WJECGCSE146 resourcesFoundation & Higher

WJEC GCSE English Literature Past Papers & Mark Schemes

Download free WJEC GCSE English Literature past papers, mark schemes & examiner reports. Foundation & Higher tiers, poetry and prose units. 146 resources.

Papers Overview Paper Structure Key Info Key Topics Command Words Grade Boundaries Revision Tips Try AI Tutor ✦

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146 of 146 resources — page 1 of 6

Winter 2024

4 files

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GCSE Eng Lit – Unit 1 Higher: Written: Prose, different cultures, and poetry, contemporary Higher – Past Paper – Winter 2024

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✅

GCSE Eng Lit – Unit 1 Foundation: Written: Prose, different cultures, and poetry, contemporary Found – Mark Scheme – Winter 2024

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✅

GCSE Eng Lit – Unit 1 Higher: Written: Prose, different cultures, and poetry, contemporary Higher – Mark Scheme – Winter 2024

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📋

GCSE Eng Lit – Unit 1 Foundation: Written: Prose, different cultures, and poetry, contemporary Found [Paper size: A3 Font size: 36] – Modified Paper – Winter 2024

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Summer 2023

16 files

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GCSE Eng Lit – Unit 2B Foundation: Written: Contemporary drama and literary heritage prose Foundation – Past Paper – Summer 2023

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GCSE Eng Lit – Unit 1 Higher: Written: Prose, different cultures, and poetry, contemporary Higher – Past Paper – Summer 2023

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GCSE Eng Lit – Unit 1 Foundation: Written: Prose, different cultures, and poetry, contemporary Found – Past Paper – Summer 2023

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GCSE Eng Lit – Unit 2A Foundation: Written: Literary heritage drama and contemporary prose Foundation – Past Paper – Summer 2023

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GCSE Eng Lit – Unit 2A Higher: Written: Literary heritage drama and contemporary prose Higher Tier – Past Paper – Summer 2023

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GCSE Eng Lit – Unit 2B Higher: Written: Contemporary drama and literary heritage prose Higher Tier – Past Paper – Summer 2023

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✅

GCSE Eng Lit – Unit 2A Foundation: Written: Literary heritage drama and contemporary prose Foundation – Mark Scheme – Summer 2023

Mark Scheme

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📋

GCSE Eng Lit – Unit 1 Higher: Written: Prose, different cultures, and poetry, contemporary Higher [Paper size: A4 Font size: 18] – Modified Paper – Summer 2023

Modified Paper

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GCSE Eng Lit – Unit 2B Foundation: Written: Contemporary drama and literary heritage prose Foundation – Mark Scheme – Summer 2023

Mark Scheme

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📋

GCSE Eng Lit – Unit 2A Higher: Written: Literary heritage drama and contemporary prose Higher Tier [Paper size: A3 Font size: 36] – Modified Paper – Summer 2023

Modified Paper

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✅

GCSE Eng Lit – Unit 1 Higher: Written: Prose, different cultures, and poetry, contemporary Higher – Mark Scheme – Summer 2023

Mark Scheme

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GCSE Eng Lit – Unit 2A Higher: Written: Literary heritage drama and contemporary prose Higher Tier [Paper size: A4 Font size: 18] – Modified Paper – Summer 2023

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GCSE Eng Lit – Unit 2A Higher: Written: Literary heritage drama and contemporary prose Higher Tier – Mark Scheme – Summer 2023

Mark Scheme

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📋

GCSE Eng Lit – Unit 2B Higher: Written: Contemporary drama and literary heritage prose Higher Tier [Paper size: A3 Font size: 36] – Modified Paper – Summer 2023

Modified Paper

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✅

GCSE Eng Lit – Unit 2B Higher: Written: Contemporary drama and literary heritage prose Higher Tier – Mark Scheme – Summer 2023

Mark Scheme

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GCSE Eng Lit – Unit 2B Higher: Written: Contemporary drama and literary heritage prose Higher Tier [Paper size: A4 Font size: 18] – Modified Paper – Summer 2023

Modified Paper

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Winter 2023

5 files

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GCSE Eng Lit – Unit 1 Foundation: Written: Prose, different cultures, and poetry, contemporary Found – Past Paper – Winter 2023

Past Paper

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📄

GCSE Eng Lit – Unit 1 Higher: Written: Prose, different cultures, and poetry, contemporary Higher – Past Paper – Winter 2023

Past Paper

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📋

GCSE Eng Lit – Unit 1 Foundation: Written: Prose, different cultures, and poetry, contemporary Found [Paper size: A3 Font size: 36] – Modified Paper – Winter 2023

Modified Paper

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📋

GCSE Eng Lit – Unit 1 Foundation: Written: Prose, different cultures, and poetry, contemporary Found [Paper size: A4 Font size: 18] – Modified Paper – Winter 2023

Modified Paper

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📋

GCSE Eng Lit – Unit 1 Higher: Written: Prose, different cultures, and poetry, contemporary Higher [Paper size: A3 Font size: 36] – Modified Paper – Winter 2023

Modified Paper

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Tiered Literature Assessment and the Welsh Canon of Set Texts

WJEC GCSE English Literature uses a tiered assessment model that differs from the single-tier approach used by most English exam boards. Foundation tier targets grades G–D and Higher tier targets grades D–A*, ensuring that students at different levels engage with texts at an appropriate degree of challenge. Unit 1 (Prose, Different Cultures, and Contemporary Poetry) is a written examination lasting 2 hours. Foundation and Higher tiers sit different papers with shared and differentiated questions. Students study a prose text from a different culture (such as Harper Lee's 'To Kill a Mockingbird' or Meera Syal's 'Anita and Me') and a selection of contemporary poetry. The exam tests close reading, understanding of themes, and the ability to compare texts. Unit 2 has two routes: Unit 2A (Literary Heritage Drama and Contemporary Prose) and Unit 2B (Contemporary Drama and Literary Heritage Prose), each examined through a 2-hour written paper. This gives schools flexibility in which combination of classic and modern texts to teach. Set texts include Shakespeare plays, contemporary novels, and modern drama — the specific choices rotate across specification cycles. The WJEC approach requires students to write about texts they have studied in class without copies of the texts in the examination room (closed book). This means quotation learning and deep familiarity with plot, character, and themes are essential preparation. This archive of 146 resources spans Summer 2017 to Winter 2024 across both tiers and units.

Exam Paper Structure

Unit 1No calculator

Prose, Different Cultures, and Contemporary Poetry

⏱ 2 hours🎯 marks📊 50% of grade

Prose from different culturesContemporary poetry analysisUnseen poetry comparison

Unit 2No calculator

Drama and Prose (Route A or B)

⏱ 2 hours🎯 marks📊 50% of grade

Shakespeare or literary heritage dramaContemporary or literary heritage proseExtract-based and essay questions

Key Information

Exam Board	WJEC
Qualification	GCSE
Grading Scale	A*–G
Assessment Type	2 written papers (closed book)
Tiers	Foundation (G–D) and Higher (D–A*)
Unit 1	2 hr — Prose, Different Cultures, and Poetry
Unit 2	2 hr — Drama and Prose (Route A or B)
Exam Condition	Closed book — no texts in the exam room
Available Sessions	Summer 2017 – Winter 2024
Total Resources	146

Key Topics in English Literature

Topics you need to know

Close reading and textual analysisCharacter and theme developmentWriter methods and effectsComparison of texts and poemsContext and its influence on textsCritical essay writing under exam conditionsQuotation selection and embedding

Exam Command Words

Command word	What the examiner expects
How does the writer present...	Analyse the techniques used to portray a character, theme, or idea — include language, structure, and form
What do you think...	Give your personal interpretation supported by textual evidence — there is no single correct answer
Compare	Explore similarities and differences between two texts or poems, focusing on the specified aspect
To what extent	Evaluate how far you agree with the given statement, using evidence from the text to support your argument
Explore	Investigate the given aspect of the text in depth, considering multiple angles and using evidence throughout
Write about	Produce a sustained analytical response covering the specified topic, with close reference to the text

Typical Grade Boundaries

Grade	Approximate mark needed
Grade A*	74–85%
Grade A	62–73%
Grade B	50–61%
Grade C	38–49%
Grade D	26–37%

⚠️ Typical Higher tier boundaries across both units. Actual boundaries vary by series — check WJEC website.

Closed-Book Quotation Strategy and Writing About Character Across a Whole Text

Closed-book exams demand that you memorise quotations. The most efficient approach is to learn 10–15 short, versatile quotations per text — choose ones that can be applied to multiple themes or character questions. A quotation like Lady Macbeth's 'unsex me here' works for essays on gender, ambition, the supernatural, and Lady Macbeth's character. Versatile quotations give you maximum coverage with minimum memorisation. WJEC mark schemes at Higher tier award the highest marks for responses that track character or theme development across the whole text, not just the extract provided. After analysing the extract in detail, connect your points to other moments in the text: 'Earlier in the novel, the character...', 'By the end of the play, this has shifted to...'. This 'whole text' awareness separates A/A* responses from B-grade responses. For the poetry component, practise unseen comparison. You will typically be asked to compare a poem you have studied with an unseen poem on a related theme. Structure your comparison thematically rather than poem-by-poem: deal with both poems in each paragraph, showing how they approach the same theme differently through language, form, or imagery. Foundation tier students should focus on clear, supported points rather than attempting sophisticated analysis. State your point, provide your quotation, and explain what it shows about the character or theme. Three well-developed points with evidence will score higher than six vague assertions without textual support.

More WJEC GCSE Subjects

Explore other GCSE subjects from WJEC

WJEC GCSE English Literature Past Papers & Mark Schemes

Download Past Papers

Winter 2024

Summer 2023

Winter 2023

Tiered Literature Assessment and the Welsh Canon of Set Texts

Exam Paper Structure

Key Information

Key Topics in English Literature

Exam Command Words

Typical Grade Boundaries

Closed-Book Quotation Strategy and Writing About Character Across a Whole Text

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Computer Science

Design and Technology

Digital Technology

Drama

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English Language

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