P2Paper 2 — Modern texts and poetry

AQA GCSE English Literature Paper 2 (2 hours 15 minutes, 96 marks) is the longer paper and covers three sections: modern text (drama or prose), poetry anthology, and unseen poetry.

Section A — Modern text (74 marks for prose; or 74 for drama)

Your school has chosen one modern text (prose or drama). Two essay questions are offered; you choose ONE.

• AO1 = 12 marks; AO2 = 12 marks; AO3 = 6 marks; AO4 = 4 marks. Total = 34 marks per question.
• Recommended time: 45 minutes.
• No extract — you write entirely from memory.

Section B — Poetry anthology (30 marks)

One comparison question on two poems from your cluster (Power and Conflict or Love and Relationships). The question names one poem; you choose the second.

• AO1 = 15 marks; AO2 = 15 marks. Total = 30 marks.
• No AO3, no AO4.
• Recommended time: 35 minutes.

Section C — Unseen poetry (32 marks)

Two unseen poems (poems never studied). Q27.1 (24 marks) = first poem only. Q27.2 (8 marks) = compare both.

• Q27.1: AO1=12, AO2=12.
• Q27.2: AO2=8 only.
• Recommended time: 35 minutes (25 for Q27.1, 10 for Q27.2).

Managing the full 2 hours 15 minutes

The paper is long. Key discipline:

• Section A: do not spend more than 45 minutes.
• Section B: do not spend more than 35 minutes.
• Section C: do not sacrifice Q27.2 by over-writing Q27.1.
• Buffer: 5–10 minutes at the end for AO4 check across Section A only.

Context (AO3) distribution

• Section A: 6 marks — substantial context needed.
• Section B: 0 marks — do NOT write context here.
• Section C: 0 marks — do NOT write context here.

Common Paper 2 errors

1. Writing context in Section B or C — 0 marks, wasted time.
2. Choosing the "easier" Section A question without checking you have evidence — choose based on what you can argue and quote.
3. Letting Section A overrun — sacrifice Section B or C time.
4. Writing two separate essays in Section B instead of integrating the comparison.