Cambridge IGCSE World Literature 0408 Past Papers 2026

Set Text

Duration: 1h 30m

Unseen Poetry

Duration: 1h 15m

Coursework

Duration: Internally assessed, externally moderated

Analysing writers' methods (form, structure, language) — not just listing devices

Examiners repeatedly noted: 'Centres should continue to support candidates in analysing literary techniques such as alliteration, assonance, caesura and rhyme, without overgeneralising. The term “auditory imagery” was more evident this year. Some candidates applied it to whole phrases where there seems to be little phonology... There were many claims made for the effects of phonological patterning which were not explicitly supported by the evidence cited. “Semantic field” is often used, but unhelpful without close exploration of specific examples of the language.'

Paper 1, Paper 2

Reading and selecting from the WHOLE poem/extract — especially endings

On the Fever Dream extract: 'Teachers should encourage candidates to engage with the entire extract, as the final paragraph—which hints at the real danger emerging from the surrounding wheat fields and describes it as “something threatening”—was generally overlooked.' On Anger: stronger responses analysed 'the juxtapositions in the final stanza, which turn the ugliness and pain of much the poem into “something beautiful” in a redemptive climax' — weaker did not.

Paper 1, Paper 2

Treating drama as performance — stagecraft, pathetic fallacy, characters as constructs

On Anowa Q2: 'Weaker responses, however, tended to regard the characters and events as if they were real and failed to engage with the dramatic form, often focusing on surface-level conflict without considering why the moment was dramatically revealing. These answers tended to neglect the author's use of stagecraft and social commentary.' On Cherry Orchard, 'many failed to explore how Chekhov's characterisation, tone, and dramatic technique serve as critiques of a society in transition.'

Paper 1

Section B general essays — deploying memorised quotations from the whole text

Examiners flagged that Section B success depends on command of detail: 'For Section B questions, the most successful candidates were able to recall from the whole text an extensive range of quotation which they deployed effectively in their response to the question. In less successful responses across both sections of the paper, an absence of direct textual support led to writing that was overly dependent on assertion and explanation.' Less successful responses also 'lacked direct quotations on which to base analysis of the writing.'

Paper 1

Maintaining focus on the steer word ('striking', 'vividly', 'memorably', 'shocking')

Examiners repeatedly identified this as the discriminator: 'The most successful responses tailored their material to the key words in the question from start to finish.' By contrast, 'There were, however, some responses that made only a limited attempt to address these key words' — these candidates 'spent a lot of time on personal reflection instead of textual analysis, diverting attention from the demands of the question.'

Paper 1, Paper 2

Avoiding pre-learned essays and forced alternative interpretations

Examiners cautioned that 'in the pursuit of an alternative or hidden meaning in the poems some candidates were so determined to find “an alternative” meaning or interpretation that they lost sight of the question and, on some occasions, did not answer it. Some of the interpretations had credibility but quite a few were “forced” and unconvincing.' On Section B: pre-learned thematic essays on refugee experience, environmental destruction or aristocratic decline 'tended to undermine relevance and coherence'.

Paper 1, Paper 2

Rubric compliance on Paper 1 — question numbers and using Section A extract in Section B

'A small but significant number of candidates did not follow the rubric, by using quotations from Section A texts in Section B responses even when they were directly instructed not to do so... Centres must tell their candidates that they are not credited for any section of a Section B response which uses the extract from Section A.' Plus: 'Centres must remind candidates to put the question number in the margin, rather than simply labelling their responses A and B as this causes problems for Examiners.'

Paper 1

Coursework administration — task wording, teacher annotation and folder presentation

'Too often candidate work showed no evidence of having been marked. Teachers are reminded that all assignments should have focused ticking of key points, supported by brief reference to the level descriptors in marginal annotation and a detailed summative comment.' Plus: 'Labelling Assessment Objectives (AOs) in the margin of candidate work is not helpful... The AOs should be assessed holistically.' And: 'The Individual Record Card should be fastened securely (e.g., by a treasury tag or staple) to the written assignments (and not placed in plastic wallets, cardboard folders or envelopes).'

Paper 3