A revision guide to The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde for GCSE and A-Level English Literature — including which exam boards study it and how to revise effectively.
The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde is a drama text on the UK English Literature specifications. Use the section below to find your specific exam board and level, then work through the revision focus and exam-technique guidance further down the page.
For drama questions, examiners reward analytical depth over plot summary. Focus your revision on:
Refer to the work as a "play" not a "book", and consider the audience's perspective at each moment. Quotations from stage directions earn just as much credit as dialogue.
The most efficient approach is to alternate between two activities. First, build deep familiarity with themes and characters through active recall — close the book, write down everything you remember about a theme, then check what you missed. Second, practise essay structure by drafting paragraph plans for past-paper questions. Five focused plans will teach you more than one polished essay.
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The Importance of Being Earnest is studied on: Edexcel (A-Level). Check your exam board's specification document for the current academic year — set texts can change between series.
Aim for 8–12 short, flexible quotations per character or major theme — enough to support a range of essay questions without overwhelming your recall. Short quotes (3–6 words) embedded mid-sentence earn more credit than long block quotes.
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