Topic One (0.1): Introduction to AL English Literature – Examinations and Course Structure

Introduction Icon.png Introduction

For CAIE AL English Literature, in addition to the two AS papers, which you may already have taken in an earlier exam series, you will take the following two exam papers:

Paper 3: Shakespeare and Drama

  • Worth 25% of the full A Level.
  • Length 2 hours.
  • Section A: King Lear by William Shakespeare
  • Section B: Indian Ink by Tom Stoppard

Paper 4: Pre- and Post-1900 Poetry and Prose

  • Worth 25% of the full A Level.
  • Length 2 hours.
  • Section A: Pre-1900 Poetry and Prose – Selected Poems by Emily Dickinson
  • Section B: Post-1900 Poetry and Prose – Dubliners by James Joyce

A more detailed overview of the format of each exam paper is available on pages 7 to 9 of the CAIE Learner Guide for 2021 onwards. This is a very useful document and you may wish to refer to it frequently as you work through the course.

N.B. You should have printed this out already when studying AS English Literature, but if you did not study AS with Wolsey Hall, you may not have seen this document before, so do make sure you print it out and read it now:

PRINT OUT & READ – CAIE Learner Guide Download PRINT OUT & READ – CAIE Learner Guide

Module Overview Icon.png Module Overview

In English Literature, whatever text you are studying, the same basic rules apply for effective essay writing. The purpose of this module is to guide you through the various assessment criteria required to write a good essay, including tips and examples of good practice so you can hone and develop your writing skills. If you studied AS with Wolsey Hall, much of this material will be familiar to you already, but please note that some new, AL-specific material has been included here, because a fifth assessment criterion is introduced at AL – AO5: Evaluation of opinion. This requires you to discuss and evaluate varying opinions and interpretations of literary texts. You will find advice and guidance on this in Topic 0.9, but it is also important to review all of the essay-writing skills provided in this module at regular intervals. Students who keep working on these skills throughout the course tend to perform better in their final exams.

Top Tip Icon.png Top Tip

As was the case at AS, English Literature is very much an applied subject, and you will be working on the same assessment criteria all the way through the AL course, but you will be applying them to different texts each time. If you follow the tips and guidance provided in this module, you should see a consistent improvement in your marks as you work through the assignments.

Optional Activities Icon.png Course Structure

The order of the modules is as follows: 

  • Module Zero: Introductory Skills Module
  • Module One: King Lear – Part 1
  • Module Two: King Lear – Part 2
  • Module Three: Indian Ink – Part 1
  • Module Four: Indian Ink – Part 2
  • Module Five: Dubliners – Part 1
  • Module Six: Mrs Dubliners – Part 2
  • Module Seven: Emily Dickinson’s Poetry – Part 1
  • Module Eight: Emily Dickinson’s Poetry – Part 2
  • Module Nine: Revision and Exam Practice for Paper 3 – Shakespeare and Drama
  • Module Ten: Revision and Exam Practice for Paper 4 – Pre- and Post-1900 Poetry and Prose

Your Programme of Study gives a more detailed overview of all the modules and the topics within them.

Read & Make Notes Icon.png Read and Make Notes

  • Before you begin reading through the resources in the next few topics, you will find some helpful general advice on the core study skills needed for this course in the introduction to Mastering English Literature.
  • If you have not already done this at AS, read pages xxv to xxxvii and make brief notes now.