Edexcel · GCSE English Literature (1ET0)

Edexcel English Literature Paper 2

19th-century Novel and Poetry since 1789

Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Marks: 80
Share: 50% of the GCSE
Questions: 4

A closed-book exam in two sections. Section A is a two-part question on your 19th-century novel that starts from a printed extract. Section B is poetry: a comparison of a named poem from your anthology collection with one other from it, then a comparison of two poems you have not seen before.

Mark an answer against this paper Jump to the questions

The questions at a glance

Question	What it is	Marks	Tests	Time
Part (a): Questions 1(a) to 7(a)	Extract analysis	20	AO2	27 min
Part (b): Questions 1(b) to 7(b)	Essay on the rest of the novel	20	AO1	27 min
Part 1: Question 8, 9, 10 or 11 (the one for your collection)	Anthology poetry comparison	20	AO2, AO3	35 min
Part 2: Question 12	Unseen poetry comparison	20	AO1, AO2	45 min

What the examiner is looking for

The board calls these its assessment objectives. Each question tests one or more of them.

AO1: Show you understand the text and have your own well-informed view of it, argued in an essay style and backed by references and quotations.
AO2: Analyse the writer's choices of language, form and structure and the meanings and effects they create, using subject terms where they help.
AO3: Show how a text relates to the context it was written in. On this paper it is marked only in the anthology poetry question.

Section A: 19th-century novel40 marks

One question on your novel, in two parts: part (a) on a printed extract of about 400 words, and part (b) on an idea from that extract elsewhere in the novel.

Part (a): Questions 1(a) to 7(a)

Extract analysis

20 marksAO2About 27 min

What it asks

Analyse how the writer presents a character, a setting or an event in the printed extract, using examples from it.

What earns marks

Close analysis of the writer's language in the extract: word choices, imagery, dialogue and sentence forms.
Form and structure too: the narrative voice, how the extract builds or changes direction, and how it ends.
Short quotations from the extract, each with its effect on the reader explained.
Accurate subject terms used to develop points.

What each level looks like

Top level first.

Level	Marks	What an answer at this level does
Level 5	17-20	Weighs up how the language, form and structure combine to shape the reader's response, with exact subject terms built naturally into the argument.
Level 4	13-16	Every paragraph digs into how the language, form and structure work and what they do to the reader, in close detail, with subject terms used accurately to push ideas further.
Level 3	9-12	Shows how several of the writer's methods work and what each does to the reader, with relevant subject terms.
Level 2	5-8	Mostly describes what happens in the extract, but makes some comments on how it is written, using a few subject terms.
Level 1	1-4	Says very little about how the extract is written: a feature or two may be named, with almost no explanation and few subject terms.

What to avoid

Adding context: it is not marked anywhere in Section A of this paper.
Bringing in other chapters: part (a) is about the extract.
Retelling the extract instead of analysing it.

Tip: Pick out four or five key moments in the extract and, for each, say what the writer does and what it makes the reader think or feel.

Mark an answer to this question

Part (b): Questions 1(b) to 7(b)

Essay on the rest of the novel

20 marksAO1About 27 min

What it asks

Show how an idea from the extract, such as friendship or ambition, appears and matters in other parts of the novel. The question lists points you must consider.

What earns marks

A clear argument of your own that answers the question, written as a formal essay.
Evidence from other parts of the novel: quotations you have learned, or precise reference to events.
Every point the question tells you to consider.

What each level looks like

Top level first.

Level	Marks	What an answer at this level does
Level 5	17-20	A confident argument of your own, with fresh, thoughtful readings, in which each carefully picked piece of evidence does real work.
Level 4	13-16	A well-built argument that stays close to the novel, in a steady essay style, with evidence that fits each of several points closely.
Level 3	9-12	Stays relevant, with your own sound reading of the novel and focused points backed by evidence.
Level 2	5-8	Retells a fair amount of the story, but some of your own view comes through, with a few sensible points and a focus that comes and goes.
Level 1	1-4	A simple answer that says little of your own view, has little sense of an essay style and refers to the novel only briefly.

What to avoid

Going back over the extract: the question asks about elsewhere in the novel, and the mark scheme rewards references from beyond the extract.
Spending time on context: it is not marked in this part.
Plot summary with no argument.

Tip: Choose three moments from different parts of the novel, away from the extract, and show how each one develops the idea in the question.

Mark an answer to this question

Section B: Poetry since 178940 marks

Part 1 compares a named poem from your anthology collection with another poem from the same collection. Part 2 compares two poems you have not seen before.

Part 1: Question 8, 9, 10 or 11 (the one for your collection)

Anthology poetry comparison

20 marksAO2 · 15AO3 · 5About 35 min

What it asks

Compare how a theme is presented in the named poem, which is printed in the paper, and one other poem you choose from the same collection. Your answer should cover how each poet uses language, form and structure, and how the time and circumstances each poem was written in shape it.

What earns marks

One mark out of 20 for the whole answer, from one set of five levels that weighs your comparison, your analysis and your use of context together. No objective gets a score of its own.
Comparison all the way through: what the two poems share and where they differ, in ideas and in methods.
How each poet uses language, form and structure, with short quotations from both poems. This is AO2, which carries three quarters of the marks (15 of the 20).
Context for both poems, such as when and why each was written, linked to what it means. This is AO3, which carries a quarter of the marks (5 of the 20).
A second poem that gives you plenty to compare, treated in real depth.

What each level looks like

Top level first.

Level	Marks	What an answer at this level does
Level 5	17-20	Compares the poems with real insight on many fronts, shows exactly how each poet's methods work, uses precise terms, and makes context part of the argument.
Level 4	13-16	Compares the poems well on many points, with detailed analysis backed by evidence from both, and context discussed throughout.
Level 3	9-12	Makes several clear comparisons and explains how form, structure and language shape each poem, with relevant terms and sensible comment on context.
Level 2	5-8	Points out the more obvious likenesses or differences without developing them, with a few comments on how the poems are written and a little context. An answer on only one poem cannot go above this level.
Level 1	1-4	Hardly compares the poems, says little about how they are written, and shows little sense of context.

What to avoid

Writing about one poem and then the other with no comparison.
A thin treatment of the poem you choose: the mark scheme expects it to be covered in depth, and a very unbalanced answer cannot reach Level 3.
Choosing a second poem from a different collection.

Tip: Before the exam, prepare pairings: for each poem in your collection, know two others it compares well with and one point of context for each.

Mark an answer to this question

Part 2: Question 12

Unseen poetry comparison

20 marksAO1 · 8AO2 · 12About 45 min

What it asks

Compare how two modern poems you have not seen before present a shared theme: the ideas in each poem, and how each poet uses language, form and structure.

What earns marks

One mark out of 20 for the whole answer, from one set of five levels that weighs your comparison, your response and your analysis together. No objective gets a score of its own.
A personal response to the ideas in both poems, supported with short quotations, with comparison running through the whole answer (AO1, 8 of the 20 marks).
How each poet writes: language, form and structure, compared rather than described one poem at a time (AO2, 12 of the 20 marks).
Careful readings backed by the poems: the mark scheme rewards any reasonable interpretation you can support.

What each level looks like

Top level first.

Level	Marks	What an answer at this level does
Level 5	17-20	Compares the poems with real insight on many fronts, with a confident response of your own, carefully picked evidence and precise analysis of how both poets work.
Level 4	13-16	Compares the poems well on many points, with a developed, well-supported response and detailed analysis of how both poets work.
Level 3	9-12	Makes several clear comparisons, with a relevant personal response, a sensible reading of both poems and a clear sense of how language, form and structure work.
Level 2	5-8	Points out obvious likenesses or differences without developing them, partly retells the poems, and comments a little on how they are written. An answer on only one poem cannot go above this level.
Level 1	1-4	Hardly compares the poems, gives a simple response with little evidence, and says little about how they are written.

What to avoid

Guessing at background or context: it is not marked in this question.
Spending most of your time on the first poem: a very unbalanced answer cannot reach Level 3.
Paraphrasing line by line without comment on method.

Tip: Read both poems twice and annotate for about 10 minutes before you write, then make every paragraph compare the two.

Mark an answer to this question

Using your time

The paper advises about 55 minutes on Section A, divided equally between parts (a) and (b), about 35 minutes on Section B Part 1, and about 45 minutes on Section B Part 2.
Part 2 gets ten minutes more than Part 1 for the same 20 marks, because you have to read two new poems before you can write about them.
Our suggestion: in every part, spend the first few minutes planning before you write.

Before you hand in

Part (a) stays inside the printed extract, and part (b) uses other parts of the novel.
The anthology answer compares the named poem with one other from your collection, and mentions context for both.
The unseen answer compares both poems throughout.
Poem titles, poets' names and characters' names are spelt correctly.

About this guide

This guide explains the mark scheme in plain English, in our own words. It is not the board's mark scheme, and it is not a prediction of any mark. The questions, marks and levels were checked against Pearson Edexcel GCSE English Literature (1ET0) Paper 2 mark scheme, Summer 2025 (1ET0_02_2506_MS), checked with the specification, Issue 2 (June 2019), and the Summer 2024 question paper on 24 October 2026.

The official mark schemes and past papers (Edexcel)

Edexcel · GCSE English Literature (1ET0)

Edexcel English Literature Paper 2

19th-century Novel and Poetry since 1789

Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Marks: 80
Share: 50% of the GCSE
Questions: 4

Mark an answer against this paper Jump to the questions

The questions at a glance

Question	What it is	Marks	Tests	Time
Part (a): Questions 1(a) to 7(a)	Extract analysis	20	AO2	27 min
Part (b): Questions 1(b) to 7(b)	Essay on the rest of the novel	20	AO1	27 min
Part 1: Question 8, 9, 10 or 11 (the one for your collection)	Anthology poetry comparison	20	AO2, AO3	35 min
Part 2: Question 12	Unseen poetry comparison	20	AO1, AO2	45 min

What the examiner is looking for

The board calls these its assessment objectives. Each question tests one or more of them.

AO1: Show you understand the text and have your own well-informed view of it, argued in an essay style and backed by references and quotations.
AO2: Analyse the writer's choices of language, form and structure and the meanings and effects they create, using subject terms where they help.
AO3: Show how a text relates to the context it was written in. On this paper it is marked only in the anthology poetry question.

Section A: 19th-century novel40 marks

One question on your novel, in two parts: part (a) on a printed extract of about 400 words, and part (b) on an idea from that extract elsewhere in the novel.

Part (a): Questions 1(a) to 7(a)

Extract analysis

20 marksAO2About 27 min

What it asks

Analyse how the writer presents a character, a setting or an event in the printed extract, using examples from it.

What earns marks

Close analysis of the writer's language in the extract: word choices, imagery, dialogue and sentence forms.
Form and structure too: the narrative voice, how the extract builds or changes direction, and how it ends.
Short quotations from the extract, each with its effect on the reader explained.
Accurate subject terms used to develop points.

What each level looks like

Top level first.

Level	Marks	What an answer at this level does
Level 5	17-20	Weighs up how the language, form and structure combine to shape the reader's response, with exact subject terms built naturally into the argument.
Level 4	13-16	Every paragraph digs into how the language, form and structure work and what they do to the reader, in close detail, with subject terms used accurately to push ideas further.
Level 3	9-12	Shows how several of the writer's methods work and what each does to the reader, with relevant subject terms.
Level 2	5-8	Mostly describes what happens in the extract, but makes some comments on how it is written, using a few subject terms.
Level 1	1-4	Says very little about how the extract is written: a feature or two may be named, with almost no explanation and few subject terms.

What to avoid

Adding context: it is not marked anywhere in Section A of this paper.
Bringing in other chapters: part (a) is about the extract.
Retelling the extract instead of analysing it.

Tip: Pick out four or five key moments in the extract and, for each, say what the writer does and what it makes the reader think or feel.

Mark an answer to this question

Part (b): Questions 1(b) to 7(b)

Essay on the rest of the novel

20 marksAO1About 27 min

What it asks

Show how an idea from the extract, such as friendship or ambition, appears and matters in other parts of the novel. The question lists points you must consider.

What earns marks

A clear argument of your own that answers the question, written as a formal essay.
Evidence from other parts of the novel: quotations you have learned, or precise reference to events.
Every point the question tells you to consider.

What each level looks like

Top level first.

Level	Marks	What an answer at this level does
Level 5	17-20	A confident argument of your own, with fresh, thoughtful readings, in which each carefully picked piece of evidence does real work.
Level 4	13-16	A well-built argument that stays close to the novel, in a steady essay style, with evidence that fits each of several points closely.
Level 3	9-12	Stays relevant, with your own sound reading of the novel and focused points backed by evidence.
Level 2	5-8	Retells a fair amount of the story, but some of your own view comes through, with a few sensible points and a focus that comes and goes.
Level 1	1-4	A simple answer that says little of your own view, has little sense of an essay style and refers to the novel only briefly.

What to avoid

Going back over the extract: the question asks about elsewhere in the novel, and the mark scheme rewards references from beyond the extract.
Spending time on context: it is not marked in this part.
Plot summary with no argument.

Tip: Choose three moments from different parts of the novel, away from the extract, and show how each one develops the idea in the question.

Mark an answer to this question

Section B: Poetry since 178940 marks

Part 1 compares a named poem from your anthology collection with another poem from the same collection. Part 2 compares two poems you have not seen before.

Part 1: Question 8, 9, 10 or 11 (the one for your collection)

Anthology poetry comparison

20 marksAO2 · 15AO3 · 5About 35 min

What it asks

What earns marks

One mark out of 20 for the whole answer, from one set of five levels that weighs your comparison, your analysis and your use of context together. No objective gets a score of its own.
Comparison all the way through: what the two poems share and where they differ, in ideas and in methods.
How each poet uses language, form and structure, with short quotations from both poems. This is AO2, which carries three quarters of the marks (15 of the 20).
Context for both poems, such as when and why each was written, linked to what it means. This is AO3, which carries a quarter of the marks (5 of the 20).
A second poem that gives you plenty to compare, treated in real depth.

What each level looks like

Top level first.

Level	Marks	What an answer at this level does
Level 5	17-20	Compares the poems with real insight on many fronts, shows exactly how each poet's methods work, uses precise terms, and makes context part of the argument.
Level 4	13-16	Compares the poems well on many points, with detailed analysis backed by evidence from both, and context discussed throughout.
Level 3	9-12	Makes several clear comparisons and explains how form, structure and language shape each poem, with relevant terms and sensible comment on context.
Level 2	5-8	Points out the more obvious likenesses or differences without developing them, with a few comments on how the poems are written and a little context. An answer on only one poem cannot go above this level.
Level 1	1-4	Hardly compares the poems, says little about how they are written, and shows little sense of context.

What to avoid

Writing about one poem and then the other with no comparison.
A thin treatment of the poem you choose: the mark scheme expects it to be covered in depth, and a very unbalanced answer cannot reach Level 3.
Choosing a second poem from a different collection.

Tip: Before the exam, prepare pairings: for each poem in your collection, know two others it compares well with and one point of context for each.

Mark an answer to this question

Part 2: Question 12

Unseen poetry comparison

20 marksAO1 · 8AO2 · 12About 45 min

What it asks

Compare how two modern poems you have not seen before present a shared theme: the ideas in each poem, and how each poet uses language, form and structure.

What earns marks

One mark out of 20 for the whole answer, from one set of five levels that weighs your comparison, your response and your analysis together. No objective gets a score of its own.
A personal response to the ideas in both poems, supported with short quotations, with comparison running through the whole answer (AO1, 8 of the 20 marks).
How each poet writes: language, form and structure, compared rather than described one poem at a time (AO2, 12 of the 20 marks).
Careful readings backed by the poems: the mark scheme rewards any reasonable interpretation you can support.

What each level looks like

Top level first.

Level	Marks	What an answer at this level does
Level 5	17-20	Compares the poems with real insight on many fronts, with a confident response of your own, carefully picked evidence and precise analysis of how both poets work.
Level 4	13-16	Compares the poems well on many points, with a developed, well-supported response and detailed analysis of how both poets work.
Level 3	9-12	Makes several clear comparisons, with a relevant personal response, a sensible reading of both poems and a clear sense of how language, form and structure work.
Level 2	5-8	Points out obvious likenesses or differences without developing them, partly retells the poems, and comments a little on how they are written. An answer on only one poem cannot go above this level.
Level 1	1-4	Hardly compares the poems, gives a simple response with little evidence, and says little about how they are written.

What to avoid

Guessing at background or context: it is not marked in this question.
Spending most of your time on the first poem: a very unbalanced answer cannot reach Level 3.
Paraphrasing line by line without comment on method.

Tip: Read both poems twice and annotate for about 10 minutes before you write, then make every paragraph compare the two.

Mark an answer to this question

Using your time

The paper advises about 55 minutes on Section A, divided equally between parts (a) and (b), about 35 minutes on Section B Part 1, and about 45 minutes on Section B Part 2.
Part 2 gets ten minutes more than Part 1 for the same 20 marks, because you have to read two new poems before you can write about them.
Our suggestion: in every part, spend the first few minutes planning before you write.

Before you hand in

Part (a) stays inside the printed extract, and part (b) uses other parts of the novel.
The anthology answer compares the named poem with one other from your collection, and mentions context for both.
The unseen answer compares both poems throughout.
Poem titles, poets' names and characters' names are spelt correctly.

About this guide

The official mark schemes and past papers (Edexcel)