About the exam
WJEC GCSE English Language and Literature Exam structure
A route-aware guide to the current integrated WJEC Made-for-Wales GCSE English Language and Literature Single and Double Awards, combining reading, literary study, language analysis, writing and oracy.
Issuer and path
WJEC GCSE English Language and Literature Study Guide is administered through WJEC CBAC Ltd. Check official resources before booking, retesting, or relying on a stale requirement.
Unit 1: Context and Meaning - Common
0 scored + 0 pretest
Anthology and unseen poetry comparison followed by creative literary or non-fiction writing.
Unit 2: Belonging - Common
0 scored + 0 pretest
A whole prose text, an extended written response and an individually researched oral presentation.
Unit 3: Influence and Power - Common
0 scored + 0 pretest
Non-fiction anthology study, a controlled group discussion and creative non-fiction designed to be spoken.
Unit 4a: Motivations - Single Award
0 scored + 0 pretest
One prescribed drama text, analytical response and creative literary writing.
Unit 4b: Motivations - Double Award
0 scored + 0 pretest
One prescribed drama or prose text, analytical response and creative literary writing.
Unit 5: Continuity and Change - Double Award
0 scored + 0 pretest
A complete Shakespeare play, historical poetry, extended writing and paired discussion.
Unit 6: Connections - Double Award
0 scored + 0 pretest
The full non-fiction anthology, an unseen text, comparative analysis and non-fiction writing.
Before using a text or assessment task
Confirm 3750QS Single or 3750QD Double, the exact unit, the centre's text and entry code where applicable, the assessment series and the current WJEC NEA task. Follow live supervision, notes, recording, authentication and moderation instructions.
Official Outline Coverage Map
Coverage is mapped to official outline item counts so content depth can be checked without hard-coding a single exam.
| Topic | Official outline items | Your questions | Your flashcards | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 Poetry Anthology, Forms and Contexts | 0 | 30 | 5 | Strong |
| 1.2 Linked Studied and Unseen Poetry | 0 | 38 | 5 | Strong |
| 1.3 Creative Literary or Non-fiction Writing | 0 | 32 | 5 | Strong |
| 2.1 Whole Prose Text and Belonging | 0 | 28 | 5 | Strong |
| 2.2 Extended Written Prose Response | 0 | 30 | 5 | Strong |
| 2.3 Individually Researched Oral Presentation | 0 | 22 | 5 | Strong |
| 3.1 Non-fiction Anthology, Influence and Power | 0 | 25 | 5 | Strong |
| 3.2 Evidence-led Group Discussion | 0 | 25 | 5 | Strong |
| 3.3 Creative Non-fiction Designed to Be Spoken | 0 | 25 | 5 | Strong |
| 4a.1 Prescribed Drama and Motivations | 0 | 25 | 5 | Strong |
| 4a.2 Analytical Response to Drama | 0 | 30 | 5 | Strong |
| 4a.3 Creative Literary Writing | 0 | 25 | 5 | Strong |
| 4b.1 Prescribed Drama or Prose and Motivations | 0 | 28 | 5 | Strong |
| 4b.2 Analytical Response to the Selected Text | 0 | 32 | 5 | Strong |
| 4b.3 Creative Literary Writing | 0 | 25 | 5 | Strong |
| 5.1 Whole Shakespeare Play | 0 | 24 | 5 | Strong |
| 5.2 Poetry Across Time | 0 | 22 | 5 | Strong |
| 5.3 Extended Shakespeare Response | 0 | 27 | 5 | Strong |
| 5.4 Paired Poetry Discussion | 0 | 22 | 5 | Strong |
| 6.1 Full Non-fiction Anthology | 0 | 28 | 5 | Strong |
| 6.2 Anthology and Unseen Connections | 0 | 33 | 5 | Strong |
| 6.3 Purposeful Non-fiction Writing | 0 | 25 | 5 | Strong |
How to use this guide
How to use this integrated English guide
Keep language and literature connected: analyse vocabulary, grammar, syntax, structure, form and context together, then transfer that understanding into speaking and writing.
1. Locate route, unit and material
Confirm Single or Double Award, examination or NEA, the correct selected text or anthology requirement and any live task controls.
2. Establish meaning and context
Identify information, theme, viewpoint, purpose, audience and only the contextual factors that help explain the text.
3. Analyse integrated craft
Select exact evidence and explain vocabulary, grammar and syntax alongside literary or genre-specific form and structure.
4. Connect, evaluate or create
Compare relationships between texts, evaluate significance, develop an oral contribution or shape writing for its audience, purpose and form.
5. Check task, evidence and expression
Verify route and text accuracy, satisfy every task condition and refine coherence, sentence control, grammar, punctuation and spelling.
Made-for-Wales route map
One integrated common core, two valid awards
Build poetry, prose, non-fiction, writing and oracy through Units 1-3, then continue through Unit 4a for Single or Units 4b-6 for Double.
Unit 1 Poetry, Context and Comparison
Anthology coverage, supplementary forms, unseen reading, context, linguistic and literary analysis, and comparison.
Choose a topic to open below
Unit 1 Adaptive Writing
Creative literary or non-fiction writing shaped for context, audience, purpose and effect.
Choose a topic to open below
Unit 2 Prose, Belonging and Written Response
Whole-text prose knowledge, context, character, setting, linguistic and literary approaches, and extended writing.
Choose a topic to open below
Unit 2 Researched Oral Presentation
Research, source evaluation, planning and individual presentation linked to the studied prose.
Choose a topic to open below
Unit 3 Non-fiction and Group Discussion
Anthology reading, prescribed texts, influence, power, evidence, viewpoints and constructive group discussion.
Choose a topic to open below
Unit 3 Creative Non-fiction
A planned and refined non-fiction text designed to be spoken and informed by anthology study.
Choose a topic to open below
Unit 4a Drama and Analytical Response
Single Award prescribed drama, motivations, contexts, dramatic craft and evidence-led analysis.
Choose a topic to open below
Unit 4a Creative Literary Writing
Original literary writing using motivations, voice, structure and accurate language.
Choose a topic to open below
Unit 4b Drama or Prose and Analytical Response
Double Award prescribed drama or prose, motivations, contexts, form-specific craft and analysis.
Choose a topic to open below
Unit 4b Creative Literary Writing
Original literary writing using motivations, voice, structure and accurate language.
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Unit 5 Shakespeare and Extended Response
Whole-play knowledge, linguistic and literary analysis, context, changing language, ideas and attitudes.
Choose a topic to open below
Unit 5 Poetry Across Time and Paired Oracy
Poetry from different periods, context, comparison, continuity, change and paired discussion.
Choose a topic to open below
Unit 6 Non-fiction Connections
Full anthology knowledge, unseen reading, mediation, language analysis, synthesis and comparison.
Choose a topic to open below
Unit 6 Non-fiction Writing
Purposeful non-fiction shaped for audience, form, context and effect.
Choose a topic to open below
1.1 Poetry Anthology, Forms and Contexts
Study every Unit 1 anthology poem and the required wider nineteenth- and twentieth-century forms through relevant contexts.
Key rules
Rule 1
All ten living-author anthology poems across the five published themes
Exam cue: Confirm the current integrated WJEC award route, unit, text or anthology requirement and live assessment task before applying a strategy.
Rule 2
Supplementary sonnet, elegy, ballad and blank-verse poetry
Exam cue: Build comparison-ready knowledge by linking exact poetic choices to theme, form and the context that meaningfully shapes interpretation.
Rule 3
Socio-historical, cultural, authorial, literary, period and status or power contexts
Exam cue: Link linguistic and literary analysis: name the exact choice, explain how it creates meaning, and connect it to context, viewpoint, purpose or audience.
Common traps
Studying only anthology themes in general or treating contextual facts as detachable biography.
Prevention: Confirm whether the material is common, centre-selected, WJEC-prescribed for the series, Single-only or Double-only before applying it.
Importing the legacy separated English Language or English Literature structure, an Eduqas specification or another board's assessment rules.
Prevention: Do not import the legacy separated specifications, bind optional texts universally or combine mutually exclusive award routes.
Treating optional texts, current biennial NEA tasks or route-specific units as universal requirements for every learner.
Prevention: Use Units 1-3 plus 4a for Single or Units 1-3 plus 4b, 5 and 6 for Double; never add weights, text lists or tasks across routes.
Memory anchors
sonnet
A fourteen-line form whose pattern and turn can shape an argument or feeling.
elegy
A poem associated with mourning, remembrance or reflective loss.
ballad
A narrative verse form often using repetition, rhythm and direct storytelling.
blank verse
Unrhymed verse written in a regular metrical pattern, commonly iambic pentameter.
context
A relevant condition surrounding production or reception that helps explain meaning.
Next best moves
Quick check-up
Use a short quiz to confirm the rule pattern is actually sticking.
Check-up Questions
What does the metaphor “stitched the harbour names” suggest?
Which detail most strongly personifies memory?
Answer all questions to submit.
Next step personalized recommendations
Open another topic next
Official resources
Verify the details with the official sources
Use these links for eligibility, scheduling, handbook rules, and issuer updates. Our guide helps you study; official sources tell you what the testing partner currently requires.
WJEC GCSE English Language and Literature Made-for-Wales qualification page
The current hub for the integrated Single and Double Awards, specification, sample materials, guidance, text resources and NEA documents.
WJEC GCSE English Language and Literature specification
Approved Version 4 specification for teaching from September 2025 and award from 2027.
Unit 1 and Unit 5 poetry anthology
The current WJEC poetry anthology used for Unit 1 and the Unit 5 poetry requirements.
Unit 2 prose fiction list
The current comprehensive longlist from which centres select the Unit 2 whole prose text.
Units 3 and 6 non-fiction anthology
The current thematic anthology used selectively for Unit 3 and in full for Unit 6.
Unit 1 sample assessment materials
Current official sample poetry and extended-writing examination materials.
Unit 2 sample assessment materials
Official sample whole-prose writing and individual oral assessment materials.
Unit 3 sample assessment materials
Official sample group-discussion and creative non-fiction assessment materials.
Unit 4a sample assessment materials
Current Single Award sample analytical and creative literary examination.
Unit 4b sample assessment materials
Current Double Award sample analytical and creative literary examination.
Unit 5 sample assessment materials
Official sample Shakespeare response and paired poetry discussion materials.
Unit 6 sample assessment materials
Current Double Award sample anthology, unseen and non-fiction writing examination.
English Language and Literature guidance for teaching
Official teaching guidance for the current integrated qualification.
Unit 2 NEA handbook
Current controls, evidence, marking and moderation guidance for Unit 2.
Unit 3 NEA handbook
Current controls, discussion, writing, recording and moderation guidance for Unit 3.
Unit 5 NEA handbook
Current controls, evidence, recording, marking and moderation guidance for Unit 5.
FAQ
Common WJEC GCSE English Language and Literature questions
Is this an official WJEC resource?
No. This is an independent study guide aligned to current public WJEC documents. The live specification, anthologies, text lists, assessment packs, biennial NEA tasks and centre instructions remain authoritative.
Is this still a separate English Language and English Literature GCSE?
No. The current Made-for-Wales qualification integrates English Language and Literature. Learners use both linguistic and literary approaches across poetry, prose, drama, non-fiction, speech and their own communication. The legacy 3700QS and 3720QS structures must not be used as this guide's blueprint.
Who is this qualification for?
It is the Qualifications Wales-regulated WJEC GCSE English Language and Literature taught from September 2025. It serves Wales and is not available to centres in England; it is not an Eduqas qualification.
What is the difference between Single and Double Award?
Both routes take Units 1, 2 and 3. Single Award adds Unit 4a. Double Award instead takes Unit 4b and adds Units 5 and 6. Unit 4a cannot count toward Double Award, and route percentages must never be combined.
Are the awards tiered?
No. Both are unitised and untiered. Single Award reports grades A* to G; Double Award reports paired grades from A*A* to GG, with U below the minimum award standard.
What is assessed in Unit 1?
Section A mixes objective, short and restricted responses with an analytical comparative essay on one studied anthology poem and one unseen poem. Section B offers one of two extended tasks: creative literary or non-fiction writing.
Does everyone study the same Unit 2 prose text?
No. Centres select one complete prose text from the current WJEC comprehensive longlist. Task A is a 750-1,000 word whole-text response on Belonging; Task B is an individually researched oral presentation inspired by a theme, issue, representation or relationship in that study.
How does Unit 3 group discussion work?
WJEC publishes two theme choices and a prescribed text for each. A group of three or four discusses for 6-10 minutes using the prescribed anthology text, one further anthology text and at least one non-continuous text. A third text is optional.
What is Unit 3 Task B?
It is a 400-500 word piece of creative non-fiction designed to be spoken, such as a speech, talk, vlog, podcast, advice piece or oral guidance. It applies ideas and techniques developed through study of Influence and Power.
Which Unit 4 text applies?
Single Award Unit 4a uses one drama from its five-title list. Double Award Unit 4b uses one drama or prose text from its separate six-title list. Each option has its own entry code, so the centre's selected text and route must be confirmed.
What does Double Award Unit 5 require?
Task A is a 1,000-1,500 word extended response on a complete Shakespeare play chosen by the centre. Task B is a recorded 5-8 minute paired discussion using one current prescribed 1600-1900 anthology poem and another selected poem; a third poem is optional.
What does Double Award Unit 6 require?
Learners study every text in the WJEC non-fiction anthology. Section A connects anthology text or texts with one unseen text through mixed and extended responses. Section B offers one of two extended non-fiction writing tasks.
How current are the NEA tasks?
Tasks and associated stimuli are released by WJEC in the first week of April for first assessment in the following academic year and normally remain for two years. Centres must check the correct live task, controls and handbook for the assessment series.
What is the terminal rule?
Pre-16 candidates must complete at least 30% of the qualification in the cash-in series, including an examination. Post-16 candidates have no terminal rule. Resit and Double-to-Single conversion rules differ, so current entry guidance must be checked.
Can static practice reproduce a full mock?
No. A static practice bank cannot reproduce centre-selected texts, live biennial NEA tasks, authenticated controlled work, recorded oracy or route- and text-specific entries. Full-mock mode is therefore disabled.
Are the 601 planned questions included?
No. The 601 figure is only a future-authoring allocation across the integrated content and both valid routes. This module contains study and coverage assets but no question bank or page registration.