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AQA GCSE English Literature set texts

The full list of set texts in AQA's GCSE English Literature specification (8702), current for the 2026 and 2027 exams. Your school chooses one Shakespeare play, one 19th-century novel, one modern text and one poetry cluster. Titles with a link open a plot summary and a quiz.

Source: AQA 8702 specification 3.1: Shakespeare and the 19th-century novel · 3.2: Modern texts and poetry · Last checked: 24 October 2026

Paper 1: Shakespeare and the 19th-century novel

Study the whole text of one play and one novel.

Shakespeare (choose one)

  1. 1MacbethWilliam ShakespeareSummary and quiz →
  2. 2Romeo and JulietWilliam ShakespeareSummary and quiz →
  3. 3The TempestWilliam ShakespeareSummary and quiz →
  4. 4The Merchant of VeniceWilliam ShakespeareSummary and quiz →
  5. 5Much Ado About NothingWilliam ShakespeareSummary and quiz →
  6. 6Julius CaesarWilliam ShakespeareSummary and quiz →

The 19th-century novel (choose one)

  1. 7The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr HydeRobert Louis StevensonSummary and quiz →
  2. 8A Christmas CarolCharles DickensSummary and quiz →
  3. 9Great ExpectationsCharles DickensSummary and quiz →
  4. 10Jane EyreCharlotte BrontëSummary and quiz →
  5. 11FrankensteinMary ShelleySummary and quiz →1831 edition
  6. 12Pride and PrejudiceJane AustenSummary and quiz →
  7. 13The Sign of FourArthur Conan Doyle

Paper 2: Modern texts and poetry

From the 2025 exams AQA added Princess & The Hustler, Leave Taking, My Name Is Leon and the Worlds and Lives cluster. The History Boys, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (play) and Never Let Me Go were last examined in 2024.

Modern texts: drama (choose one modern text)

  1. 1An Inspector CallsJ. B. PriestleySummary and quiz →
  2. 2Blood BrothersWilly RussellSummary and quiz →Musical version
  3. 3DNADennis Kelly
  4. 4A Taste of HoneyShelagh Delaney
  5. 5Princess & The HustlerChinonyerem OdimbaFirst exams 2025
  6. 6Leave TakingWinsome PinnockFirst exams 2025

Modern texts: prose

  1. 7Lord of the FliesWilliam GoldingSummary and quiz →
  2. 8Telling TalesAQA anthologyShort story anthology
  3. 9Animal FarmGeorge OrwellSummary and quiz →
  4. 10Anita and MeMeera Syal
  5. 11Pigeon EnglishStephen KelmanSummary and quiz →
  6. 12My Name Is LeonKit de WaalSummary and quiz →First exams 2025

Poetry: one cluster from the AQA anthology Poems Past and Present

  1. 13Love and Relationships15 poems
  2. 14Power and Conflict15 poems
  3. 15Worlds and Lives15 poemsFirst exams 2025

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Frequently asked questions

How many texts do I study for AQA GCSE English Literature?

Four: one Shakespeare play, one 19th-century novel, one modern text and one cluster of 15 poems from the AQA anthology, plus unseen poetry. Your school chooses which ones.

Which set texts changed recently?

From the 2025 exams AQA added Princess & The Hustler, Leave Taking and My Name Is Leon to the modern texts, plus the Worlds and Lives poetry cluster. The History Boys, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (play) and Never Let Me Go were last examined in 2024.

Which paper covers which text?

Paper 1 covers Shakespeare and the 19th-century novel. Paper 2 covers the modern text, your poetry cluster and unseen poetry.

How can I revise the books?

Open a linked title for a plot summary and a quiz on perLibre. In the app you can mark what you've read and set a reading goal.