen 20 40m Spend 10 minutes underlining key words in
Poetry the question and annotating the printed
comparis poems - use arrows to show where you will
on make links between the two poems
Spend 30 minutes writing

Use the bullets to support your answer.

Start with a brief overview comparing the

poems in a way that address the question
Then comment on the way the printed poem
begins
Either compare the two poems throughout
or analyse Poem 1 first and make linking
points as you go through key points about
Poem 2

5
STUDENT GUIDE TO ENGLISH LITERATURE

Use compare / contrast words (similarly,

likewise, unlike, whereas, by contrast)
Keep focused on the question and dont fall
into the trap of simply explaining the poems
Use phrases such as The poem starts with,
In the second stanza and The ending of
the poem to signal your structure points
Comment briefly on the effects of key words /
phrases

Note: the timings are the ones recommended by your teachers and are slightly different from the ones on the
question paper.