2025 Pearson Edexcel GCSE English Literature Paper 2 and Mark Scheme Combined (1ET0/02: 19th-century Novel and Poetry since 1789)

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2025 Pearson Edexcel GCSE English Literature Paper 2 and Mark Scheme Combined (1ET0/02: 19th-century Novel and Poetry since 1789)

📄 Paper 2: What it is & overall details

Paper code: 1ET0/02. Pearson Qualifications+1
Title: 19th‑century Novel and Poetry since 1789. Save My Exams+1
Duration: 2 hours 15 minutes. Pearson Qualifications+1
Marks available: 80 raw marks, contributing 50% of the overall GCSE English Literature grade. Pearson Qualifications+1
It is a closed‑book exam — texts are not allowed during the exam. Pearson Qualifications+1

🧠 What students are tested on — Sections & Questions

Paper 2 is divided into two main sections:

Section A — 19th‑Century Novel

Students answer a two‑part question on one of the 19th‑century novels they studied. Save My Exams+1
- Part (a): close analysis of a provided extract (approximately 400 words), focusing on language, form or structure. This assesses AO2. Pearson Qualifications+1
- Part (b): an essay question requiring discussion of the novel as a whole — addressing elements such as plot, setting, character, themes. This assesses AO1 and AO2. Save My Exams+1
Together, Section A carries 40 marks (20 for part a, 20 for part b). Pearson Qualifications+1
Approximate recommended time: ~ 55 minutes. Scribd+1

Section B — Poetry since 1789

This section is about poetry: both studied anthology poems and unseen poetry.

Part 1: Students answer one question on a named poem from the poetry anthology (the poem is reproduced in the exam paper) and compare it with another poem of their choice from the anthology. They analyse language, form, and structure (AO2), and consider context (AO3). Pearson Qualifications+1
Part 2: Students answer one question comparing two unseen contemporary poems (linked by a theme). They explore how each poem treats the theme, comparing use of language, form, structure. Assessed using AO1, AO2, AO3. Pearson Qualifications+2Studocu+2
Recommended time: ~ 35 minutes for Part 1, ~ 45 minutes for Part 2. Pearson Qualifications+1

Overall, from Section B you answer two tasks (Part 1 and Part 2) — so total you answer three parts in Paper 2: one from Section A, and two from Section B. Pearson Qualifications+1

✅ Assessment Objectives & Mark Scheme

Responses are judged against the standard GCSE English Literature Assessment Objectives:

AO1 — Read, understand and respond to texts; present a critical, informed personal response; use textual references/quotations. Save My Exams+1
AO2 — Analyse how language, form and structure are used to create meaning/effect; use appropriate literary terminology. Save My Exams+1
AO3 — Show understanding of the relationships between texts and their contexts (social, historical, cultural). Pearson Qualifications+1
AO4 — Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures; write clearly, effectively, with accurate spelling/punctuation. Save My Exams+1

Mark allocation by question type (raw marks) is roughly as follows: Pearson Qualifications+1

Question type	Marks	AOs assessed
Section A (extract: 1a–7a)	20	AO2 only Pearson Qualifications
Section A (whole‑text: 1b–7b)	20	AO1 & AO2 Pearson Qualifications+1
Section B Part 1 (anthology poem comparison)	20	AO2 & AO3 Pearson Qualifications+1
Section B Part 2 (unseen poems comparison)	20	AO1, AO2, AO3 Pearson Qualifications+1

Total: 80 marks. Pearson Qualifications+1

📚 What this means for students / What to prepare

You must study one full 19th‑century novel (from the exam board’s set list) and be ready to discuss both extracts and the novel as a whole. Save My Exams+1
For poetry: you need to know a full anthology of poems (from the given cluster) for Part 1, and also be ready to analyse and compare unseen poems — meaning strong skills in analysing language, form, structure, and theme.
You must practise: close reading of extracts/poems; essay writing on plot/character/theme/setting (for novels); poetry comparison skills; contextual understanding of texts (especially for poetry).
Good time management: ~55 min for novel section, ~80 min total for poetry section (split between Part 1 and Part 2).

Specifications

Author	Proficient Academic Tutor
Published	09 Dec 2025
Included files	PDF
2025 Pearson Edexcel GCSE English Literature Paper 2 and Mark Scheme Pearson Edexcel GCSE English Literature 1ET0/02 19th-century Novel Poetry since 1789 2025 exam Paper 2