writing a literature essay gcse

How to Write an English Literature Essay?

In A-Level , GCSE by Think Student Editor August 26, 2022 Leave a Comment

Writing an English literature essay can be very stressful, especially if you have never had to write an essay for this subject before. The many steps and parts can be hard to understand, making the whole process feel overwhelming before you even start. As an English literature student, I have written many essays before, and remember how hard it felt at the start. However, I can assure you that this gets far easier with practice, and it even becomes fun! In this article, I will give you tips and tricks to write the best essay you can. As well as a simple step-by-step guide to writing one that will simplify the process.

Writing an English literature essay has 3 main parts: planning, writing and editing. Planning is the most important, as it allows you to clearly structure your essay so that it makes logical sense. After you have planned, write the essay, including an introduction, 3-4 main points/paragraphs, and a conclusion. Then check through the spelling and grammar of your essay to ensure it is readable and has hit all of your assessment objectives.

While this short explanation of the process should have given you an idea of how to write your essay, for key tips and tricks specific to English literature please read on!

Table of Contents

How to plan an English literature essay?

The most important thing in any English essay is the structure. The best way to get a logical and clear structure which flows throughout the essay is to plan before you start . A plan should include your thesis statement, 3-4 main paragraph points, key context and quotes to relate to.

A common way of structuring a plan is in the TIPE method. This involves planning each of your main points and sections on a few lines, in the structure of the main essay, making it easy to write out. Always highlight the key word in the question before you start planning, then also annotate any given extracts for ideas. If you have an extract, the main focus of your essay should be on that.

Planning should take around 10-15 minutes of your exam time for essay questions. This sounds like a lot, but it saves you time later on in writing, making it well worth the effort at the start of an exam.

Start each plan with a mind map of your key moments, quotes, context and ideas about the exam question theme, character, or statement. This helps you get all of your ideas down and figure out which are best. It also creates a bank to come back to later if you have extra time and want to write more.

Once you have created your mind map, find a thesis statement related to the question that you have 3-4 main points to support. It can be tempting to write lots of points, but remember, quality is always better than quantity in English Literature essays.

A useful method to help you plan is by creating a TIPE plan. With the following bullet points, you can now begin your own TIPE plan.

• Introduction
• Points – you should have 3-4 key paragraphs in your essay, including relevant quotes with analysis (and techniques the author is using) and context for each point
• Ending – conclusion

How to write an English literature essay introduction?

Depending on what level of literature essay you are writing, you will need different parts and depths of content . However, one thing that stays fairly consistent is the introduction. Introductions should hook the reader , literally “introducing” them to your essay and writing style, while also keeping them interested in reading on.

Some people find it difficult to write introductions, often because they have not already got into the feeling of the essay. For this, leaving space at the top of the page to write the introduction after you finish the rest of the essay is a great way to ensure your introduction is top quality. Writing essays out of order is ok, as long as you can still make them flow in a logical way.

The first line of any introduction should provide the focus for the whole essay. This is called a thesis statement and defines to the examiner exactly what you will “prove” throughout your essay, using quotes and other evidence. This thesis statement should always include the focus word from the question, linked to the view you will be arguing.

For example, “Throughout Macbeth, Power is presented by Shakespeare as a dangerously addictive quality.” This statement includes the play (or book/poem) title, the theme (or other element, such as the name of a character) stated in the question, and the focus (addiction to power). These qualities clearly show the examiner what to expect, as well as helping you structure your essay.

The rest of the introduction should include a brief note on some context related to the theme or character in question, as well as a very brief summary of your main paragraph points, of which there should be 3-4. This is unique to each essay and text and should be brief points that you elaborate on later.

How to structure an English literature essay?

As already discussed, the plan is the most important part of writing an English literature essay. However, once you start writing, the structure of your essay is key to a succinct and successful argument.

All essays should have an introduction with a thesis statement, 3-4 main points, and a conclusion.

The main part of your essay, and the most important, is the 3-4 main points you use to support your thesis. These should each form one paragraph, with an opening and a conclusion, almost like a mini essay within the main one. These paragraphs can be hard to structure, so many students choose to use the PETAL method.

PETAL paragraphs involve all of the key elements you need to get top marks in any English literature essay: Point, Evidence, Techniques, Analysis and Link.

The point should be the opening of the paragraph, stating what you are looking at within that section, related to your thesis, for example, “Shakespeare uses metaphors to show how the pursuit of power makes Macbeth obsessive and tyrannical”. Then, use a key moment in the play to illustrate the point, with a quote.

Choosing quotes is hard, but remember, quotes that are short and directly related to your thesis are best. Once you have chosen a quote, analyse it in relation to your point, then link to the question. You should also include some context and, at A-Level, different viewpoints or critics.

After these points, you should always include a conclusion. Restate your thesis, introduction and each point, but do not introduce new ideas. Explain and link these points by summarising them, then give your overall idea on the question.

If you have time, including a final sentence about wider social impacts or an overarching moral from the book is a good way to show a deep and relevant understanding of the text, impressing the examiner.

How to write an English literature essay for GCSE?

Marking for GCSE English Literature essays is done based on 4 assessment objectives. These are outlined in the table below. These are the same across all exam boards.

If you follow the structure outlined above, you should easily hit all of these AOs. The first two are the most important, and carry the most points in exams, however the others are what will bring your grade up to the best you can, so remember to include them too.

Context, or AO3, should be used whenever it is relevant to your argument. However, it is always better to include less context points on this than to try and add random bits everywhere, as this will break the flow of your essay, removing AO1 marks. For more information about the assessment objectives for GCSE English Literature, check out this governmental guide .

For more information on GCSEs, and whether you have to take English literature, please read this Think Student guide.

How do you write an English literature essay for A-Level?

Similarly, to GCSE, all A-Level papers are marked on a set of assessment objectives which are also set by Ofqual, so are the same for all exam boards. There are more than at GCSE, as A-Level essays must be in greater depth, and as such have more criteria to mark on. The table below shows the assessment objectives.

AO1 and AO2 are very similar to GCSE, however the writing needed to achieve top marks in them is much harder to reach. It must be very detailed and have a clear, distinct style to reach high marks. These skills are developed through practice, so writing lots of essays over your course will help you to gain the highest marks you can here.

AO3 and AO4 often go together, as literary and historical contexts. AO3 is again similar to GCSE, but in more depth. However, AO4 is new, and involves wider reading around your texts. Links to texts from the same author, time period, or genre make good comparisons, and you only need to make one or two to get the marks in this section.

AO5 is also one of the harder sections, which involves considering interpretations of the text that may not have been your first thought, and that you may not agree with. This can elevate your essay to much higher marks if you can achieve them.

One of the best ways to get AO5 marks is to look at critics of the book you are studying. These are academic views, and to remember quotes from them to put in when they are relevant. For more information about the assessment objectives for A-Level English Literature, check out this guide by AQA.

Which GCSE and A-Level English Literature papers have essay questions?

All GCSE and A-Level English Literature papers will have at least one essay question. Essay questions are usually the longest answers in the paper. However, sometimes other questions may require an essay style format but shorter. The exact structure of the exam paper and where essay questions are will depend on which exam board your GCSE or A-Level qualification is with .

GCSE English Literature paper 1 usually requires 2 essays . Each question in this paper is an essay, and each has an extract to be based around, so focussing your analysis on that extract is the easiest way to get marks.

The marks for these essays vary depending on exam board . However, as they are assessed on the objectives above, you don’t need to think too much about the marks, as it does not work in the same way as other subjects with a mark per point made. Instead, essays are marked cumulatively based on the general level of discussion achieved.

GCSE English Literature paper 2 usually requires 3 essays , one in each section. Sections A and B are an essay each, without an extract, then section C involves a shorter essay on unseen poetry and a short answer question. This type of question is harder, as you have to really know the book you are studying in order to get a good mark and include enough quotes.

A-Level English Literature is based entirely on essay questions. The questions are based on poetry, novels and plays, some seen and some unseen. About half of the essays have an accompanying extract, however you are expected to have very good knowledge of your texts even for extract questions, so do not rely on extracts for quotes and marks.

The information above is mainly based of the AQA exam papers, which you can find the specifications to for GCSE and A-Level by clicking here and here respectively. While this is mainly based of AQA, the exam boards all have rather similar structures and so you will still be able to use this information to get a rough idea.

Top tips for writing the best essay you can in English literature

This section will provide you with some tips to help you with your English literature essay writing. I recommend you also check out this Think Student article on how to revise for English literature. Now without further hesitation, lets jump into them.

Focus on the structure of your English literature essay

A logical and clear structure is key to allowing your essay to stand out to an examiner. They read hundreds of essays, so a good structure will let your creative analysis shine in a way that makes sense and is clear, as well as not confusing them.

The arguments you make in the essay should be coherent, directly linked to the question, and to each other. The easiest way to do this is to ensure you properly plan before you start writing , and to use the acronyms above to make the process as easy as possible in the exam.

Always use examples and quotes in your English literature essay

For every paragraph you need to have at least 1, if not more quotes and references to sections of the text . Ensure that every example you use is directly relevant to your point and to the question. For example, if you have a question about a character in the play, you should use quotes from or about them, rather than quotes about other things.

These quotes should always be analysed in detail, however, so do not use more than you can really look at within the time limit. Always aim for quality over quantity.

Leave time to edit and re-read your English literature essay

After you are finished writing, go back and re-read your essay from start to finish as many times as you can within the exam time limit. Focus first on grammar and spelling mistakes, then on general flow and coherency. If you notice that you have gone off topic, remove the sentence if you can, or edit it to be relevant.

Remember, the most important thing in the exam is that your text makes sense to the reader , so use concise, subject specific terminology, but not unnecessarily. You do not need to memorise big technical words to get good marks, as long as you can say what you mean.

Read other people’s English literature essays

One of the least understood tips for getting good marks at GCSE, A-Level and beyond is to read other people’s essays . Some students feel like reading exemplar essays or essays their classmates have written is cheating, or that it would be stealing their ideas to read their essay. However, this is not the case.

Reading someone else’s essay is a great way to begin to evaluate your own writing. By marking essays or reading others and making mental notes about them, you can begin to apply the same principals to your own essays, as well as improving your writing overall.

Look at how they use quotes, their structure, their main points and their thesis, and compare them to how you write, and to the assessment objectives. Look at their analysis and whether their writing makes sense. This sort of analysis does not involve stealing ideas, but instead learning how best to structure your writing and create an individual style , learning from both good and bad essays.

You should also read widely around your texts in general. Read as much as you can, both texts related and unrelated to the ones you read in class, to gain a wide picture of literature. This will help you in unseen prose, but also widen your vocabulary overall, which in turn will improve your essays.

For more information on why reading is so important for students, please read this Think Student guide.

Essay Writing Tips

There are many key writing techniques required to achieve the best grades.

The video and text below look at some of the best technigues to help you achieve top marks

What are these techniques?

Introduction

• Remain focused on the question
• Clear conclusion
• Organisation/ paragraphing

Good essay practice should include:-

• Make sure you write a brief plan for your answer. In your plan you should identify very clearly around six distinct points you intend to make and the specific parts of the text that you intend to examine in some detail.
• Spend about 5 or 10 minutes planning as this will help you make sure you have chosen the right question (because then you know you have lots of material to cover).
• This should be brief; you could include what your main view is and what other ideas you have.
• Don't list the poems or ideas you are going to include in the rest of your essay as you will be repeating yourself.
• Don't begin with ‘In this essay I am going to ...' and then list ideas.
• Try to begin by addressing the question straight away.

Paragraphing

• Make sure you use them as it makes your writing clearer for you and the examiner.
• When writing your essay you should devote one or two paragraphs to each idea from your plan. Try to make smooth links between paragraphs.
• When you make a point - you must give evidence to prove it. When you make a point, refer to the text and give an example to back up what you say. The best way to do this is to use a quotation from the text.
• Remember to include quotations, but not too many and don't make them too long. A good quotation can be a line or two long or just a few words from a line.
• Do not copy out whole long sections from texts as this is wasting time.
• Don't retell the plot of the story. The important thing is to be selective in the way you use the text. Only refer to those parts of the book/poem that help you to answer the question.

Answer the question

• It sounds obvious, but it's so easy to forget the question and write the essay you did in the mock. When you have finished a paragraph read it through and ask yourself. "Am I still answering the question?" If you think you are not then you need to change it, so that you are still focussed.
• At the end, try to draw all the strands of your various points together. This should be the part of your essay that answers the question most directly and forcefully. Keep checking the question.
• Keep it formal. Try to avoid making it chatty, so avoid using abbreviations e.g. ‘don't', ‘won't' and do not call writers by their surnames so for William Golding you should call him Golding rather than William, which is too informal.

Be creative

• Remember you do not have to agree with other people's points of view about literature. If your ideas are original or different, so long as you develop them clearly, use evidence intelligently and argue persuasively, your point of view will be respected. We want literature to touch you personally and it will often affect different people in different ways. Be creative.
• There is no one correct answer to questions on English Literature, just well explored and explained ones.

CHECKLIST AFTER WRITING YOUR ESSAY

• Written a plan and stuck to it?
• Written in clear paragraphs?
• Produced evidence to prove all your points?
• Used quotations from your chosen text(s)?
• Answered the question?

Generally speaking to get good marks you have to do the following:

To get a grade 9 or A* you need to be insightful, sensitive, convincing and evaluative.

For a grade 7/8 or A you need to be analytical and exploratory.

For a 6 or B you need to sustain your answer linking details to what the writer is trying to say and thoughtfully consider the meanings of the texts.

For a 4/5 or C you need to structure your answer to the question, use details effectively to back up your ideas and make some appropriate comment on the meaning of the texts.

For a 3 or D you need to answer the question and explain your ideas with some supporting quotations from the text.

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How to write an analytical GCSE English essay

The two most important assessment objectives are AO1 and AO2. They are about what writers do [the choices they make, and the effects these create], what your ideas are [your analysis and interpretation], and how you write about them [how well you explain your ideas].

AO stands for assessment objectives (for all you parents out there that may be interested in the abbreviation).

To achieve good marks for these AOs follow the guidelines below.

Structure your work

In your introduction, you must be able to respond to the question in a clear way. The first sentence of each subsequent paragraph should be a topic sentence in which you demonstrate your understanding of the question and the source text. Aim to make a clear point, as this will form the framework for the rest of your answer. Ensure each paragraph is dealing with a separate idea, to avoid repetition. Always keep your focus on the question!

Relevant quotations are essential to writing a successful response to the question. You need evidence that will support the point/s that you make. I am sure you have heard the popular term ‘judicious’ quoting highlighted in the marking criteria. Really it means that you are showing good reasoning by being perceptive in your choices and including textual references which help you answer the actual question. Do not use long quotations, but carefully choose the words you need and drop them expertly into your response.

Always embed your quotes! You do not have to write phrases like, ‘the quotation that shows this is…’ or ‘where it says…’ . Rather select what you need and firmly attach it to your comment by surrounding the quotation(s) with words of your own. This will impress the examiner as your writing will be more fluent and help you to achieve the criteria for judicious quoting.

Macbeth demands that the witches reveal the source of their prophecies to him in the quote 'say from whence/you owe this strange intelligence' . Noooooooooo!!

Macbeth demands that the witches reveal the source of 'their strange intelligence' to him. Yesssssssss!!

In the quote 'As she is troubled with thick-coming fancies/that keep her from her rest' we learn that Lady Macbeth's nightmares are tormenting her. Noooooooooo!!

Lady Macbeth's 'thick-coming fancies' are tormenting her. Yesssssssss!!

Remember that you are taking these words from the source, therefore you must definitely indicate this each time. If you use "double" marks for speech, it is wise to use 'single' marks for quotes. This will help the reader distinguish between the two. Otherwise, it gets very confusing!

You will get higher marks if you show your examiner that you have the ability to infer meaning. This really means reading between the lines for a deeper meaning. If possible you want to dig as deep as possible and squeeze a lot of meaning out of a little piece of evidence. Using phrases such as, ‘implying that…’, ‘suggesting that’ or even ‘illustrating the idea that’ are all beneficial phrases to develop your analysis further.

Be realistic and don’t get carried away by fanciful ideas at odds with your text.

Remember (K.I.S.S.) to keep it simple and succinct by writing your own informed personal opinion about what the quote actually means in your own words.

Try to identify linked concepts and themes. Consider how the writer expertly presents ideas and imagery through effective use of language and structural devices such as:

• dynamic verbs
• specific use of word classes such as adjectives/adverbs/pronouns/prepositions - [use the phrase 'the writer's lexical choices'] you can't tell me that doesn't sound good!
• concrete/abstract nouns
• personification
• pathetic fallacy
• onomatopoeia
• alliteration
• beginning - middle - end
• flashforwards
• sentence structure
• shifts of focus
• chronological / non-chronological

Explore and analyse the role each device plays in developing the text and creating meaning. There is no point in just identifying a metaphor or onomatopoeia. The quality of your comments on the effects of language is what decides your level/grade, not the ability to simply spot features.

Ask yourself:

• Why has the author/poet made this deliberate choice?
• Why has the author/poet chosen to place this method here?

Then explore different meanings and ideas that are associated with each choice. Dig deep and get the awards! It's like digging for those golden marks.

Once you have explored a range of meanings and drawn conclusions, then consider the effects on the reader. Authors/poets always write with a clear aim in mind. They craft their work to deliver a message to the reader. The following sentence stems help you to achieve this:

• From this, the reader can infer that...
• This encourages the reader to imagine/feel...
• The reader may interpret this on two levels...
• This helps the reader to visualise...
• This encourages/prompts the reader to consider...
• This results in the reader experiencing...
• This relates back to/foreshadows...
• This reinforces that idea of... in the reader's mind
• This creates a... atmosphere for the reader...
• This provokes the reader to believe that...
• The reader is compelled to...
• Some readers may interpret this as... whilst others may believe that...
• This entices the reader...

Writing frameworks

To develop a clear, purposeful and effective writing style you need to have a sound framework for your writing.

Many students use some of the following frameworks to help construct their answers:

👉 PEE - Point + Evidence + Explain

👉 PEEL - Point + Evidence + Explain + Link

👉 PEED - Point + Evidence + Explain + Develop

👉 PEEZL - Point + Evidence + Explain + Zoom + Link

👉 PETAL - Point + Evidence + Technique + Analysis + Link

👉 PETER - Point + Evidence + Technique + Explain + Reflect

If you are comfortable using any of the above frameworks, then there is no need to change. But, there is an alternative should you want to try it. This method keeps it all simple and was highlighted in the AQA Examiner's advice in June 2019 which recommended that the best way of approaching a literary text is the WHW writing frame.

What is the writer writing about? What is the meaning and purpose of the text?

How have they done it? What writing techniques have they used? Think of your figurative language, word classes, sentence types and comparative/superlative adjectives.

Why did they use particular techniques? What effect were they hoping to achieve? How do they want you to think and feel? How do you respond personally to the text? How might others respond? Were the writer's intentions effective?

It is not enough to just feature-spot, you HAVE TO consider the writer's intention and the effect on the reader.

Following all the handy guidelines above will help you boost your grades and confidence when answering those important AOs in class or in an exam.

Learn how to answer questions in GCSE English Language Paper 1 using our ultimate revision guide below.

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Essay technique: How to get GCSE students writing better introductions

Say what you’re going to say. Say it. Say what you’ve said.

Three sentences. That was all the instruction I was given on essay technique back when I was sitting my GCSEs . These were three sentences that stood me in good stead throughout GCSE, A level, degree and postgraduate study. Nice and simple, I thought.

However, having marked my way through rounds and rounds of literature essays, I have since discovered that what I had thought was a straightforward method of writing an essay was just not working for my students. And the biggest problem was the introduction.

Despite all of the planning we did in class, the students were still incapable of saying what they were going to say, and I was inundated with a stream of snore-worthy introductions that were all just a waste of ink and paper.

“This essay will discuss the writer’s presentation of...” Blah, blah. Boring.

“In this essay, I will...” Zzzz.

Thinking beyond the text

While these introductions technically introduced the focus of the students’ essays, they were frequently little more than a rephrasing of the essay question. And for my top set class, this was just not going to cut the band 6 mustard.

For high-ability students, the challenge of the new English literature GCSE is getting them to think beyond the confines of the text, while also developing conceptualised, coherent, critical responses. Not asking for much, then.

So, I set about finding a way to teach my students to write better introductions. Here’s what I did.

After teaching all the relevant contextual information (the traits of a tragic hero, the core principles of Marxism and so forth) that students would need to support their arguments when writing about An Inspector Calls , I started to encourage them to embed questions within their introductions, which they would then endeavour to answer throughout their essay.

I felt the benefits for doing this were two-fold. Firstly, if they knew the phrasing and structure of an introduction before entering the exam room, their cognitive load would be reduced during the exam itself. 

Secondly, and most critically, it would allow them to prepare almost entire essays on key themes in advance, which they could then contextualise to the extract before them.

Brevity is key

To support this development, I taught the students that their introductions would consist of two sentences for the prose and drama texts. Concision and brevity were key in the teaching here.

Sentence 1:  Define the key word in the question. Personalise it - what does it mean to you? Contextualise it based on the text you’re writing about.

Sentence 2:  Identify a question based on what the author wants us to think of the key theme/character named in the exam question.

For example, take this exam question on An Inspector Calls : “How does Priestley present the theme of equality in the play?”

My model was as follows:

Sentence 1: An equal society is one in which there are no disparities between people due to gender, class, wealth or age - a Utopia that would signal the ultimate success of humanity’s super-ego over its id.

Sentence 2: In An Inspector Calls , Priestley’s horrifying microcosm of a society ruled by its id, encourages us to question the lack of equality in an unjust Edwardian England.

By reducing the introduction to two critical sentences, my students were able to write a focused start to their essay, which also provided a shape and a direction that they could follow for the rest of their analysis, helping them to access the higher mark bands.

My class’s introductions improved and so did their essays, as they were finally able to say what they’re going to say and then to say it.

Now we just need to work on saying what they said. Next time, conclusions.

Sana Master is an English teacher at a school in Yorkshire. She tweets @MsMaster13

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