How to tackle the exam

AQA Literature Exam

Tuesday, May 20 – Drama/Prose – Unit 1 (An Inspector Calls and To Kill A Mockingbird).

Exam Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

An Inspector Calls

You will have a choice of two questions, only answer one question.  Spend 45 minutes answering and proofreading this question.

Structure:

• Introduction (one sentence that directly answers the question)
• 2 body paragraphs (PEAEAL)
• In each paragraph, one EA is for language and the other for context
• Conclusion (one sentence that summarises answer)

Likely topics:

• Time
• Mr Birling
• Gender
• Eva Smith
• Sheila

To Kill A Mockingbird

You will answer two questions for this text.  You must answer both questions equally.  Spend 20 minutes per question, 40 minutes in total.

Structure to the question:

• Part a will ask you to read a short extract from the text and use that only to answer the question (do not refer to any other part of the text)
• Part b will ask you to refer to the novel as a whole to see how a particular theme or character is presented.  9 times out of 10 you will refer to the trial for this question

Structure of your answer (it is the same for both part a and b):

• Introduction (one sentence that directly answers the question)
• 2 body paragraphs (PEAL)
• One body paragraph is for context and the other for language
• Conclusion (one sentence that summarises answer)
•  

Likely topics:

• Change
• Racism/injustice
• Atticus
• Scout/innocence
•  

Thursday May 22 – Poetry – Unit 2 (Character and Voice cluster and unseen poetry)

Exam Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Character and Voice Cluster Question

You will have a choice of two questions, only answer one question.  It is a comparative essay, so you must discuss the named poem plus one other.  Spend 45 minutes answering and proofreading this question.

Structure:

• Introduction (one sentence that directly answers the questions)
• 3 body paragraphs (PEAEAL)
• One EA per poem
• Topics covered – structure, imagery, language
• Ensure you have a comparative sentence within the paragraph
• Conclusion (one sentence that summarises points)

Likely Poems:

• On a Portrait of a Deaf Man
• Give
• Brendon Gallacher
• Les Grand Seigneurs
• The Ruined Maid
• Medusa
• My Last Duchess

Unseen Poetry

You will be given a short poem you have never seen before and asked to answer one question on this.  Spend 30 minutes answering this question.

Structure:

• STILTS
• Subject; Theme; Imagery; Language; Tone; Structure
• You MUST discuss structure, imagery, theme and language to pass, so prioritise those paragraphs
• Each paragraph follows the structure: PEA (you do not need a link)