Cambridge IGCSE · Analysis & Prediction

2024 Cambridge IGCSE Literature in English (0475) Past Paper: Analysis & Answers

A balanced but demanding paper focusing on deep analysis of authorial choices, requiring precise micro-quotes and a strong evaluative voice across poetry, prose, and drama.

Updated: Jun 13, 2026

AnalysisSample paper
Difficulty 3.8/5
Total marks
100
Duration
180 mins
Most tested
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Paper breakdown

Paper 1 (Poetry and Prose): 50 marks · 90 minsPaper 2 (Drama): 50 marks · 90 mins

Examiner insights

Official report

Common pitfalls

  • Regurgitating plot summaries rather than analyzing the writer's deliberate language choices (AO3).
  • Failing to engage directly with the specific keywords of the prompt, particularly terms like 'vividly', 'powerfully', or 'dramatic'.
  • Treating poetry as a series of technical devices to be spotted (e.g., alliteration, personification) without explaining their emotional or thematic effects.
  • Over-relying on pre-prepared essays that do not match the exact focus of the exam question.

Misconceptions

  • Believing that longer quotes are better; concise, embedded integration of single words or short phrases yields far higher marks for analysis.
  • Assuming there is a 'correct' interpretation of unseen texts or poetry; examiners welcome any coherent, textually-supported viewpoint.
  • Thinking that mentioning historical context earns high marks; context is only valuable if it directly explains the writer's literary choices.

Where marks are lost

  • Weak conclusions that merely repeat the introduction rather than synthesizing the cumulative argument.
  • Neglecting the visual layout, lineation, or dramatic stage directions of drama/poetry in favor of pure prose paraphrase.
  • Lack of focus on the ending/climax of extracts in passage-based questions, where crucial shifts in tone often occur.

Estimated grade boundary

Updated: Jun 13, 2026

Source: Cambridge IGCSE grade thresholds (official)
GradeMarkPercentage
A*67/10067%
A57/10057%
B47/10047%
C38/10038%
D33/10033%
E28/10028%
Official grade boundaries published by Cambridge IGCSE grade thresholds (official).

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