ENGLISH-LITERATURE-H472 · Cambridge OCR A Level
ENGLISH-LITERATURE-H472/21
Comparative and contextual study (Paper 2)
English Literature · June 2024 · Variant 1
Relative difficulty
Analysis source: OCR
Analysis aligned to the official syllabus and assessment design.
4.0 / 5
120
300 min
Comparative Dystopian Themes and Shakespearean Moral Justice
Cohort performance
Session statistics from official examination reports
Total marks
120
Duration
300 min
Session difficulty
4.0 / 5
Key examiner messages
Top priorities from the principal examiner before you revise
The June 2024 OCR GCE A Level English Literature exams offered a balanced, intellectually stimulating challenge that separated high-tier analytical thinkers from formulaic essayists.
On Paper 1, the Shakespeare selection provided exceptionally rich extracts—most notably Claudius's torment in Hamlet Act 3, Scene 3, and Viola's intense dialogue in Twelfth Night Act 1, Scene 5.
Paper 2's unseen passages, such as the poignant excerpt from Ling Ma's Severance (Dystopia) and E.R.
Braithwaite's To Sir, With Love (Immigrant Experience), were highly accessible yet structurally sophisticated enough to allow top-tier candidates to demonstrate sharp analytical skills.
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.
Coherent
Weight: 7100%ArgAO2: Close Reading Reading Reading TextuaAO3:
Weight: 686%Historical & AO4:
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 “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
George Orwell: Nineteen Eighty-Four (Dystopia)
30 marks this session
Dystopian Literature - Unseen Close Reading
30 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
- Believing that AO5 requires memorizing dozens of quotes from specific named critics, rather than engaging organically with alternative interpretations and performance variations.
Practise what examiners flagged
Target weak topics from this report inside the Revui app
Hamlet (Shakespeare play)
30 marks this session
Practise in RevuiGeorge Orwell: Nineteen Eighty-Four (Dystopia)
30 marks this session
Practise in RevuiDystopian Literature - Unseen Close Reading
30 marks this session
Practise in RevuiSelf-diagnostic checklist
Key actions before you sit this paper — copy and tick off as you revise
- 1Message
The June 2024 OCR GCE A Level English Literature exams offered a balanced, intellectually stimulating challenge that separated high-tier analytical thinkers from formulaic essayists.
- 2Message
On Paper 1, the Shakespeare selection provided exceptionally rich extracts—most notably Claudius's torment in Hamlet Act 3, Scene 3, and Viola's intense dialogue in Twelfth Night Act 1, Scene 5.
- 3Message
Paper 2's unseen passages, such as the poignant excerpt from Ling Ma's Severance (Dystopia) and E.R.
- 4Message
Braithwaite's To Sir, With Love (Immigrant Experience), were highly accessible yet structurally sophisticated enough to allow top-tier candidates to demonstrate sharp analytical skills.
Teacher briefing pack
One-page session summary for tutors and classroom review
June 2024 2024
English Literature
The June 2024 OCR GCE A Level English Literature exams offered a balanced, intellectually stimulating challenge that separated high-tier analytical thinkers from formulaic essayists. On Paper 1, the Shakespeare selection provided exceptionally rich extracts—most notably Claudius'
The June 2024 OCR GCE A Level English Literature exams offered a balanced, intellectually stimulating challenge that separated high-tier analytical thinkers from formulaic essayists.
On Paper 1, the Shakespeare selection provided exceptionally rich extracts—most notably Claudius's torment in Hamlet Act 3, Scene 3, and Viola's intense dialogue in Twelfth Night Act 1, Scene 5.
Paper 2's unseen passages, such as the poignant excerpt from Ling Ma's Severance (Dystopia) and E.R.
- Total marks
- 120
- Duration
- 300 min
- Session difficulty
- 4.0 / 5
Session analysis
The June 2024 OCR GCE A Level English Literature exams offered a balanced, intellectually stimulating challenge that separated high-tier analytical thinkers from formulaic essayists. On Paper 1, the Shakespeare selection provided exceptionally rich extracts—most notably Claudius's torment in Hamlet Act 3, Scene 3, and Viola's intense dialogue in Twelfth Night Act 1, Scene 5. Paper 2's unseen passages, such as the poignant excerpt from Ling Ma's Severance (Dystopia) and E.R. Braithwaite's To Sir, With Love (Immigrant Experience), were highly accessible yet structurally sophisticated enough to allow top-tier candidates to demonstrate sharp analytical skills.
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.
67% 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.
Comparative Essay
(AO3/AO4 focused)
60·2·50%
Passage-Based Close Analysis
(AO2 focused)
45·2·38%
Single-Text Essay
(AO1/AO5 focused)
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.
Dystopian Literature - Unseen Close Reading
100%100%
Hamlet (Shakespeare Play)
95%95%
Christina Rossetti: Selected Poems
85%85%
Paper analysis
The June 2024 OCR GCE A Level English Literature exams offered a balanced, intellectually stimulating challenge that separated high-tier analytical thinkers from formulaic essayists. On Paper 1, the Shakespeare selection provided exceptionally rich extracts—most notably Claudius's torment in Hamlet Act 3, Scene 3, and Viola's intense dialogue in Twelfth Night Act 1, Scene 5. Paper 2's unseen passages, such as the poignant excerpt from Ling Ma's Severance (Dystopia) and E.R. Braithwaite's To Sir, With Love (Immigrant Experience), were highly accessible yet structurally sophisticated enough to allow top-tier candidates to demonstrate sharp analytical skills.
Examiner notes & key calculations
- 'Bolted-on' Context: Avoid dumping generic historical facts (such as the rise of the New Woman or Victorian industrialization) into your introduction without directly linking them to the prompt's thematic focus.
- Ignoring the Extract in 1(a): Some candidates treated the Shakespeare passage as a mere springboard to discuss the whole play. The marking scheme heavily penalizes this—75% of Section 1(a) marks are dedicated to pure close-up language analysis.
- Weak Comparative Transitions: Merely using transition words like 'similarly' or 'on the other hand' is not enough for top-tier AO4 marks. Build deep, integrated connections between the writers' structural choices and thematic intent.
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.