Modern texts: Students will study one from a choice of 12 set texts, which include post-1914 prose fiction and drama. Students should study the whole text.

The idea

For AQA GCSE English Literature, students study one modern text from a set list of 12, covering post-1914 prose fiction and drama. They should also consider relevant social, historical and cultural contexts that shaped the text. Assessment is through a critical, evidence-based essay response on the whole text; Paper 2 Section A does not provide an extract. The choice of text allows for study of diverse voices and perspectives from the 20th and 21st centuries.

What earns the marks

• Shows detailed knowledge of the whole set text, including key events, characters, themes and settings, and can use precise references to support analysis.
• Analyses how the writer uses language, structure and form to create effects and convey ideas, using subject terminology accurately.
• Explores the significance of contextual factors, such as social class, gender, race, and historical events, and how they influence the text.
• Constructs a coherent and well-structured argument in response to the question, using evidence effectively and maintaining a critical stance.
• Develops an informed personal response, supported by textual evidence, and explains how different readers might respond to the text.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Relying on general knowledge of the text without close reference to specific details or quotations.

  Put it right: Revise key quotations and moments, and practise embedding them into analytical sentences.

• Writing about the wider text without a clear focus on the question.

  Put it right: Plan your response to address the specific question, using the whole text to support your argument.

• Treating context as separate from the text, such as bolting on historical facts.

  Put it right: Integrate contextual understanding into your analysis of characters, themes and the writer's choices, showing how context shapes meaning.

Exam tips

• Underline key words in the question and plan your response to ensure you address all parts, focusing on the whole text.
• Use a range of evidence, including short quotations and references to specific scenes or chapters, to support your points.
• Keep the writer's methods at the centre of your answer; analyse how meaning is created rather than just retelling the story.