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AQA A‑Level English Literature B questions by topic

Every question from every AQA A-Level English Literature B paper, 2020–2025, question by question. Filter by topic, paper or year, open the mark scheme under any question, and download a set as a PDF. AQA publishes these papers from November 2020 on. Each paper is sat in one of two genres (tragedy or comedy; crime or protest writing), and asks about every set text, so the topics here are the genres' texts: pick the ones you studied. Questions that name no text, the unseen extracts and the two-text questions, are each genre's own topics.

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327 questions

  1. Q01

    June 2025 · Paper 1A

    25 marks
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 1A, question 01: Othello – William Shakespeare Read the extract below and then answer the question. Explore the significance of this extract in relation to the tragedy of the pl
  2. Q02

    June 2025 · Paper 1A

    25 marks
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 1A, question 02: King Lear – William Shakespeare Read the extract below and then answer the question. Explore the significance of this extract in relation to the tragedy of the
  3. Q03

    June 2025 · Paper 1A

    25 marks
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 1A, question 03: Othello – William Shakespeare ‘Othello is presented as having no moderation: he loves and hates with the full force of his emotions.’ To what extent do you agre
  4. Q04

    June 2025 · Paper 1A

    25 marks
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 1A, question 04: Othello – William Shakespeare Explore the significance of murder and killing to the tragedy of the play. Remember to include in your answer relevant comment on
  5. Q05

    June 2025 · Paper 1A

    25 marks
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 1A, question 05: King Lear – William Shakespeare ‘In King Lear, those who confront the powerful with the truth have to be admired.’ To what extent do you agree with this view? R
  6. Q06

    June 2025 · Paper 1A

    25 marks
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 1A, question 06: King Lear – William Shakespeare Explore the significance of murder and killing to the tragedy of the play. Remember to include in your answer relevant comment o
  7. Q07

    June 2025 · Paper 1A

    25 marks
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 1A, question 07: ‘In tragic texts, families and family life are torn apart.’ To what extent do you agree with this view in relation to two texts you have studied? Remember to in
  8. Q08

    June 2025 · Paper 1A

    25 marks
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 1A, question 08: Explore the significance of errors of judgement to the tragedies of two texts you have studied. Remember to include in your answer relevant comment on the ways
  9. Q01

    June 2025 · Paper 1B

    25 marks
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 1B, question 01: The Taming of the Shrew – William Shakespeare Read the extract below and then answer the question. Explore the significance of this extract in relation to the c
  10. Q02

    June 2025 · Paper 1B

    25 marks
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 1B, question 02: Twelfth Night – William Shakespeare Read the extract below and then answer the question. Explore the significance of this extract in relation to the comedy of t
  11. Q03

    June 2025 · Paper 1B

    25 marks
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 1B, question 03: The Taming of the Shrew – William Shakespeare ‘Petruchio’s attitudes and actions are disturbing rather than entertaining.’ To what extent do you agree with this
  12. Q04

    June 2025 · Paper 1B

    25 marks
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 1B, question 04: The Taming of the Shrew – William Shakespeare ‘In comedy, characters engage in courtship: they try to attract a partner and then develop a romantic relationship
  13. Q05

    June 2025 · Paper 1B

    25 marks
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 1B, question 05: Twelfth Night – William Shakespeare ‘In Twelfth Night, it’s funny when authority figures are disrespected and mistreated.’ To what extent do you agree with this
  14. Q06

    June 2025 · Paper 1B

    25 marks
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 1B, question 06: Twelfth Night – William Shakespeare ‘In comedy, characters engage in courtship: they try to attract a partner and then develop a romantic relationship.’ Explore
  15. Q07

    June 2025 · Paper 1B

    25 marks
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 1B, question 07: ‘In comedy, characters behave badly – and they always get away with it.’ To what extent do you agree with this view in relation to two texts you have studied? R
  16. Q08

    June 2025 · Paper 1B

    25 marks
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 1B, question 08: Comedic texts contain narrative climaxes where situations reach a peak or a crisis happens. Explore the significance of narrative climaxes to the comedy of two
  17. Q01

    June 2025 · Paper 2A

    25 marks
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 2A, question 01: Explore the significance of elements of crime writing in this extract. Remember to include in your answer relevant detailed analysis of the ways the author has
  18. Q02

    June 2025 · Paper 2A

    25 marks
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 2A, question 02: Selected Poems – George Crabbe, Robert Browning and Oscar Wilde To what extent do you agree with the view that the criminals in the poems are presented as being
  19. Q03

    June 2025 · Paper 2A

    25 marks
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 2A, question 03: The Rime of the Ancient Mariner – Samuel Taylor Coleridge ‘We have more sympathy for the Mariner than for the victims of his crimes.’ To what extent do you agre
  20. Q04

    June 2025 · Paper 2A

    25 marks
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 2A, question 04: When Will There Be Good News? – Kate Atkinson ‘Atkinson presents criminals as evil monsters who do not have motives for their crimes.’ To what extent do you agr

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