2. Post-1914 Literature (Edexcel GCSE English Literature)

Revision Note

Paper 1: Post-1914 Literature Overview

As part of your Edexcel English Literature GCSE, you will complete two examination papers. On Paper 1 there are two sections: Section A and Section B. In Section B you will complete one question on the Post-1914 text you have studied.

Section B: Post-1914 Literature can be summarised as follows:

Paper	Questions	Time	Marks	% of GCSE grade
Paper 1: Shakespeare and Post-1914 Literature: Section B	1	50 minutes	40 marks	25%

In Section B, three assessment objectives are assessed (AO1, AO3 and AO4). In this section, you must answer one essay question from a choice of two on your studied text. Each question will be preceded by a short quotation from the text which will provide a stimulus for your response. The question will focus on one or more of the following areas: plot, setting(s), character(s) and theme(s), and will require you to explore the question in relation to the context in which it was written. Marks will also be given for accurate use of spelling, punctuation and grammar.

This means that the question in Section B assesses three assessment objectives. These are the key skills you are expected to demonstrate in your responses to each question.

Assessment Objective	Definition	What this means
AO1	Read, understand and respond to texts; maintain a critical style and develop an informed personal response, using textual references, including quotations, to support and illustrate interpretations	Demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the text and incorporate your own interpretations and perspectives Use quotes and references to reinforce and clarify your analysis and interpretation of the text
AO3	Show understanding of the relationships between texts and the contexts in which they were written	Relate your text to the context in which it was written, including historical, social, cultural and biographical contexts
AO4	Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate spelling and punctuation	Ensure your writing is easily understood by the reader through your precise use of vocabulary, sentence structure, punctuation and spelling

It is important that you carefully read the exam instructions and ensure that you have chosen the appropriate questions and texts based on the text you have studied. This is a closed-book exam, which means you won’t have access to a copy of your text during the examination.

Command words and keywords

There are several command words and keywords used in this exam paper that you should be familiar with:

Word	Meaning
Explore	This means your exploration of the question’s main idea should be in-depth
How (does the writer…)	This means you should look closely at the methods the writer has used to convey certain ideas or meanings
Explain	This means you need to clarify meaning and demonstrate your comprehension of ideas
In what ways	This means you need to focus on the writer’s craft and think about the methods they use to convey meaning
Refer	This means you must use textual references, including quotations, to support and illustrate your interpretations