Please check the examination details below before entering your candidate information
Candidate surname Other names
Centre Number Candidate Number
Edexcel Level 3 GCE
Friday 22 May 2026
Mark Scheme (Results)
Morning (Time: 1 hour 15 minutes) Paper
reference 8ET0/02
English Literature
Advanced Subsidiary
PAPER 2: Prose Summer 2026
You must have: Total Marks
Prescribed texts (clean copies)
Instructions
Edexcel Level 3 GCE
•• Use black ink or ball-point pen.
Fill in the boxes at the top of this page with your name,
centre number and candidate number. English Literature
•• Answer one question.
Answer the questions in the space provided Advanced Subsidiary (8ET0)
– there may be more space than you need.
PAPER 2: Prose
Information
•• The total mark for this paper is 44.
The marks for each question are shown in brackets
– use this as a guide as to how much time to spend on each question.
Advice
•• Read each question carefully before you start to answer it.
Check your answer if you have time at the end.
Turn over
P79572A
P:1/1/1/
Education Ltd. *P79572A0120*
, Edexcel and BTEC Qualifications
Answer ONE question on your chosen texts, one of which must be pre-1900.
Begin your answer on page 8.
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
Edexcel and BTEC qualifications are awarded by the UK’s
Childhood
largest awarding body. We provide a wide range cations
Texts including academic, vocational, occupational and specific
programmes for employe a
Pre-1900: What Maisie Knew, Henry James; Hard Times, Charles Dickens qualifications websites at or .
Post-1900: Atonement, Ian McEwan; The Color Purple, Alice Walker Alternatively, you c
contact us page at
EITHER
1 Compare the ways in which the writers of your two chosen texts present characters
who make mistakes.
In your answer you must consider the following:
• the writers’ methods
• links between the texts helping people progress, everywhere
• relevant contextual factors.
aspires to be the world’s leading learning company. Our aim is to help
(Total for Question 1 = 44 marks) progress in their lives through education. We believe in every kind of
learning, for all kinds of people, wherever they are in the world. We’ve been
OR involved in education for over 150 years, and by working across 70 countries, in
100 languages, we have built an international reputation for our commitment to
2 Compare the ways in which the writers of your two chosen texts present how
high standards and raising achievement through innovation in education. Find
characters respond to authority. e can help you and your students at:
In your answer you must consider the following:
• the writers’ methods
• links between the texts
• relevant contextual factors.
(Total for Question 2 = 44 marks)
Summer 2026
Question Paper Log Number P79572A
Publication Code 8ET0_02_2606_MS
All the material in this publication is
2
*P79572A0220*
, General Marking Guidance
• All candidates must receive the same treatment. Examiners must mark the first
candidate in exactly the same way as they mark the last.
Answer ONE question on your chosen texts, one of which must be pre-1900. • Mark schemes should be applied positively. Candidates must be rewarded for
what they have shown they can do rather than penalised for omissions.
Begin your answer on page 8.
•
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
Examiners should mark according to the mark scheme not according to their
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
Colonisation and its Aftermath perception of where the grade boundaries may lie.
• There is no ceiling on achievement. All marks on the mark scheme should be used
Texts appropriately.
• All the marks on the mark scheme are designed to be awarded. Examiners should
Pre-1900: Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad; The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain always award full marks if deserved, i.e. if the answer matches the mark scheme.
Post-1900: Home Fire, Kamila Shamsie; The Lonely Londoners, Sam Selvon Examiners should also be prepared to award zero marks if the candidate’s
EITHER response is not worthy of credit according to the mark scheme.
• Where some judgement is required, mark schemes will provide the principles by
3 Compare the ways in which the writers of your two chosen texts present characters which marks will be awarded and exemplification may be limited.
experiencing new beginnings. • When examiners are in doubt regarding the application of the mark scheme to a
candidate’s response, the team leader must be consulted.
In your answer you must consider the following: • Crossed out work should be marked UNLESS the candidate has replaced it with
an alternative response.
• the writers’ methods
• links between the texts
• relevant contextual factors. Marking Guidance – Specific
(Total for Question 3 = 44 marks) The marking grids have been designed to assess student work holistically. The grids
identify which Assessment Objective is being targeted by each bullet point within the
OR level descriptors. One bullet point is linked to one Assessment Objective; however,
please note that the number of bullet points in the level descriptor does not directly
4 Compare the ways in which the writers of your two chosen texts make use
correlate to the number of marks in the level descriptor.
of uncertainty.
In your answer you must consider the following: When deciding how to reward an answer, examiners should consult both the indicative
content and the associated marking grid(s). When using a levels based mark scheme,
• the writers’ methods the ‘best fit’ approach should be used:
• links between the texts
• relevant contextual factors. • examiners should first decide which descriptor most closely matches the answer
and place it in that level
(Total for Question 4 = 44 marks) • the mark awarded within the level will be decided based on the quality of the
answer and will be modified according to how securely all bullet points are
displayed at that level
• in cases of uneven performance, the points above will still apply. Candidates will
be placed in the level that best describes their answer according to each of the
Assessment Objectives described in the level. Marks will be awarded towards the
top or bottom of that level depending on how they have evidenced each of the
descriptor bullet points
• examiners of Advanced GCE English should remember that all Assessment
Objectives within a level are equally weighted. They must consider this when
making their judgements
• the mark grid identifies which Assessment Objective is being targeted by each
bullet point within the level descriptors
• indicative content is exactly that – they are factual points that candidates are
likely to use to construct their answer. It is possible for an answer to be
constructed without mentioning some or all of these points, as long as they
provide alternative responses to the indicative content that fulfils the
requirements of the question. It is the examiner’s responsibility to apply their
professional judgement to the candidate’s response in determining if the answer
fulfils the requirements of the question.
3
*P79572A0320* Turn over
Candidate surname Other names
Centre Number Candidate Number
Edexcel Level 3 GCE
Friday 22 May 2026
Mark Scheme (Results)
Morning (Time: 1 hour 15 minutes) Paper
reference 8ET0/02
English Literature
Advanced Subsidiary
PAPER 2: Prose Summer 2026
You must have: Total Marks
Prescribed texts (clean copies)
Instructions
Edexcel Level 3 GCE
•• Use black ink or ball-point pen.
Fill in the boxes at the top of this page with your name,
centre number and candidate number. English Literature
•• Answer one question.
Answer the questions in the space provided Advanced Subsidiary (8ET0)
– there may be more space than you need.
PAPER 2: Prose
Information
•• The total mark for this paper is 44.
The marks for each question are shown in brackets
– use this as a guide as to how much time to spend on each question.
Advice
•• Read each question carefully before you start to answer it.
Check your answer if you have time at the end.
Turn over
P79572A
P:1/1/1/
Education Ltd. *P79572A0120*
, Edexcel and BTEC Qualifications
Answer ONE question on your chosen texts, one of which must be pre-1900.
Begin your answer on page 8.
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
Edexcel and BTEC qualifications are awarded by the UK’s
Childhood
largest awarding body. We provide a wide range cations
Texts including academic, vocational, occupational and specific
programmes for employe a
Pre-1900: What Maisie Knew, Henry James; Hard Times, Charles Dickens qualifications websites at or .
Post-1900: Atonement, Ian McEwan; The Color Purple, Alice Walker Alternatively, you c
contact us page at
EITHER
1 Compare the ways in which the writers of your two chosen texts present characters
who make mistakes.
In your answer you must consider the following:
• the writers’ methods
• links between the texts helping people progress, everywhere
• relevant contextual factors.
aspires to be the world’s leading learning company. Our aim is to help
(Total for Question 1 = 44 marks) progress in their lives through education. We believe in every kind of
learning, for all kinds of people, wherever they are in the world. We’ve been
OR involved in education for over 150 years, and by working across 70 countries, in
100 languages, we have built an international reputation for our commitment to
2 Compare the ways in which the writers of your two chosen texts present how
high standards and raising achievement through innovation in education. Find
characters respond to authority. e can help you and your students at:
In your answer you must consider the following:
• the writers’ methods
• links between the texts
• relevant contextual factors.
(Total for Question 2 = 44 marks)
Summer 2026
Question Paper Log Number P79572A
Publication Code 8ET0_02_2606_MS
All the material in this publication is
2
*P79572A0220*
, General Marking Guidance
• All candidates must receive the same treatment. Examiners must mark the first
candidate in exactly the same way as they mark the last.
Answer ONE question on your chosen texts, one of which must be pre-1900. • Mark schemes should be applied positively. Candidates must be rewarded for
what they have shown they can do rather than penalised for omissions.
Begin your answer on page 8.
•
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
Examiners should mark according to the mark scheme not according to their
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA
Colonisation and its Aftermath perception of where the grade boundaries may lie.
• There is no ceiling on achievement. All marks on the mark scheme should be used
Texts appropriately.
• All the marks on the mark scheme are designed to be awarded. Examiners should
Pre-1900: Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad; The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain always award full marks if deserved, i.e. if the answer matches the mark scheme.
Post-1900: Home Fire, Kamila Shamsie; The Lonely Londoners, Sam Selvon Examiners should also be prepared to award zero marks if the candidate’s
EITHER response is not worthy of credit according to the mark scheme.
• Where some judgement is required, mark schemes will provide the principles by
3 Compare the ways in which the writers of your two chosen texts present characters which marks will be awarded and exemplification may be limited.
experiencing new beginnings. • When examiners are in doubt regarding the application of the mark scheme to a
candidate’s response, the team leader must be consulted.
In your answer you must consider the following: • Crossed out work should be marked UNLESS the candidate has replaced it with
an alternative response.
• the writers’ methods
• links between the texts
• relevant contextual factors. Marking Guidance – Specific
(Total for Question 3 = 44 marks) The marking grids have been designed to assess student work holistically. The grids
identify which Assessment Objective is being targeted by each bullet point within the
OR level descriptors. One bullet point is linked to one Assessment Objective; however,
please note that the number of bullet points in the level descriptor does not directly
4 Compare the ways in which the writers of your two chosen texts make use
correlate to the number of marks in the level descriptor.
of uncertainty.
In your answer you must consider the following: When deciding how to reward an answer, examiners should consult both the indicative
content and the associated marking grid(s). When using a levels based mark scheme,
• the writers’ methods the ‘best fit’ approach should be used:
• links between the texts
• relevant contextual factors. • examiners should first decide which descriptor most closely matches the answer
and place it in that level
(Total for Question 4 = 44 marks) • the mark awarded within the level will be decided based on the quality of the
answer and will be modified according to how securely all bullet points are
displayed at that level
• in cases of uneven performance, the points above will still apply. Candidates will
be placed in the level that best describes their answer according to each of the
Assessment Objectives described in the level. Marks will be awarded towards the
top or bottom of that level depending on how they have evidenced each of the
descriptor bullet points
• examiners of Advanced GCE English should remember that all Assessment
Objectives within a level are equally weighted. They must consider this when
making their judgements
• the mark grid identifies which Assessment Objective is being targeted by each
bullet point within the level descriptors
• indicative content is exactly that – they are factual points that candidates are
likely to use to construct their answer. It is possible for an answer to be
constructed without mentioning some or all of these points, as long as they
provide alternative responses to the indicative content that fulfils the
requirements of the question. It is the examiner’s responsibility to apply their
professional judgement to the candidate’s response in determining if the answer
fulfils the requirements of the question.
3
*P79572A0320* Turn over
