GCSE THE ENGLISH LITERATURE EXAMS

Dates for the examinations: Unit 1 – Mice and Men and Poetry TUESDAY 20th MAY 2014 (Morning)

Unit 2 – Prose and Drama

THURSDAY 22 MAY 2014 (Afternoon)

GCSE THE ENGLISH LITERATURE EXAMS Information on the Two Lit Exams

UNIT 1 2 hours 

Of Mice and Men and Unseen Poetry

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You should divide your time as follows: Of Mice and Men: Extract Question – 20 mins Longer Question – 40 mins

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Unseen Poetry: 10 minutes annotating and planning 50 minutes writing the response

Unit 2 2 hours 

Drama and Prose Texts

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A Christmas Carol Extract Question – 20 mins Longer Question – 40 mins

Either Blood Brothers (11wx) OR History Boys (11yz) Extract Question – 20 mins Longer Question – 40 mins

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Critical response to texts (AO1) Candidates will: display some understanding of main features; make generalised reference to relevant aspects of the text, echoing and paraphrasing; begin to select relevant detail.

D / E GRADE

Candidates will make more detailed reference to text; discuss thoroughly, and increasingly thoughtfully, characters and relationships; probe the sub-text with increasing confidence; select and evaluate relevant textual details; understand and demonstrate how writers use ideas, themes and settings to affect the reader; convey ideas clearly and appropriately. C/B GRADE

Candidates will: make increasingly assured selection and incorporation of relevant detail; are able to speculate/offer tentative judgements; are able to evaluate characters/relationships and attitudes/motives; at the highest level, consistently handle texts with confidence, have an overview and ability to move from the specific to the general: convey ideas persuasively and cogently with apt textual support. A / A* GRADE

Language, structure and form (AO2) Candidates will be able to recognise and make simple comments on particular features of style and structure.

Candidates will see how different aspects of style and structure combine to create effects; show increasingly clear appreciation of how meanings and ideas are conveyed through language, structure and form.

D / E GRADE

C/B GRADE

Candidates will show appreciation of how writers use language to achieve specific effects; make assured exploration and evaluation of the ways meaning, ideas and feeling are conveyed through language, structure and form; at the highest level, make assured analysis of stylistic features. A / A* GRADE

Social, cultural, and historical contexts (AO4) Candidates will show a limited awareness of social/cultural and historical contexts. begin to be aware how social/cultural and historical context is relevant to understanding the texts(

Candidates are able to set texts in contexts more securely; begin to see how texts have been influential. have a clear grasp of social/cultural and historical context; begin to be able to relate texts to own and others' experience.

D / E GRADE

C/B GRADE

Candidates will show a clear understanding of social/cultural and historical contexts; are able to relate texts to own and others' experience; are able to identify and comment on importance of social/cultural and historical contexts; Awareness of literary tradition shown; at the highest level, show a clear understanding of social/cultural and historical contexts; Able to relate details of text to literary background and explain how texts have been / are influential at different times. A / A* GRADE

Question Types – Typical Question Patterns Section A – Extract Questions 20 minutes = 10 marks • With close reference to the extract, show how _____ creates mood and atmosphere here • Look closely at how _____ speaks and behaves here. How does it affect your feelings towards him/ her? • Look closely at how _____ speaks and behaves here. • How does _____ suggest ______’s thoughts and feelings? • Look closely at how ____ speaks and behaves here. What impressions does an audience receive of the character? • Look at how _____ and _____ speak and behave here. What does it reveal about their relationship?

Section B – Essays (40 mins = 20 marks)    

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Character Questions Write about the relationship of _____ and ______ What do you think of _______ and how he / she is presented in the novel/play? Imagine you are _______. At the end of the novel / play, you think back over the events. Write down your thoughts and feelings. How is the character of _______ important to the novel as a whole? Show how the character of ______ changes throughout the novel /play

Themes, setting, titles and incidents    

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How does _____ present the theme of _____? Why do you think ________ called the play/novel _____? To what extent do you find ________ an effective title for the novel / play? How is _______important to the play / novel as a whole? How does the setting of ________ contribute to the themes of _______?

Poetry Questions This also tests AO3 – Making links and comparisons GRADE E / D Candidates make straightforward links and connections between texts; select some obvious features of similarity and difference.

GRADE C / B Candidates compare and make some evaluation of subject, theme, character and the impact of texts; begin to explore links and comparisons of theme and style; are able to explain the relevance and impact of connections and comparisons between texts.

GRADE A / A* Candidates make a sustained discussion of links and comparisons between texts; make apt selection of details for cross reference; at the highest level, make subtle points of comparison and probe links confidently.