Pearson Edexcel A level English Literature (9ET0)
Exam structure at a glance for Pearson Edexcel A level English Literature: every paper with its time, marks and weighting, plus the facts and links you need.
- Board
- Pearson Edexcel
- Specification code
- 9ET0
- Level
- A level
- First teaching
- 2015
- First exams
- 2017
- Exam papers
- 3 · 5 h 45 min in total
- Last checked
- 2026-10-20
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Papers and weightings
| Paper | Time | Marks | Weight | What it is (our summary) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Component 1: Drama | 2 h 15 min | 60 | 30% | A Shakespeare essay (35 marks) and an essay on another drama (25 marks), each one from two; open book with clean texts. |
| Component 2: Prose | 1 h 15 min | 40 | 20% | One comparative essay on two prose texts from a choice of two; open book. |
| Component 3: Poetry | 2 h 15 min | 60 | 30% | Compare an unseen post-2000 poem with a studied one (30) and an essay on studied poetry (30); open book. |
| Coursework: Comparative essay Non-exam assessment | not stated | 60 | 20% | One comparative essay of 2,500-3,000 words (advisory) on two texts not used in the exams; teacher-marked, Pearson-moderated. |
Times are exam lengths; weightings are shares of the whole qualification. Summaries are in our own words.
Good to know
- Non-exam assessment: Coursework: one 2,500-3,000-word comparative essay, 60 marks, 20%.
- Set texts: open book
Key dates
Summer 2027 exam series
- First exam (GCSE and A level): Mon, 10 May 2027
- Contingency day: Wed, 23 June 2027
- Special consideration deadline: Wed, 30 June 2027
A levels are linear: all exams are sat at the end of the two-year course. Source: JCQ key dates June 2027. Check each board's final timetable for paper dates and results day.
Specification, past papers and grade boundaries
- Pearson Edexcel: Specification at a glance (board website)
- Pearson Edexcel: Specification (PDF, board website)
- Pearson Edexcel: Past papers and mark schemes (board website)
- Pearson Edexcel: Grade boundaries (board website)
Facts checked against: qualifications.pearson.com.
More packs
Exam facts (paper names, times, marks, weightings, codes) are taken from each awarding body's own specification and summarised in our own words; no specification text, papers, mark schemes or booklets are reproduced. Exam details checked against the board's specification on 2026-10-20. Always check the current specification on the board's website.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (Ofqual and DfE pages on GOV.UK). Classfern is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department for Education, Ofqual, JCQ, AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR or WJEC Eduqas.
Questions teachers ask
How long are the Pearson Edexcel A level English Literature exams?
Component 1: 2 h 15 min; Component 2: 1 h 15 min; Component 3: 2 h 15 min.