Your reading and writing skills will be tested on the Literature paper and you will have to answer questions on a class taught novel and play text. You will also have to respond to a previously unseen poem.
You must be able to:
Respond to texts critically, sensitively and in detail, using textual evidence appropriately. Write in an appropriate way to convey your response (e.g. in character for an empathetic question).
Understand how the writer’s ideas and attitudes are conveyed to the reader; explore how language, structure and form contribute to meaning. (you will receive more marks for explaining than describing.)
Consider different approaches and interpretations of texts. Remember there are no right or wrong answers as the examiner is interested in your personal response to a text but you must substantiate your responses.
Explore characters’ relationships, the settings in a text and discuss key themes and ideas (e.g. character questions - how are they described? how do they behave?)
Relate your text to their social, cultural and historical context and literary traditions.
Express yourself clearly. Present your ideas in a form that suits its purpose, ensuring you are legible; spelling, punctuation and grammar should be accurate.
Revision web sites:
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english