Paper 1: Shakespeare and Post-1914 Literature — Edexcel GCSE English Literature

Paper Overview

Paper 1 (1ET0/01) is a closed-book exam of 1 hour 45 minutes. Students write in their answer booklets from memory — no texts are provided. The paper carries 64 marks total.

Section A — Shakespeare (30 marks): One question on your set Shakespeare play. The question presents an extract from the play and asks you to: (a) analyse the extract for language, form and structure, and (b) write about the wider theme across the whole play. Both parts of the question are worth the same marks and must be answered.

Section B — Post-1914 prose or play (34 marks including 4 AO4): One essay question from a choice of two. You write about your set text. No extract is provided. This is a whole-text essay with AO4 (SPaG) marks.

Section A: Shakespeare — Exam Technique

Reading the extract (5 minutes)

• Read the extract twice before writing
• Identify the key language features: imagery, tone, syntax, vocabulary choices
• Ask: what does this extract reveal about character/theme/relationship?
• Annotate mentally: where is there ambiguity? Where does a single word carry significant weight?

Writing the extract analysis (10-12 minutes)

• Open with a clear statement of what the extract reveals
• Work through the extract selectively — not line by line but by the most significant moments
• Zoom in on specific words (AO2): "the verb...," "the noun...," "the adverb..."
• Include at least one comment on structure/form (how does the extract's position in the scene/play affect its meaning?)

Writing the wider essay (20-25 minutes)

• Return to your overall argument about the theme/character
• Use material from across the whole play (not just the extract)
• Three or four substantial analytical paragraphs, each with quotation from memory
• Embed context (AO3) in the analysis, not as a separate paragraph

Memory Strategy for Quotations

You need approximately 8-10 quotations per Shakespeare play, memorised at high precision. Prioritise:

• The most quoted, most versatile lines (soliloquies, key character speeches)
• Quotations that work for multiple themes (e.g., Macbeth's "vaulting ambition" works for ambition, character, language analysis)
• Shorter quotations are safer under exam conditions — "milk of human kindness" is easier to recall accurately than a full speech

Section B: Post-1914 Text — Exam Technique

Planning (3-5 minutes)

• Read the question and identify: who/what you must write about, and which aspect of character/theme/relationship
• Quickly list 4-5 textual examples across the whole text you will use
• Decide your controlling argument before writing

Writing the essay (30-35 minutes)

• Introduction: state your argument clearly (2-3 sentences)
• 4 substantial analytical paragraphs (not a paragraph per chapter — select the most analytically productive moments)
• Each paragraph: Point + Evidence (quotation from memory) + Analysis (AO2) + Context (AO3) + Link back to argument
• AO4: use varied vocabulary and sentence structures; check spelling of the author's name and key terms

What a high-mark Section B response looks like

• Has a thesis (a claim about the text) not just a topic (a description of the text)
• Analyses 4-6 specific moments from across the text, not just the famous ones
• Embeds contextual understanding in analysis of specific choices
• Uses subject terminology accurately and for effect
• Has varied, ambitious vocabulary and sentence structures

Timing Guide

This leaves ~20 minutes buffer for re-reading and slower writers.