CCEA GCSE · Analysis & Prediction

2025 CCEA GCSE English Literature 5110 Past Paper: Analysis & Answers

A comprehensive analysis of CCEA GCSE English Literature Units 1 and 2 (2025 series). Unit 1 (The Study of Prose, 60 marks, 1h 45m) pairs a closed-book extended prose essay with a compulsory 19th-century unseen prose commentary. Unit 2 (The Study of Drama and Poetry, 80 marks, 2h) evaluates scripted drama through either whole-text thematic or extract-cum-whole-play questions, followed by a comparative poetry essay demanding explicit context integration (AO4) and comparative syntheses (AO3).

Updated: Aug 31, 2026

Analysis Sample paper

Difficulty 3.4/5

Total marks

140

Duration

225 mins

Most tested

Comparative Literary Analysis, Thematic Characterisation, and Dramatic/Narrative Methods

Paper breakdown

Unit 1: The Study of Prose (GEL11): 60 marks · 105 minsUnit 2: The Study of Drama and Poetry (GEL21): 80 marks · 120 mins

Top chapters

Poetry Anthologies (Identity / Relationships / Conflict) · 40 marksStudied Modern Drama (e.g., Blood Brothers, An Inspector Calls, Juno) · 40 marksStudied Modern Prose (e.g., Lord of the Flies, Of Mice and Men, Animal Farm) · 40 marksUnseen nineteenth-century prose · 20 marks

Overall Verdict & Paper Architecture

The CCEA GCSE English Literature examination across Unit 1 (GEL11) and Unit 2 (GEL21) maintains a rigorous, traditional assessment format balancing closed-book recall, spontaneous unseen analysis, and open-book dramatic and comparative poetic evaluation. With a cumulative total of 140 marks (Unit 1: 60 marks; Unit 2: 80 marks), candidates must demonstrate versatile essay-writing discipline under strict timed conditions.

Where the Marks Are Won

Unit 1 Section A (Novel, 40 marks): Demands a focused argument (AO1) supported by precise memorised textual evidence and critical analysis of authorial methods (AO2). High-scoring scripts build sustained counter-arguments (e.g. evaluating whether characters are entirely culpable or shaped by circumstance).
Unit 1 Section B (Unseen 19th-Century Prose, 20 marks): Assesses close reading and stylistic appreciation (AO2) of an unseen 19th-century extract (here Jules Verne’s Around the World in Eighty Days), requiring discussion of both character reactions and structural/linguistic pacing.
Unit 2 Section A (Drama, 40 marks): Candidates choose between a whole-play thematic/character essay (Option a) or an extract-linked whole-text response (Option b). Success hinges on treating the text as drama intended for the stage, evaluating stage directions, subtext, and audience impact.
Unit 2 Section B (Poetry Anthologies, 40 marks): The most demanding section, balancing four distinct Assessment Objectives: AO1 (argument), AO2 (poetic form and language), AO3 (comparative synthesis), and AO4 (socio-historical and biographical context).

Examiner Pitfalls & Strategic Advice

A frequent pitfall in Unit 1 is falling into mere plot narration rather than evaluating the exact proposition in the prompt (e.g., "show how far you agree"). In Unit 2 Poetry, weaker responses bolt on historical context (AO4) as disconnected biographical paragraphs; top-band responses weave context seamlessly into the thematic comparison between the named poem and the candidate-selected companion piece.

Exam Strategy & Predictions

Adhere strictly to recommended pacing: allocate 60 minutes to each 40-mark essay and 45 minutes (including 15 minutes of annotating) to the 20-mark Unseen Prose. In drama, candidates attempting option (b) must balance close scrutiny of the printed extract with broader theatrical development across the wider play.

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Charts

Marks by chapter

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Question type mix

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Extended Essay (Prose Set Text - Closed Book)40 marks · 1 questions
Unseen Prose Textual Commentary20 marks · 1 questions
Extended Essay (Drama Set Text - Open Book)40 marks · 1 questions
Comparative Essay (Poetry Anthology - Open Book)40 marks · 1 questions

Mark accessibility

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76%within easy or medium reach

easy: 42 marksmedium: 64 markshard: 34 marks

Difficulty trend

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Command word frequency

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Skill weighting

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Study ROI

Bigger bubbles recur more often; higher bubbles carry more marks, helping you rank revision priorities.

Unseen 19th-Century Prose Analysis Techniques (AO1 & AO2)

20 marks · Difficulty 2.8 · recurrence 100%

Drama Extract-to-Play Thematic & Staging Integration (AO1 & AO2)

40 marks · Difficulty 3.2 · recurrence 100%

Poetry Anthology Comparative Syntheses & Integrated Context (AO1, AO2, AO3, AO4)

40 marks · Difficulty 4.1 · recurrence 100%

Closed-Book Novel Quotation Retrieval & Counter-Argumentation (AO1 & AO2)

40 marks · Difficulty 3.6 · recurrence 100%

Time vs marks

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marksmins

Next-year prediction

Topics worth watching next year, with the reason shown directly below each bar.

An Inspector Calls: Generational Divide and Social Responsibility88%

After targeting Mrs Birling's harshness and loveless relationships, focus will likely swing to the younger generation (Eric/Sheila) or the Inspector's socialist message.

Animal Farm: Power, Corruption and the Exploitation of the Working Animals85%

Following character prompts on Boxer and the Pigs' shocking actions, questions focusing on Squealer's rhetoric or the broader theme of inequality/deception are highly likely.

Poetry Anthology Conflict: The Psychological Trauma of War & Lingering Aftermath82%

Named poems will cycle towards earlier war lyrics or personal internal conflict (e.g. Belfast Confetti, Vergissmeinnicht, or Poppies).

Cumulative marks ladder

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Topic-year heatmap

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Jun 2023

Jun 2024

Jun 2025

Set Prose Novel (Chosen Text)

Unseen nineteenth-century prose

Set Drama Play (Chosen Text)

Poetry Anthology Comparative Study

Unseen nineteenth-century prose (Unit 1: The Study of Prose)

Lord of the Flies (William Golding) (Unit 1: The Study of Prose)

About A Boy (Nick Hornby) (Unit 1: The Study of Prose)

How Many Miles to Babylon? (Jennifer Johnston) (Unit 1: The Study of Prose)

To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee) (Unit 1: The Study of Prose)

Of Mice and Men (John Steinbeck) (Unit 1: The Study of Prose)

Examiner insights

Official report

Common pitfalls

Treating drama and prose texts purely as realistic narratives rather than constructed artefacts of language, structure, and stagecraft.
Writing one-sided responses that ignore the evaluative prompt 'how far you agree', missing out on higher-band discriminators that require presenting counter-evidence or nuances.
Treating poetry context (AO4) as bolt-on biographical summaries rather than demonstrating how context illuminates meaning in comparison with a second poem.
Spending excessive time re-telling the extract in Drama option (b) and failing to address the required 'elsewhere in the play' criteria.

Misconceptions

Believing that selecting Option (b) in Drama only requires analyzing the printed extract rather than providing a balanced whole-text evaluation.
Assuming that quoting large chunks of text in Unseen Prose scores marks without micro-analyzing specific words, typographical features, or structural turns.
Thinking context is required for all sections; AO4 is exclusively assessed in Unit 2 Section B (Poetry) and Shakespeare units, not in Unit 1 Prose.

Where marks are lost

Failure to sustain a structured comparative framework in Unit 2 Section B, resulting in two separate essays rather than an integrated comparative analysis.
Superficial feature-spotting (e.g. naming alliteration or similes) without explaining their effect on tone, characterisation, or theme.
Poor time management leading to truncated answers in the final 15 minutes of either paper.

Estimated grade boundary

Updated: Aug 31, 2026

Source: CCEA

Grade	Mark	Percentage
A*	—	90%
A	—	80%
B	—	70%
C*	—	65%
C	—	60%
D	—	50%
E	—	40%
F	—	30%
G	—	20%

Official grade boundaries published by CCEA.

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Grade	Mark	Percentage
A*	—	90%
A	—	80%
B	—	70%
C*	—	65%
C	—	60%
D	—	50%
E	—	40%
F	—	30%
G	—	20%

Grade	Mark	Percentage
A*	—	90%
A	—	80%
B	—	70%
C*	—	65%
C	—	60%
D	—	50%
E	—	40%
F	—	30%
G	—	20%

Grade	Mark	Percentage
A*	—	90%
A	—	80%
B	—	70%
C*	—	65%
C	—	60%
D	—	50%
E	—	40%
F	—	30%
G	—	20%