Year 11 English / English Literature GCSE Course
English Language –
The Writer’s Voice
English Literature –
Understanding Prose
English Literature –
Understanding Poetry
Exam Question / Topic
1 hour 45 minutes
Section A 1 hour 10 minutes
Section B 35 minutes
Exam Question / Topic
1 hour 45 minutes
55 minutes section A
50 minutes section B
Exam Question / Topic
1 hour 45 minutes
Section A 45 minutes
Section B 1 hour
A)Balzac and the Little Chinese
Seamstress
A)Animal Farm
A) Response to an unseen poem
Two questions on an extract; one further
question where you select an extract to
analyse.
One essay on a poem you have not studied
focussing on thoughts and feelings – you must
link analysis to poem’s main message.
Focus: AO1, AO2 (3 marks for spag)
(Don’t refer to context)
Focus: A02
B) Balzac and the Little Chinese
Seamstress
B) Poetry Anthology
Analysing an extract and then finding your
own extract on a similar theme - focus on
the writer’s language choices
Focus: AO3
B) Writing for a specific audience and
purpose; expressing an opinion on a
given topic
(accuracy of written expression; language
choices, compelling structure, Spag)
Focus: AO4
One essay question from a choice of two.
Focussed on themes and characters, must be
linked to context.
Focus: AO1, A04 (7 marks for spag)
A single question comparing a named poem
with another freely chosen poem from the
studied collection
You must compare the poems.
Focus: AO2, AO3
English Literature:
AO1
AO2
AO3
AO4
Respond to texts critically and imaginatively; select and evaluate relevant textual detail to illustrate and support
interpretations.
Explain how language, structure and form contribute to writers’ presentation of ideas, themes and settings.
Make comparisons and explain links between texts, evaluating writers’ different ways of expressing meaning and achieving
effects.
Relate texts to their social, cultural and historical contexts; explain how texts have been influential and significant to
self and other readers in different contexts and at different times.
English Language:
AO3
AO4
Explain and evaluate how writers use linguistic, grammatical, structural and presentational features to achieve effects
and engage and influence the reader.
Write to communicate clearly, effectively and imaginatively, using and adapting forms and selecting vocabulary
appropriate to task and purpose in ways that engage the reader.
Organise information and ideas into structured and sequenced sentences, paragraphs and whole texts, using a variety of
linguistic and structural features to support cohesion and overall coherence.
Use a range of sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate punctuation and spelling.