P1Paper 1 — Shakespeare and the 19th-century novel

AQA GCSE English Literature Paper 1 (1 hour 45 minutes, 80 marks) covers two sections: Section A — Shakespeare and Section B — 19th-century novel. Both are closed text (no book in the exam).

Section A — Shakespeare (64 marks total: 60 + 4 AO4)

One question on your set Shakespeare play. The question provides an extract (usually 20–30 lines) and asks: "Starting with this extract, write about how Shakespeare presents [theme/character]."

• AO1 = 12 marks; AO2 = 12 marks; AO3 = 6 marks; AO4 = 4 marks.
• Recommended time: 55 minutes (5 mins planning, 50 mins writing).
• You must analyse the extract AND write about the play as a whole.

AO3 tip: Context is worth 6 marks in Shakespeare — the most in any single question. Invest in specific, well-integrated contextual points about Jacobean theatre, the monarch, the political climate, or the literary tradition.

Section B — 19th-century novel (30 marks)

One question on your set prose text. Same extract-plus-whole-text format.

• AO1 = 20 marks; AO2 = 8 marks; AO3 = 2 marks.
• Recommended time: 50 minutes.
• AO3 is minimal here (2 marks) — one embedded contextual point is enough.

Allocation of reading and planning time

• First 5 minutes: read both extracts (Section A and B) even before you start writing Section A — this lets your mind work on Section B while you write Section A.
• Do not spend more than 55 minutes on Section A or you will rush Section B.

What distinguishes Level 5 from Level 6 in Paper 1

Level 5: thoughtful, developed analysis; purposeful references; some AO2. Level 6: perceptive, detailed, critical; convincing, compelling argument; judicious quotation; AO2 fluent; AO3 woven in.

The key word is convincing — the examiner should feel you have a view you are defending, not just observing what happens in the play.

Common Paper 1 errors

1. Writing an essay on the play and then an essay on the extract — they must be integrated.
2. Spending all time in the extract (minimum of 3 whole-text references needed).
3. Context as the opening paragraph: "In 1606, Shakespeare wrote Macbeth for King James I…" — waste of time and space.
4. AO4 errors: "Shakespeare's" not "Shakespeares"; "its" vs "it's"; character names spelled consistently.