Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9-1) English Literature (1ET0)
Exam structure at a glance for Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9-1) English Literature: every paper with its time, marks and weighting, plus tiers, practicals and the links you need.
- Board
- Pearson Edexcel
- Specification code
- 1ET0
- Tiers
- No tiers (one paper set for all)
- First teaching
- 2015
- First exams
- 2017
- Exam papers
- 2 · 4 h in total
- Last checked
- 2026-10-20
The national curriculum content behind this GCSE: KS4 English programme of study.
Papers and weightings
| Paper | Time | Marks | Weight | What it is (our summary) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Component 1: Shakespeare and Post-1914 Literature | 1 h 45 min | 80 | 50% | Section A: two-part Shakespeare question (close analysis of an extract of about 30 lines, then a theme elsewhere in the play). Section B: one essay (choice of two) on a post-1914 British play or novel. Closed book. |
| Component 2: 19th-century Novel and Poetry since 1789 | 2 h 15 min | 80 | 50% | Section A: two-part question on the 19th-century novel (extract of about 400 words, then whole text). Section B: compare a named anthology poem with another from the collection, and compare two unseen contemporary poems. Closed book. |
Times are exam lengths; weightings are shares of the whole GCSE. Summaries are in our own words.
Good to know
- Set texts: closed book: students may not take the texts into the exam
Not yet confirmed by us: AO4 (SPaG): 8 raw marks across the qualification; split between components not confirmed. Check the specification.
Key dates
Summer 2027 exam series
- Entries deadline: Sun, 21 February 2027
- First exam: Mon, 10 May 2027
- Last GCSE exam: Fri, 18 June 2027
- Contingency day: Wed, 23 June 2027
- GCSE results day: Thu, 19 August 2027 (from a provisional board timetable)
Sources: JCQ key dates June 2027 (final (JCQ key dates)); JCQ key dates and timetables; JCQ timetable commentary. Check each board's final timetable for paper dates. Last checked 2026-10-20.
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, tiers, codes) are taken from each exam board's own specification pages and summarised in our own words; no specification text, papers or mark schemes 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 GCSE (9-1) English Literature exams?
Component 1: 1 h 45 min; Component 2: 2 h 15 min.