AQA Assessment Objectives for Shakespeare Questions
AQA GCSE English Literature Paper One: Shakespeare
AOs What the AOs say…
/34
AO1 Read, understand and
respond to texts
/12 Students should:
- Maintain a critical style
35% - Develop an informed
personal response
- Use textual references and
quotes to support and
illustrate interpretations
AO2 Analyse the language, form
and structure used by a
/12 writer to create meanings
and effects
35% Use relevant subject
terminology
AO3 Show understanding of the
relationships between texts
/6 and the contexts in which
they were written.
18%
AO4 Use a range of vocabulary
and sentence structures for
/4 clarity, purpose and effect,
with accurate spelling and
12% punctuation
Time: 50 minutes Marks: 34
How the AOs are rewarded in the Mark Scheme…
The MS rewards answers that are “exploratory…well-
structured…insightful…detailed” and use “judicious
references…subject terminology”. So this means that you
must:
- Give a thoughtful, in-depth response to the play,
showing how you understand it and what it means to
you
- Give a well-structured answer – use a 5-paragraph
structure
- Give an insightful response to the task
- Use precise references and quotes wisely
The MS rewards “insightful analysis of language, form and
structure”. So this means that you must:
- Focus on Shakespeare’s craft as a playwright – the
techniques he uses and the effect these techniques
have on the reader
- Use the correct subject terminology
- Use precise references and quotes wisely
The MS rewards “exploration of contextual factors…detailed
links between context/text/task”. So to gain marks here, you
must:
- Understand the aspects that are relevant to your play
- Use specific, detailed links between the context and
the play
- Consider what the reader would need to know to add
to their understanding of the play – what literary,
cultural or historical information would help?
- Consider the context in which Shakespeare was
writing, the context in which the play is set and the
contexts in which the play could be engaged with by
different audiences
The MS rewards students who “spell and punctuate with
consistent accuracy…consistently use vocabulary and
sentence structures to achieve effective control of meaning”.
It is essential that you:
- Use accurate spelling
- Use accurate punctuation
- Use sentence structure correctly
- Use relevant vocabulary
A1 English Resources
A1 English Resources