The Edexcel GCSE English Literature Paper 2 examination consists of three sections and lasts for 2 hours and 15 minutes. Section A concerns your study of your chosen 19th-century novel, while Section B covers anthology and unseen poetry. All of the questions in Section B have two parts, (a) and (b), and you need to answer both parts of the question. Overall, you should aim to spend 35 minutes on part (a) and 45 minutes on part (b). A total of 40 marks are available for Section B: 20 marks are awarded for part (a) and 20 marks are awarded for part (b).
In part (a) of Section B you will be asked to compare a named poem from the Pearson Poetry Anthology collection to another poem from that collection. The named poem will be printed out in full on the question paper. This is a closed-book examination, meaning that you will not have access to a copy of the anthology in the exam.
In your response you are expected to:
- Demonstrate your full understanding of the question being asked
- Demonstrate your knowledge of both poems through references and the use of accurate, relevant quotations
- Show that you understand the main ideas and explicit meanings in the poems, as well as the implied or hidden meanings
- Analyse, in detail, the choices both poets have made in terms of their use of language, structure and form
- Compare both poems throughout your response, commenting on their similarities and differences
- Comment on the contexts in which both poems were written and how this contributes to the meaning
You should aim to spend approximately 35 minutes on part (a) of Section B. The suggested timings are:
5 minutes
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- Highlight the key words in the question
- Re-read the poem
- Choose another poem from the anthology to compare it with
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7 minutes
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- Annotate in the margins
- Make a brief plan of the structure of your answer
- Select references from both poems, including quotations, to support your interpretations
- Determine which contextual factors are relevant to the question and to each poem
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19 minutes
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- Write your response
- Follow your plan
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4 minutes
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- Re-read and check your response
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It is important to read and check your work, rather than to try to write as much as you can in the time allowed. Answers that are shorter, but more focused and concise, are often more successful.