GCSC English Literature

English Literature GCSE (9-1)

GCSE English Language and GCSE English Literature are both compulsory and two separate GCSEs. Alongside GCSE Maths and GCSE Science, you must pass these GCSEs to further your education.

This is because the skills you gain in these GCSEs are considered ‘essential’. If you fail these subjects for whatever reason, you’ll have to retake them. The key difference between this and English language is that English literature is a constructive process. Studying literature develops what are called critical thinking skills.

The English language GCSE focuses more on developing students reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. By comparison, the English literature GCSE is more focused on developing knowledge and understanding of prose, poetry and drama texts.

English literature is all about analysing important texts and authors.

English literature as a subject involves thinking about literary techniques – why a writer has chosen to do something. This might be in the language they use, or the form the text takes. Similarly, in English literature, you’ll study how context influences a text.

In GCSE English Literature, you’ll study the “Big 3” forms of texts: novels, plays and poetry. You have to study at least one Shakespeare play

Students will be examined in two key components:

1. Literal and inferential comprehension:
   Pupils will be expected to read ‘beyond’ the text, and spot differences between what is stated, and what is potentially meant. They will also be required to understand what is perhaps implied by a word in the context that it is used.
2. Critical reading:
   Again, pupils need to look beyond what is written to pull deeper meaning from texts — perhaps by understanding the writer’s social/historical context to inform evaluation. Pupils will also need to support / oppose a point of view, or make an informed personal response by referring to evidence in the given text.
3. Evaluation of a writer’s choice of vocabulary:
   Pupils will need to use linguistic and literary terminology to evaluate grammatical and structural features (such as, but not restricted to, phrase, metaphor, meter, irony and persona, synecdoche and pathetic fallacy)
4. Comparing texts:
   Comparing both seen and unseen texts for theme, characterisation, context, style and literary quality.

1. Producing clear and coherent text:
   Students will be expected to tailor their writing effectively to suit different purposes or audiences. They may be required to: Describe, narrate, explain, instruct, give and respond to information, and argue.
   Beyond an imaginative and creative use of language, and the appropriate selection of vocab, grammar, form and structure, pupils also need to be mindful to maintain coherence and consistency throughout their response.
2. Writing for impact:
   Pupils will be expected to select, organise and emphasise key facts and ideas. Where appropriate, they should also cite their sources effectively in order to support their views.
   Pupils should again use imaginative, creative and persuasive language (such as rhetorical questions, antithesis and parenthesis) in order to create an emotional impact.
   20-25% of the marks in the final exam will include making comparison with unseen texts, again raising the importance for pupils to be in reading and analysing texts (is your child reading for pleasure yet?!)
   A slightly less weighty 5% of marks will be awarded for vocabulary, sentence structures, spelling and punctuation.
3. Selection of Texts
   While the exam boards, on the face of it, are providing a large selection of texts which the pupils may study, the reality of the situation is that schools make this selection for the pupils. We’ve highlighted the most popular choices in the tables below.