ENGLISH-LITERATURE-H472 · Cambridge OCR A Level
ENGLISH-LITERATURE-H472/21
Comparative and contextual study (Paper 2)
English Literature · June 2023 · Variant 1
Relative difficulty
Analysis source: OCR
Analysis aligned to the official syllabus and assessment design.
4.2 / 5
120
300 min
Dystopian Themes and Shakespearean Metatheatre
Cohort performance
Session statistics from official examination reports
Total marks
120
Duration
300 min
Session difficulty
4.2 / 5
Key examiner messages
Top priorities from the principal examiner before you revise
A highly rigorous OCR A Level English Literature series demanding sophisticated close-reading under time pressure, deep comparative synthesis of pre-1900 texts, and the integration of diverse critical perspectives.
Question difficulty map
How candidates performed on each question in this series
No data available in official reports
Assessment objectives
Skill and AO weighting from official examiner commentary
Skill weighting
Shows the skill mix this paper tested most heavily.
Textual
Weight: 7100%AnalAO3:
Weight: 686%Contextual EAO1:
Weight: 571%Coherent
Weight: 457%WriAO4:
Weight: 343%Comparative AO5:
Weight: 229%Alternative
Weight: 114%
Method marks watchlist
Where working, steps, or method marks were commonly lost
No data available in official reports
Recurring mistakes across years
Themes examiners flag in multiple recent sessions for this subject
No data available in official reports
Question choice intelligence
Mean scores and popularity for optional questions (HKDSE electives)
No data available in official reports
Level exemplars
What candidate scripts at each grade level looked like
No data available in official reports
Grade & admission context
How marks relate to grade thresholds and entry standards
Report type
Examiner report — national grade boundaries and question-level commentary
Deep insights
What top candidates did
Techniques and approaches examiners rewarded in this series
No data available in official reports
Command word playbook
How to match each command word to the expected response style
Present multiple perspectives with evidence; balance breadth and depth.
Identify similarities and differences explicitly — paired sentences or a table helps.
Match the expected response style for “Consider” questions.
Match the expected response style for “Show” questions.
Match the expected response style for “Explore” questions.
Match the expected response style for “Write” questions.
Time traps
Sections where candidates spent disproportionate time relative to marks
No data available in official reports
Syllabus traceability
Topics linked to questions and mark weighting in this session
Hamlet (Shakespeare play)
30 marks this session
Dystopian Literature - Unseen Close Reading
30 marks this session
Henrik Ibsen: A Doll’s House
15 marks this session
Christina Rossetti: Selected Poems
15 marks this session
MCQ trap analytics
Commonly chosen wrong options from examiner commentary
No data available in official reports
Topic heatmap across years
Mark concentration by topic and exam year for this subject
Mark intensity
Hamlet (Shakespeare play)
Dystopian Literature - Unseen Close Reading
George Orwell: Nineteen Eighty-Four (Dystopia)
Henrik Ibsen: A Doll’s House
Christina Rossetti: Selected Poems
Difficulty trend
How session difficulty has shifted across recent years
Paper comparison
Marks and duration breakdown across papers in this session
H472/01: Drama and poetry pre-1900: H472/02: Comparative and contextual study:
Marks you can still earn
Where valid approaches outside the mark scheme may still gain credit
No data available in official reports
Practise what examiners flagged
Target weak topics from this report inside the Revui app
Hamlet (Shakespeare play)
30 marks this session
Practise in RevuiDystopian Literature - Unseen Close Reading
30 marks this session
Practise in RevuiHenrik Ibsen: A Doll’s House
15 marks this session
Practise in RevuiChristina Rossetti: Selected Poems
15 marks this session
Practise in RevuiSelf-diagnostic checklist
Key actions before you sit this paper — copy and tick off as you revise
- 1Message
A highly rigorous OCR A Level English Literature series demanding sophisticated close-reading under time pressure, deep comparative synthesis of pre-1900 texts, and the integration of diverse critical perspectives.
Teacher briefing pack
One-page session summary for tutors and classroom review
June 2023 2023
English Literature
A highly rigorous OCR A Level English Literature series demanding sophisticated close-reading under time pressure, deep comparative synthesis of pre-1900 texts, and the integration of diverse critical perspectives.
A highly rigorous OCR A Level English Literature series demanding sophisticated close-reading under time pressure, deep comparative synthesis of pre-1900 texts, and the integration of diverse critical perspectives.
- Total marks
- 120
- Duration
- 300 min
- Session difficulty
- 4.2 / 5
Session analysis
A highly rigorous OCR A Level English Literature series demanding sophisticated close-reading under time pressure, deep comparative synthesis of pre-1900 texts, and the integration of diverse critical perspectives.
Updated Jun 14, 2026
Paper breakdown
H472/01: Drama and poetry pre-1900: H472/02: Comparative and contextual study:
Top chapters
Exam structure insights
Marks by chapter
See where the marks were concentrated so revision time goes to the highest-value topics.
Mark accessibility
Estimate which marks were basic, mid-level, or high-difficulty.
71% within easy or medium reach
Command word frequency
Spot common command words so answers match the expected response style.
Question type mix
Compare the mark share of each paper section and question type.
Pre-1900 Drama & Poetry Comparative Essay
30·1·25%
Contextual Unseen Close Reading
30·1·25%
Comparative Theme Essay
30·1·25%
Shakespeare Close Analysis
(Part a)
15·1·13%
Shakespeare Literary Essay
(Part b)
15·1·13%
Study ROI
Bigger bubbles recur more often; higher bubbles carry more marks, helping you rank revision priorities.
Next-year prediction
Topics worth watching next year, with the reason shown directly below each bar.
Hamlet (Shakespeare play)
90%90%
Bram Stoker: Dracula
85%85%
John Milton: Paradise Lost Books 9 & 1
80%80%
Exam tips
Paper format
- Duration
- 2h 30min
- Total marks
- 60
- Weighting
- 40%
- Question types
- Unseen close reading, Comparative essay
Analysis is paraphrased for study purposes. Always verify against the official examiner report and mark scheme.