OCRA-Level43 resources

OCR A-Level English Language and Literature (EMC) Past Papers & Mark Schemes

Free OCR A-Level English Language and Literature EMC (H474) past papers, mark schemes & reports. Non-fiction analysis, poetry, drama, and creative writing. 39 resources.

📅June 2018 – June 2024📄43 resources available✅Free to download

Papers Overview Paper Structure Key Info Key Topics Command Words Grade Boundaries Revision Tips Try AI Tutor ✦

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Year

43 of 43 resources — page 1 of 2

June 2023

6 files

📄

English Language and Literature (EMC) – Question paper – The language of poetry and plays

Question Paper

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📊

English Language and Literature (EMC) – Examiners’ report – Exploring non-fiction and spoken texts

Examiner Report

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✅

English Language and Literature (EMC) – Mark scheme – The language of poetry and plays

Mark Scheme

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📊

English Language and Literature (EMC) – Examiners’ report – Reading as a writer, writing as a reader

Examiner Report

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📊

English Language and Literature (EMC) – Examiners’ report – The language of poetry and plays

Examiner Report

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✅

English Language and Literature (EMC) – Mark scheme – Exploring non-fiction and spoken texts

Mark Scheme

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June 2022

7 files

📊

English Language and Literature (EMC) – Examiners’ report – Exploring non-fiction and spoken texts

Examiner Report

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✅

English Language and Literature (EMC) – Mark scheme – The language of poetry and plays

Mark Scheme

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📊

English Language and Literature (EMC) – Examiners’ report – Reading as a writer, writing as a reader

Examiner Report

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📄

English Language and Literature (EMC) – Question paper – The language of poetry and plays

Question Paper

Download

📊

English Language and Literature (EMC) – Examiners’ report – The language of poetry and plays

Examiner Report

Download

✅

English Language and Literature (EMC) – Mark scheme – Exploring non-fiction and spoken texts

Mark Scheme

Download

📄

English Language and Literature (EMC) – Question paper – Exploring non-fiction and spoken texts

Question Paper

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November 2021

5 files

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English Language and Literature (EMC) – Mark scheme – The language of poetry and plays

Mark Scheme

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📄

English Language and Literature (EMC) – Question paper – The language of poetry and plays

Question Paper

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📋

English Language and Literature (EMC) – Modified papers

Modified Paper

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✅

English Language and Literature (EMC) – Mark scheme – Exploring non-fiction and spoken texts

Mark Scheme

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📄

English Language and Literature (EMC) – Question paper – Exploring non-fiction and spoken texts

Question Paper

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November 2020

4 files

📄

English Language and Literature (EMC) – Question paper – The language of poetry and plays

Question Paper

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📋

English Language and Literature (EMC) – Modified papers

Modified Paper

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✅

English Language and Literature (EMC) – Mark scheme – Exploring non-fiction and spoken texts

Mark Scheme

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📄

English Language and Literature (EMC) – Question paper – Exploring non-fiction and spoken texts

Question Paper

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No date

3 files

📝

English Language and Literature (EMC) – Reading as a writer, writing as a reader

Sample Assessment Materials

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📝

English Language and Literature (EMC) – The language of poetry and plays

Sample Assessment Materials

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📝

English Language and Literature (EMC) – Exploring non-fiction and spoken texts

Sample Assessment Materials

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Where Language Meets Literature: The Integrated Approach of OCR's EMC Specification

OCR English Language and Literature (H474) — developed in partnership with the English and Media Centre (EMC) — is designed for students who want to study both the structure of language and the art of literary texts without choosing between them. It integrates linguistic analysis with literary criticism in ways that neither pure English Language nor pure English Literature specifications attempt. Component 1: Exploring Non-fiction and Spoken Texts (H474/01, 2 hours, 60 marks, 30%) presents unseen non-fiction texts (journalism, speeches, travel writing, memoir) and spoken language transcripts. Students analyse these using both literary and linguistic methods — attending to rhetorical techniques and stylistic choices (literary) while also examining lexis, grammar, phonology, and discourse structure (linguistic). The ability to move fluently between these analytical modes is what distinguishes strong responses. Component 2: The Language of Poetry and Plays (H474/02, 2 hours, 60 marks, 30%) focuses on set literary texts — a poetry anthology and a drama text. The distinctive EMC approach requires students to analyse these texts linguistically as well as literarily: examining metre and sound patterning in poetry using phonological terminology, or analysing power dynamics in drama through pragmatic and discourse analysis, not just thematic interpretation. Component 3: Reading as a Writer, Writing as a Reader (H474/03, 2 hours, 60 marks, 20%) is an examination paper that combines textual analysis with creative writing. Students read an extract from a published literary text, analyse its language and literary features, then produce their own creative piece inspired by it, followed by a reflective commentary. Component 4: Independent Study (NEA, 40 marks, 20%) requires a comparative study of two texts — one literary and one non-literary — on a topic of the student's choice, using integrated linguistic and literary methods.

Exam Paper Structure

Component 1No calculator

Exploring Non-fiction and Spoken Texts

⏱ 2 hours🎯 60 marks📊 30% of grade

Unseen non-fiction text analysis (journalism, speeches, memoir)Spoken language transcript analysisIntegrated linguistic and literary methods

Component 2No calculator

The Language of Poetry and Plays

⏱ 2 hours🎯 60 marks📊 30% of grade

Poetry anthology analysis (linguistic and literary)Drama text analysis (set play)Language of dramatic dialogue and stage directions

Component 3No calculator

Reading as a Writer, Writing as a Reader

⏱ 2 hours🎯 60 marks📊 20% of grade

Literary extract analysisCreative writing inspired by the extractReflective commentary on own writing choices

Component 4No calculator

Independent Study (NEA)

⏱ Coursework🎯 40 marks📊 20% of grade

Comparative study of one literary and one non-literary textIntegrated linguistic-literary analysisIndependent topic selection and research

Key Information

Exam Board	OCR
Specification Code	H474
Qualification	A-Level
Grading Scale	A*–E
Assessment Type	3 written exams + 1 NEA (coursework)
Number Of Papers	3 exams + 1 NEA
Exam Duration	Papers 1, 2 & 3: 2 hours each
Total Marks	220 (60 + 60 + 60 + 40)
Calculator Status	Not applicable
Available Sessions	June 2018 – June 2024
Total Resources	39

Key Topics in English Language and Literature (EMC)

Topics you need to know

Integrated linguistic-literary analysisNon-fiction text analysis (rhetoric, register, audience)Spoken language features (prosody, turn-taking, repairs)Poetry analysis (metre, sound patterning, figurative language)Drama analysis (dialogue, power dynamics, stage directions)Creative writing with linguistic commentaryComparative textual analysis across genresDiscourse analysis (cohesion, narrative voice, point of view)

Exam Command Words

Command word	What the examiner expects
Analyse	Examine in detail using integrated linguistic and literary methods, identifying features and explaining their effects
Compare	Identify and discuss both similarities and differences between texts or approaches
Explore	Investigate language and literary features in depth, considering alternative interpretations
Evaluate	Make a reasoned judgement about the effectiveness or significance of language choices
Produce	Create an original piece of writing for a specified purpose, audience, and genre
Reflect	Comment critically on your own writing choices using appropriate linguistic and literary terminology

Typical Grade Boundaries

Grade	Approximate mark needed
A*	74–86%
A	63–73%
B	53–62%
C	43–52%
D	34–42%
E	25–33%

⚠️ Typical boundaries across three exams and NEA (220 total marks). Actual boundaries vary by series — check OCR's website.

Integrating Two Disciplines Without Losing Depth in Either

The central challenge of this specification is genuine integration. Weak responses analyse language and literature sequentially — a paragraph of linguistic analysis followed by a paragraph of literary interpretation. Strong responses weave both together: 'The poet's use of dental fricatives in the opening stanza creates a hissing quality that reinforces the serpentine imagery established through the extended metaphor.' Practise writing single paragraphs that incorporate both linguistic terminology and literary interpretation. For the set poetry anthology, know the poems well enough to write about them from memory, but resist the temptation to prepare generic essays. The exam questions are specific and often ask you to compare particular poems or focus on a particular linguistic feature across the anthology. Being flexible in how you deploy your knowledge matters more than the volume of material you have memorised. The spoken language analysis in Component 1 requires familiarity with transcription conventions. Know what (.) means for a micropause, what overlapping speech brackets indicate, and how to interpret prosodic features marked in the transcript. Examiners report that many students ignore the spoken features (interruptions, repairs, fillers) and analyse the transcript as if it were written text — this misses the marks allocated specifically for spoken language analysis. For the creative writing in Component 3, quality of writing matters as much as linguistic ambition. The commentary should demonstrate conscious craft — explain why you chose a particular narrative perspective, sentence structure, or lexical field, using metalinguistic terminology. The commentary is not a summary of what you wrote but an analysis of how and why you wrote it.

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OCR A-Level English Language and Literature (EMC) Past Papers & Mark Schemes

Download Past Papers

June 2023

June 2022

November 2021

November 2020

No date

Where Language Meets Literature: The Integrated Approach of OCR's EMC Specification

Exam Paper Structure

Key Information

Key Topics in English Language and Literature (EMC)

Exam Command Words

Typical Grade Boundaries

Integrating Two Disciplines Without Losing Depth in Either

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