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AS English Literature AQA LITB1 Resources

As I've finished AS English Lit, I thought I'd put my notes /resources I've found online to help anyone taking this exam.
I studied Browning, Tennyson, D.H Lawrence and Hosseini :smile:

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Reply 5
Omg that's every single author i am studying. I love you so much right now ??????????????????????????????
Original post by CBftw
Omg that's every single author i am studying. I love you so much right now ??????????????????????????????


Hahahahaha I'm glad to hear it! Let me know if you have any specific questions, I'll be glad to help :smile:
Reply 7
Original post by Maddiee_xoxo
Hahahahaha I'm glad to hear it! Let me know if you have any specific questions, I'll be glad to help :smile:


I was wondering, how would you go about answering the odd questions in section a? I always struggle with that question. Also, I got an A and B for my coursework, how easy will it be to get a B overall?

thanks :smile:
Original post by CBftw
I was wondering, how would you go about answering the odd questions in section a? I always struggle with that question. Also, I got an A and B for my coursework, how easy will it be to get a B overall?

thanks :smile:



This is some advice I found when I was studying for this exam, so credit goes to the fantastic Unsworth!

This question is out of 21 and will be a question along the lines of 'How does Author X tell the story in Chapter ___?'

The key thing to note with this question is you are marked only for AO2 - which essentially is about analysing how the author uses structure, form and language to shape meanings. Therefore, logically it makes sense to structure your answer so that you have a paragraph or so dedicated to each of these three components of the AO2. This question is not about writing what 'something could mean, but on the other hand what others may think it means', it is about detailing to the examiner the different literary techniques or the aspects of narrative used by the author.

Before you delve into this though, I would advise to include a short introductory paragraph which outlines what happens in chapter X. This only needs to be two, maybe three sentences long at most, just so it puts your answer into context, and demonstrates to the examiner that you know what happens in this chapter.

So, the way to structure your answer to this question is as follows:

1. Short introductory paragraph which outlines the main events that happen in the chapter.

2. Paragraph on the author's form/language. An example of this would be from The Great Gatsby where you could comment on Carraway's 'educated and poetic prose' and 'technically fluent style' and how this shapes the readers view of Carraway. Other things to comment on could be the language used in relation to the narrator's feelings. Is the narrator happy or melancholic? Then comment on how this is significant. Does the narrator's language change during the chapter, or does his tone change? If so then comment on this and say how it adds significance to the chapter. Further, you can comment on any of the above then relate it to its purpose/destination, does the component you talk about affect anything later on in the novel?

3. Paragraph on the structure of the chapter. You should use this paragraph to talk about whether the chapter is told chronologically or not, and how does this then shape the reader's view of the novel. Comment on whether the author has purposely created gaps in this chapter or missed out a certain time period, or suddenly gone from Spring to Summer in the chapter, etc. Commenting on time and how it passes in the chapter can sometimes be quite a unique, but effective thing to talk about in the question. These are all significant components of how the author tells the story - if these are present, then pull them out and comment explicitly on how they shape meanings. Is there a cyclical structure to how the chapter is told? How does the structure of this chapter go on to affect other chapters later on or previously in the novel? Obviously, you don't need to comment on all of these ideas, the best way is to just pull out one or two of these points then expand on them.

4. Paragraph on the narrative perspective. This is something that will vary quite a lot dependant on the text you are doing. Personally, this was fantastic to use for Gatsby as it features a narrator whose reliability can be questioned, so there is lots to write about. Aspects to include in this paragraph are things like what form of narration is present - is it first person, is it a modified first person narrator (like Nick Carraway is) etc. It is best to state what type of narration is featured at the start of your paragraph. Then, you can comment on whether the narrator is reliable, or if he is biased. Comment on how the narrator deals with integrating with other secondary characters, and the effect this might have on his narration/storytelling. Comment on any use of different view points during the narration, and how this is significant to the story, and what implication might come about because of this. Always link these back to the 'overarching' story - how they give effect to the rest of the novel.

5. Paragraph on setting. This can be a shorter paragraph that would be nice to end on. Commenting firstly on where the narrator has started off in this chapter and where he ends up (in context of the setting) and why this may be significant. An example of how to utilise setting in this question would be: 'The settings of the chapter are mainly Daisy and Tom's house and New York, as well as the Valley of Ashes as the site of Myrtle's death. Carraway describes the day as hot and stuffy calling it "certainly the warmest, of the summer". This weather provides a suitable atmosphere for the argument between Tom and Gatsby; the conversation gets heated which is reflected by the "large and stifling" room in which it takes place.' So by commenting here on the whether and linking this in nicely with the overall setting, you can see how it would begin to shape up in an essay. Of course that isn't the whole paragraph, you would follow this up with another couple sentences at least, but you get the idea.

Done. This question doesn't need a conclusion to it in my opinion. Yes you could write a line or two to finish it off neatly, but ultimately you aren't going to get any marks for doing this, so I don't see the point. Remember, you don't get marked for AO4 in this question, so don't waste your time talking about context, as that is used in the next question.

This question can be quite challenging if you don't know how to structure it. If you know the chapter well and get the introductory bit sorted at the start, then I found that really helps to get it fresh in your head so you can talk extensively about it.


More advice:

Section A odd-numbered quos
Β· NOT close analysis
Β· Think about the BIG things:
Β· Voice
Β· Form (poem? Novel?)
Β· Structure
Β· It is essential to β€˜pin-down’ the story at the very start
Β· Why is it a key event & where does it occur?
Β· What is the overall structure of the passage?
Β· What is its chronology?
Β· What kind of text are you dealing with?
Β· What voices are at work?
Β· What is the time & place setting?
Β· What relevant uses of language are there?




Hope this helps!
Original post by CBftw
I was wondering, how would you go about answering the odd questions in section a? I always struggle with that question. Also, I got an A and B for my coursework, how easy will it be to get a B overall?

thanks :smile:



What was your overall grade for your coursework - A or B?

You can work out how many UMS you'd need to get a B overall from your coursework UMS and this can help you to aim for a certain number of marks for each individual question in the exam. However, aim high! Try aiming for an A and if that doesn't work out so well, you'll still have a B which is great :smile:
BUMP :bump:
Reply 11
Original post by Maddiee_xoxo
This is some advice I found when I was studying for this exam, so credit goes to the fantastic Unsworth!

This question is out of 21 and will be a question along the lines of 'How does Author X tell the story in Chapter ___?'

The key thing to note with this question is you are marked only for AO2 - which essentially is about analysing how the author uses structure, form and language to shape meanings. Therefore, logically it makes sense to structure your answer so that you have a paragraph or so dedicated to each of these three components of the AO2. This question is not about writing what 'something could mean, but on the other hand what others may think it means', it is about detailing to the examiner the different literary techniques or the aspects of narrative used by the author.

Before you delve into this though, I would advise to include a short introductory paragraph which outlines what happens in chapter X. This only needs to be two, maybe three sentences long at most, just so it puts your answer into context, and demonstrates to the examiner that you know what happens in this chapter.

So, the way to structure your answer to this question is as follows:

1. Short introductory paragraph which outlines the main events that happen in the chapter.

2. Paragraph on the author's form/language. An example of this would be from The Great Gatsby where you could comment on Carraway's 'educated and poetic prose' and 'technically fluent style' and how this shapes the readers view of Carraway. Other things to comment on could be the language used in relation to the narrator's feelings. Is the narrator happy or melancholic? Then comment on how this is significant. Does the narrator's language change during the chapter, or does his tone change? If so then comment on this and say how it adds significance to the chapter. Further, you can comment on any of the above then relate it to its purpose/destination, does the component you talk about affect anything later on in the novel?

3. Paragraph on the structure of the chapter. You should use this paragraph to talk about whether the chapter is told chronologically or not, and how does this then shape the reader's view of the novel. Comment on whether the author has purposely created gaps in this chapter or missed out a certain time period, or suddenly gone from Spring to Summer in the chapter, etc. Commenting on time and how it passes in the chapter can sometimes be quite a unique, but effective thing to talk about in the question. These are all significant components of how the author tells the story - if these are present, then pull them out and comment explicitly on how they shape meanings. Is there a cyclical structure to how the chapter is told? How does the structure of this chapter go on to affect other chapters later on or previously in the novel? Obviously, you don't need to comment on all of these ideas, the best way is to just pull out one or two of these points then expand on them.

4. Paragraph on the narrative perspective. This is something that will vary quite a lot dependant on the text you are doing. Personally, this was fantastic to use for Gatsby as it features a narrator whose reliability can be questioned, so there is lots to write about. Aspects to include in this paragraph are things like what form of narration is present - is it first person, is it a modified first person narrator (like Nick Carraway is) etc. It is best to state what type of narration is featured at the start of your paragraph. Then, you can comment on whether the narrator is reliable, or if he is biased. Comment on how the narrator deals with integrating with other secondary characters, and the effect this might have on his narration/storytelling. Comment on any use of different view points during the narration, and how this is significant to the story, and what implication might come about because of this. Always link these back to the 'overarching' story - how they give effect to the rest of the novel.

5. Paragraph on setting. This can be a shorter paragraph that would be nice to end on. Commenting firstly on where the narrator has started off in this chapter and where he ends up (in context of the setting) and why this may be significant. An example of how to utilise setting in this question would be: 'The settings of the chapter are mainly Daisy and Tom's house and New York, as well as the Valley of Ashes as the site of Myrtle's death. Carraway describes the day as hot and stuffy calling it "certainly the warmest, of the summer". This weather provides a suitable atmosphere for the argument between Tom and Gatsby; the conversation gets heated which is reflected by the "large and stifling" room in which it takes place.' So by commenting here on the whether and linking this in nicely with the overall setting, you can see how it would begin to shape up in an essay. Of course that isn't the whole paragraph, you would follow this up with another couple sentences at least, but you get the idea.

Done. This question doesn't need a conclusion to it in my opinion. Yes you could write a line or two to finish it off neatly, but ultimately you aren't going to get any marks for doing this, so I don't see the point. Remember, you don't get marked for AO4 in this question, so don't waste your time talking about context, as that is used in the next question.

This question can be quite challenging if you don't know how to structure it. If you know the chapter well and get the introductory bit sorted at the start, then I found that really helps to get it fresh in your head so you can talk extensively about it.


More advice:

Section A odd-numbered quos
Β· NOT close analysis
Β· Think about the BIG things:
Β· Voice
Β· Form (poem? Novel?)
Β· Structure
Β· It is essential to β€˜pin-down’ the story at the very start
Β· Why is it a key event & where does it occur?
Β· What is the overall structure of the passage?
Β· What is its chronology?
Β· What kind of text are you dealing with?
Β· What voices are at work?
Β· What is the time & place setting?
Β· What relevant uses of language are there?




Hope this helps!


thank you soooooo much! this has helped a lot.

Original post by Maddiee_xoxo
What was your overall grade for your coursework - A or B?

You can work out how many UMS you'd need to get a B overall from your coursework UMS and this can help you to aim for a certain number of marks for each individual question in the exam. However, aim high! Try aiming for an A and if that doesn't work out so well, you'll still have a B which is great :smile:


I got 25/30 for the re-creative and 21/30 for Shakespeare...so I'm guessing that'll be a B overall? I would love to get an A but I think my coursework grades won't allow that. Plus my target grade at college is a B so that's what my teachers want me to aim towards.

If you don't mind, can I ask what grade you got in the end? :smile:
Original post by CBftw
thank you soooooo much! this has helped a lot.



I got 25/30 for the re-creative and 21/30 for Shakespeare...so I'm guessing that'll be a B overall? I would love to get an A but I think my coursework grades won't allow that. Plus my target grade at college is a B so that's what my teachers want me to aim towards.

If you don't mind, can I ask what grade you got in the end? :smile:



No worries!

Was that Posh and Twelfth Night you did? Yeah I'm guessing that's a B, so you'll need between 43-48/84 to secure a B overall. If you manage to get a high A, so anything above 62, you are likely to get an A overall - trust me, it's not that bad!

I got 51/60 in my coursework, and 120/120 UMS in the exam :smile:
I went from a C (my mock) to an A, so it really is possible!
Original post by Maddiee_xoxo
BUMP :bump:


This is by far one of the most useful threads I have ever found on TSR.

Your notes are much appreciated :biggrin:
Reply 14
Original post by Maddiee_xoxo
No worries!

Was that Posh and Twelfth Night you did? Yeah I'm guessing that's a B, so you'll need between 43-48/84 to secure a B overall. If you manage to get a high A, so anything above 62, you are likely to get an A overall - trust me, it's not that bad!

I got 51/60 in my coursework, and 120/120 UMS in the exam :smile:
I went from a C (my mock) to an A, so it really is possible!


Yeah, I did twelfth night and posh loooooool - do we go to the same college or something :O?

I got a C in my mocks too - I DID SOOOO BAD. 9/21 & 10/21 for each question in section A. But then I recently done an even question & got an A so maybe there's hope!
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by Jalal Uddin
This is by far one of the most useful threads I have ever found on TSR.

Your notes are much appreciated :biggrin:



Awwww that means SO much, I'm so glad you found it useful! I'm glad to help :smile:
Original post by CBftw
Yeah, I did twelfth night and posh loooooool - do we go to the same college or something :O?

I got a C in my mocks too - I DID SOOOO BAD. 9/21 & 10/21 for each question in section A. But then I recently done an even question & got an A so maybe there's hope!


looooooooool i'm pretty sure we do - Doms? :')

Dw, when we had our December mock, I was so clueless on how to answer the question, and I literally had no idea what to write for the even-no. question so I just made something up :tongue:
That's fantastic! You'll do fine, I believe in you!
Original post by CBftw
I was wondering, how would you go about answering the odd questions in section a? I always struggle with that question. Also, I got an A and B for my coursework, how easy will it be to get a B overall?

thanks :smile:



hi i was what did you study for your coursework
Reply 18
Original post by Maddiee_xoxo
looooooooool i'm pretty sure we do - Doms? :')

Dw, when we had our December mock, I was so clueless on how to answer the question, and I literally had no idea what to write for the even-no. question so I just made something up :tongue:
That's fantastic! You'll do fine, I believe in you!


Yeaaaahhhhh - go St Doms! :')
I wonder if I've seen you around college? Hmmmm...

I literally had no idea what to do in December - but I'm getting there looool. I find Browning so much harder than Tennyson for some reason :/

& awwww thanks. I'd be SOOOOOO happy to get an A.
Reply 19
Original post by sumaya.ali
hi i was what did you study for your coursework


Hey, for the re-creative piece I did POSH by Laura Wade & for the analytical piece I did Twelfth Night by Shakespeare :smile:

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