AQA GCSE English Literature (8702)

Grade Boundaries

Recent grade boundaries, what each grade looks like in practice, and how to push your marks into the next band.

Important note

Grade boundaries change every year based on the difficulty of the papers and the performance of the whole cohort. The boundaries below are from recent exam series and are provided as a guide only. Your actual grade boundary may be slightly higher or lower. Always check the AQA website for the most up-to-date boundaries after results day.

Overall grade boundaries (combined Paper 1 + Paper 2)

The total number of marks across both papers is 160. Paper 1 (Shakespeare and the 19th-century novel) is worth 40% (64 marks) and Paper 2 (Modern texts, Poetry anthology, and Unseen poetry) is worth 60% (96 marks). Your raw marks from both papers are combined to produce your overall grade. Below are the approximate boundaries from recent exam series:

Grade	Approx. mark (/160)	Approx. %
9	~136	~85%
8	~120	~75%
7	~104	~65%
6	~89	~56%
5	~74	~46%
4	~58	~36%
3	~42	~26%
2	~26	~16%
1	~12	~8%

Note: These boundaries are approximate and based on publicly available AQA data. The “Approx. %” column shows roughly what percentage of the total 160 marks you need.

What each grade looks like in practice

Understanding what each grade looks like helps you see exactly what markers expect at each level. Here is what typical work looks like at the key grade boundaries:

Grade 9 — Exceptional

Critical, exploratory, conceptualised response to texts.
Judicious use of precise references to support interpretation.
Analysis of the writer’s methods with subject terminology used judiciously.
Exploration of the effects of the writer’s methods on the reader.
Exploration of ideas, perspectives, and contextual factors shown across the task.
Convincing, critical analysis and exploration in the Shakespeare extract and wider play.
Sophisticated comparison of poems from the AQA anthology with a clear personal response.

Grades 7-8 - Strong

Thoughtful, developed response to texts with a clear personal voice.
Apt references integrated into interpretations.
Examination of the writer’s methods with subject terminology used effectively.
Understanding of the effects of the writer’s methods on the reader.
Thoughtful consideration of ideas, perspectives, and contextual factors.
Detailed analysis of the Shakespeare extract linked convincingly to the wider play.
Confident analysis of unseen poetry exploring form, structure, and language choices.

Grades 5-6 - Secure

Clear, explained response to texts with relevant ideas.
References used effectively to support explanations.
Clear explanation of writer’s methods with appropriate use of subject terminology.
Understanding of some effects of the writer’s methods.
Some understanding of ideas, perspectives, and contextual factors.
Clear response to the 19th-century novel with relevant textual references.
Competent response to unseen poetry with some analysis of language and structure.

Grade 4 - Standard pass

Some explained response to texts, though may lack consistency.
References used to support some points, though not always well-selected.
Some awareness of the writer’s methods; some subject terminology used.
Some comment on the effects of the writer’s choices.
Some awareness of contextual factors, though may be superficial.
Some response to the modern text with basic understanding of themes and characters.
Some response to unseen poetry with basic identification of features.

Grades 1-3 - Below standard pass

Simple, limited comments on texts with little development.
References may be general or paraphrased rather than specific.
Limited awareness of the writer’s methods; little or no subject terminology.
May retell the plot or describe events rather than analyse.
Little or no reference to context.
Limited engagement with the poetry anthology or unseen poetry.
Simple comments on unseen poetry with little analysis.

How to push your grade higher

Here are targeted strategies for moving from one grade band to the next:

Grade 4 → Grade 5

Quotations: Move beyond retelling the story. Select short, specific quotations and explain what they reveal about the character, theme, or writer’s purpose.
Terminology: Learn and use key literary terms accurately — metaphor, simile, pathetic fallacy, iambic pentameter, enjambment. Even basic terminology used correctly lifts your analysis.
Completeness: Attempt every question in full. Leaving out the unseen poetry comparison or the poetry anthology question is the most common reason students miss a Grade 5.

Grade 5 → Grade 7

Analysis depth: Move from explaining what a quotation means to analysing how the language creates its effect. Explore connotations of individual words and consider why the writer chose them.
Context: Integrate contextual knowledge naturally. Instead of a separate paragraph about context, weave it into your analysis: “Shakespeare uses this to reflect the Jacobean belief that…”
Poetry anthology: Know all 15 poems in your chosen cluster well enough to compare any two. Practise linking poems by theme, tone, and method rather than memorising a fixed pairing.
Unseen poetry: Practise reading poems you have never seen before. Build a toolkit for approaching unfamiliar texts: start with subject, then move to tone, imagery, form, and structure.

Grade 7 → Grade 9

Conceptualised response: Frame your essay around a clear argument or interpretation. A Grade 9 response has a thesis — a thread that runs through every paragraph, not a series of disconnected points.
Alternative interpretations: Explore how a text could be read differently: “A feminist reading might suggest…” or “While the surface reading implies X, the imagery subtly undermines this…”
Writer’s craft: Go beyond individual techniques to consider how the whole text is constructed. How does the opening relate to the ending? How does the structure mirror the themes?
Wider reading: Students who achieve Grade 9 read widely and bring a mature critical vocabulary to their analysis. Read literary criticism, reviews, and essays to develop a sophisticated analytical voice.

Paper breakdown at a glance

AQA GCSE English Literature (8702) is split into two papers. Paper 1 (Shakespeare and the 19th-century novel) is worth 40% and Paper 2 (Modern texts, Poetry anthology, and Unseen poetry) is worth 60%.

Paper 1 - Shakespeare and the 19th-century novel (40%)

1 hour 45 minutes • 64 marks

Section	Question	Marks	Focus
A — Shakespeare	Extract + essay	30 marks + 4 SPaG	Shakespeare play (extract-based essay)
B — 19th-century novel	Extract + essay	30 marks	19th-century novel (extract-based essay)
Paper 1 Total		64 marks	40% of qualification

Paper 2 - Modern texts, Poetry anthology and Unseen poetry (60%)

2 hours 15 minutes • 96 marks

Section	Question	Marks	Focus
A — Modern texts	Essay question	34 marks + 4 SPaG	Modern prose or drama (essay from choice of two)
B — Poetry anthology	Comparison	30 marks	One named poem compared with one of your choice
C — Unseen poetry	C1	24 marks	Analysis of one unseen poem
C — Unseen poetry	C2	8 marks	Comparison of two unseen poems
Paper 2 Total		96 marks	60% of qualification

Paper 2 carries more weight and includes both the poetry anthology and unseen poetry sections. Knowing your anthology poems inside out and practising unseen poetry under timed conditions are two of the most effective ways to improve your overall Literature grade.

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