Pinpointing the debate in Literature essay questions One of the main differences between GCSE and A Level English Literature is the format of the questions that they will have to answer. At GCSE, your students will be asked to explore a key theme or character(s). For example, here is a question about Romeo and Juliet from AQA's 2018 GCSE English Literature Paper 1: Starting with this moment in the play, explore how Shakespeare presents relationships between adults and young people in Romeo and Juliet. Nothing needs to be debated in that question, it asks us to simply 'explore' relationships between the young people and adults in the play. Granted, a student who wants a very high grade might include a conceptualised response to this question, which would involve debate, but it is not essential for your students to do this to get a decent grade. Now, let's look at an A Level English Literature essay question from the same exam board: ‘Moments of happiness in tragedies...
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