Aqa 7716 7717 SP 2015

Get help and support AS AND
Visit our website for information, guidance, support and resources at aqa.org.uk/7717
You can talk directly to the English Literature subject team A-LEVEL
E: english-gce@aqa.org.uk
T: 0161 953 7504
ENGLISH
LITERATURE B
AS (7716)
A-level (7717)
Specifications
For teaching from September 2015 onwards
For AS exams in May/June 2016 onwards
For A-level exams in May/June 2017 onwards
Version 1.4 16 October 2021
(englitbsp7717)
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material from these specifications for their own internal use.
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AQA AS and A-level English Literature B . AS and A-level exams June 2016 onwards. Version 1.4 16 October 2021
Contents
1 Introduction 5
1.1 Why choose AQA for AS and A-level English
Literature B 5
1.2 Support and resources to help you teach 6
2 Specification at a glance 8
2.1 AS 8
2.2 A-level 9
3 Subject content – AS 13
3.1 Literary genres 14
4 Subject content – A-level 19

4.1 Literary genres 20
4.2 Texts and genres 23
4.3 Theory and independence 26
5 Scheme of assessment 33
5.1 Aims 33
5.2 Assessment objectives 33
5.3 Assessment weightings 35
5.4 Non-exam assessment marking criteria 36
6 Non-exam assessment administration

(A-level only) 47
6.1 Supervising and authenticating 47
6.2 Avoiding malpractice 48
6.3 Teacher standardisation 48
6.4 Internal standardisation 48
6.5 Annotation 49
6.6 Submitting marks 49
6.7 Factors affecting individual students 49
6.8 Keeping students' work 50
6.9 Moderation 50
6.10 After moderation 50
7 General administration 51
7.1 Entries and codes 51
7.2 Overlaps with other qualifications 52
7.3 Awarding grades and reporting results 52
Visit for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration 3
7.4 Re-sits and shelf life 53
7.5 Previous learning and prerequisites 53
7.6 Access to assessment: diversity and inclusion 53
7.7 Safeguarding 54
7.8 Working with AQA for the first time 54
7.9 Private candidates 54
Are you using the latest version of this specification?

• You will always find the most up-to-date version of this specification on our website at
• We will write to you if there are significant changes to the specification.
4 Visit for the most up-to-date specification, resources, support and administration
1 Introduction
1.1 Why choose AQA for AS and A-level English Literature
B
Specifications designed for you and your students
We have worked closely with teachers and universities to develop relevant, engaging and up-to-
date specifications that approach the reading and study of literature through the lens of genre and
theory, encouraging the independent study of a range of texts within a shared context, giving logic
and meaning to the way that texts are grouped for study.
This unifying approach facilitates the inclusion of a range of wider reading, thus extending
students’ experience and appreciation of literature.
Offering clear progression from GCSE, these courses allow students to build on the skills and
knowledge already gained and prepare for their next steps.
The variety of assessment styles used, such as passage-based questions, unseen material, single
text questions, multiple text questions, open- and closed-book approaches, allows students to
develop a wide range of skills, such as the ability to read critically, analyse, evaluate and undertake
independent research which are valuable for both further study and future employment.
Choice and flexibility

With a choice of genres for each paper and authors for study you can choose the texts that will be
most appealing and of most interest to your students. This is backed by our reassurance that set
texts will remain the same for the lifetime of the specifications.
Teach AS and A-level together

Both AS and A-level courses provide strong stand-alone qualifications that are fully co-teachable
so that you can choose the approach that best suits your, and you students’ needs.
Independent learning
The A-level non-exam assessment component provides opportunities for students to pursue their
own areas of interest and develop personal and independent learning skills. This includes writing
creatively through the re-creative option.
Through the integration of a critical anthology with A-level non-exam assessment study, students
are able to explore some of the critical and theoretical approaches that form the basis for literary
study which in turn informs and illuminates their own reading of texts.
We support you every step of the way

Our free poetry anthology, also available digitally, will provide you with easy access to a range of
poetry texts and a valuable interactive resource to support teaching.
To further support teaching and learning we provide a comprehensive range of resources, including
a digital resource bank and access to the largest network of English teachers facilitated through
our national Subject advocate network.
Learn more about our English qualifications at aqa.org.uk/english
1.2 Support and resources to help you teach

We know that support and resources are vital for your teaching and that you have limited time to
find or develop good quality materials. So we’ve worked with experienced teachers to provide you
with a range of resources that will help you confidently plan, teach and prepare for exams.
Teaching resources
We have a comprehensive range of English Literature B resources. Visit aqa.org.uk/7717 to see
them all. They include:
• a digital resource bank which will include a wide range of free, interactive resources to
support the teaching of English language, English literature and English language and
literature
• a poetry anthology to give you free and easy access to a range of poetry so that you don’t
need to source all the poems set for study
• marked and annotated student responses to the questions on our specimen papers, with
senior examiner commentaries
• subject advocates who will support you in the transition to the new specification and facilitate
local and regional network and update meetings
• student textbooks and digital resources that have been checked and endorsed by AQA
• training courses to help you deliver AQA qualifications
• subject expertise courses for all teachers, from newly qualified teachers who are just getting
started to experienced teachers looking for fresh inspiration.
Preparing for exams

Visit aqa.org.uk/7717 for everything you need to prepare for our exams, including:
• past papers, mark schemes and examiners’ reports
• sample papers and mark schemes for new courses
• example student answers with examiner commentaries.
Analyse your students' results with Enhanced Results Analysis (ERA)

Find out which questions were the most challenging, how the results compare to previous years
and where your students need to improve. ERA, our free online results analysis tool, will help you
see where to focus your teaching. Register at aqa.org.uk/era
For information about results, including maintaining standards over time, grade boundaries and our
post-results services, visit aqa.org.uk/results
Keep your skills up to date with professional development

Wherever you are in your career, there’s always something new to learn. As well as subject-
specific training, we offer a range of courses to help boost your skills.
• Improve your teaching skills in areas including differentiation, teaching literacy and meeting
Ofsted requirements.
• Prepare for a new role with our leadership and management courses.
You can attend a course at venues around the country, in your school or online – whatever suits
your needs and availability. Find out more at coursesandevents.aqa.org.uk
Get help and support

Visit our website for information, guidance, support and resources at aqa.org.uk/7717
You can talk directly to the English Literature B subject team:
T: 0161 9537504
2 Specification at a glance
These qualifications are linear. Linear means that students will sit all the AS exams at the end of
their AS course and all the A-level exams at the end of their A-level course.
2.1 AS
Subject content
Core content:
3.1 Literary genres (page 14)
Options:
3.1.1 Aspects of tragedy (page 14)
3.1.2 Aspects of comedy (page 16)
Assessments
Paper 1: Literary genres: drama
What's assessed
Choice of two options
Option 1A: Aspects of tragedy
Option 1B: Aspects of comedy
Study of one Shakespeare play and one further drama text
Assessed
• written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes
• closed book
• 50 marks
• 50% of AS level
Questions
Section A: one passage-based question on a Shakespeare text (25 marks)
Section B: one essay question on a drama set text (25 marks)
Paper 2: Literary genres: prose and poetry

What's assessed
Study of one prose text and one poetry text
Assessed
• written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes
• open book
• 50 marks
• 50% of AS level
Questions
Section A: one essay question on poetry set text (25 marks)
Section B: one essay question on prose set text (25 marks)
2.2 A-level
Subject content
Core content:
• 4.1 Literary genres (page 20)
• 4.2 Texts and genres (page 23)
• 4.3 Theory and independence (page 26)
Options:
• 4.1.1 Aspects of tragedy (page 20)
• 4.1.2 Aspects of comedy (page 22)
• 4.2.1 Elements of crime writing (page 23)
• 4.2.2 Elements of political and social protest writing (page 25)
Assessments
Paper 1: Literary genres
What's assessed
Study of three texts: one Shakespeare text; a second drama text and one further text, of which
one must be written pre-1900
Assessed
• written exam: 2 hours 30 minutes
• closed book
• 75 marks
• 40% of A-level
Questions
Section A: one passage-based question on set Shakespeare text (25 marks)
Section B: one essay question on set Shakespeare text (25 marks)
Section C: one essay question linking two texts (25 marks)
Paper 2: Texts and genres

What's assessed
Option 2A: Elements of crime writing
Option 2B: Elements of political and social protest writing
Study of three texts: one post-2000 prose text; one poetry and one further text, one of which must
be written pre-1900
Examination will include an unseen passage.
Assessed
• written exam: 3 hours
• open book
• 75 marks
• 40% of A-level
Questions
Section A: one compulsory question on an unseen passage (25 marks)
Section B: one essay question on set text (25 marks)
Section C: one essay question which connects two texts (25 marks)
Non-exam assessment: Theory and independence

What's assessed
Study of two texts: one poetry and one prose text, informed by study of the Critical Anthology
Two essays of 1250–1500 words, each responding to a different text and linking to a different
aspect of the Critical anthology
One essay can be re-creative. The re-creative piece will be accompanied by a commentary.
Assessed
• 50 marks
• 20% of A-level
• assessed by teachers
• moderated by AQA
3 Subject content – AS
This coherent specification has a distinct philosophy which centres on different ways of reading
and the connections that exist between texts within a literary genre. In this way, students can gain
a solid understanding of how texts can be connected and how they can be interpreted in multiple
ways in order that students can arrive at their own interpretations and become confident
autonomous readers. Students are then not only equipped with the knowledge and skills needed
for exams, but also experience a rich, challenging and coherent approach to English literature that
provides an excellent basis for further study in the subject.
The specification encourages the exploration of texts in a number of different ways:
• the study of literature within a specific genre
• the study of various texts, chosen from a set text list
• writing about texts in a number of different ways.
Genre study is at the heart of English Literature B and the two broad genres available for study are
tragedy and comedy. Just as meanings of texts are not fixed, neither are definitions of genre, which
frequently change and become blurred. The texts offered, therefore, are not necessarily classic
examples of established genres, and this is reflected in the modifying words 'aspects of'. Indeed,
the specification takes into account the fact that writers often subvert the genre in which they are
writing.
Working with genre involves looking at ways in which authors shape meanings within their texts. It
also involves thinking about a wide range of relevant contexts, some of them to do with the
production of the text at the time of its writing, some (where possible) to do with how the text has
been received over time, and most of all in this specification contexts to do with how the text can
be interpreted by readers now. Looking at texts as generic works involves connecting individual
texts with others, as the whole idea of genre is a connective one. And finally, because genres and
their qualities are not fixed, this means that interpretation is not fixed, and that multiple
interpretations are possible. The flexibility offered by the choice of genres and texts ensures that
you have the freedom to create a coherent course of study for your students.
The specification reflects the belief that the assessment objectives (AOs) work best together,
producing a rounded and holistic view of English literature. Thus all five AOs are addressed in
each question. See Assessment objectives section.
When used in AS and A-level English Literature questions, the term ‘significance’ has a very
specific use and gives access to AOs 2, 3, 4 and 5. Its use here derives from semiotics and
involves understanding the idea of 'signification'. In the way literary study is configured in this
specification, significance involves weighing up all the potential contributions to how a text can be
analysed: through the way the text is constructed and written; through text specific contexts that
can be relevantly applied; through connecting the text(s) to other texts; and then finding potential
meanings and interpretations.
This specification promotes as wide a choice of texts for you and your students as possible within a
clear and helpful framework. The requirement in the subject criteria for students to study a
minimum of four texts from particular genres and periods has been organised as follows:
Text Choices available

One drama text A Shakespeare play from set list (pre-1900)
Text Choices available
One further drama text From set list
One poetry text

One prose text
This specification has been designed to be co-teachable with the AQA English Literature B A-level
specification.
3.1 Literary genres

In Literary genres, the texts are connected through a mainstream literary genre: either Aspects of
tragedy or Aspects of comedy. Tragedy and comedy have a long tradition in literature, with their
origins in the ancient world and with a specific emphasis on drama. Texts have been selected and
grouped together because they share some of the common features of traditional tragic and comic
drama while also offering some interesting variations. We are, therefore, looking at an older
historical form and measuring later texts and their approaches to tragedy or comedy against a
literary genre which is long established.
Students will choose one of the following options:
• Option A: Aspects of tragedy
• Option B: Aspects of comedy
Students study four texts: one Shakespeare play, one further drama text, one poetry text and one
prose text.
3.1.1 Aspects of tragedy

At the core of all the set texts is a tragic hero or heroine who is flawed in some way, who suffers
and causes suffering to others and in all texts there is an interplay between what might be seen as
villains and victims. Some tragic features will be more in evidence in some texts than in others and
students will need to understand how particular aspects of the tragic genre are used and how they
work in the four chosen texts. The absence of an ‘aspect’ can be as significant as its presence.
There can be no exhaustive list of the ‘aspects’ of tragedy but areas that can usefully be explored
include:
• the type of the tragic text itself, whether it is classical and about public figures, like Lear, or
domestic and about representations of ordinary people, like Tess
• the settings for the tragedy, both places and times
• the journey towards death of the protagonists, their flaws, pride and folly, their blindness and
insight, their discovery and learning, their being a mix of good and evil
• the role of the tragic villain or opponent, who directly affects the fortune of the hero, who
engages in a contest of power and is partly responsible for the hero’s demise
• the presence of fate, how the hero’s end is inevitable
• how the behaviour of the hero affects the world around him, creating chaos and affecting the
lives of others
• the significance of violence and revenge, humour and moments of happiness
• the structural pattern of the text as it moves through complication to catastrophe, from order
to disorder, through climax to resolution, from the prosperity and happiness of the hero to the
tragic end
• the use of plots and sub-plots
• the way that language is used to heighten the tragedy

• ultimately how the tragedy affects the audience, acting as a commentary on the real world,
moving the audience through pity and fear to an understanding of the human condition.
Drama
Students study one text from each of the following groups of texts:
Shakespeare
Author Text
William Shakespeare Othello
King Lear
Drama
Author Text
Arthur Miller Death of a Salesman
William Shakespeare Richard II
Tennessee Williams A Streetcar Named Desire
Paper 1 Literary genres: drama is closed book. Students are not permitted to take a copy of their
set text(s) into the exam.
Prose and poetry

Prose
Author Text
F. Scott Fitzgerald The Great Gatsby
Thomas Hardy Tess of the D'Urbervilles
Kazuo Ishiguro The Remains of the Day
Poetry
Author Text
Thomas Hardy 'A Sunday Morning Tragedy', 'At an Inn', 'Tess's
Lament', 'Under the Waterfall', 'Lament', 'Rain
on a Grave', 'Your Last Drive', 'The Going', 'The
Haunter', 'At Castle Boterel', 'A Trampwoman's
Tragedy', 'The Frozen Greenhouse', 'The
Forbidden Banns', 'The Mock Wife', 'The
Flower's Tragedy', 'After a Journey', 'The
Newcomer's Wife'
John Keats ‘Lamia’, ‘Isabella or The Pot of Basil’, ‘La Belle
Dame Sans Merci’, 'The Eve of St. Agnes'
Author Text
AQA English Literature B Poetry anthology Extracts from The Prologue of The Monk’s Tale
(tragedy) and The Monk’s Tale, ‘Jessie Cameron’, Extract
from Paradise Lost, ‘Tithonus’, ‘The
Convergence of the Twain’, ‘The Death of
Cuchulain’, ‘Out, out-’, 'Death in Leamington',
'Miss Gee'
Paper 2: Literary genres: prose and poetry is open book. Students may take a copy of their set
text(s) into the exam. These texts must not be annotated and must not contain any additional
notes or materials.
We do not expect to change texts within the first five years of the specification. However, texts will
be reviewed each year starting in September 2017 and we will give at least nine months’ notice of
any changes prior to first teaching of a two year course. The criteria for changing texts will be
where a text becomes unavailable or where we can no longer use it in a question paper. Notice of
any change will be communicated via our exam bulletins and aqa.org.uk/english
3.1.2 Aspects of comedy

At the centre of all set texts are stories which primarily amuse, where the discomfort of characters
generally excites laughter rather than concern and where no great disaster occurs. All texts contain
a love interest for the protagonist and marriage is a focal point. In all cases society itself (as
represented in the texts), and the behaviour of men and women in it, are ridiculed. The texts must
be explored in terms of the aspects that are apparent in them. The absence of an aspect might
also be of note. There can be no exhaustive list of the 'aspects' of comedy but areas that can
usefully be explored include:
• the type of the comedy text itself, whether it is a classic romantic drama, a satire, a comedy
of manners
• the settings for the comedy, both places and times
• the journey towards knowledge and happiness for the protagonists, often in relation to their
love interest, their mistakes and misunderstandings along their journey, moments of
unhappiness and ultimate sense of joy
• the role of the comic villain, or rival, who directly affects the fortune of the hero or heroine,
who causes some disruption to the cheerful mood but whose power is finally curtailed
• the sense that all will end well and that fortune smiles
• how the behaviour of the hero or heroine affects primarily themselves and perhaps one or
two others rather than countries and states, as in tragedy
• the significance of human folly, trickery and gullibility
• the inclusion of clowns, exaggeration, stereotypes, pompous attitudes and posturing
• the use of disguise, escapes and discovery, elements of the supernatural
• the structural patterning of the text as it moves from disorder to order, incorporating rule and
misrule, how competition between characters is set up and resolved, how opposites are
contrasted and reconciled, leading to comic resolutions
• the use of complex plotting and sub-plots
• the way that language is used to heighten the comedy, particularly wit and linguistic play
• the way that comedy draws attention to itself
• ultimately how the comedy affects the audience, inviting laughter at the ridiculous behaviour
of human beings and a sense of joy that positive resolutions are possible.
Drama
Shakespeare
Author Text
William Shakespeare The Taming of the Shrew
Twelfth Night
Drama
Author Text
Oliver Goldsmith She Stoops to Conquer
Willy Russell Educating Rita
Oscar Wilde The Importance of Being Earnest
Paper 1 Literary genres: drama is closed book. Students are not permitted to take a copy of their
set text(s) into the exam.
Prose and poetry

Prose
Author Text
Jane Austen Emma
Angela Carter Wise Children
Andrea Levy Small Island
Poetry
Author Text
John Betjeman 'The Arrest of Oscar Wilde at the Cadogan
Hotel', 'Upper Lambourne', 'In Westminster
Abbey', 'A Subaltern's Love Song', 'Christmas',
'The Licorice Fields at Pontefract', 'Senex',
'Diary of a Church Mouse', 'An Edwardian
Sunday, Broomhill, Sheffield', 'Slough', 'On a
Portrait of a Deaf Man', 'Ireland with Emily', 'The
Village Inn', 'Hunter Trials', 'Lenten Thoughts of
a High Anglican', 'Executive', 'Advertising Pays',
'Late - Flowering Lust'
Geoffrey Chaucer 'The Nun’s Priest’s Tale' including Prologue and
Epilogue
AQA English Literature B Poetry anthology ‘The Flea’, ‘Tam o' Shanter’, ‘A Satirical Elegy
(comedy) on the Death of a Late Famous General’,
‘Sunny Prestatyn’, ‘Mrs Sisyphus’, ‘Not My Best
Side’, ‘My Rival’s House’
Paper 2 Literary genres: prose and poetry is open book. Students may take a copy of their set
text(s) into the exam. These texts must not be annotated and must not contain any additional
notes or materials.
4 Subject content – A-level

This coherent specification has a distinct philosophy which centres on different ways of reading
and on the connections which exist between texts. Study of texts within the chosen literary and
cultural genres in the examined topic areas is enhanced by the study of critical theory in the non-
exam assessment. In this way, students can gain a solid understanding of how texts can be
connected and how they can be interpreted in multiple ways so that students can arrive at their
own interpretations and become confident autonomous readers. Students are then not only
equipped with the knowledge and skills needed for both exams and non-exam assessment, but
also experience a rich, challenging and coherent approach to English literature that provides an
excellent basis for studying the subject at university.
The specification encourages the exploration of texts in a number of different ways:
• the study of texts within specific genres
• the study of texts through engagement with a range of theoretical ideas
• writing about texts in a number of different ways.
Genre study is at the heart of English Literature B and the four broad genres available for study are
tragedy, comedy, crime writing and political and social protest writing. Just as meanings of texts
are not fixed, neither are definitions of genre, which frequently change and become blurred. The
texts offered, therefore, are not necessarily classic examples of established genres and this is
reflected in the modifying words 'aspects of' and 'elements of'. Indeed, the specification takes into
account the fact that writers often subvert the genre in which they are writing.
Working with genre involves looking at ways in which authors shape meanings within their texts. It
also involves thinking about a wide range of relevant contexts, some of them to do with the
production of the text at the time of its writing, some (where possible) to do with how the text has
been received over time and, most of all in this specification, contexts to do with how the text can
be interpreted by readers now. Looking at texts as generic works involves connecting individual
texts with others, as the whole idea of genre is a connective one. And finally, because genres and
their qualities are not fixed, this means that interpretation is not fixed, and that multiple
interpretations are possible.
The flexibility offered by the choice of genres and texts, and the interconnectivity of these, ensures
that you have the freedom to create a coherent course of study for your students.
This specification reflects the belief that the assessment objectives (AOs) work best together,
producing a rounded and holistic view of English literature. Thus all five AOs are assessed in each
question. See Assessment objectives section.
When used in AS and A-level English Literature questions, the term ‘significance’ has a very
specific use and gives access to AOs 2, 3, 4 and 5. Its use here derives from semiotics and
involves understanding the idea of 'signification'. In the way literary study is configured in this
specification, significance involves weighing up all the potential contributions to how a text can be
analysed: through the way the text is constructed and written; through text specific contexts that
can be relevantly applied; through connecting the text(s) to other texts; and then finding potential
meanings and interpretations.
This specification promotes as wide a choice of texts for you and your students as possible within a
clear and helpful framework. The requirement in the subject criteria for students to study a
minimum of eight texts from particular genres and periods has been organised as follows:
Component Section No. of texts Genre Text requirement
requirement
Literary genres A One One drama Shakespeare
B
C Two One drama One must be
written pre-1900
One from any
genre
Texts and genres A Unseen text

B One One prose Prose must be
C Two written post-2000
One poetry
One text must be
One from any
written pre-1900
genre
Theory and Two One poetry and

independence one prose
4.1 Literary genres

In Literary genres, the texts are connected through a mainstream literary genre: either Aspects of
tragedy or Aspects of comedy. Tragedy and comedy have a long tradition in literature, with their
origins in the ancient world and with a specific emphasis on drama. Texts have been selected and
grouped together because they share some of the common features of traditional tragic and comic
drama while also offering some interesting variations. We are, therefore, looking at an older
historical form and measuring later texts and their approaches to tragedy or comedy against a
literary genre which is long established.
Students choose one of the following options:
• Option 1A: Aspects of tragedy
• Option 1B: Aspects of comedy
Students study three texts: one Shakespeare play, a second drama text and one further text. In
addition to the compulsory Shakespeare play, one of the other two texts must be written pre-1900.
The paper for this component is closed book. Students are not permitted to take a copy of their set
texts into the exam.
4.1.1 Aspects of tragedy

At the core of all the set texts is a tragic hero or heroine who is flawed in some way, who suffers
and causes suffering to others and in all texts there is an interplay between what might be seen as
villains and victims. Some tragic features will be more in evidence in some texts than in others and
students will need to understand how particular aspects of the tragic genre are used and how they
work in the three chosen texts. The absence of an ‘aspect’ can be as significant as its presence.
There can be no exhaustive list of the ‘aspects’ of tragedy but areas that can usefully be explored
include:
• the type of the tragic text itself, whether it is classical and about public figures, like Lear, or
domestic and about representations of ordinary people, like Tess
• the settings for the tragedy, both places and times
• the journey towards death of the protagonists, their flaws, pride and folly, their blindness and
insight, their discovery and learning, their being a mix of good and evil
• the role of the tragic villain or opponent, who directly affects the fortune of the hero, who
engages in a contest of power and is partly responsible for the hero’s demise
• the presence of fate, how the hero’s end is inevitable
• how the behaviour of the hero affects the world around him, creating chaos and affecting the
lives of others
• the significance of violence and revenge, humour and moments of happiness
• the structural pattern of the text as it moves through complication to catastrophe, from order
to disorder, through climax to resolution, from the prosperity and happiness of the hero to the
tragic end
• the use of plots and sub-plots
• the way that language is used to heighten the tragedy
• ultimately how the tragedy affects the audience, acting as a commentary on the real world,
moving the audience through pity and fear to an understanding of the human condition.
Students study one of the following Shakespeare plays:
Author Text
King Lear
Students study two texts including one drama from the following list. At least one of the texts must
be written pre-1900.
Author Text Time period

Thomas Hardy Tess of the D’Urbervilles Pre-1900
John Keats ‘Lamia’, ‘Isabella or The Pot of Pre-1900
Basil’, ‘La Belle Dame Sans
Merci’, 'The Eve of St. Agnes'
Arthur Miller Death of a Salesman (drama)

William Shakespeare Richard II (drama) Pre-1900
AQA English Literature B Extracts from the Prologue of
Poetry anthology (tragedy) 'The Monk’s Tale' and The
Monk’s Tale, ‘Jessie Cameron’,
Extract from Paradise Lost,
‘Tithonus’, ‘The Convergence
of the Twain’, ‘The Death of
Cuchulain’, ‘Out, out…’, 'Death
in Leamington', 'Miss Gee'
4.1.2 Aspects of comedy

At the centre of all set texts are stories which primarily amuse, where the discomfort of characters
generally excites laughter rather than concern and where no great disaster occurs. All texts contain
a love interest for the protagonist and marriage is a focal point. In all cases society itself (as
represented in the texts), and the behaviour of men and women in it, are ridiculed. The texts must
be explored in terms of the aspects that are apparent in them. The absence of an aspect might
also be of note. There can be no exhaustive list of the 'aspects' of comedy but areas that can
usefully be explored include:
• the type of the comedy text itself, whether it is classic romantic drama, a satire, a comedy of
manners
• the settings for the comedy, both places and times
• the journey towards knowledge and happiness for the protagonists, often in relation to their
love interest, their mistakes and misunderstandings along their journey, moments of
unhappiness and ultimate sense of joy
• the role of the comic villain, or rival, who directly affects the fortune of the hero or heroine,
who causes some disruption to the cheerful mood but whose power is finally curtailed
• the sense that all will end well and that fortune smiles
• how the behaviour of the hero or heroine affects primarily themselves and perhaps one or
two others rather than countries and states, as in tragedy
• the significance of human folly, trickery and gullibility
• the inclusion of clowns, exaggeration, stereotypes, pompous attitudes and posturing
• the use of disguise, escapes and discovery, elements of the supernatural
• the structural patterning of the text as it moves from disorder to order, incorporating rule and
misrule, how competition between characters is set up and resolved, how opposites are
contrasted and reconciled, leading to comic resolutions
• the use of complex plotting and sub-plots
• the way that language is used to heighten the comedy, particularly wit and linguistic play
• the way that comedy draws attention to itself
• ultimately how the comedy affects the audience, inviting laughter at the ridiculous behaviour
of human beings and a sense of joy that positive resolutions are possible.
Students study one of the following Shakespeare plays:
Author Text
Twelfth Night
Students study two texts from the following list: one pre-1900 drama text and one further text.

Jane Austen Emma Pre-1900

Geoffrey Chaucer 'The Nun’s Priest’s Tale' Pre-1900
including Prologue and
Epilogue
Oliver Goldsmith She Stoops to Conquer Pre-1900
(drama)
Oscar Wilde The Importance of Being Pre-1900
Earnest (drama)
AQA English Literature B ‘The Flea’, ‘Tam o' Shanter’, ‘A
Poetry anthology (comedy) Satirical Elegy on the Death of
a Late Famous General’,
‘Sunny Prestatyn’, ‘Mrs
Sisyphus’, ‘Not My Best Side’,
‘My Rival’s House’
As with all the requirements around genre/dates in this specification, a text can fulfil more than one
category. So, for example, She Stoops to Conquer covers the requirement for a drama text and a
text written pre-1900.
4.2 Texts and genres

In Texts and genres, in contrast to the literary genres of tragedy and comedy, the texts are grouped
together as having elements of more modern genres: either crime writing or political and social
protest writing. These genres, which are heavily influenced by culture, are continually evolving.
Students will choose one of the following options:
• Option 2A: Elements of crime writing
• Option 2B: Elements of political and social protest writing
Students study three texts: one post-2000 prose text, one poetry and one further text, one of
which must be written pre-1900. They also respond to an unseen passage in the exam. The
unseen extract can come from any of the genres of poetry, prose or drama and can include literary
non-fiction.
The paper for this component is open book. Students may take a copy of their set texts into the
exam. These texts must not be annotated and must not contain any additional notes or materials.
4.2.1 Elements of crime writing

In the case of Elements of crime writing, many of the texts pre-date the crime fiction genre that
emerged as a recognisable literary genre in the mid-19th century and with academic recognition in
the 20th century. However, in all the texts a significant crime drives the narrative and the execution
and consequences of the crime are fundamentally important to the way the text is structured.
All set texts are narratives which focus on transgressions against established order and the
specific breaking of either national, social, religious or moral laws. The focus in this component
must be on ‘Elements’ and students need to consider the elements that exist in each of their texts.
The elements that might be explored, depending on the individual text, include:
• the type of the crime text itself, whether it is detective fiction, a post-modern novel, a revenge
tragedy, an account of a life lost to crime
• the settings that are created as backdrops for criminal action and for the pursuit of the
perpetrators of crime: both places and times will be significant here
• the nature of the crimes and the criminals, the criminals’ motives and actions
• the inclusion of violence, murder, theft, betrayal
• the detection of the criminal and the investigation that leads to his or her capture or
punishment
• how far there is a moral purpose and restoration of order
• guilt and remorse, confession and the desire for forgiveness
• the creation of the criminal and their nemesis, the typical detective hero
• the sense that there will be a resolution and the criminal will be punished
• the victims of crime and the inclusion of suffering
• the central motifs of love, money, danger and death
• punishment, justice, retribution, injustice, accusation, the legal system, criminal trials and
courtroom dramas, imprisonment, death
• the structural patterning of the text as it moves through a series of crises to some sense of
order
• the specific focus on plotting
• the way that language is used in the world that is created; there may be use of a criminal
register, legal register, police register
• the way that crime writing is used to comment on society, particularly the representation of
society at particular historical periods
• ultimately, how crime stories affect audiences and readers, creating suspense, repugnance,
excitement and relief.
Students study three texts from the following list: one post-2000 prose text, one pre-1900 poetry
text and one further text.

Kate Atkinson When Will There Be Good Post-2000
News?
Agatha Christie The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
Samuel Taylor Coleridge The Rime of the Ancient Pre-1900
Mariner
George Crabbe, Robert ‘Peter Grimes’,‘The Pre-1900
Browning and Oscar Wilde Laboratory’, ‘My Last Duchess’,
‘Porphyria’s Lover’, 'The Ballad
of Reading Gaol'
Charles Dickens Oliver Twist Pre-1900
Graham Greene Brighton Rock
Ian McEwan Atonement Post-2000
William Shakespeare Hamlet Pre-1900
4.2.2 Elements of political and social protest writing

Although it could be claimed that all texts are political, what defines the texts here is that they have
issues of power and powerlessness at their core, with political and social protest issues central to
each text’s structure. The political and social protest genre covers representations of both public
and private settings.
All set texts foreground oppression and domination and they all look at the cultures we live in and
have lived in over time. A crucial word in the title of this option is ‘Elements’ and students need to
consider the specific elements that exist in each of their texts. The elements that might be
explored, depending on each individual text, include:
• the type of the text itself, whether it is a post-modern novel, science fiction, satirical poetry,
historical and political drama
• the settings that are created as backdrops for political and social action and the power
struggles that are played out on them. Both places (real and imagined) and time settings will
also be significant here
• the specific nature of the power struggle, the behaviours of those with power and those
without, those who have their hands on the levers of power
• the pursuit of power itself, rebellion against those with power, warfare
• the workings of the ruling political classes
• corruption, conspiracy, control
• the connection of the smaller world to the larger world
• the focus on human organisation: domestically, in the work place, in local and national
governments
• gender politics and issues of social class
• the structural patterning of the text, how political tensions are heightened and perhaps
resolved
• the way that language is used in the worlds that are created
• the way that political and social protest writing is used to comment on society, particularly the
representation of society at particular historical periods
• ultimately how political and social protest writing affects audiences and readers, inviting
reflection on our own world.
Students study three texts from the following list: one post-2000 prose text; one poetry text and
one further text, one of which must be written pre-1900.

Margaret Atwood The Handmaid’s Tale
William Blake Songs of Innocence and of Pre-1900
Experience
Jim Crace Harvest Post-2000
Charles Dickens Hard Times Pre-1900
Tony Harrison Selected Poems
‘V’, ‘National Trust’, ‘Them and
[uz]’, ‘Divisions’,’ Working’,
‘Marked with D’
Khaled Hosseini The Kite Runner Post-2000

Henrik Ibsen (Translated by A Doll’s House (Methuen Pre-1900
Michael Meyer) Drama Student Edition 2008)*
William Shakespeare Henry IV Part I Pre-1900
* The edition of A Doll's House which must be used is the Bloomsbury Methuen Drama edition,
translated by Michael Meyer. We will treat the translated text as Ibsen's own words for assessment
purposes.
As with all the requirements around genre/dates in this specification, a text can fulfil more than one
category. So, for example Songs of Innocence and of Experience covers the requirement for a
poetry text and a text written pre-1900.
4.3 Theory and independence

This component is designed to allow students to read widely, to choose their own texts (if
appropriate) and to understand that contemporary study of literature needs to be informed by the
fact that different theoretical and critical methods can be applied to the subject. This area of the
course provides a challenging and wide-ranging opportunity for an introduction to different ways of
reading texts and for independent study. The title 'Theory and independence' highlights the
important idea that, within a literature course, students should have the opportunity to work as
independently as possible. A range of differentiated texts and tasks will ideally be seen across a
school’s or college's non-exam assessment submission for this component.
This process is supported by the AQA Critical anthology, which has accessible extracts on the
following critical methods and ideas:
• narrative theory
• feminist theory
• Marxist theory
• eco-critical theory
• post-colonial theory
• literary value and the canon.
In this component, students write about two different literary texts. One of the texts must be a
poetry text and the other must be prose. Each text must be linked to a different section of the
Critical anthology. Students cannot choose texts from any of the A-Level exam set text lists.
Texts chosen for study must allow access to a range of critical views and interpretations, including
over time, and must maximise opportunities for writing with reference to the AQA Critical anthology.
The study of the Critical anthology supports the exploration of different meanings in literary texts
and offers different ways of reading. Having explored their chosen text in the light of some critical
ideas, students then demonstrate their understanding through their written work, comprising of two
pieces of writing, one on each of the chosen texts. Students produce two essays of 1250-1500
words. One response will be a conventional essay; the second can be re-creative. It is possible to
submit two conventional responses.
A conventional essay will focus on debate and explore potential meanings in a literary text using
critical theories and ideas. A conventional task drawing on the post-colonial section might be:
'Forster has written A Passage to India in such a way that it is impossible to sympathise with any of
the English characters as there is so little to redeem them.
Using ideas from the Critical anthology to inform your argument, to what extent do you agree with
this view?'
A re-creative response allows students to explore aspects of a text and its potential meanings and
at the same time show enjoyment in the creative aspects of their task. The purpose of a re-creative
response is to offer a critical reading of the base text that has been informed by working with the
Critical anthology.
Re-creative work can find the ‘narrative gaps’ or ‘absence’ in a base text and by filling some of
these gaps students offer a critical reading of the text. New light can be shed on a text and its
potential ambiguities by re-creating part of it through a new voice and genre. New light can also be
shed on a conventional reading of a text by offering a reading from a different critical and/or
contextual starting point.
There is no requirement for students to replicate the form and language of the chosen base text,
but the selection of narrative voice matters. It is often far more effective and interesting to present
the point of view of a character who is at times marginalised as a voice in the base text.
The re-creative piece is accompanied by a commentary which needs to establish a clear
connection between the re-creative piece, the base text and the relevant section of the Critical
anthology. The commentary should illustrate the significant choices that have been made in the
production of the re-creative piece and explain how those choices led to a critical reading.
A re-creative task drawing from the sections on feminist theory and/or Marxist theory might be:
'Write a series of journal entries by Miss Kenton written at different points in the narrative of The
Remains of the Day in which she reflects on her treatment by Stevens and others at Darlington
Hall.
Use ideas from the Critical anthology to inform your work and include a commentary explaining
how you have explored ideas from feminism and/or Marxism in your re-creative piece.'
4.3.1 Text selection

The following conditions apply to the texts chosen:
• students must study one prose and one poetry text
• set texts listed for the A-level exam components cannot be used for non-exam assessment,
even if they will not be used in the exam.
All texts must be suitable for A-level study and should reflect the quality of the texts used for the
exams. It is important that students are able to cover all of the assessment objectives while
studying the text.
The poetry text could be either one longer narrative poem or a single authored collection of shorter
poems. If using a collection of poetry and writing a conventional response, students must have
studied the whole rext and select at least two poems to write about in detail as examples of the
wider collection. If using a selection of poetry and writing a re-creative response, students must
have studied the whole text and will choose an appropriate part of the base text as the focus for
their re-creative piece, and thus it is acceptable to focus on a single poem.
Single authored collections of short stories are permissible. If using a collection of short stories,
students must have studied the whole text and select at least two stories to write about in detail as
examples of the wider collection. If using a collection of short stories and writing a re-creative
response, students must have studied the whole text and will choose an appropriate part of the
base text as the focus for their re-creative piece, and thus it is acceptable to focus on a single short
story.
Texts chosen for study may include one text in translation that has been influential and significant
in the development of literature in English. The translated text should be treated as the original
writer's own words for assessment purposes. Therefore, schools and colleges should ensure that
they use a version recognised by academia as being a high quality translation which supports the
original author's writing appropriately.
NEA prohibited texts

Students cannot use the following texts for non-exam assessment as they appear on the exam set
text lists.
A
Author Text
Kate Atkinson When Will There Be Good News?
Margaret Atwood The Handmaid’s Tale
W. H. Auden Miss Gee
Jane Austen Emma
B
Author Text
John Betjeman Death in Leamington
William Blake Songs of Innocence and Experience
Robert Browning The Laboratory
Robert Browning My Last Duchess
Robert Browning Porphyria’s Lover
Robert Burns Tam o’ Shanter (A Tale)
C
Author Text
Geoffrey Chaucer Extracts from the Prologue of The Monk’s Tale
Geoffrey Chaucer The Monk’s Tale
Geoffrey Chaucer The Nun’s Priest’s Tale including Prologue and
Epilogue
Agatha Christie The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
Author Text
Samuel Taylor Coleridge The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
George Crabbe Peter Grimes
Jim Crace Harvest
D
Author Text
Charles Dickens Oliver Twist
Charles Dickens Hard Times
John Donne The Flea
Carol Ann Duffy Mrs Sisyphus
F
Author Text
U. A. Fanthorpe Not My Best Side
Robert Frost Out, out -
G
Author Text
Oliver Goldsmith She Stoops to Conquer
Graham Greene Brighton Rock
H
Author Text
Thomas Hardy Tess of the D’Urbervilles
Thomas Hardy The Convergence of the Twain
Tony Harrison V
Tony Harrison National Trust
Tony Harrison Them and [uz]
Tony Harrison Divisions
Tony Harrison Working
Tony Harrison Marked with D
Khaled Hosseini The Kite Runner
I
Author Text
Henrik Ibsen A Doll’s House
K
Author Text
John Keats Lamia
John Keats Isabella or The Pot of Basil
John Keats La Belle Dame Sans Merci
John Keats The Eve of St. Agnes
L
Author Text
Philip Larkin Sunny Prestatyn
Liz Lochhead My Rival’s House
M
Author Title
Ian McEwan Atonement
Arthur Miller Death of a Salesman
John Milton Extract from ‘Paradise Lost’
R
Author Title
Christina Rossetti Jessie Cameron
S
Author Title
William Shakespeare King Lear
William Shakespeare Richard II
William Shakespeare Twelfth Night
William Shakespeare Hamlet
William Shakespeare Henry IV Part I
Author Title
Jonathan Swift A Satirical Elegy On the Death of a Late
Famous General
T
Author Title
Alfred Tennyson Tithonus
W
Author Title
Oscar Wilde The Importance of Being Ernest
Oscar Wilde The Ballad of Reading Gaol
Y
Author Title
W. B. Yeats The Death of Cuchulain
5 Scheme of assessment
Find past papers and mark schemes, and specimen papers for new courses, on our website at
aqa.org.uk/pastpapers
The AS specification is designed to be taken over one or two years with all assessments taken at
the end of the course. The A-level specification is designed to be taken over two years with all
assessments taken at the end of the course.
Assessments and certification for the AS specification are available for the first time in May/June
2016 and then every May/June for the life of the specification.
Assessments and certification for the A-level specification are available for the first time in May/
June 2017 and then every May/June for the life of the specification.
These are linear qualifications. In order to achieve the award, students must complete all exams in
May/June in a single year. All assessments must be taken in the same series.
Our AS and A-level exams in English include questions that allow students to demonstrate their
ability to:
• draw together their knowledge, skills and understanding from across the full course of study
• provide extended responses.
All AS and A-level components offer only extended response questions.
All materials are available in English only.
5.1 Aims
Courses based on these specifications must encourage students to develop their interest in and
enjoyment of literature and literary studies as they:
• read widely and independently both set texts and others that they have selected for
themselves
• engage critically and creatively with a substantial body of texts and ways of responding to
them
• develop and effectively apply their knowledge of literary analysis and evaluation
• explore the contexts of the texts they are reading and others’ interpretations of them.
In addition, A-level specifications must encourage students to develop their interest in and
enjoyment of literature and literary studies as they undertake independent and sustained studies to
deepen their appreciation and understanding of English literature, including its changing traditions.
5.2 Assessment objectives

Assessment objectives (AOs) are set by Ofqual and are the same across all AS and A-level
English Literature specifications and all exam boards.
The exams and non-exam assessment will measure to what extent students have achieved the
following AOs:
• AO1: Articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated
concepts and terminology, and coherent, accurate written expression.
• AO2: Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts.
• AO3: Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which
literary texts are written and received.
• AO4: Explore connections across literary texts.
• AO5: Explore literary texts informed by different interpretations.
Weighting of assessment objectives for AS English Literature B

Assessment objectives (AOs) Component weightings Overall weighting
(approx %) (approx %)
Paper 1 Paper 2
AO1 14 14 28
AO2 12 12 24
AO3 12 12 24
AO4 6 6 12
AO5 6 6 12
Overall weighting of components 50 50 100
The specification reflects the belief that the assessment objectives (AOs) work best together,
producing a rounded and holistic view of English literature. Students will need to show coverage of
all AOs in all tasks. To be specific:
AO1 essentially requires informed and relevant responses which are accurately written and use
appropriate concepts and terminology.
AO2 requires students to analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts, with
particular focus on the structures of texts as a form of shaping.
AO3 relates to the many possible contexts which arise out of the text, the specific task and the
period being studied.
This specification treats AOs 1, 2 and 3 as broadly equal, given their relative weightings: AO1 has
a weighting of 28% whilst AOs 2 and 3 both have a weighting of 24%.
AO4 involves connections across texts and sees possible meanings and interpretations arising not
only out of the contexts of the text itself (AO3 above) but also out of the wider and broader contexts
which comes from the study of period. Thus even when an individual text is being investigated it
should still be seen as being framed by a wider network of texts and contexts to which it connects.
AO5 completes the picture by acknowledging that if work in AOs 2, 3 and 4 had been included in
the response to the question then debate and interpretations will arise out of this work showing that
the interpretation of texts is not a fixed process but a dynamic one.
AOs 4 and 5 each have a weighting of 12% in all questions.
Weighting of assessment objectives for A-level English Literature B

Assessment objectives (AOs) Component weightings (approx %) Overall
weighting
Paper 1 Paper 2 Non-exam
(approx %)
assessment
AO1 11.2 11.2 5.6 28
AO2 9.6 9.6 4.8 24
AO3 9.6 9.6 4.8 24
AO4 4.8 4.8 2.4 12
AO5 4.8 4.8 2.4 12
Overall weighting of 40 40 20 100
components
This specification reflects the belief that the assessment objectives (AOs) work best together,
producing a rounded and holistic view of English literature. Students will need to show coverage of
all AOs in all tasks. To be specific:
AO1 essentially requires informed and relevant responses which are accurately written and use
appropriate concepts and terminology.
AO2 requires students to analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts, with
particular focus on the structures of texts as a form of shaping.
AO3 relates to the many possible contexts which arise out of the text, the specific task and the
period being studied.
This specification treats AOs 1, 2 and 3 as broadly equal, given their relative weightings: AO1 has
a weighting of 28% whilst AOs 2 and 3 both have a weighting of 24%.
AO4 involves connections across texts and sees possible meanings and interpretations arising not
only out of the contexts of the text itself (AO3 above) but also out of the wider and broader contexts
which comes from the study of period. Thus even when an individual text is being investigated it
should still be seen as being framed by a wider network of texts and contexts to which it connects.
AO5 completes the picture by acknowledging that if work in AOs 2, 3 and 4 had been included in
the response to the question then debate and interpretations will arise out of this work showing that
the interpretation of texts is not a fixed process but a dynamic one. In non-exam assessment only,
discussion of different interpretations must include, on at least one text in a conventional response,
consideration of different interpretations of the text(s) over time.
AOs 4 and 5 each have a weighting of 12% in all questions.
5.3 Assessment weightings

The marks awarded on the papers will be scaled to meet the weighting of the components.
Students' final marks will be calculated by adding together the scaled marks for each component.
Grade boundaries will be set using this total scaled mark. The scaling and total scaled marks are
shown in the table below.
AS
Component Maximum Scaling Maximum
raw mark factor scaled
mark
Paper 1 Literary genres: drama 50 x1 50
Paper 2 Literary genres: prose and poetry 50 x1 50
Total 100
scaled
mark:
A-level
Component Maximum Scaling Maximum
raw mark factor scaled
mark
Paper 1 Literary genres 75 x2 150
Paper 2 Texts and genres 75 x2 150
Non-exam assessment: Theory and independence 50 x1.5 75
Total 375
scaled
mark:
5.4 Non-exam assessment marking criteria

Weightings for each question are as follows:
AO1: 7 marks
AO2: 6 marks
AO3: 6 marks
AO4: 3 marks
AO5: 3 marks
Conventional tasks
Band/mark AO Typical features How to arrive at mark
Band 5 AO1 • perceptive, assured and sophisticated This band is characterised by

argument in relation to the task perceptive and assured work
Perceptive/assured
• assured use of literary critical concepts which shows confidence,
21–25 marks and terminology; mature and impressive sharpness of mind and
expression sophistication in relation to the
task and the Critical anthology.
‘Perception’ is demonstrated when students are AO2 • perceptive understanding of authorial
showing the depth of their understanding and methods in relation to the task At the top of the band students
responding sensitively to the texts and task. • assured engagement with how meanings are consistently assured and
are shaped by the methods used will demonstrate sensitivity and
‘Assuredness’ is shown when students write with
perception across all five
confidence and conviction.
AO3 • perceptive understanding of the assessment objectives in the
significance of relevant contexts in course of their response.
relation to the task
At the bottom of the band there
• assuredness in the connection between
will be coherence and accuracy
those contexts and the theory/theories
with some perception but with
studied
less consistency and evenness.
AO4 • perceptive exploration of connections
across literary texts arising out of
theoretical study
AO5 • perceptive and confident engagement

with interpretations, including over time
Band 4 AO1 • logical, thorough and coherent argument This band is characterised by
in relation to the task where ideas are coherent and thorough work
Coherent/ thorough
debated in depth where ideas are linked together
16–20 marks • appropriate use of literary critical in a focused and purposeful way
concepts and terminology; precise and in relation to the task and the
‘Coherence’ is shown when students are logical
accurate expression Critical anthology.
and consistent in their arguments in relation to the
task. AO2 • thorough understanding of authorial At the top of the band students
They hold their ideas together in an intelligible way. methods in relation to the task will demonstrate a fully
• thorough engagement with how coherent and thorough
‘Thoroughness’ is shown when students write
meanings are shaped by the methods argument across all five
carefully, precisely and accurately.
used assessment objectives in the
course of their response.
AO3 • thorough understanding of the
significance of relevant contexts in At the bottom of the band ideas
relation to the task will be discussed in a shaped,
relevant and purposeful way
• coherence in the connection between
with a clear sense of direction,
those contexts and the theory/theories
with one or two lapses in
studied
coherence and accuracy.
AO4 • logical and consistent exploration of
connections across literary texts arising
out of theoretical study
AO5 • thorough engagement with

interpretations, including over time
Band 3 AO1 • sensibly ordered ideas in a relevant This band is characterised by

argument in relation to the task straightforward and relevant
Straightforward/relevant
• some use of literary critical concepts and work where the student’s
11–15 marks terminology which are mainly appropriate; response to the task and the
straightforward and clear expression Critical anthology is clear and
intelligible.
‘Straightforward’ work is shown when students AO2 • straightforward understanding of authorial
make their ideas in relation to the task clearly methods in relation to the task At the top of the band students
known. • relevant engagement with how meanings will demonstrate consistent
are shaped by the methods used straightforward understanding
‘Relevant’ work is shown when students are
in the course of their argument.
focused on the task and use detail in an
AO3 • straightforward understanding of the Ideas will be developed
appropriate and supportive way.
significance of relevant contexts in relevantly.
relation to the task
• relevant connections between those
will be flashes of relevant
contexts and the theory/theories studied
understanding with evidence of
AO4 straightforward thinking.
• explores connections across literary texts
arising out of theoretical study in a
straightforward way
AO5 • straightforward engagement with

Band 2 AO1 • a simple structure to the argument which This band is characterised by
may not be consistent but which does simple and generalised work
Simple/generalised
relate to the task which is mainly linked to the
6–10 marks • generalised use of literary critical task and the Critical anthology.
concepts and terminology; simple
expression At the top of the band students
‘Simple’ work is shown when students write in an will demonstrate a basic
unelaborated and basic way in relation to the task. AO2 • simple understanding of authorial generalised understanding in
methods in relation to the task the course of their answer.
‘Generalised’ work is shown when students write
• generalised engagement with how Ideas will be developed in a
without regard to particular details.
meanings are shaped by the methods simple way.
used
AO3 • simple understanding of the significance will be inconsistency, but the
of relevant contexts in relation to the task beginnings of a simple and
generalised understanding.
• generalised connections between those
AO4
• simple exploration of connections across
literary texts arising out of theoretical
study
AO5 • simple and generalised response to

Band 1 • some vague points in relation to the task This band is characterised by
and some ideas about task, text(s) or work which is largely irrelevant
Largely irrelevant/largely misunderstood/largely
Critical anthology and largely misunderstood
inaccurate
• the writing is likely to be unclear and and largely inaccurate, and so
1–5 marks incorrect; if it is accurate the content will unlikely to be addressing many
be irrelevant of the AOs.
• little sense of the AOs in relation to the
‘Largely irrelevant’ work is shown when students task; little sense of how meanings are At the top of the band students
write in an unclear way with only occasional shaped; little sense of any relevant will mention some unconnected
reference to what is required by the question. contexts; little sense of any connection points in relation to the task
arising out of theoretical study; little during the course of their
‘Largely misunderstood’ and ‘largely inaccurate’
sense of an argument in relation to the writing. The writing is likely to
work is shown when knowledge of the text is
task lack clarity.
insecure, hazy and often wrong.
will be no connection with the
task; the writing will be hard to
follow and irrelevant.
0 marks No marks for response when nothing is written

or where response has no connection to the
text(s) or task.
Re-creative tasks
Band 5 AO1 • perceptive, impressive and sophisticated re- This band is characterised by
creative writing perceptive and assured work
Perceptive/assured
• assured use of literary critical concepts and which shows confidence,
21–25 marks terminology in the commentary; mature sharpness of mind and
expression sophistication in relation to the
task, the re-creative process, the
‘Perception’ is demonstrated when AO2 • perceptive understanding of authorial methods in commentary and the Critical
students are showing the depth of their relation to the task anthology.
understanding and responding • assured engagement with how meanings are
sensitively to the texts and task. shaped by the methods used At the top of the band students
are consistently assured and will
‘Assuredness’ is shown when
AO3 • perceptive understanding of the significance of demonstrate sensitivity and
students write with confidence and
conviction. relevant contexts in relation to the re-creative task perception across all five
assessment objectives in the
• assuredness in the connection between those
course of their response.
AO4 At the bottom of the band there
• perceptive exploration of connections across
will be coherence and accuracy
literary texts arising out of theoretical study
with some perception but with
AO5 less consistency and evenness.
• perceptive and confident in showing how the re-
creative process highlights different interpretations
Band 4 AO1 • coherent, organised and thoughtful re-creative This band is characterised by
writing coherent and thorough work
Coherent/ thorough
• appropriate use of literary critical concepts and where ideas are linked together
16–20 marks terminology in the commentary in a focused and purposeful way
in relation to the task, the re-
‘Coherence’ is shown when students AO2 • thorough understanding of authorial methods in creative process, the
are logical and consistent in their
relation to the task commentary and the Critical
arguments in relation to the task.
• thorough engagement with how meanings are anthology.
They hold their ideas together in an shaped by the methods used
intelligible way. At the top of the band students
AO3 • thorough understanding of the significance of will demonstrate a fully coherent
‘Thoroughness’ is shown when
relevant contexts in relation to the re-creative task and thorough argument across
students write carefully, precisely and
all five assessment objectives in
accurately. • coherence in the connection between those
the course of their response.
AO4 At the bottom of the band ideas

• logical and consistent exploration of connections
will be discussed in a shaped,
across literary texts arising out of theoretical study
relevant and purposeful way with
AO5 a clear sense of direction, with
• coherence and thoroughness in showing how the one or two lapses in coherence
re-creative process highlights different and accuracy.
interpretations
Band 3 AO1 • relevant and sensibly ordered re-creative writing This band is characterised by
• some use of mainly appropriate literary critical straightforward and relevant
Straightforward/relevant
concepts and terminology in the commentary; work where the student’s
11–15 marks straightforward and clear expression response to the task, the re-
creative process, the
AO2 • straightforward understanding of authorial commentary and the Critical
‘Straightforward’ work is shown when methods in relation to the task anthology is clear and intelligible.
students make their ideas in relation to • relevant engagement with how meanings are
the task clearly known. shaped by the methods used At the top of the band students
will demonstrate consistent
‘Relevant’ work is shown when
AO3 • straightforward understanding of the significance straightforward understanding
students are focused on the task and
of relevant contexts in relation to the re-creative in the course of their argument.
use detail in an appropriate and
task Ideas will be developed
supportive way.
relevantly.
• relevant connections between those contexts and
the theory/theories studied
AO4 will be flashes of relevant
• explores connections across literary texts arising
understanding with evidence of
out of theoretical study in a straightforward way
straightforward thinking.
AO5 • shows how the re-creative process highlights
different interpretations in a straightforward way
Band 2 AO1 • simply organised re-creative writing This band is characterised by

• generalised use of literary critical concepts and simple and generalised work
Simple/generalised
terminology in the commentary; simple expression which is mainly linked to the task,
6–10 marks the re-creative process, the
AO2 • simple understanding of authorial methods in commentary and the Critical
relation to the task anthology.
‘Simple’ work is shown when students • generalised engagement with how meanings are
write in an unelaborated and basic way shaped by the methods used At the top of the band students
in relation to the task. will demonstrate a basic
AO3 • simple understanding of the significance of generalised understanding in
‘Generalised’ work is shown when
relevant contexts in relation to the re-creative task the course of their answer. Ideas
students write without regard to
will be developed in a simple
particular details. • generalised connections between those contexts
way.
and the theory/theories studied
AO4 At the bottom of the band there

• simple exploration of connections across literary
will be inconsistency, but the
texts arising out of theoretical study
beginnings of a simple and
AO5 generalised understanding.
• simple and generalised in showing how the re-
creative process highlights different interpretations
Band 1 • The student attempts some re-creative writing and This band is characterised by
may mention some ideas about the texts or work which is largely irrelevant
Largely irrelevant/largely
Critical anthology in their writing but the writing is and largely misunderstood and
misunderstood/largely inaccurate
likely to be unclear and incorrect; if it is accurate largely inaccurate, and so
1–5 marks the content will be irrelevant unlikely to be addressing many of
• little sense of the AOs in either the re-creative the AOs.
writing or the commentary; little sense of how
‘Largely irrelevant’ work is shown meanings are shaped; little sense of any relevant At the top of the band students
when students write in an unclear way contexts; little sense of any connection arising out will mention some unconnected
with only occasional reference to what of theoretical study; little sense of any points in relation to the task
is required by the question. interpretation during the course of their writing.
The writing is likely to lack clarity.
‘Largely misunderstood’ and ‘largely
inaccurate’ work is shown when
knowledge of the text is insecure, hazy
will be no connection with the
and often wrong.
task; the writing will be hard to
follow and irrelevant.
0 marks No marks for response when nothing is written or where
response has no connection to the text(s) or task.
6 Non-exam assessment
administration (A-level only)
The non-exam assessment (NEA) for the A-level specification only is 'Theory and independence',
and consists of two essays.
Visit aqa.org.uk/7717 for detailed information about all aspects of NEA administration.
The head of the school or college is responsible for making sure that NEA is conducted in line with
our instructions and Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) instructions.
6.1 Supervising and authenticating

To meet Ofqual's qualification and subject criteria:
• students must sign the Candidate record form to confirm that the work submitted is their own
• all teachers who have marked a student’s work must sign the declaration of authentication
on the Candidate record form. This is to confirm that the work is solely that of the student
concerned and was conducted under the conditions laid down by this specification
• teachers must ensure that a Candidate record form is attached to each student’s work.
Students must have sufficient direct supervision to ensure that the work submitted can be
confidently authenticated as their own. This means that you must review the progress of the work
during research, planning and throughout its production to see how it evolves.
You may provide guidance and support to students so that they are clear about the requirements of
the task they need to undertake and the marking criteria on which the work will be judged. You may
also provide guidance to students on the suitability of their proposed task, particularly if it means
they will not meet the requirements of the marking criteria.
When checking drafts of a student’s work, you must not comment or provide suggestions on how
they could improve it. However, you can ask questions about the way they are approaching their
work and you can highlight the requirements of the marking criteria.
If a student receives any additional assistance which is acceptable within the further guidance that
is provided for this specification, you should award a mark that represents the student’s unaided
achievement. Please make a note of the support the student received on the Candidate record
form. This will allow the moderator to see whether the student has been awarded an appropriate
mark. Please note that you should sign the authentication statement on the Candidate record form.
If the statement is not signed, we cannot accept the student’s work for assessment.
Once a student submits work for marking and it has been marked, you cannot return it to the
student for improvement, even if they have not received any feedback or are unaware of the marks
awarded.
Further guidance on setting, supervising, authenticating and marking work is available on the
subject pages of our website and through teacher standardisation.
6.2 Avoiding malpractice
Please inform your students of the AQA regulations concerning malpractice. They must not:
• submit work that is not their own
• lend work to other students
• allow other students access to, or use of, their own independently-sourced source material
• include work copied directly from books, the Internet or other sources without
acknowledgement
• submit work that is word-processed by a third person without acknowledgement
• include inappropriate, offensive or obscene material.
These actions constitute malpractice and a penalty will be given (for example, disqualification).
If you identify malpractice before the student signs the declaration of authentication, you don’t
need to report it to us. Please deal with it in accordance with your school or college’s internal
procedures. We expect schools and colleges to treat such cases very seriously.
If you identify malpractice after the student has signed the declaration of authentication, the head
of your school or college must submit full details of the case to us at the earliest opportunity.
Please complete the form JCQ/M1, available from the JCQ website at jcq.org.uk
You must record details of any work which is not the student’s own on the Candidate record form or
other appropriate place.
You should consult your exams officer about these procedures.
6.3 Teacher standardisation

We will provide support for using the marking criteria and developing appropriate tasks through
teacher standardisation.
For further information about teacher standardisation visit our website at aqa.org.uk/7717
In the following situations teacher standardisation is essential. We will send you an invitation to
complete teacher standardisation if:
• moderation from the previous year indicates a serious misinterpretation of the requirements
• a significant adjustment was made to the marks in the previous year
• your school or college is new to this specification.
For further support and advice please speak to your adviser. Email your subject team at english-
gce@aqa.org.uk for details of your adviser.
6.4 Internal standardisation

You must ensure that you have consistent marking standards for all students. One person must
manage this process and they must sign the Centre declaration sheet to confirm that internal
standardisation has taken place.
Internal standardisation may involve:

• all teachers marking some sample pieces of work to identify differences in marking standards
• discussing any differences in marking at a training meeting for all teachers involved
• referring to reference and archive material, such as previous work or examples from our
teacher standardisation.
6.5 Annotation
To meet Ofqual’s qualification and subject criteria, you must show clearly how marks have been
awarded against the marking criteria in this specification.
Your annotation will help the moderator see, as precisely as possible, where you think the students
have met the marking criteria.
Work can be annotated using either or both of the following methods:
• flagging evidence in the margins or in the text
• summative comments, referencing precise sections in the work.
6.6 Submitting marks

You should check that the correct marks for each of the marking criteria are written on the
Candidate record form and that the total mark is correct.
The deadline for submitting the total mark for each student is given at aqa.org.uk/keydates
6.7 Factors affecting individual students

For advice and guidance about arrangements for any of your students, please email us as early as
possible at eos@aqa.org.uk
Occasional absence: you should be able to accept the occasional absence of students by making
sure they have the chance to make up what they have missed. You may organise an alternative
supervised session for students who were absent at the time you originally arranged.
Lost work: if work is lost you must tell us how and when it was lost and who was responsible,
using our special consideration online service at aqa.org.uk/eaqa
Special help: where students need special help which goes beyond normal learning support,
please use the Candidate record form to tell us so that this help can be taken into account during
moderation.
Students who move schools: students who move from one school or college to another during
the course sometimes need additional help to meet the requirements. How you deal with this
depends on when the move takes place. If it happens early in the course, the new school or
college should be responsible for the work. If it happens late in the course, it may be possible to
arrange for the moderator to assess the work as a student who was ‘Educated Elsewhere’.
6.8 Keeping students' work
Students’ work must be kept under secure conditions from the time that it is marked, with
Candidate record forms attached. After the moderation period and the deadline for Enquiries about
Results (or once any enquiry is resolved) you may return the work to students.
6.9 Moderation
You must send all your students' marks to us by the date given at aqa.org.uk/deadlines. You will be
asked to send a sample of your students' NEA evidence to your moderator.
You must show clearly how marks have been awarded against the assessment criteria in this
specification. Your comments must help the moderator see, as precisely as possible, where you
think the students have met the assessment criteria. You must:
• record your comments on the Candidate Record Form (CRF)
• check that the correct marks are written on the CRF and that the total is correct.
The moderator re-marks a sample of the evidence and compares this with the marks you have
provided to check whether any changes are needed to bring the marking in line with our agreed
standards. Any changes to marks will normally keep your rank order but, where major
inconsistencies are found, we reserve the right to change the rank order.
School and college consortia

If you are in a consortium of schools or colleges with joint teaching arrangements (where students
from different schools and colleges have been taught together but entered through the school or
college at which they are on roll), you must let us know by:
• filling in the Application for Centre Consortium Arrangements for centre-assessed work,
which is available from the JCQ website jcq.org.uk
• appointing a consortium co-ordinator who can speak to us on behalf of all schools and
colleges in the consortium. If there are different co-ordinators for different specifications, a
copy of the form must be sent in for each specification.
We will allocate the same moderator to all schools and colleges in the consortium and treat the
students as a single group for moderation.
6.10 After moderation

We will return your students’ work to you after the exams. You will also receive a report when the
results are issued, which will give feedback on the appropriateness of the tasks set, interpretation
of the marking criteria and how students performed in general.
We will give you the final marks when the results are issued.
To meet Ofqual requirements, as well as for awarding, archiving or standardisation purposes, we
may need to keep some of your students’ work. We will let you know if we need to do this.
7 General administration
You can find information about all aspects of administration, as well as all the forms you need, at
aqa.org.uk/examsadmin
7.1 Entries and codes

You only need to make one entry for each qualification – this will cover all the question papers,
non-exam assessment and certification.
Every specification is given a national discount (classification) code by the Department for
Education (DfE), which indicates its subject area.
If a student takes two specifications with the same discount code, Further and Higher Education
providers are likely to take the view that they have only achieved one of the two qualifications.
Please check this before your students start their course.
Qualification title Option AQA DfE

entry discoun
code t code
AQA Advanced Subsidiary GCE in English Literature B Option 7716AA 5110
AA: (post-16
Tragedy ), FC4
and (KS4)
Tragedy
Option 7716AB 5110
AB: (post-16
Tragedy ), FC4
and (KS4)
Comedy
Option 7716BA 5110
BA: (post-16
Comedy ), FC4
and (KS4)
Tragedy
Option 7716BB 5110
BB: (post-16
Comedy ), FC4
and (KS4)
Comedy
Qualification title Option AQA DfE
entry discoun
code t code
AQA Advanced Level GCE in English Literature B Option 7717AA 5110
AA:
Tragedy
and
Crime
Option 7717AB 5110
AB:
Tragedy
and
Politics
Option 7717BA 5110
BA:
Comedy
and
Crime
Option 7717BB 5110
BB:
Comedy
and
Politics
These specifications comply with Ofqual’s:

• General conditions of recognition that apply to all regulated qualifications
• GCE qualification level conditions that apply to all GCEs
• GCE subject level conditions that apply to all GCEs in this subject
• all relevant regulatory documents.
Ofqual has accredited these specifications. The qualification accreditation number (QAN) for the
AS is 601/5257/6. The QAN for the A-level is 601/5328/3.
7.2 Overlaps with other qualifications

There is overlapping content in the AS and A-level English Literature B specifications. This helps
you teach the AS and A-level together.
7.3 Awarding grades and reporting results

The AS qualification will be graded on a five-point scale: A, B, C, D and E.
The A-level qualification will be graded on a six-point scale: A*, A, B, C, D and E.
Students who fail to reach the minimum standard for grade E will be recorded as U (unclassified)
and will not receive a qualification certificate.
7.4 Re-sits and shelf life

Students can re-sit the qualifications as many times as they wish, within the shelf life of the
qualifications.
7.5 Previous learning and prerequisites

There are no previous learning requirements. Any requirements for entry to a course based on
these specifications are at the discretion of schools and colleges.
However, we recommend that students should have the skills and knowledge associated with a
GCSE English Literature course or equivalent.
7.6 Access to assessment: diversity and inclusion

General qualifications are designed to prepare students for a wide range of occupations and
further study. Therefore our qualifications must assess a wide range of competences.
The subject criteria have been assessed to see if any of the skills or knowledge required present
any possible difficulty to any students, whatever their ethnic background, religion, sex, age,
disability or sexuality. If any difficulties were encountered, the criteria were reviewed again to make
sure that tests of specific competences were only included if they were important to the subject.
As members of the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) we participate in the production of the
JCQ document Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments: General and Vocational
qualifications. We follow these guidelines when assessing the needs of individual students who
may require an access arrangement or reasonable adjustment. This document is published on the
JCQ website at jcq.org.uk
Students with disabilities and special needs

We can make arrangements for disabled students and students with special needs to help them
access the assessments, as long as the competences being tested are not changed. Access
arrangements must be agreed before the assessment. For example, a Braille paper would be a
reasonable adjustment for a Braille reader but not for a student who does not read Braille.
We are required by the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments to remove or lessen
any disadvantage that affects a disabled student.
If you have students who need access arrangements or reasonable adjustments, you can apply
using the Access arrangements online service at aqa.org.uk/eaqa
Special consideration
We can give special consideration to students who have been disadvantaged at the time of the
assessment through no fault of their own – for example a temporary illness, injury or serious
problem such as the death of a relative. We can only do this after the assessment.
Your exams officer should apply online for special consideration at aqa.org.uk/eaqa
For more information and advice about access arrangements, reasonable adjustments and special
consideration please see aqa.org.uk/access or email accessarrangementsqueries@aqa.org.uk
7.7 Safeguarding
Some of the content within this curriculum may generate discussions or disclosures from students
which raise safeguarding concerns. If this happens, please follow your centre’s safeguarding policy
to arrange support.
7.8 Working with AQA for the first time

If your school or college has not previously offered any AQA specification, you need to register as
an AQA centre to offer our specifications to your students. Find out how at aqa.org.uk/
becomeacentre
If your school or college is new to these specifications, please let us know by completing an
Intention to enter form. The easiest way to do this is via e-AQA at aqa.org.uk/eaqa
7.9 Private candidates

A private candidate is someone who enters for exams through an AQA-approved school or college
but is not enrolled as a student there.
If you are a private candidate you may be self-taught, home-schooled or have private tuition, either
with a tutor or through a distance learning organisation. You must be based in the UK.
If you have any queries as a private candidate, you can:
• speak to the exams officer at the school or college where you intend to take your exams
• visit our website at aqa.org.uk/examsadmin
• email: privatecandidates@aqa.org.uk
Get help and support
Visit our website for information, guidance, support and resources at
You can talk directly to the English Literature B subject team:
T: 0161 9537504
aqa.org.uk
Copyright © 2021 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
AQA retains the copyright on all its publications, including the specifications. However, schools and colleges registered with AQA are
permitted to copy material from this specification for their own internal use.
AQA Education (AQA) is a registered charity (number 1073334) and a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales
(company number 3644723). Our registered address is AQA, Devas Street, Manchester M15 6EX.

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Get help and support AS AND

Version 1.4 16 October 2021

4 Subject content – A-level 19

6 Non-exam assessment administration

Are you using the latest version of this specification?

Choice and flexibility

Teach AS and A-level together

We support you every step of the way

1.2 Support and resources to help you teach

Preparing for exams

Analyse your students' results with Enhanced Results Analysis (ERA)

Keep your skills up to date with professional development

Get help and support

Paper 2: Literary genres: prose and poetry

Paper 2: Texts and genres

Non-exam assessment: Theory and independence

Text Choices available

One further drama text From set list

One poetry text

3.1 Literary genres

3.1.1 Aspects of tragedy

• the way that language is used to heighten the tragedy

Prose and poetry

3.1.2 Aspects of comedy

Prose and poetry

4 Subject content – A-level

Texts and genres A Unseen text

Theory and Two One poetry and

4.1 Literary genres

4.1.1 Aspects of tragedy

Author Text Time period

Arthur Miller Death of a Salesman (drama)

4.1.2 Aspects of comedy

Author Text Time period

Author Text Time period

4.2 Texts and genres

4.2.1 Elements of crime writing

Author Text Time period

4.2.2 Elements of political and social protest writing

Author Text Time period

Khaled Hosseini The Kite Runner Post-2000

4.3 Theory and independence

4.3.1 Text selection

NEA prohibited texts

5.2 Assessment objectives

Weighting of assessment objectives for AS English Literature B

Weighting of assessment objectives for A-level English Literature B

5.3 Assessment weightings

5.4 Non-exam assessment marking criteria

Band 5 AO1 • perceptive, assured and sophisticated This band is characterised by

AO5 • perceptive and confident engagement

AO5 • thorough engagement with

Band 3 AO1 • sensibly ordered ideas in a relevant This band is characterised by

AO5 • straightforward engagement with

AO5 • simple and generalised response to

0 marks No marks for response when nothing is written

AO4 At the bottom of the band there