2025 AQA A-LEVEL ENGLISH LITERATURE A Paper 2A Texts
in Shared Contexts: WW1 and Its Aftermath Question Paper &
Mark Scheme (Merged) Thursday 22 May 2025 [VERIFIED]
A-level
ENGLISH LITERATURE A
Paper 2A Texts in shared contexts: WW1 and its aftermath
Thursday 22 May 2025 Morning Time allowed: 2 hours 30 minutes
Materials
For this paper you must have:
an AQA 12-page answer book
a copy of the Insert for use with Section B (enclosed)
a copy of each of the set texts you have studied for this paper. These texts must not be annotated
and must not contain additional notes or materials.
Instructions
Use black ink or black ball-point pen.
Write the information required on the front of your answer book. The Paper Reference is 7712/2A.
Read all of the questions. Then choose either Option 1 or Option 2 or Option 3. Answer one
question from Section A and both questions from Section B from your chosen option. You must
answer questions from only one option.
Do all rough work in your answer book. Cross through any work you do not want to be marked.
Information
The marks for questions are shown in brackets.
The maximum mark for this paper is 75.
You will be marked on your ability to:
– use good English
– organise information clearly
– use specialist vocabulary where appropriate.
In your response you need to:
– analyse carefully the writers’ methods
– explore the contexts of the texts you are writing about
– explore connections across the texts you have studied
– explore different interpretations of your texts.
IB/G/Jun25/G4007/E4 7712/2A
, 2
Option 1
Section A: Poetry Set Text
Answer one question in this section.
Up the Line to Death – ed. Brian Gardner
Either
0 1 ‘The most powerful poems focus on passive endurance rather than active combat.’
Examine this view of the anthology.
You must write about at least two poems in your answer.
[25 marks]
or
0 2 Examine the significance of fate and chance in Up the Line to Death.
You must write about at least two poems in your answer.
[25 marks]
Scars Upon My Heart – ed. Catherine Reilly
or
0 3 Examine the view that the poets in this anthology present men as victims rather than
heroes.
You must write about at least two poems in your answer.
[25 marks]
or
0 4 Examine the view that, in this anthology, women never challenge male authority.
You must write about at least two poems in your answer.
[25 marks]
IB/G/Jun25/7712/2A
, 3
Option 1
Section B: Drama and Prose Contextual Linking
Read the Insert. Answer both questions in this section.
Read the Insert carefully. It is taken from Covenant with Death, a novel by John Harris (1916–1991),
published in 1961. In the extract, Mark Fenner and his friend Murray, who both volunteered to fight in
1914, are part of an unplanned concert before the Battle of the Somme.
Answer both questions.
0 5 Explore the significance of team spirit and shared values in this extract.
Remember to include in your answer relevant detailed analysis of the ways that Harris
shapes meanings.
[25 marks]
and
0 6 Compare the significance of team spirit and shared values in two other texts you have
studied.
Remember to include in your answer reference to how meanings are shaped in the texts
you are comparing.
You must use one drama text and one prose text in your response, at least one of which
must be a text written post-2000.
[25 marks]
Turn over for the next section
Turn over ►
IB/G/Jun25/7712/2A
, 4
Option 2
Section A: Drama Set Text
Answer one question in this section.
Oh! What a Lovely War – Joan Littlewood
Either
0 7 ‘This is a play about politics rather than the war itself.’
Examine this view of Oh! What a Lovely War.
[25 marks]
or
0 8 ‘Oh! What a Lovely War conveys its anti-war message more powerfully through props,
images and slides than through spoken language.’
Examine this view.
[25 marks]
Journey’s End – R C Sherriff
or
0 9 ‘Osborne can never stop being the teacher.’
In the light of this view, examine the presentation of Osborne in Journey’s End.
[25 marks]
or
1 0 Examine the significance of loyalty in Journey’s End.
[25 marks]
IB/G/Jun25/7712/2A
in Shared Contexts: WW1 and Its Aftermath Question Paper &
Mark Scheme (Merged) Thursday 22 May 2025 [VERIFIED]
A-level
ENGLISH LITERATURE A
Paper 2A Texts in shared contexts: WW1 and its aftermath
Thursday 22 May 2025 Morning Time allowed: 2 hours 30 minutes
Materials
For this paper you must have:
an AQA 12-page answer book
a copy of the Insert for use with Section B (enclosed)
a copy of each of the set texts you have studied for this paper. These texts must not be annotated
and must not contain additional notes or materials.
Instructions
Use black ink or black ball-point pen.
Write the information required on the front of your answer book. The Paper Reference is 7712/2A.
Read all of the questions. Then choose either Option 1 or Option 2 or Option 3. Answer one
question from Section A and both questions from Section B from your chosen option. You must
answer questions from only one option.
Do all rough work in your answer book. Cross through any work you do not want to be marked.
Information
The marks for questions are shown in brackets.
The maximum mark for this paper is 75.
You will be marked on your ability to:
– use good English
– organise information clearly
– use specialist vocabulary where appropriate.
In your response you need to:
– analyse carefully the writers’ methods
– explore the contexts of the texts you are writing about
– explore connections across the texts you have studied
– explore different interpretations of your texts.
IB/G/Jun25/G4007/E4 7712/2A
, 2
Option 1
Section A: Poetry Set Text
Answer one question in this section.
Up the Line to Death – ed. Brian Gardner
Either
0 1 ‘The most powerful poems focus on passive endurance rather than active combat.’
Examine this view of the anthology.
You must write about at least two poems in your answer.
[25 marks]
or
0 2 Examine the significance of fate and chance in Up the Line to Death.
You must write about at least two poems in your answer.
[25 marks]
Scars Upon My Heart – ed. Catherine Reilly
or
0 3 Examine the view that the poets in this anthology present men as victims rather than
heroes.
You must write about at least two poems in your answer.
[25 marks]
or
0 4 Examine the view that, in this anthology, women never challenge male authority.
You must write about at least two poems in your answer.
[25 marks]
IB/G/Jun25/7712/2A
, 3
Option 1
Section B: Drama and Prose Contextual Linking
Read the Insert. Answer both questions in this section.
Read the Insert carefully. It is taken from Covenant with Death, a novel by John Harris (1916–1991),
published in 1961. In the extract, Mark Fenner and his friend Murray, who both volunteered to fight in
1914, are part of an unplanned concert before the Battle of the Somme.
Answer both questions.
0 5 Explore the significance of team spirit and shared values in this extract.
Remember to include in your answer relevant detailed analysis of the ways that Harris
shapes meanings.
[25 marks]
and
0 6 Compare the significance of team spirit and shared values in two other texts you have
studied.
Remember to include in your answer reference to how meanings are shaped in the texts
you are comparing.
You must use one drama text and one prose text in your response, at least one of which
must be a text written post-2000.
[25 marks]
Turn over for the next section
Turn over ►
IB/G/Jun25/7712/2A
, 4
Option 2
Section A: Drama Set Text
Answer one question in this section.
Oh! What a Lovely War – Joan Littlewood
Either
0 7 ‘This is a play about politics rather than the war itself.’
Examine this view of Oh! What a Lovely War.
[25 marks]
or
0 8 ‘Oh! What a Lovely War conveys its anti-war message more powerfully through props,
images and slides than through spoken language.’
Examine this view.
[25 marks]
Journey’s End – R C Sherriff
or
0 9 ‘Osborne can never stop being the teacher.’
In the light of this view, examine the presentation of Osborne in Journey’s End.
[25 marks]
or
1 0 Examine the significance of loyalty in Journey’s End.
[25 marks]
IB/G/Jun25/7712/2A
