AQA English Literature Paper 1
AQA English Literature Paper 1 covers Shakespeare and the 19th-century novel, Macbeth and A Christmas Carol. It lasts 1 hour 45 minutes and is worth 40% of your GCSE. Here is exactly how the paper is structured, and how to spend your time.
What's in AQA Paper 1?
Paper 1 is split into two sections, each on a different text, and you answer one question in each. It is a closed-book exam, which is why learning and using quotes from the whole text is so important. The whole paper is worth 64 marks, and 40% of your GCSE.
Each question will include an extract from somewhere in the text. It is essential that you refer to the extract in your answer, otherwise you will be capped at a Band 2 response. Not mentioning the extract indicates a lack of engagement with the text as a whole.
Section A: Shakespeare
This is Macbeth. You are given a printed extract and asked to write about a character or theme both in that extract and across the whole play. It is worth 30 marks, with a further 4 marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar, so 34 in total. Read the extract closely, then move outward to the rest of the play.
Section B: The 19th-century novel
This is A Christmas Carol. Again you get a printed extract and write about a character or theme in the extract and the whole novella. It is worth 30 marks, with no separate spelling and grammar mark on this section.
Timing strategy
You have 1 hour 45 minutes for two answers, so aim for around 50 minutes on each, leaving a few minutes to plan and to check. My advice is to always start with Macbeth, since it has the additional 4 marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar, and you are less likely to make mistakes at the beginning of the exam!