AQA GCSE English Literature 8702
Everything AQA GCSE English Literature students need on one page — Paper 1 (Shakespeare + 19th-century novel), Paper 2 (modern texts + poetry), Assessment Objectives, terminology, and PEEL essay structure.
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Aligned with the latest 2026 syllabus and board specifications. This sheet is prepared to match your exam board’s official specifications for the 2026 exam series.
AQA GCSE English Literature (8702) is a closed-book exam where you must analyse texts with confident terminology, contextual awareness, and a clear, written argument. This reference sheet condenses the AOs, the set text pool, key literary terminology, comparison technique, and essay structure into one focused study aid.
Paper 1 (Shakespeare + 19th-century novel) and Paper 2 (modern texts + poetry) breakdown
AO1 to AO4 explained with what examiners reward
Literary terminology bank — metaphor, juxtaposition, foreshadowing, soliloquy
PEEL/PETER essay structure and integrated comparison technique for poetry
Two papers, both closed-book — know the timings and what each rewards.
1 hour 45 minutes, 64 marks, 40% of GCSE — Section A: Shakespeare extract + whole-text essay; Section B: 19th-century novel extract + whole-text essay Paper 1 also assesses AO4 (SPaG) on Question 1 only.
2 hours 15 minutes, 96 marks, 60% of GCSE — Section A: Modern text essay (choice of two); Section B: Anthology poetry comparison; Section C: Two unseen poems (one analytical + one comparative) Paper 2 assesses AO4 (SPaG) on Section A Question 1 only.
AQA offers a wide choice; common school selections shown.
Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, The Merchant of Venice, Much Ado About Nothing, Julius Caesar A Christmas Carol (Dickens), The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (Stevenson), Great Expectations (Dickens), Frankenstein (Shelley), Jane Eyre (Brontë), Pride and Prejudice (Austen) An Inspector Calls (Priestley), Lord of the Flies (Golding), Animal Farm (Orwell), Blood Brothers (Russell), DNA (Kelly), The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (Stephens) Power and Conflict OR Love and Relationships — schools choose ONE cluster of 15 poems studied for comparison What every mark scheme is looking for. Hit all four to score top band.
Worth roughly 50% of marks across the qualification.
Make a personal, text-supported argument. Use embedded quotations to develop interpretation. Show you have understood the writer's intent Analyse HOW the writer creates meaning — methods, techniques, literary devices, use subject terminology AO2 is your terminology marks — never just identify a device, always analyse its effect.
Show awareness of the historical, social, cultural, or literary context the text was written in (e.g. Victorian poverty, Elizabethan kingship, post-war social criticism). Embed context — don't bolt it on Spelling, punctuation, grammar, plus a wide vocabulary and clear sentence structures. Worth 4 marks each on the relevant questions Use precise terms to access AO2 marks — but always analyse, never just label.
Metaphor, simile, personification, pathetic fallacy, symbolism, imagery, oxymoron, alliteration, sibilance, onomatopoeia, plosives, semantic field, juxtaposition Foreshadowing, cyclical structure, in medias res, structural shifts, volta (in poetry), narrative perspective (1st/3rd person, omniscient/limited), framing device, climax, denouement Soliloquy, aside, dramatic irony, stage directions, monologue, blank verse (iambic pentameter), prose vs verse, tragic hero, hamartia, catharsis Stanza, enjambment, caesura, end-stopped, rhyme scheme (ABAB, AABB), iambic pentameter, free verse, sonnet, dramatic monologue, half-rhyme, sibilance How to dissect any extract or poem in the exam.
Form
Genre and overall shape — sonnet, novel, tragedy, dramatic monologue. What expectations does it set? Structure
How is it organised? Beginning vs end? Any shifts, turning points (volta)? What does the order reveal? Language
Word choice, imagery, sound. Identify methods + analyse their effect on the reader Voice
Whose perspective? What does the speaker/narrator reveal about themselves? Weave short quotes into your own sentences — e.g. Macbeth's vision of a 'dagger of the mind' shows his mental disintegration Avoid block quotes. Short, embedded quotations score higher.
Anthology and unseen poetry comparison demand integrated, not sequential, comparison.
In every paragraph, discuss BOTH poems together — similarities AND differences in form/structure/language. Comparative connectives: similarly, however, in contrast, both poems explore..., whereas..., likewise Bad approach: writing about Poem A first, then Poem B. Always compare WITHIN each paragraph.
Subject/theme, speaker's voice and attitude, imagery and language, structure and form, tone, contextual influences Build paragraphs around an argument — never narrative summary.
P — Point
Topic sentence stating an argument linked to the question E — Evidence
Embedded quotation supporting the point E — Explain
Analysis of the writer's methods (AO2) — language/structure devices and effect L — Link
Tie back to the question, theme, or context (AO3) P-E-T-E-R
Point – Evidence – Terminology – Explanation – Reader response Including 'reader response' explicitly hits AO1 personal response and AO2 effect on reader.
Don't repeat — synthesise. Bring together your overall argument and offer a final insight (often linking back to the writer's intent or context) AO3 marks come from embedded contextual links — pick the right era for each text.
Divine Right of Kings, Great Chain of Being, witchcraft fears (Macbeth), patriarchal society, religion (Catholic vs Protestant), honour culture Industrialisation, urban poverty (Dickens), gender expectations (Brontë, Austen), class hierarchy, scientific anxiety (Frankenstein, Jekyll & Hyde), religion vs Darwinism An Inspector Calls — 1945 written, 1912 set, socialism vs capitalism. Lord of the Flies — 1954, post-WWII pessimism. Animal Farm — 1945, Russian Revolution allegory Boost your Cambridge exam confidence with these proven study strategies from our tutoring experts.
Build a quote bank for each set text and group quotes by theme/character. Short, flexible quotes work harder than long ones.
Identifying a metaphor scores nothing on its own — analysing its effect on the reader scores AO2 marks. Why did the writer choose this technique?
Drop context into your analysis — e.g. 'Stevenson's Jekyll reflects Victorian fears of repressed desires' — rather than as a separate paragraph.
In poetry comparison, every paragraph must discuss BOTH poems. Use comparative connectives: similarly, however, in contrast, whereas.
Quick answers about this free PDF and how to use it for exam revision and active recall.
Yes. This Tutopiya formula sheet is free to use and you can download it as a PDF from this page for offline revision. There is no payment or account required for the PDF download.
This page groups key English Literature formulas in one place for revision. Master AQA GCSE English Literature (8702) with this 2026 reference sheet. Covers Paper 1 (Shakespeare + 19th-century novel) and Paper 2 (Modern texts + Poetry), AOs, terminology, and PEEL essay structure. Always cross-check with your official syllabus and past papers for your exam session.
No. In the exam you must follow only what your exam board allows in the hall—usually the official formula booklet or data sheet where provided. This page is a revision and teaching aid, not a replacement for board-issued materials.
It is written for students preparing for assessments at Secondary in English Literature, including classroom revision, homework support, and independent study. Teachers and tutors can also share it as a quick reference.
Work through past paper questions, quote the correct formula before substituting values, and check units and notation every time. Pair this sheet with timed practice and mark schemes so you see how examiners expect working to be set out.
Explore Tutopiya’s study tools, past paper finder, and revision checklists linked from our tools hub, or book a trial lesson with a subject specialist for personalised support alongside this formula reference.
Work through Shakespeare, the 19th-century novel, modern texts, and poetry comparison with an experienced AQA GCSE English Literature tutor. We focus on quote banks, AO targeting, and PEEL essay structure.
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This reference sheet aligns with AQA GCSE English Literature (8702) syllabus content for the 2026 specification.
Always embed quotations, analyse writer's methods (AO2), and embed context (AO3) within your argument.