A-Level guide · checked October 2026
A-Level English Literature, explained simply
Exams on drama, poetry and prose, plus a coursework essay comparing texts. This page shows how each board sets the papers and coursework, the marks your child really needs for an A*, A or B, and how to write top-band essays. Pick your exam board and the page changes to match.
- 2 or 3 exams
- Coursework essay (20%)
- Some open-book papers
- Grades A* to E
Exam board
Not sure which board? Ask your child's school, or check the front of a mockA practice exam, usually set by school a few months before the real thing. paper.
The exams at a glance
AQA A-Level English Literature (7712 (Specification A)). 2 exams and coursework, 5 hours 30 minutes of exams and 375 marks in total.
Specification: AQA A-Level English Literature (7712 (Specification A))
What's in the exams
The shares are each part's weight in the final grade, as the specification states.
- Paper 1: Love through the ages40%
- Paper 2: Texts in shared contexts40%
- Coursework: texts across time20%
How the grading works
How the grading works
Everyone sits the same papers. The marks are added up and the total decides the grade, from A* down to E. Boards scale the papers to match their weighting, so the marks shown are the weighted marks the boundaries use. Coursework is a long essay, marked by teachers and checked by the board, worth 20% everywhere. Some AQA and all Edexcel papers are open book: students bring clean copies of their set texts.
The marks you really need for each grade
You do not need 90% for a top grade. Grade boundaries are set after the exams are marked, so a grade stays the same standard even when the papers are harder. These are the real AQA boundaries from June 2026:
Source: AQA, A-level grade boundaries June 2026 (Specification A, option A; option B differs by up to 7 marks). Boundaries change slightly every year.
Your target score in practice papers
Sit a full set of past papers under timed conditions every few weeks. Work out the percentage for each set, ignore your single worst result (everyone has an off day) and average the rest. Aim for:
89%
to secure a grade A*
81%
to secure a grade A
69%
to secure a grade B
We add 5 percentage points to last year's boundary, because boundaries move a little each year and exam nerves cost marks.
Past paper mock builder
Pick an exam series and we'll set out the full AQA mock: which papers to sit, how long to allow and where to download them. Then type in your marks to see the grade they would have earned.
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Paper 1, June 2026 · Love through the ages (75 marks, doubled) · 3 hours
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Paper 2, June 2026 · Texts in shared contexts, open book (75 marks, doubled) · 2 hours 30 minutes
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Non-exam assessment, June 2026 · 2,500-word comparative essay (50 marks, scaled)
Download the papers and mark schemes: AQA official past papers or Save My Exams past papers. Exam boards keep the most recent series for schools only for a while, so if the newest one isn't there, take the one before.
Enter your marks for each paper to see the grade they would have earned.
What English Literature is really about
Where the word comes from
"Literature" comes from the Latin litteratura, "writing" or "learning", from littera, "letter".
Where it comes from
English Literature became a university subject only in the late 1800s; Oxford set up its English school in 1894. Before that, students studied Latin and Greek classics instead. Today's A-Level spans Chaucer to contemporary writers, many of whom, from Shakespeare to Zadie Smith, wrote in and about London.
Why it's still taught
English Literature trains students to read closely, think independently and argue persuasively in writing. It is valued for law, journalism, publishing, teaching and the civil service, and is a strong choice for humanities degrees.
How to do well in A-Level English Literature
Read beyond the set texts
Top-band answers show wider reading: other works by the author, critics and the context of the time.
Build arguments, not lists
Examiners reward a clear line of argument that runs through the whole essay.
Use critics carefully
Quoting a critic helps only if you agree, disagree or build on their view.
Know your open-book texts
Open book doesn't mean no revision: students must find quotations quickly and know the text well.
Start coursework early
The coursework essay is 20% of the grade. Plan, draft and redraft well before the deadline.
Write timed essays
Practise full essays in the time allowed, as timing is a common reason for lost marks.
The three best places to revise
Our teachers' picks. We have no connection with these sites.
The British Library: Discovering Literature
Free articles, manuscripts and context on hundreds of set texts and authors.
Massolit
Short video lectures by university academics on many A-Level texts. Often free through schools.
Poetry Foundation
Free poems, biographies and essays, useful for poetry and wider reading.
Questions parents ask
Not sure where your child stands?
Our free 45-minute assessment often uses a real past paperA real exam from a previous year, used for practice., so you'll know their likely grade and exactly what to work on. Lessons online across the UK, or at our seven London hubs.
Sources
- AQA, A-level grade boundaries June 2026
- Pearson, Grade boundaries Edexcel GCE (A level) June 2026
- OCR, AS and A Level grade boundaries June 2026
- AQA, A-level English Literature A: scheme of assessment
- AQA, A-level English Literature A specification (copy hosted by John Colet School)
- Pearson, A level English Literature assessment at a glance
- OCR, A Level English Literature H472: specification at a glance