LGCSE Literature in English (0185) exam-day guide
LGCSE Literature in English (0185) · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Admission slip / Statement of Entry
Check your candidate number, centre number, seat and paper times. Some centres use electronic entry only, so confirm exactly what you must show at the door (needs_review).
Photo ID
Bring the ID your centre requires - often a passport or national ID. Confirm accepted forms and whether photocopies are allowed (needs_review).
Two or more black or blue pens
Use dark ink and bring spares. If you use gel pens, check they dry quickly and do not smudge across the page.
Pencil, eraser and sharpener
Use these for planning and annotation only if your centre allows it; written answers are normally in pen. Confirm any local rule about pencil use (needs_review).
Clear pencil case or transparent bag
Keeps permitted items visible to invigilators and makes desk checks quicker.
Set texts - clean copies
For open-book papers, bring the edition your centre allows. Remove loose notes, sticky tabs and any writing that could count as unauthorised material. Confirm which components are open-book and which editions are permitted (needs_review).
No loose revision notes in the exam room
Review quote sheets and essay plans outside; leave them in your bag. Bring only permitted materials to the desk.
Clear water bottle
Labels removed. Confirm whether drinks are allowed at your desk (needs_review).
Simple analogue watch
No smart watch and no audible alarm. Confirm the centre's policy on watches (needs_review).
Timetable and arrival plan
Confirm room, start time and how early to arrive. Aim to be there at least 30 minutes before the first paper, or as your centre instructs.
Candidate number and centre number memorised
You will write these on answer booklets; check them on your Statement of Entry.
A one-page summary per set text
Not to take in: a final mental checklist of themes, character arcs, structure and 6–10 short, accurate quotations per text.
Plan the day
Confirm timetable, room, ID and open-book rules with your centre. Check your set text editions. Make a one-page summary per text: main themes, character development, narrative or dramatic structure, and short accurate quotations. Do one timed practice essay per paper and review it against the assessment objectives your teacher has given you.
Switch from learning new material to retrieval practice: cover your notes and recall key scenes, poems, quotations and context. Re-read the openings and endings of set texts; exam questions often test whole-text structure.
Pack your bag: ID, admission slip, pens, pencil, eraser, water, watch. Re-read your one-page summaries only. Check transport and set two alarms. Sleep; do not stay up memorising new quotations.
Eat a normal breakfast. Arrive early. Hand in or switch off your phone before entering the exam room. Skim your summary sheets outside, then put them away. Read the front of the question paper carefully.
Read all questions before choosing. Underline the key words - for example 'how', 'explore', 'relationships' or 'presentation'. Choose questions that let you use accurate textual evidence, not just ones with a familiar text.
Spend 5–8 minutes on a brief plan: your argument, 4–6 paragraphs, key quotations and the order of ideas. A plan saves time and prevents plot retelling.
Keep an eye on the clock. For a 25-mark essay (check the marks on your paper), aim to finish the body with 5–10 minutes for checking. For extract-based questions, combine close analysis of the extract with references to the whole text.
Proofread for quotation accuracy, tense, paragraph links and focus on the question. Check that you have answered the required number of questions and filled in question numbers correctly.
Rules to check
Bring only permitted items to the desk. Phones, smart watches and unauthorised notes must be handed in or left in your bag according to centre instructions.
Keep your ID and admission slip on the desk for inspection.
Raise your hand if you need to leave for the toilet or feel unwell; you will normally be supervised. Confirm your centre's policy on breaks (needs_review).
Do not communicate with other candidates once in the exam room. Even borrowing equipment can be treated as malpractice.
If a paper is open-book, use only the permitted edition and do not add loose notes. If it is closed-book, do not annotate texts during the exam. Confirm with the provider which papers are open-book (needs_review).
Answer the required number of questions. Extra answers are not marked; question rubrics and mark allocations tell you what is rewarded.
Literature marks reward personal response supported by textual evidence and analysis of language, form and structure, not plot summary or long author biography.
Follow the invigilator's instructions on reading time, start and finish times and collecting scripts. If instructions differ from this guide, the centre's instructions take precedence.