Please check the examination details below before entering your candidate information
Candidate surname Other names
Centre Number Candidate Number
Pearson Edexcel Level 3 GCE
Monday 1 June 2026
Morning (Time: 1 hour 15 minutes) Paper
reference 9ET0/02 Mark Scheme (Results)
English Literature
Advanced
PAPER 2: Prose
Summer 2026
You must have: Total Marks
Prescribed texts (clean copies)
Instructions
•• Use black ink or ball-point pen.
Fill in the boxes at the top of this page with your name,
Pearson Edexcel Level 3 GCE
centre number and candidate number.
•• Answer one question on your chosen theme. in English Literature (9ET0)
Answer the question in the space provided
– there may be more space than you need. PAPER 2: Prose
• your answer, you must not use texts that you have used in your coursework.
In
Information
•• The total mark for this paper is 40.
The marks for the question are shown in brackets.
Advice
•• Read the question carefully before you start to answer it.
Check your answer if you have time at the end.
Turn over
P81983APearson Education Ltd.
P:1/1/1/1
*P81983A0116*
, Answer ONE question on the texts you have studied, one of which must be pre-1900.
Edexcel and BTEC Qualifications
Begin your answer on page 5.
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
Childhood Edexcel and BTEC qualifications are awarded by Pearson, the UK’s
Texts largest awarding body. We provide a wide range of qualifications
including academic, vocational, occupational and specific
Pre-1900: What Maisie Knew, Henry James; Hard Times, Charles Dickens programmes for employers. For further information visit our
Post-1900: Atonement, Ian McEwan; The Color Purple, Alice Walker
qualifications websites at or .
EITHER Alternatively, you can get in touch with us using the details on our
1 Compare the ways in which the writers of your two chosen texts present deception. contact us page at
You must relate your discussion to relevant contextual factors.
(Total for Question 1 = 40 marks)
OR
2 Compare the ways in which the writers of your two chosen texts present growing up. Pearson: helping people progress, everywhere
You must relate your discussion to relevant contextual factors.
(Total for Question 2 = 40 marks) Pearson aspires to be the world’s leading learning company. Our aim is to help
everyone progress in their lives through education. We believe in every kind of
Colonisation and its Aftermath learning, for all kinds of people, wherever they are in the world. We’ve been
involved in education for over 150 years, and by working across 70 countries, in
Texts 100 languages, we have built an international reputation for our commitment to
Pre-1900: Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad; The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, high standards and raising achievement through innovation in education. Find
Mark Twain out more about how we can help you and your students at:
Post-1900: Home Fire, Kamila Shamsie; The Lonely Londoners, Sam Selvon
EITHER
3 Compare the ways in which the writers of your two chosen texts present isolation.
You must relate your discussion to relevant contextual factors.
(Total for Question 3 = 40 marks)
OR
4 Compare the ways in which the writers of your two chosen texts present characters
who could be seen as morally flawed. You must relate your discussion to relevant
contextual factors.
(Total for Question 4 = 40 marks) Summer 2026
Question Paper Log Number P81983A
Publication Code 9ET0_02_2606_MS
All the material in this publication is
Pearson
2
*P81983A0216*
, General Marking Guidance
Answer ONE question on the texts you have studied, one of which must be pre-1900.
• All candidates must receive the same treatment. Examiners must mark the
Begin your answer on page 5.
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
first candidate in exactly the same way as they mark the last.
Crime and Detection
• Mark schemes should be applied positively. Candidates must be rewarded
Texts for what they have shown they can do rather than penalised for omissions.
Pre-1900: Lady Audley’s Secret, Mary Elizabeth Braddon; The Moonstone, Wilkie Collins • Examiners should mark according to the mark scheme not according to their
Post-1900: The Cutting Season, Attica Locke; In Cold Blood, Truman Capote perception of where the grade boundaries may lie.
EITHER • There is no ceiling on achievement. All marks on the mark scheme should be
5 Compare the ways in which the writers of your two chosen texts present places used appropriately.
where crimes are committed. You must relate your discussion to relevant contextual • All the marks on the mark scheme are designed to be awarded. Examiners
factors.
should always award full marks if deserved, i.e. if the answer matches the
(Total for Question 5 = 40 marks) mark scheme. Examiners should also be prepared to award zero marks if the
OR candidate’s response is not worthy of credit according to the mark scheme.
6 Compare the ways in which the writers of your two chosen texts present secrets. You • Where some judgement is required, mark schemes will provide the principles
must relate your discussion to relevant contextual factors. by which marks will be awarded and exemplification may be limited.
(Total for Question 6 = 40 marks) • When examiners are in doubt regarding the application of the mark scheme
to a candidate’s response, the team leader must be consulted.
Science and Society • Crossed out work should be marked UNLESS the candidate has replaced it
Texts with an alternative response.
Pre-1900: Frankenstein, Mary Shelley; The War of the Worlds, H G Wells
Post-1900: Never Let Me Go, Kazuo Ishiguro; The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood
Marking guidance – specific
EITHER
The marking grids have been designed to assess student work holistically. The
7 Compare the ways in which the writers of your two chosen texts present optimism.
You must relate your discussion to relevant contextual factors. grids identify which Assessment Objective is being targeted by each bullet
(Total for Question 7 = 40 marks) point within the level descriptors. One bullet point is linked to one Assessment
Objective, however please note that the number of bullet points in the level
OR
descriptor does not directly correlate to the number of marks in the level
8 Compare the ways in which the writers of your two chosen texts explore power. You descriptor.
must relate your discussion to relevant contextual factors.
When deciding how to reward an answer, examiners should consult both the
(Total for Question 8 = 40 marks)
indicative content and the associated marking grid(s). When using a levels-
based mark scheme, the ‘best fit’ approach should be used:
• examiners should first decide which descriptor most closely matches the
answer and place it in that level
3
*P81983A0316* Turn over
Candidate surname Other names
Centre Number Candidate Number
Pearson Edexcel Level 3 GCE
Monday 1 June 2026
Morning (Time: 1 hour 15 minutes) Paper
reference 9ET0/02 Mark Scheme (Results)
English Literature
Advanced
PAPER 2: Prose
Summer 2026
You must have: Total Marks
Prescribed texts (clean copies)
Instructions
•• Use black ink or ball-point pen.
Fill in the boxes at the top of this page with your name,
Pearson Edexcel Level 3 GCE
centre number and candidate number.
•• Answer one question on your chosen theme. in English Literature (9ET0)
Answer the question in the space provided
– there may be more space than you need. PAPER 2: Prose
• your answer, you must not use texts that you have used in your coursework.
In
Information
•• The total mark for this paper is 40.
The marks for the question are shown in brackets.
Advice
•• Read the question carefully before you start to answer it.
Check your answer if you have time at the end.
Turn over
P81983APearson Education Ltd.
P:1/1/1/1
*P81983A0116*
, Answer ONE question on the texts you have studied, one of which must be pre-1900.
Edexcel and BTEC Qualifications
Begin your answer on page 5.
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
Childhood Edexcel and BTEC qualifications are awarded by Pearson, the UK’s
Texts largest awarding body. We provide a wide range of qualifications
including academic, vocational, occupational and specific
Pre-1900: What Maisie Knew, Henry James; Hard Times, Charles Dickens programmes for employers. For further information visit our
Post-1900: Atonement, Ian McEwan; The Color Purple, Alice Walker
qualifications websites at or .
EITHER Alternatively, you can get in touch with us using the details on our
1 Compare the ways in which the writers of your two chosen texts present deception. contact us page at
You must relate your discussion to relevant contextual factors.
(Total for Question 1 = 40 marks)
OR
2 Compare the ways in which the writers of your two chosen texts present growing up. Pearson: helping people progress, everywhere
You must relate your discussion to relevant contextual factors.
(Total for Question 2 = 40 marks) Pearson aspires to be the world’s leading learning company. Our aim is to help
everyone progress in their lives through education. We believe in every kind of
Colonisation and its Aftermath learning, for all kinds of people, wherever they are in the world. We’ve been
involved in education for over 150 years, and by working across 70 countries, in
Texts 100 languages, we have built an international reputation for our commitment to
Pre-1900: Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad; The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, high standards and raising achievement through innovation in education. Find
Mark Twain out more about how we can help you and your students at:
Post-1900: Home Fire, Kamila Shamsie; The Lonely Londoners, Sam Selvon
EITHER
3 Compare the ways in which the writers of your two chosen texts present isolation.
You must relate your discussion to relevant contextual factors.
(Total for Question 3 = 40 marks)
OR
4 Compare the ways in which the writers of your two chosen texts present characters
who could be seen as morally flawed. You must relate your discussion to relevant
contextual factors.
(Total for Question 4 = 40 marks) Summer 2026
Question Paper Log Number P81983A
Publication Code 9ET0_02_2606_MS
All the material in this publication is
Pearson
2
*P81983A0216*
, General Marking Guidance
Answer ONE question on the texts you have studied, one of which must be pre-1900.
• All candidates must receive the same treatment. Examiners must mark the
Begin your answer on page 5.
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
first candidate in exactly the same way as they mark the last.
Crime and Detection
• Mark schemes should be applied positively. Candidates must be rewarded
Texts for what they have shown they can do rather than penalised for omissions.
Pre-1900: Lady Audley’s Secret, Mary Elizabeth Braddon; The Moonstone, Wilkie Collins • Examiners should mark according to the mark scheme not according to their
Post-1900: The Cutting Season, Attica Locke; In Cold Blood, Truman Capote perception of where the grade boundaries may lie.
EITHER • There is no ceiling on achievement. All marks on the mark scheme should be
5 Compare the ways in which the writers of your two chosen texts present places used appropriately.
where crimes are committed. You must relate your discussion to relevant contextual • All the marks on the mark scheme are designed to be awarded. Examiners
factors.
should always award full marks if deserved, i.e. if the answer matches the
(Total for Question 5 = 40 marks) mark scheme. Examiners should also be prepared to award zero marks if the
OR candidate’s response is not worthy of credit according to the mark scheme.
6 Compare the ways in which the writers of your two chosen texts present secrets. You • Where some judgement is required, mark schemes will provide the principles
must relate your discussion to relevant contextual factors. by which marks will be awarded and exemplification may be limited.
(Total for Question 6 = 40 marks) • When examiners are in doubt regarding the application of the mark scheme
to a candidate’s response, the team leader must be consulted.
Science and Society • Crossed out work should be marked UNLESS the candidate has replaced it
Texts with an alternative response.
Pre-1900: Frankenstein, Mary Shelley; The War of the Worlds, H G Wells
Post-1900: Never Let Me Go, Kazuo Ishiguro; The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood
Marking guidance – specific
EITHER
The marking grids have been designed to assess student work holistically. The
7 Compare the ways in which the writers of your two chosen texts present optimism.
You must relate your discussion to relevant contextual factors. grids identify which Assessment Objective is being targeted by each bullet
(Total for Question 7 = 40 marks) point within the level descriptors. One bullet point is linked to one Assessment
Objective, however please note that the number of bullet points in the level
OR
descriptor does not directly correlate to the number of marks in the level
8 Compare the ways in which the writers of your two chosen texts explore power. You descriptor.
must relate your discussion to relevant contextual factors.
When deciding how to reward an answer, examiners should consult both the
(Total for Question 8 = 40 marks)
indicative content and the associated marking grid(s). When using a levels-
based mark scheme, the ‘best fit’ approach should be used:
• examiners should first decide which descriptor most closely matches the
answer and place it in that level
3
*P81983A0316* Turn over
