Set texts for examination in 2026 – Paper 1 - Section B: Prose - Stories of Ourselves Volume 2 — Cambridge International IGCSE English Literature
Teaching note checked against the official specification.
Test yourself on Set texts for examination in 2026 – Paper 1 - Section B: Prose - Stories of Ourselves Volume 2 with CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL IGCSE practice questions.
A week of Premium from your first lesson · Then the free plan continues · No card, no charge
Set texts for examination in 2026 – Paper 1 - Section B: Prose - Stories of Ourselves Volume 2 explained
This row names Aminatta Forna's short story 'Haywards Heath' as a set prose text for Paper 1 Section B in 2026, studied within Stories of Ourselves Volume 2.
Read the full explanation
An extended response asks you to build a sustained, evidence-based argument about the story, usually on character, relationship, setting, narrative voice or a stated theme. Read the whole story closely, tracking how the central relationship develops and how Forna uses setting, dialogue and shifts in time or perspective to shape meaning. Prepare by selecting short, precise details you can analyse rather than long paraphrase, and by practising timed paragraphs that move from a claim, through close reference, to an interpretation. Assessment rewards a personal, well-supported reading, not a retelling of plot or a list of techniques.
Your focus
- Construct a sustained, evidence-based interpretation of 'Haywards Heath' in response to a set question.
- Analyse how Forna uses language, structure and setting to shape meaning and effect.
- Select and deploy precise textual evidence to support a personal reading.
Set texts for examination in 2026 – Paper 1 - Section B: Prose - Stories of Ourselves Volume 2 exam tips
Marking Points
- Builds a clear argument that answers the exact question rather than summarising the plot of the story.
- Supports each point with close reference to specific moments, phrases or details from the text.
- Analyses how Forna's choices of voice, structure and setting create meaning and effect.
- Explores character and relationship with attention to what is shown and implied rather than stated outright.
- Connects details to the wider concerns of the story, such as memory, loss or belonging, where relevant to the question.
- Sustains a coherent line of argument across the whole response with purposeful paragraphing.
Examiner Tips
- 💡Underline the key words of the question before planning so every paragraph answers the same focus.
- 💡Plan three or four main points, each with a chosen piece of evidence, before you begin writing.
- 💡Leave time to reread your final paragraph and check it still answers the question directly.
Common Mistakes
- Retells the story from beginning to end; select only the evidence that answers the question and analyse it.
- Names a technique without explaining its effect; link each device to the meaning it creates.
- Ignores the wording of the question and writes everything known about the text; keep returning to the exact focus asked.
- Uses long quotations that are not analysed; choose short, precise quotations and unpack them.