CompetitivePractice + Mock
A-Level English Literature
AQA 7717 · Love through the Ages / WW1 / Modern times
150
Minutes
20
Questions
40,000
Learners
~80% (Grade E)
Pass mark
★ Start here · Official guidance
From practice to the real exam
01
Confirm spec
AQA Spec A 7717 (Love through the Ages) and Spec B 7717 (Aspects of Tragedy / Comedy / Political/Social Protest Writing / Crime Writing) are most common. Edexcel 9ET0 also popular. Confirm with your teacher which texts you're studying.
02
Cover the texts
Typically 1 Shakespeare play, 1 pre-1900 prose, 1 modern prose, poetry anthology, and a Non-Examined Assessment (NEA) comparing 2 texts of your choice.
03
Memorise short quotations
Closed-book exams (AQA Spec A is open-book for Shakespeare only). Aim for 20–30 short, theme-organised quotations per text.
04
Engage with critical theory
AO5 rewards engaging with critical interpretations — Feminist, Marxist, Reader-Response, New Historicist readings. Quote critics where useful.
05
Two exam papers + NEA
Paper 1 (poetry + drama, ~3 hr), Paper 2 (prose + unseen, ~2.5 hr). NEA (~2500 words comparative essay) worth 20% of total.
Official resources
of
AQA A-Level English Literature 7717
stYork Notes Advanced (text-by-text)
stBBC Bitesize — A-Level Eng Lit
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Recommended prep
Books our community swears by
As an Amazon Associate, AceMark earns from qualifying purchases — at no extra cost to you.
aAmazon
York Notes Advanced — Set Texts
by York Notes
Industry standard for set-text study guides — one per text.
View on Amazon
aAmazon
Cambridge Companion Series (Shakespeare etc.)
by Cambridge UP
Critical perspectives + context — strong for AO3 and AO5 marks.
View on Amazon
aAmazon
CGP A-Level English Literature Revision Guide
by CGP
Useful for unseen poetry / prose practice + exam technique.
View on Amazon
Exam blueprint
What this exam covers
Topic weights below mirror the real exam blueprint. To practise any single topic, use the Your study path panel on the right.
01Theory & literary criticism
25%5 questions
02Shakespeare & drama
20%4 questions
03Poetry across time
20%4 questions
04Prose study
20%4 questions
05Coursework / NEA
15%3 questions
The experience
What to expect on test day
Timed simulation
Every mock runs under real exam time pressure. No pauses, no hints — exactly like the day.
Randomised questions
Every attempt draws fresh questions. You cannot memorise your way to a pass — you have to understand.
Integrity monitoring
Tab switches are logged in mock mode. Three switches auto-submits — same discipline as a real proctor.
Detailed results
Topic-by-topic breakdown, every answer explained, and a personalised 5-day study plan when you finish.
How to prepare
Competitive study playbook
Four habits that move the needle most — pulled from how high-scorers actually study.
01
Spend the first week entirely on your weakest topic — momentum follows confidence.
02
Previous-year papers are the single highest-ROI study tool. Treat them as gospel.
03
Strict time per question. Most failures are time-management failures, not knowledge failures.
04
For GS: daily current affairs reading is non-negotiable — even 15 minutes compounds.
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