AQA GCSE English Literature (8702) Past Papers 2026
Download free AQA GCSE English Literature 8702 past papers, mark schemes, Foundation & Higher tiers. 8 exam sessions from 2017–2026.
June 2024
Latest Session
8
Sessions
2017–2026
16
Question Papers
20
Mark Schemes
125% coverage
0
Inserts
2
Specimen Papers
Components & time pressure
Marks per minute shows how fast you have to work — the higher the number, the tighter the time pressure in that paper.
| Paper | Component | Marks | Duration | Marks / min | Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | Shakespeare and the 19th-century novel | 64 | 1h 45m | 0.61 | Steady |
| Paper 2 | Modern texts and poetry | 96 | 2h 15m | 0.71 | Moderate |
Component structure extracted from 3 official AQA documents (2022–2023). Timings and mark totals are taken from the papers themselves.
Yearly Exam Sessions
Specimen Papers
Topical Past Papers
AQA English Literature questions organised by specification topic — perfect for targeted revision.
How is AQA GCSE English Literature (8702) examined?
AQA GCSE English Literature is examined through 2 paper components. Understanding each component helps you allocate revision time effectively.
Paper 1
64 marksShakespeare and the 19th-century novel
Duration: 1h 45m
Paper 2
96 marksModern texts and poetry
Duration: 2h 15m
What AQA examiners say about English Literature
Verbatim quotes from 3 official AQA examiner reports (2022–2023). Every quote is attributable to a specific paper and session — these are the things AQA markers flag year after year.
Bolted-on
Less successful responses had constrained understanding of what AO3 means in GCSE English Literature.
Rigid PEE/scaffolded paragraph formula limits…
The PEE approach can often restrict students into adopting a Level 2 'supported' style, typically by presenting a quotation and then attempting to break it down at word-level rather than linking to deeper meanings.
Technique-spotting and labelling parts of speech without…
You get no marks for naming techniques.
Most Common Mistakes — English Literature (8702)
Based on analysis of 3 official AQA examiner reports (2022, 2023). Avoid these errors to maximise your marks.
Bolted-on, sweeping context that is disconnected from the question
Paper 1, Paper 2 · June 2022 Paper 2; June 2023 Paper 1
Rigid PEE/scaffolded paragraph formula limits higher-level analysis
Paper 1, Paper 2 · June 2022 Paper 2; June 2023 Paper 1
Technique-spotting and labelling parts of speech without explaining effect
Paper 1, Paper 2 · June 2022 Paper 2; June 2023 Paper 2
Stock prepared openings and revision-site phrasing that ignore the actual question
Paper 1, Paper 2 · June 2022 Paper 2; June 2023 Paper 1
Structure comments that count lines or name forms with no comment on meaning
Paper 1, Paper 2 · June 2022 Paper 2; June 2023 Paper 2
Topics Students Struggle With Most
Linking AO3 context to the specific question
Many students 'spent too much time attempting to deal with historical context, often in quite a muddled, bolted-on manner, making sweeping generalisations about Shakespearian England'.
Paper 1, Paper 2
Structure analysis in poetry (rhyme schemes, stanza forms)
Examiners 'hardly ever see an effective treatment of rhyme schemes (ABAB etc)' and noted students 'identify these features, but struggled to discuss them in terms of the ideas and effects'.
Paper 2
Sonnet form in 'Ozymandias'
Less successful responses produced comments such as 'he uses a sonnet because sonnets are love poems which shows Ozymandias loves himself' — a line of argument with nowhere to go.
Paper 2
Reading 'My Last Duchess' (Power and Conflict cluster)
A significant minority believed the Duke is grieving Lucrezia rather than confessing or implying her killing, which collapses the entire poem's analysis of power and tyranny.
Paper 2
Reading 'Before You Were Mine' (Love and Relationships cluster)
A small minority think the speaker's mother has died, missing the central idea of imagining a parent's life before parenthood and the resulting envy/longing.
Paper 2
Form of comparison in Section B (anthology)
Students who 'attempted to force an integrated comparative structure' often did worse than those using a simpler connection-then-each-poem-then-pull-together shape.
Paper 2
Connecting the 'how' (AO2) of Hyde's threat to the 'why' (AO3 — duality of man)
Students were 'good at exploring how Stevenson makes Hyde appear threatening' but were 'less likely to make the connection to why Stevenson makes Hyde threatening — often failing to make a connection to the duality of man'.
Paper 1
Section B time discipline — Q27.2 over-running
There was 'an occasional issue in Section C with some students spending a little more time on 27.2 than is warranted by the marks available' (8 marks vs 24 for Q27.1).
Paper 2
AQA GCSE English Literature (8702) — Full Archive 2017–2026
This page contains all 56 AQA GCSE English Literature (8702) past papers available for free download — 8 exam sessions from 2017 to 2026. Each session includes question papers (QP), mark schemes (MS), and where available, insert materials (INS). No registration or payment required.
AQA GCSE English Literature is graded 9–1, where 9 is the highest grade. Grade 4 is a standard pass and grade 5 is a strong pass. AQA is the UK's largest exam board by entries, so English Literature papers are widely used in schools across England and Wales.
Some AQA GCSE subjects are tiered. Foundation tier (papers ending in F) targets grades 5–1 and covers core content. Higher tier (papers ending in H) targets grades 9–4 and includes more demanding material. Always practise with papers from the tier you are entered for — the question styles, mark allocation, and time limits differ between tiers.
AQA mark schemes use a clear notation: M marks are for method (your working), A marks are for accuracy (correct answer), and B marks are awarded independently. Understanding this system helps you maximise marks even when you don't reach the final answer — showing clear working can earn method marks. After attempting each English Literature past paper under timed conditions, mark it against the official scheme and categorise every dropped mark as a knowledge gap, method error, or misread question. Target your remaining revision at the category where you lose the most marks.
English Literature 8702 at other levels
Questions, answered.
PapersDaddy provides 56 free AQA GCSE English Literature (8702) past papers from 2017–2026. Download question papers and mark schemes as PDF — no registration needed.
We have 56 papers across 8 exam sessions for AQA GCSE English Literature (8702). This includes question papers and mark schemes for both Foundation and Higher tiers, plus 2 specimen papers.
Practise with the tier you are entered for. Foundation tier (8702 papers ending in F) targets grades 5-1. Higher tier (papers ending in H) targets grades 9-4. If you're unsure, ask your teacher which tier you are entered for. Practising with the wrong tier will not prepare you for the correct question style and difficulty.
AQA filenames follow the pattern AQA-[CODE]-[TYPE]-[SESSION]. For example, AQA-87021H-QP-JUN19 means: specification 8702, Paper 1, Higher tier, Question Paper, June 2019. QP = Question Paper, W-MS = Mark Scheme, INS = Insert, SQP = Specimen Question Paper.