A-Level · AQA · English Literature B
AQA A-Level English Literature B (7717) revision for tragedy and protest writing
18 past papers for Paper 1A Aspects of tragedy and Paper 2B Elements of political and social protest writing. Write your essay, get it marked against the AQA mark scheme with feedback, then rewrite it and compare it with a model answer.
Studying AQA English Literature A (7712) instead? Go to the Literature A course.
What you'll study
The AQA English Literature B papers on Markaroo
Literary genres. A Shakespeare extract question, a Shakespeare essay and an essay comparing two texts. 9 past papers, 72 questions.
- Othello
- King Lear
- Richard II
- Death of a Salesman
- Tess of the D’Urbervilles
- The Great Gatsby
- Keats: Lamia, Isabella, La Belle Dame sans Merci, The Eve of St. Agnes
- AQA poetry anthology: Tragedy
- Comparing two texts
Texts and genres. An unseen extract, a set-text essay and an essay comparing two texts. 9 past papers, 99 questions.
- Songs of Innocence and of Experience
- Tony Harrison: Selected Poems
- The Handmaid’s Tale
- The Kite Runner
- Harvest
- Hard Times
- A Doll’s House
- Henry IV Part 1
- Unseen extract
- Comparing two texts
Papers come from the June 2017 to June 2025 series, including November 2020 and November 2021. Every set text has its own revision notes and flashcards. Markaroo covers Papers 1A and 2B of AQA English Literature B (7717) only: Paper 1B Aspects of comedy, Paper 2A Elements of crime writing and the non-exam assessment are not covered.
Not sure which specification you sit? Literature B is built around literary genres; Literature A (7712) is Love through the ages and Texts in shared contexts. See the AQA English Literature A course.
Assessment
How AQA English Literature B is examined
| Paper | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1: Literary genres (2 hr 30 min, closed book) | Section A: a passage-based question on your Shakespeare play. Section B: an essay on your Shakespeare play. Section C: an essay comparing two texts, one drama text and one further text, at least one written before 1900 | 75 · 40% |
| Paper 2: Texts and genres (3 hr, open book) | Section A: a compulsory question on an unseen extract. Section B: an essay on one set text. Section C: an essay comparing two texts you have not used in Section B | 75 · 40% |
Every question is worth 25 marks. Your essays are marked against AQA’s five-band mark scheme for 7717, which weights the assessment objectives AO1 7, AO2 6, AO3 6, AO4 3 and AO5 3, with feedback on what would move you up a band. The marking is calibrated on AQA’s own published English Literature B exemplar responses. The remaining 20% of the A-Level is the non-exam assessment, which Markaroo does not cover.
Markaroo is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by AQA. Past papers are attempted and marked inside the app, not offered as downloads.
Questions
AQA English Literature B on Markaroo
Which AQA A-Level English Literature B (7717) papers does Markaroo cover?
Two of the four exam options: Paper 1A, Literary genres: Aspects of tragedy, and Paper 2B, Texts and genres: Elements of political and social protest writing. Paper 1B (Aspects of comedy) and Paper 2A (Elements of crime writing) are not covered, and neither is the non-exam assessment.
How is AQA A-Level English Literature B assessed?
Two exams and a piece of coursework. Paper 1 lasts 2 hours 30 minutes, is worth 75 marks (40%) and is closed book: Section A is a passage-based question on your Shakespeare play, Section B is an essay on your Shakespeare play, and Section C is an essay comparing two texts: one drama text and one further text, at least one of them written before 1900. Paper 2 lasts 3 hours, is worth 75 marks (40%) and is open book, with clean copies of your set texts: Section A is a compulsory question on an unseen extract, Section B is an essay on one set text, and Section C is an essay comparing two texts you have not used in Section B. Every question is worth 25 marks. The non-exam assessment is worth 20%.
Which set texts are included?
Aspects of tragedy: Othello, King Lear, Richard II, Death of a Salesman, Tess of the D’Urbervilles, The Great Gatsby, the Keats selection (Lamia, Isabella, La Belle Dame sans Merci and The Eve of St. Agnes) and the AQA poetry anthology: Tragedy. Political and social protest writing: Songs of Innocence and of Experience, Tony Harrison: Selected Poems, The Handmaid’s Tale, The Kite Runner, Harvest, Hard Times, A Doll’s House and Henry IV Part 1. Every set text has revision notes and flashcards, and the Paper 2 unseen extract and the Section C comparison essays are covered too.
How does Markaroo mark English Literature B essays?
Each essay is marked out of 25 against AQA’s five-band mark scheme for 7717, which weights the assessment objectives AO1 7, AO2 6, AO3 6, AO4 3 and AO5 3. The marking is calibrated on AQA’s own published English Literature B exemplar responses. You get a mark with feedback on what to improve, can rewrite your essay and have it marked again, and can compare your work with a top-band model answer for the question.
Is there a free plan for AQA English Literature B on Markaroo?
Yes. The free plan gives you your coach, your technique profile and a live predicted grade, 2 written answers marked free, and the first topic of every unit in revision notes and flashcards, including each note's quick-check quiz, which is always free and never uses up your allowance — no card required. Plus unlocks everything from £6.99 a month (add more subjects for £5 each, with a 7-day free trial): unlimited questions and AI essay marking, every topic, all model answers and the rewrite loop.
I'm studying AQA English Literature A, or Literature B comedy or crime writing. Is that covered?
AQA English Literature A (7712) has its own course on Markaroo, so make sure you pick the right one: Literature A is Love through the ages and Texts in shared contexts, while Literature B is literary genres. Within Literature B, only Paper 1A tragedy and Paper 2B protest writing are covered; if you sit Paper 1B comedy or Paper 2A crime writing, the questions, notes and flashcards here will not match your papers.