aqa coursework english literature a level

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Why is this course right for you?

Our uniquely flexible online English Literature course means that even if you're working full-time or caring for family, you can fit learning around your busy life.

You'll broaden your literary horizons, studying a wide variety of texts within their historical and cultural contexts, including works you've chosen yourself.

You'll learn different ways of reading texts, how narratives are created, and how to apply critical ideas to poetry and prose.

Your A Level English Literature will be a stepping stone to further education, a fulfilling career - and a better future.

Course Details for A Level English Literature

Entry requirements.

You don’t need any previous qualifications to take this course, but a C in GCSE English Literature is recommended.

You must be based in the UK in order to enrol and sit your exams.

If English is your second language, we recommend you have an IELTS 5.5 or equivalent, but we’re happy to review your case on an individual basis.

Course Content

This online course will teach you the AQA English Literature A Level specification (7712).

You'll study the following texts, plus some of your own choice:

• Othello by Shakespeare
• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• Skirrid Hill by Owen Sheers
• All My Sons by Arthur Miller 
• Spies by Michael Frayn
• A View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller 
• The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

The course is split into 3 units:

• Love through the ages
• Texts in shared contexts: Modern times: literature from 1945 to the present day
• Texts across time

For full details of what you’ll learn on each unit, download our A Level English Literature course guide.

A Level Exams

Please note that you’re responsible for booking your exams, and that you must be based in the UK to sit them.

You’ll arrange to sit them at a UK school or college roughly 6 months before your chosen exam date.

There are 2 exams for the AQA English Literature A Level specification (7712):

• Paper 1: Love through the ages
• Paper 2: Texts in shared contexts: Modern times: literature from 1945 to the present day

One piece of coursework will also count towards your final grade:

• Written coursework: Texts across time

As an approved AQA centre, we'll supervise, authenticate and mark your coursework. You'll sit your exams at your chosen exam centre.

Your coursework fees of £169.75 are additional to the course cost. You'll also pay exam centre fees directly to your chosen exam centre.

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That's why every year, we help thousands of students like you get the A Levels they need to succeed.

Is this the same A Level qualification I'd get in school?

Yes, it’s exactly the same.

You’ll sit the same A Level English Literature exams at the same time as all the other students in the UK, and you’ll receive the same results, transcript and qualification.

Your A Level will be accepted by universities, colleges and employers worldwide, exactly as if you'd studied in school or college.

Your qualification is accredited by AQA, the largest A Level awarding body. They set and mark the exams for around half of all A Levels taken in the UK each year.

When can I start my course?

Right away! There’s no need to wait until September to enrol – you can begin your course at any time.

Once you enrol, you’ll be able to log in to your course and get started by the next working day.

What will I need to study this course?

You must source the set texts for this course. Many can be found cheaply second-hand, or for free online.

The recommended editions are:

• Othello, Shakespeare (Arden, Third Series) ISBN 978-1903436455
• The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald (Penguin Modern Classics, 2000), ISBN 9780141182636
• Skirrid Hill, by Owen Sheers (Seren, 2005), ISBN 978-1854114037
• All My Sons, Arthur Miller (Penguin Modern Classics, 2009) ISBN 978-0141189970
• Spies, Michael Frayn (Faber and Faber, 2011) ISBN 978-0571268856
• A View from the Bridge, Arthur Miller (Penguin Modern Classics, 2010, introduction from the author and Philip Seymour Hoffman) ISBN 978-0141189963
• The Yellow Wallpaper, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, from The Yellow Wallpaper and Selected Writings, (Virago), ISBN 978-1844085583

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How do I book my exam?

Roughly 6 months before your chosen exam date, you should book your place at an exam centre to take the AQA English Literature A Level specification (7712)   exam.

Your exam centre could be a school or college that's also submitting its own students for the exam, or it could be a private exam centre. Our partner centre,  Tutors & Exams , offers various discounts to ICS Learn students and has nine exam venues across the UK, including: Belfast, Bolton, Coventry, Doncaster, High Wycombe, Romford, St Neots, Taunton and Wimbledon.

AQA publish  a list of exam centres  that may accept private candidates. This won’t cover every available centre, so if there’s nothing shown in your area, we recommend contacting local schools and colleges directly.

Please note that you can't sit AQA A Level exams outside the UK.

Your exam fees aren’t included in the course cost as they’re paid directly to the exam centre. They’ll vary depending on which centre you choose.

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Student Course Summaries are monthly reports we create (per subject) for both students and parents who want to remain in the know with any of the following throughout their course: 

• Access History: tells you how many days within the month the student has logged in and how many days they've viewed the course. 
• Submitted Assignments/Mock Exams: documents what assignments have been submitted, as well as when it was submitted, how many times the assignment has been attempted, and what grade they received. 
• Help Requests: this will show the correspondence between the student and the tutor, any questions that have been asked and what the tutor's response was. 
• Course News Forum: this is where students and parents can find Tutor Comments and updates on things such as Live Webinar sessions, or exam booking info.

The fee for this monthly report is a one-off price, no matter how many courses a student is enrolled in, and the fee can be integrated into your flexible payment plan. Keep in mind, however, that this fee is entirely separate from the multibuy discount. 

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• A Level English Literature

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A-Level English Literature Guide

In A-Level by Think Student Editor October 21, 2022 Leave a Comment

A-Level English Literature can be a niche or popular subject – sometimes classes have less than 10 people, sometimes classes are full. Whether you’ve picked it for A-Level or are sitting on the fence, it can be one of the hardest subjects to get right. Think you need some help? This guide is here to help answer all your questions.

In this guide I’ll be discussing whether you should take A-Level English Literature, what the course involves and what the benefits are to taking it. Keep reading to find out more!

Table of Contents

Should you take A-Level English Literature?

Personally, I feel that A-Level English Literature is one of the most creative A-Level subjects. If you enjoyed English Literature GCSE, the chances are you’ll also enjoy English Literature A-Level.

I’d only recommended taking English Literature A-Level if you are strongly passionate about it. The workload can be intense, so if you don’t enjoy the subject, you probably won’t enjoy the A-Level course.

Most schools will hold events for future sixth form students to learn more about each subject. From these you find out more about the course the school offers, or you can ask your teachers.

Alternatively, exam board websites usually post their specifications. For example, you can find the OCR specification here .

If you know what you want to pursue beyond A-Levels, you should also consider whether English Literature A-Level is necessary for future careers. This Think Student article has information on the most respected A-Level subjects.

Alternatively, read this Think Student article if you want to read more about A-Level combinations favoured by universities.

However, if you really want to take English Literature, you should choose what you’re interested in — it will make A-Levels in general more enjoyable.

Ultimately, whether you take English Literature A-Level or not is up to you. If you have a passion for the subject or think it could help you in the future, you should definitely consider choosing it.

How hard is A-Level English Literature?

Any A-Level English Literature student will tell you that it’s not an easy A-Level . In fact, this Think Student article has a list of the top 10 hardest A-Levels to take.

However, you shouldn’t let difficulty put you off. If you achieved the GCSE grades required to take the A-Level, you’re good enough to take the subject.

I would say that A-Level English Literature is moderately difficult. What many students, including myself, like about English is that there is technically no “wrong” answer. However, this also means your knowledge has to be on-point .

Still, don’t let difficulty get you down. Your school wouldn’t let you take A-Level English Literature if they thought you couldn’t handle it. Difficulty is also subjective; what other students find hard, you may find easy.

However , if you are a few weeks into the course and you decide it isn’t for you, there will still be time to switch subjects . If you have any concerns, this Think Student article offers advice on how to know if a course is right for you.

Now that we’ve established whether A-Level English Literature is right for you, let’s look at what the A-Level actually involves.

What do you do in A-Level English Literature?

The A-Level English Literature course is different depending on which exam board your sixth form uses. Even so, most of the courses have similar structures or modules.

As I mentioned earlier, if you enjoyed your GCSE English course, you’ll probably like the A-Level course too. Keep reading to find out more about the general structure of A-Level English Literature.

Exam boards provide a list of “set texts”. This means that your school has to choose a text to study from that specific list.

Exactly which texts are chosen is entirely up to your school. Meaning that you might study a different text to someone doing the same course.

What kind of work does A-Level English Literature involve?

The literature you study will cover poetry, prose and drama, and each exam board requires an NEA (non-exam assessment) project as part of the A-Level . Across the course, you’ll be analysing texts in response to questions on specific themes, ideas, characters or events.

The kinds of questions you get can vary . Sometimes, they’ll be a statement which you’ll be asked to agree or disagree with.

As well as this, you’ll be asked open-ended questions like discussing the presentation of a particular feature. This is one of the best things about A-Level English Literature: your opinion matters!

You’ll also have a lot of new and more complex terminology to learn, to help you analyse texts. This can definitely seem daunting when you first start. Although, if English is your favourite subject, then like me, you’ll learn to love it pretty quickly!

Does A-Level English Literature involve a lot of work?

I don’t think I need to tell you that A-Level English Literature is a very essay-based subject. However, this also means that you will have lots of writing to do and you will probably get set essays regularly . Your teachers may even set you an essay every week or two.

Due to this, for English literature, the jump from GCSE to A-Level is pretty noticeable. Especially as you will generally have quite a lot of work to do. If you’re worried that you aren’t prepared enough for it, this Think Student article has tips you’ll find useful.

Like I said earlier, exactly what you do, including how much work, depends on which exam board your school has chosen. Read further to find out more about the different exam boards, and what they offer as part of A-Level English Literature.

What are the exam boards for A-Level English Literature?

All 4 English exam boards – AQA, OCR, Edexcel and Eduqas – offer A-Level English Literature as a subject. Earlier in the guide , I mentioned that each exam board offers different texts and modules.

While your specific texts will depend on your sixth form, the modules are the same for everyone under the exam board. Continue reading for more information.

What is AQA A-Level English Literature like?

AQA, unlike the other exam boards, actually offers 2 different specifications: A and B .

In specification A, there are 3 compulsory modules. These are “Love through the ages”, “Texts in shared contexts”, and “Independent critical study: Texts across time”.

In specification B, there are also 3 compulsory modules. These are “Literary genres”, “Texts and genres”, and “Theory and independence”.

The texts that are part of specification A include one Shakespeare play, one pre-1900 poetry anthology and one pre-1900 prose text in one module. As well as 3 texts (one prose, one poetry and one drama) with at least one text written post-2000 in another module.

The texts that are part of specification B include one Shakespeare play and two pre-1900 texts in one module. As well as one post-2000 prose, one poetry, and one pre-1900 text in another module. As you can see, both specifications feature similar content but divide them differently .

However, this guide can only offer you a brief overview of the A-Level course. You can find the specifications for AQA A-Level English Literature here (specification A) and here (specification B).

What is OCR A-Level English Literature like?

The OCR A-Level English Literature specification is divided into 3 sections. These are “Drama and poetry pre-1900”, “Comparative and contextual study”, and “Literature post-1900”.

The latter section is a coursework module. Some exam boards require coursework as part of A-Level English Literature, but some don’t.

In the first section, you’ll study one Shakespeare play, one pre-1900 drama and one pre-1900 poetry text. In the second section, you’ll choose one theme (from a list provided by the exam board) and two texts, with at least one text from the list provided by OCR.

The third section is a coursework module, which means you don’t sit an exam for it. Instead , you produce an essay over the course which determines a percentage of your final grade . You can find the full OCR A-Level English Literature specification here .

What is Edexcel A-Level English Literature like?

Pearson Edexcel offers 4 components as part of A-Level English Literature. These are “Drama”, “Prose”, “Poetry”, and a coursework module.

As with the components and modules of other exam boards, each module has its own exam (except for coursework). For Edexcel, the “Drama” and “Poetry” exams are 2 hours 15 minutes, and the “Prose” exam is 1 hour 15 minutes .

In “Drama”, students study one Shakespeare play and critical essays related to the play, and one other drama. In “Prose”, students study two prose texts with one text written pre-1900.

In “Poetry”, students study an anthology and a range of poetry from either a specific poet or specific period. The Pearson Edexcel specification is linked here .

What is Eduqas A-Level English Literature like?

The Eduqas English Literature A-Level specification also has 4 components. These are “Poetry”, “Drama”, “Unseen Texts”, and “Prose Study”.

The “Prose Study” component is a coursework module. All 3 Eduqas A-Level English Literature exams are 2 hours long.

In total, you’ll study two selections of poetry (pre-1900 and post-1900), a Shakespeare play, two non-Shakespeare plays (pre-1900 and post-1900), and two prose texts.

Unlike the other exam boards, Eduqas dedicates a whole module to unseen texts , so you can’t directly revise for that. If you want to read the complete specification, you can do so here .

How to do well in A-Level English Literature

Every student knows there’s no set way to do well. There are way too many changing factors to offer you a fool-proof guide to success!

However , there are definitely techniques and processes to help you secure those top grades . Continue reading for my personal advice on how to succeed in A-Level English Literature.

The best advice I received while studying A-Level English Literature is to include your work in your everyday life. This could be as simple as telling your friend about a character you liked. Alternatively, you could use a key quote in a conversation.

These things both count as revision, because it helps you remember important information. For more revision techniques, see this Think Student article.

in A-Level English Literature is to take advantage of peer review . You’ll definitely make mistakes in your work, no one is perfect!

Asking a partner, friend, or family member to read your essay is a great way to pick up on things you miss. This Think Student article has some useful advice for English literature essay writing!

How to write an English literature essay for A-Level?

Sometimes, the exam system can make it feel like you don’t have much self-expression. I know I’ve certainly felt that way.

One of the great things about essays, and English literature, is that you get to voice your own opinion in your own way . I’ll take you through some general tips on what makes a good essay.

The most important thing is to perfect your spelling and grammar as much as possible. One thing I was always told in school was that if your essay is coherent, you’re halfway to a good essay. Obviously, this is harder if English isn’t your first language, but practice makes perfect!

On top of spelling and grammar, you should make your argument as clear as possible. Teachers will often refer to this as “signposting”.

It lets examiners know exactly what you’re going to talk about. It’s also useful if you run out of time, as examiners can see what you were planning to talk about; it shows you had good ideas, you were just limited by time. For tips on how to structure an English essay, check out this Think Student article.

A third, more obvious tip is to keep your assessment objects in mind as much as possible . In your essays, it’s good to mentally check off what criteria you’ve followed. This way you can keep track of the marks you’ve achieved, and the ones you still need.

What can you do with an English literature A-Level?

Being a student who took A-Level English Literature myself, one of my biggest concerns was the pathways available to me afterwards .

English is often talked about as a subject with limited options – but don’t worry! A-Level English Literature is useful for degrees in fields like English, History, Law, Politics, Philosophy and more.

It might surprise you, but English is a subject that a lot of universities and employers like . You don’t have to want to be a writer to find English A-Level useful.

The writing skills you gain are desirable to universities and employers in a range of fields . However, if you’re still uncertain, I’d recommend researching what A-Levels you need to pursue your future degree/job.

For example, if you want to be a vet , midwife , counsellor , nurse , social worker , police officer , pilot or account , you can click on their respective links to see what A-Levels you will need.

Don’t let how useful A-Level English Literature is stop you from taking it if you really want to! The most important thing about A-Levels is that you choose the subjects you like.

From personal experience, I can tell you that if you don’t care about the subject, you won’t enjoy the A-Level. If you think A-Level English Literature is right for you, choose it!

AQA A-Level English Literature Past Papers

This section includes recent AQA A-Level and AS English Literature A (7712 & 7711) and A-Level and AS English Literature B (7717 & 7716) past papers. If you are not sure which syllabus A (7711 & 7712) or B (7716 & 7717) you are studying ask your teacher. You can download each of the AQA A-Level English Literature past papers and marking schemes by clicking the links below.

June 2022 AQA A-Level English Literature A (7712) Past Papers

June 2022 7712/1 A- Level Paper 1: Love Through the Ages Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

June 2022 7712/2A A- Level Paper 2A: Texts in shared contexts: WW1 and its aftermath Download Insert    -    Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

June 2022 7712/2B A- Level Paper 2B: Texts in shared contexts: Modern Times: Literature from 1945 to the present day Download Insert    -    Download Past Paper    -   Download Mark Scheme

June 2022 AQA A-Level English Literature B (7717) Past Papers

June 2022 7717/1A A-Level Paper 1A: Literary Genres: Drama: Aspects of Tragedy Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

June 2022 7717/1B A-Level Paper 1B: Literary Genres: Drama: Aspects of Comedy Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

June 2022 7717/2A A-Level Paper 2A: Texts and Genres: Elements of Crime Writing Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

June 2022 7717/2B A-Level Paper 2B: Texts and Genres: Elements of Political and Social Protest Writing Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

November 2021 AQA A-Level English Literature A (7712) Past Papers (Labelled as June 2021)

November 2021 7712/1 A- Level Paper 1: Love Through the Ages Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

November 2021 7712/2A A- Level Paper 2A: Texts in shared contexts: WW1 and its aftermath Download Insert    -    Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

November 2021 7712/2B A- Level Paper 2B: Texts in shared contexts: Modern Times: Literature from 1945 to the present day Download Insert    -    Download Past Paper    -   Download Mark Scheme

November 2021 AQA A-Level English Literature B (7717) Past Papers  (Labelled as June 2021)

November 2021 7717/1A A-Level Paper 1A: Literary Genres: Drama: Aspects of Tragedy Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

November 2021 7717/1B A-Level Paper 1B: Literary Genres: Drama: Aspects of Comedy Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

November 2021 7717/2A A-Level Paper 2A: Texts and Genres: Elements of Crime Writing Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

November 2021 7717/2B A-Level Paper 2B: Texts and Genres: Elements of Political and Social Protest Writing Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

November 2020 AQA A-Level English Literature A (7712) Past Papers (Labelled as June 2020)

November 2020 7712/1 A- Level Paper 1: Love Through the Ages Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

November 2020 7712/2A A- Level Paper 2A: Texts in shared contexts: WW1 and its aftermath Download Insert    -    Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

November 2020 7712/2B A- Level Paper 2B: Texts in shared contexts: Modern Times: Literature from 1945 to the present day Download Insert    -    Download Past Paper    -   Download Mark Scheme

November 2020 AQA AS-Level English Literature A (7711) Past Papers  (Labelled as June 2020)

November 2020 7711/1 AS Paper 1: Love Through the Ages: Shakespeare and Poetry Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

November 2020 7711/2 AS Paper 2: Love Through the Ages: Prose Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

November 2020 AQA A-Level English Literature B (7717) Past Papers  (Labelled as June 2020)

November 2020 7717/1A A-Level Paper 1A: Literary Genres: Drama: Aspects of Tragedy Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

November 2020 7717/1B A-Level Paper 1B: Literary Genres: Drama: Aspects of Comedy Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

November 2020 7717/2A A-Level Paper 2A: Texts and Genres: Elements of Crime Writing Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

November 2020 7717/2B A-Level Paper 2B: Texts and Genres: Elements of Political and Social Protest Writing Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

November 2020 AQA AS-Level English Literature B (7716) Past Papers  (Labelled as June 2020)

November 2020 7716/1A AS Paper 1A: Literary Genres: Drama: Aspects of Tragedy Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

November 2020 7716/1B AS Paper 1B: Literary Genres: Drama: Aspects of Comedy Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

June 2019 AQA A-Level English Literature A (7712) Past Papers

June 2019 7712/1 A- Level Paper 1: Love Through the Ages Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

June 2019 7712/2A A- Level Paper 2A: Texts in shared contexts: WW1 and its aftermath Download Insert    -    Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

June 2019 7712/2B A- Level Paper 2B: Texts in shared contexts: Modern Times: Literature from 1945 to the present day Download Insert    -    Download Past Paper    -   Download Mark Scheme

June 2019 AQA AS-Level English Literature A (7711) Past Papers

June 2019 7711/1 AS Paper 1: Love Through the Ages: Shakespeare and Poetry Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

June 2019 7711/2 AS Paper 2: Love Through the Ages: Prose Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

June 2019 AQA A-Level English Literature B (7717) Past Papers

June 2019 7717/1A A-Level Paper 1A: Literary Genres: Drama: Aspects of Tragedy Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

June 2019 7717/1B A-Level Paper 1B: Literary Genres: Drama: Aspects of Comedy Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

June 2019 7717/2A A-Level Paper 2A: Texts and Genres: Elements of Crime Writing Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

June 2019 7717/2B A-Level Paper 2B: Texts and Genres: Elements of Political and Social Protest Writing Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

June 2019 AQA AS-Level English Literature B (7716) Past Papers

June 2019 7716/1A AS Paper 1A: Literary Genres: Drama: Aspects of Tragedy Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

June 2019 7716/1B AS Paper 1B: Literary Genres: Drama: Aspects of Comedy Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

June 2019 7716/2A AS Paper 2A: Literary Genres: Prose and Poetry: Aspects of Tragedy Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

June 2019 7716/2B AS Paper 2B: Literary Genres: Prose and Poetry: Aspects of Comedy Download Past Paper    -    Download Mark Scheme

June 2018 AQA A-Level English Literature A (7712) Past Papers

June 2018 7712/1 A- Level Paper 1: Love Through the Ages Download Past Paper  -  Download Mark Scheme

June 2018 7712/2A A- Level Paper 2A: Texts in shared contexts: WW1 and its aftermath Download Insert -  Download Past Paper  -  Download Mark Scheme

June 2018 7712/2B A- Level Paper 2B: Texts in shared contexts: Modern Times: Literature from 1945 to the present day Download Insert -  Download Past Paper  -  Download Mark Scheme

June 2018 AQA AS-Level English Literature A (7711) Past Papers

June 2018 7711/1 AS Paper 1: Love Through the Ages: Shakespeare and Poetry Download Past Paper  -  Download Mark Scheme

June 2018 7711/2 AS Paper 2: Love Through the Ages: Prose Download Past Paper  -  Download Mark Scheme

June 2018 AQA A-Level English Literature B (7717) Past Papers

June 2018 7717/1A A-Level Paper 1A: Literary Genres: Drama: Aspects of Tragedy Download Past Paper  -  Download Mark Scheme

June 2018 7717/1B A-Level Paper 1B: Literary Genres: Drama: Aspects of Comedy Download Past Paper  -  Download Mark Scheme

June 2018 7717/2A A-Level Paper 2A: Texts and Genres: Elements of Crime Writing Download Past Paper  -  Download Mark Scheme

June 2018 7717/2B A-Level Paper 2B: Texts and Genres: Elements of Political and Social Protest Writing Download Past Paper  -  Download Mark Scheme

June 2018 AQA AS-Level English Literature B (7716) Past Papers

June 2018 7716/1A AS Paper 1A: Literary Genres: Drama: Aspects of Tragedy Download Past Paper  -  Download Mark Scheme

June 2018 7716/1B AS Paper 1B: Literary Genres: Drama: Aspects of Comedy   Download Past Paper  -  Download Mark Scheme

June 2018 7716/2A AS Paper 2A: Literary Genres: Prose and Poetry: Aspects of Tragedy Download Past Paper  -  Download Mark Scheme

June 2018 7716/2B AS Paper 2B: Literary Genres: Prose and Poetry: Aspects of Comedy Download Past Paper  -  Download Mark Scheme

AQA A-Level English Literature Past Papers June 2017

Specification A (7711 & 7712)

7711/1 AS Paper 1: Love Through the Ages: Shakespeare and Poetry - Download Past Paper  -  Download Mark Scheme

7711/2 AS Paper 2: Love Through the Ages: Prose - Download Past Paper  -  Download Mark Scheme

7712/1 A- Level Paper 1: Love Through the Ages - Download Past Paper   -  Download Mark Scheme

7712/2A A- Level Paper 2A: Texts in shared contexts: WW1 and its aftermath Download Insert -  Download Past Paper  -  Download Mark Scheme

7712/2B A- Level Paper 2B: Texts in shared contexts: Modern Times: Literature from 1945 to the present day Download Insert -  Download Past Paper  -  Download Mark Scheme

Specification B (7716 & 7717)

7716/1A AS Paper 1A: Literary Genres: Drama: Aspects of Tragedy -  Download Past Paper  -  Download Mark Scheme

7716/1B AS Paper 1B: Literary Genres: Drama: Aspects of Comedy -  Download Past Paper  -  Download Mark Scheme

7716/2A AS Paper 2A: Literary Genres: Prose and Poetry: Aspects of Tragedy -  Download Past Paper  -  Download Mark Scheme

7716/2B AS Paper 2B: Literary Genres: Prose and Poetry: Aspects of Comedy -  Download Past Paper  -  Download Mark Scheme

7717/1A A-Level Paper 1A: Literary Genres: Drama: Aspects of Tragedy -  Download Past Paper  -  Download Mark Scheme

7717/1B A-Level Paper 1B: Literary Genres: Drama: Aspects of Comedy -  Download Past Paper  -  Download Mark Scheme

7717/2A A-Level Paper 2A: Texts and Genres: Elements of Crime Writing -  Download Past Paper  -  Download Mark Scheme

7717/2B A-Level Paper 2B: Texts and Genres: Elements of Political and Social Protest Writing Download Past Paper  -  Download Mark Scheme

AQA A-Level English Literature A (7712) Specimen Papers

7712/1 A- Level Paper 1: Love Through the Ages Download Past Paper  -  Download Mark Scheme

7712/2A A- Level Paper 2A: Texts in shared contexts: WW1 and its aftermath Download Past Paper  -  Download Mark Scheme

7712/2B A- Level Paper 2B: Texts in shared contexts: Modern Times: Literature from 1945 to the present day Download Past Paper  -  Download Mark Scheme

AQA A-Level English Literature B (7717) Specimen Papers

7717/1A A-Level Paper 1A: Literary Genres: Drama: Aspects of Tragedy Download Past Paper  -  Download Mark Scheme

7717/1B A-Level Paper 1B: Literary Genres: Drama: Aspects of Comedy Download Past Paper  -  Download Mark Scheme

7717/2A A-Level Paper 2A: Texts and Genres: Elements of Crime Writing Download Past Paper  -  Download Mark Scheme

A-Level AQA English Language and Literature past papers (7706 and 7707) can be found on the English Language section

For more A-Level English Literature past papers from other exam boards  click here .

International AS and A-level English Literature (9675)

Support your students to approach the reading and study of literature through the lens of genre and theory.

This International AS and A-level English Literature specification encourages the independent study of a range of texts within a shared context, giving logic and meaning to the way that texts are grouped for study.

The text lists have been designed to ensure teachers and students have the right balance of traditional and contemporary prose and poetry. The non-exam assessment (NEA)  component provides opportunities for teachers to tailor the course to their students’ strengths and interests.

• Offering clear progression from International GCSE, this specification allows students to build on the skills and knowledge already gained and prepares them for their next steps.
• The variety of assessment styles used, such as passage-based questions, unseen material, open and closed book approaches, develop a wide range of skills. See more on our approach to Fair Assessment .
• Skills include the ability to read critically, analyse, evaluate and undertake independent research. These skills are all valuable for further study and future employment.

International AS and A-level English Literature contains four units.

• Unit 1, Section A: Elizabethan and Jacobean tragedy
• Unit 1, Section B: Later dramatic tragedies
• Unit 2, Section A: Prose
• Unit 2, Section B: Poetry
• Unit 3,  Selection
• Unit 4,  Unseen Texts or NEA

Assessment Objectives:

The exams and non-exam assessment (NEA) which make up OxfordAQA International AS/A-level English Literature measure how students have achieved the following assessment objectives:

• AO1: Demonstrate understanding of the ways in which readers find meanings in texts, showing an understanding of genre, the significance of contexts, and the ways in which different interpretations can be found.
• AO2: Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts with close attention to authorial methods.
• AO3: Express informed, personal and argued responses to literary texts, using appropriate concepts and terminology, and coherent, accurate writing.

Please note that all three assessment objectives are weighted equally in all questions across both International AS and International A-level. We believe that this coherent approach to the study of the subject means that AOs support learning rather than dominate it.

Syllabus summary and text lists

OOxfordAQA International AS/A-level English Literature covers the following topics:

Unit 1, Section A: Elizabethan and Jacobean tragedy – select one from:

• William Shakespeare – Othello
• William Shakespeare – King Lear
• William Shakespeare – Hamlet
• Christopher Marlowe – Doctor Faustus
• John Webster – The Duchess of Malfi

Unit 1, Section B: Later dramatic tragedies – select one from:

• Arthur Miller – Death of a Salesman
• Tennessee Williams – A Streetcar Named Desire
• Henrik Ibsen – Hedda Gabler
• Samuel Beckett – Waiting for Godot
• Brian Friel – Translations

Unit 2, Section A: Prose – select one from:

• Joseph Conrad – Heart of Darkness
• F. Scott Fitzgerald – The Great Gatsby
• Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie – Americanah
• Andrea Levy – Small Island
• Aravind Adiga – Last Man in Tower
• Kazuo Ishiguro – Remains of the Day

Unit 2, Section B: Poetry – select one from:

• William Wordsworth selection
• Robert Frost selection
• Thomas Hardy selection
• Seamus Heaney selection

Unit 3 – Select two from:

• William Shakespeare – Macbeth
• Samuel Taylor Coleridge – The Rime of Ancient Mariner
• Robert Browning – Selected Poems
• Charles Dickens – Oliver Twist
• Edgar Allan Poe – Collected Stories
• Robert Louis Stevenson – Collected Stories
• Agatha Christie – The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
• Qiu Xiaolong – Death of a Red Heroine
• Kate Atkinson – When Will There Be Good News?

Assessment – Unit 4 – select either:

• 4a – An exam paper containing two questions on unseen texts, one prose and one poetry.
• 4b – Non-exam assessment consisting of two essays, one on prose and one on poetry.

Teaching resources available

OxfordAQA provides all the resources and advice you need to teach the International AS and A-level English Literature specification effectively.

• Download the specification
• View our training courses to help you deliver OxfordAQA International AS and A-level English Literature
• Approved textbooks and resources  published by Oxford University Press

We have too many International AS and A-level English Literature resources to list here, so please visit our resources for teachers area  to see them all, including:

• Schemes of work to allow you to plan how to deliver the specification in a way that will best suit you and your students
• Teaching guidance to outline clearly the scope of teaching and learning
• Topic tests and mock exam analysers to allow you to track your students’ progress throughout the teaching year

This is a modular qualification, with four papers over the AS and A-level teaching period and two routes through the course.

AS Paper 1 – Aspects of Dramatic Tragedy:

• Section A – Elizabethan and Jacobean Tragedy
• Section B – Later Dramatic Tragedies
• Students answer one question from each section
• Closed-book exam
• 50% of AS-level, 20% of A-level

AS Paper 2 – Place in Literary Texts:

• Section A – Prose
• Section B – Poetry
• Open-book exam

A-level Paper 1 – Elements of Crime and Mystery:

• Students answer two essay questions
• 30% of A-level

A-level Paper 2 – Literary Representations:

• Section A – Unseen Prose
• Section B – Unseen Poetry
• 2 hours 30 minutes

Non-Exam Assessment (NEA):

• Students study two texts, one poetry and one prose, and write two essays of 1,250-1,500 words.
• Assessed by teachers, moderated by AQA
• Candidates may re-sit a unit any number of times.
• The best result for each unit will count towards the final qualification.
• Candidates who wish to repeat a qualification may do so by re-sitting one or more units.

Anthologies for exam use 

Anthologies required for exams will be provided as an insert with the question papers. Registered OxfordAQA teachers can download the International AS/A-level English Literature anthology from the Resources page.

Thinking about switching to OxfordAQA?

Take a look at:

• Example specimen exam paper and mark scheme
• Our taster webinars
• Samples from the poetry anthology 

You must be an approved OxfordAQA centre to enter students for our exams. Make sure you  become an OxfordAQA centre before you start teaching a course.

Questions about this qualification?

Let us know your information below, and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.

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Course specification

Statement regarding International GCSE English as a Second Language Speaking assessment

Statement regarding International GCSE English as a Second Language Speaking assessment.

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NEA Coursework Poetry Recommendations - A Level English Lit B

Subject: English

Age range: 16+

Resource type: Worksheet/Activity

Last updated

17 July 2023

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I have researched a range of poets and collections of poetry for the NEA Coureswork for AQA A Level English Literature B - focusing on the critical perspectives of Feminism, Postcolonialism, Ecocriticism and Marxism. From this, I have collated a list of poets, collections, a brief overview and key themes. I have included about 30 poets in total, which should be plenty to get any A Level Literature class started on their coursework with some guided choices. This is a pdf file and 6 pages in total.

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