Edexcel International A Level (IAL) English Literature (WET01–WET04) Past Papers 2026

Post-2000 Poetry and Prose (WET01)

Duration: 2h

Drama (WET02)

Duration: 2h

Poetry and Prose (WET03)

Duration: 2h

Shakespeare and Pre-1900 Poetry (WET04)

Duration: 2h

AO2 analysis of how meanings are shaped (all units)

Named in every WET01 and WET03 series as the consistently weakest objective. 'Word level analysis – especially when used on lengthy works of prose fiction – is not sufficient.' Candidates need to discuss structure, genre, settings, characterisation, narrative voice and tone.

Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3, Unit 4

Treating Section A poetry / prose characters as real people

AO2 was the weakest objective with some candidates treating events and characters as if they were real, rather than demonstrating how they are literary constructs. Mrs Hardcastle in She Stoops to Conquer was 'talked about as though she were a real person' — capping responses at lower levels.

Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3

AO5 critical interpretation in WET02 and WET04

'A significant number of candidates did not engage with AO5 at all'. Where critics were used, they were often 'placed at the end of an argument' rather than 'used to develop their argument'. The four valid AO5 routes — challenging the view, using literary criticism, applying a perspective, offering multiple interpretations — are unevenly understood.

Unit 2, Unit 4

Form and structure in unseen poetry (WET03)

Candidates default to imagery and word-class analysis but mishandle form. 'Some responses incorrectly identified the form of the poem (commenting on iambic pentameter or blank verse) or concentrated their analysis on the length of lines or number of sentences. Again, this was rarely a successful approach to take.'

Unit 3

Integrated comparison in WET03 Section B

Candidates 'did not always explore points of comparison in detail' and 'made slim comparisons between their chosen texts'. Stylistic comparisons (technique, form, voice) are under-used: 'Stylistic comparisons are just as valid (and, in fact, demonstrate the candidate's ability to multiple Assessment Objectives at once)'.

Unit 1, Unit 3

Dramatic methods beyond dialogue in WET02

Q14 A Raisin in the Sun candidates 'somewhat neglected elements of Hansberry's stagecraft. There was very little discussion, in the responses to both questions, of her choice of costume or setting or even stage directions.' Drama analysis stays text-bound rather than treating the play as a performed work.

Unit 2

Selecting an appropriate second poem (WET01 Section A and WET04 Section B)

'Some candidates had selected second poems that they liked or felt they knew best rather than opting for poems that really fitted well with the task set' — capping AO4 marks. Similarly in WET04: 'candidates should make sure they extend the argument by choosing an appropriate additional poem, not just the one they happen to know best from the anthology'.

Unit 1, Unit 4

Contextual relevance vs contextual padding

AO3 strength is rising, but context still 'appear[s] simply as bolted on information' or dominates the answer. WET01 Section A and WET03 Section A do not assess AO3 at all — yet candidates 'lapse into contextual comments' there, wasting time.

Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3, Unit 4