AQA · GCSE

GCSE English Literature Topics

129 lessons across 4 units

This is the complete topic map for the AQA GCSE English Literature course — every unit and topic from the specification in one place: 129 lessons across 4 units, from Paper 1 + Paper 2 to Paper 2 Modern texts and poetry. Each topic below opens a focused revision lesson, so revision can start from the course as the exam board organises it — not from a guess about what might come up.

Paper 1 + Paper 212 lessons
Paper 1 Shakespeare and the 19th-century novel52 lessons

3.1.2 The 19th-century novel

Paper 21 lesson
Paper 2 Modern texts and poetry64 lessons

3.2.1 Modern texts

What AQA GCSE English Literature covers

The course is organised into 4 units: Paper 1 + Paper 2 (12 lessons), Paper 1 Shakespeare and the 19th-century novel (52 lessons), Paper 2 (1 lesson) and Paper 2 Modern texts and poetry (64 lessons). Together that's 129 lessons — the whole course, with nothing skipped and nothing added.

How to revise with this page

Little and often beats cramming. One topic a night, done properly — read it, try the questions, check yourself — moves a grade more than a weekend binge the week before the exam. The list above is deliberately complete so you can tick through it a topic at a time.

Start from what's coming up, not from the beginning. If a class test or mock is near, open the unit it covers and work through those topics first. Between assessments, work through units in order — later topics usually build on earlier ones.

For parents:you don't need to know the subject to help. Ask which topic tonight's lesson was, open it here, and let them teach it back to you — explaining something out loud is one of the most effective revision techniques there is. Signed-in students see ticks appear on this page as topics are completed, so progress through the course is visible at a glance.

Common questions

What topics are in AQA GCSE English Literature?

AQA GCSE English Literature covers 129 topics across 4 units: Paper 1 + Paper 2, Paper 1 Shakespeare and the 19th-century novel, Paper 2 and Paper 2 Modern texts and poetry. Each topic on this page opens a focused revision lesson.

How many topics are in AQA GCSE English Literature?

There are 129 topics in AQA GCSE English Literature, grouped into 4 units.

Is this the full AQA GCSE English Literature specification?

Yes — this page lists every unit and topic on the AQA GCSE English Literature specification, in the order the exam board organises it. Nothing is skipped and nothing is added.