Edexcel IGCSE English Literature (4ET1) is assessed by Paper 1, Poetry and Modern Prose (2 hours, 90 marks, 60%), and either the open-book Paper 2 on modern drama and literary heritage or a coursework option. Our Edexcel International GCSE English Literature course follows the 4ET1 specification: unseen poetry and the anthology poems and prose, modern drama, and literary heritage texts. Your tutor helps you plan and write analytical essays to time and gives written feedback on each one. Lessons are live and one-to-one with a verified subject tutor, who sets past-paper questions, marks them against the mark scheme and plans revision for the May/June or October/November series. Suitable for international school students, home-schoolers and private candidates.
Reviewed by S. Chakraborty, M.Sc. and B.Ed., University of Calcutta; English Language and Literature specialistLast updated
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What you will learn
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Course structure
In short: this course gives one-to-one online tutoring for Pearson Edexcel International GCSE English Literature (4ET1). A verified English tutor teaches unseen poetry, the anthology, modern prose and drama, and literary heritage texts, with feedback on essays and coursework.
Pearson Edexcel International GCSE English Literature (4ET1) is an international GCSE-level literature qualification in which you analyse unseen poetry, poems from the Pearson anthology, a modern prose text, a modern drama text and a literary heritage text. It is graded 9 to 1.
This course prepares you one to one with a verified English tutor, who marks your essays against the Edexcel assessment objectives.
Official specification: Pearson Edexcel International GCSE English Literature (4ET1). Papers and content can change, so check the current specification on the board's website.
For wider support, see our English literature tutoring page, or the Cambridge IGCSE English Literature course if your school follows Cambridge.
Edexcel International GCSE English Literature (4ET1) has a compulsory Component 1 plus either an exam (Component 2) or coursework (Component 3). Check the current specification on the board's website.
| Component | Time | Marks | Weighting | Content |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Component 1: Poetry and Modern Prose | 2 hours | 90 | 60% | Section A unseen poem (20); Section B anthology comparison (30); Section C modern prose (40) |
| Component 2: Modern Drama and Literary Heritage | 1 hour 30 minutes | 60 | 40% | Open book |
| Component 3: Coursework (alternative to Component 2) | — | 60 | 40% | Two assignments of about 650–800 words |
| Area | Set texts |
|---|---|
| Modern prose | To Kill a Mockingbird, Of Mice and Men, The Whale Rider, The Joy Luck Club, Things Fall Apart, Klara and the Sun, Western Lane |
| Modern drama | A View from the Bridge, An Inspector Calls, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (Stephens), Kindertransport, Death and the King's Horseman |
| Literary heritage | Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, The Merchant of Venice, Pride and Prejudice, Great Expectations, The Scarlet Letter |
| Anthology | Part 3: 16 poems, including If–, Blessing, War Photographer, Half-caste, The Tyger, My Last Duchess and Sonnet 116 |
Anthology questions ask you to compare two poems. Tutors teach a comparison structure that moves between poems point by point, using linking phrases and precise references to show similarities and differences in ideas and methods.
For your set texts, strong essays answer the question directly, use well-chosen quotations, analyse the writer's methods and show understanding of context. Tutors help you plan quickly and keep a clear argument.
Here is an illustrative structure for the Section A unseen poem.
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| First reading | Work out the overall meaning and mood |
| Annotate | Note imagery, structure, form and sound |
| Plan | Three or four points about how meaning is created |
| Write | Embed short quotations and explain their effects |
| Conclude | Sum up the poem's overall effect |
Students most often lose marks through the habits below. Each is easy to fix with practice and feedback.
| Mark-loser | What to do instead |
|---|---|
| Retelling the plot | Make an argument in every paragraph |
| Comparison only at the end | Compare the anthology poems throughout |
| Feature-spotting | Explain each method's effect |
| Long quotations | Embed short quotations |
| Coursework over length | Keep to the word guidance |
Lessons are live and one to one on video. Your tutor works through your set texts and marks timed essays against the Edexcel mark scheme. See also Cambridge IGCSE Literature in English (0475), Edexcel GCSE English Literature and our English Literature subject page.
An Edexcel IGCSE English Literature tutor online gives you live 1-to-1 lessons on your 4ET1 texts, with marked essays and practice on unseen poetry.
This course suits Edexcel International GCSE students at school and private candidates in any country.
Prerequisites: good English reading and basic essay writing.
Course length: 40 lessons of 30 minutes across 5 modules.
| Stage | Topics | What you can do afterwards |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Unseen poetry | Analyse an unseen poem with confidence |
| 2 | Poetry anthology | Compare poems with quotations |
| 3 | Modern prose; modern drama | Write essays on character, theme and context |
| 4 | Literary heritage | Analyse your heritage text in context |
Where it leads: see the Cambridge IGCSE Literature in English course if your school follows Cambridge.
The specification code is 4ET1.
Unseen poetry, anthology poetry and a modern prose text.
A modern drama text and a literary heritage text.
Pearson publishes grade boundaries for Edexcel IGCSE English Literature after each exam series, and they change from year to year with paper difficulty. They show the raw marks needed for each grade. Your tutor marks full past papers and compares your scores with recent boundaries to estimate your grade and target the topics that matter most.
Compare ideas and methods point by point with precise references to both poems.
Yes. Tutors work on the texts your school has chosen.
The price depends on the tutor and session length. You see the hourly rate before booking, with no subscription.
Yes. Lessons are online and scheduled around your time zone.
Component 1 Poetry and Modern Prose (2 hours, 90 marks, 60%) plus Component 2 exam or Component 3 coursework (60 marks, 40%).
Yes. Component 2 Modern Drama and Literary Heritage is open book.
Two assignments of about 650 to 800 words, worth 40%.
Part 3 of the anthology contains 16 poems.
An unseen poem (20 marks), an anthology comparison (30 marks) and modern prose (40 marks).
To Kill a Mockingbird, Of Mice and Men, The Whale Rider, The Joy Luck Club, Things Fall Apart, Klara and the Sun and Western Lane.
Pearson publishes recent Edexcel IGCSE English Literature past papers, mark schemes and examiner reports on its website, and schools can access more through their secure portals. Use them under timed conditions, then mark your answers carefully with the mark scheme. Your tutor sets past-paper questions topic by topic, then full timed papers closer to your exam.
Yes. You can book one session to see if the tutor suits you, with no subscription.
Pearson publishes the Edexcel IGCSE English Literature specification on its website. It lists the topics, the skills you are assessed on and the structure of each paper, so use the current version for your exam year. Your tutor uses it to check that your revision covers exactly what you can be asked.
Yes. Tutors can set past-paper questions and go through them in the next session.
Yes. Lessons are online, so you can book times that suit your time zone.
Yes. If a tutor isn't the right fit, you can choose another.
Yes. You can learn with a 1-to-1 Edexcel IGCSE English Literature tutor online through live video lessons from any country. Your tutor works through your own texts, teaches you how to analyse unseen poems and marks your essays against the assessment objectives.
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