100+ Free IGCSE English Literature Practice Questions
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In Much Ado About Nothing, why is Hero publicly shamed by Claudio at the altar?
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Key Facts: IGCSE English Literature Exam
A*-G
Grading scale
Cambridge International
2 papers minimum
Paper 1 plus Paper 2 (or Paper 3 plus Paper 4 or Component 5)
Cambridge 0475 syllabus 2026
600-1200 words
Length of each coursework assignment (Component 5)
Cambridge 0475 syllabus
100
Free practice questions here
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Cambridge IGCSE 0475 Literature in English runs on the 2026 syllabus (unchanged structure from 2025). All candidates sit Paper 1 Poetry and Prose; then either Paper 2 Drama alone, or Paper 3 Open Text Drama combined with Paper 4 Unseen or Component 5 Coursework. Grading uses the A*-G scale.
Sample IGCSE English Literature Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to test your IGCSE English Literature exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1Which figurative device directly compares two things using the word 'like' or 'as'?
2In the line 'the fog crept in on little cat feet', which device is most clearly at work?
3Which device is used in 'the angry wind howled through the trees'?
4'Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers' is an example of which sound device?
5Which sound device is most prominent in 'the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain'?
6Which device is the repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words, as in 'the rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain'?
7'Buzz', 'crackle' and 'hiss' are examples of which device?
8'Deafening silence' and 'bitter sweet' are examples of which device?
9Which best defines a paradox?
10When a character speaks words whose true meaning is the opposite of what they say, the device is:
About the IGCSE English Literature Exam
Cambridge IGCSE Literature in English (0475) is the international upper-secondary qualification in literary study taken by Year 10-11 students worldwide. The course covers drama, prose and poetry from Shakespeare to contemporary writers, with all candidates taking Paper 1 Poetry and Prose, then choosing between Paper 2 Drama, Paper 3 Drama Open Text plus Paper 4 Unseen, or Paper 3 Drama plus Component 5 Coursework. Set texts rotate but typically include Shakespeare plays, modern drama, the Songs of Ourselves poetry anthology, and prose by writers such as Hardy, Achebe, Lahiri and Atwood.
Questions
100 scored questions
Time Limit
Paper 1: 1 hr 30 min; Paper 2: 45 min; Paper 3: 45 min; Paper 4: 1 hr 15 min
Passing Score
Grades A*-G; grade C typically required for higher-tier pass
Exam Fee
£60-£140 per subject (school-set entry fee, varies by centre) (Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE))
IGCSE English Literature Exam Content Outline
Literary terms and devices
Simile, metaphor, personification, alliteration, sibilance, assonance, consonance, onomatopoeia, oxymoron, paradox, verbal/situational/dramatic irony, foreshadowing, juxtaposition, motif, symbol, allegory, allusion, anaphora, enjambment, caesura, end-stop, volta, iambic pentameter, blank verse, free verse, sonnet (Petrarchan and Shakespearean), dramatic monologue, soliloquy, aside
Shakespeare and drama
Macbeth (ambition, supernatural, kingship, gender), Romeo and Juliet (fate, love, conflict), Much Ado About Nothing (deception, gender, marriage), Henry V; modern drama including Death of a Salesman, A View From the Bridge, The Crucible, A Streetcar Named Desire
Poetic form and analysis
Rhyme schemes (ABAB, AABB, ABBA), meter (iambic, trochaic, dactylic), stanza forms (couplet, tercet, quatrain, sestet, octave), Songs of Ourselves anthology, close reading and unseen poetry techniques
Prose narrative analysis
First-person, third-person omniscient and third-person limited point of view, narrator reliability, direct and indirect characterisation, setting and atmosphere, structural choices (chronological, flashback, in medias res, frame narrative)
Set text content
Key plot points and character relationships from frequently prescribed prose: Of Mice and Men, To Kill a Mockingbird, Great Expectations, Things Fall Apart, The Kite Runner, Jane Eyre, The Joy Luck Club
Essay technique
PEE / PEEL / PETER paragraph structures, embedding quotations, comparing texts, contextual analysis, addressing assessment objectives AO1-AO4, planning passage-based vs general essay questions
How to Pass the IGCSE English Literature Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: Grades A*-G; grade C typically required for higher-tier pass
- Exam length: 100 questions
- Time limit: Paper 1: 1 hr 30 min; Paper 2: 45 min; Paper 3: 45 min; Paper 4: 1 hr 15 min
- Exam fee: £60-£140 per subject (school-set entry fee, varies by centre)
Keys to Passing
- Complete 500+ practice questions
- Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
- Focus on highest-weighted sections
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
IGCSE English Literature Study Tips from Top Performers
Frequently Asked Questions
What papers do I sit for Cambridge IGCSE Literature in English 0475?
All candidates take Paper 1 Poetry and Prose. They then choose one route: Paper 2 Drama alone, OR Paper 3 Drama (Open Text) plus Paper 4 Unseen, OR Paper 3 Drama (Open Text) plus Component 5 Coursework. The structure is unchanged for the 2026 series.
What texts are on the 2026 syllabus?
Set texts rotate each examination series and are chosen by the centre from the Cambridge prescribed list. Typical set texts include Shakespeare (Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing, Henry V), modern drama (Miller, Williams), prose by writers such as Steinbeck, Lee, Dickens, Hardy, Bronte, Achebe, Lahiri and Atwood, and the Songs of Ourselves poetry anthology.
How is IGCSE Literature in English 0475 graded?
Cambridge IGCSE 0475 uses the A*-G scale. A* is the highest grade and G is the minimum pass. Grade C is typically required for higher-tier progression to AS-Level Literature or sixth-form English.
Can I take a coursework option instead of an unseen paper?
Yes. Candidates may take Component 5 Coursework (a portfolio of two assignments 600-1200 words each, each based on one complete text) in place of Paper 4 Unseen. Coursework is internally assessed by the centre and externally moderated by Cambridge.