Most IGCSE students read the text.
Top-scoring IGCSE English Literature students interrogate the text.
That's the difference between a safe B and a solid A/A*.
This guide is written for IGCSE English Literature students (and parents) who want a clear, practical method to analyse:
- Poetry
- Prose (short stories / novels)
- Drama (plays, Shakespeare or modern)
...and then turn that analysis into exam answers the examiner has to reward.
1. What IGCSE English Literature Examiners Actually Want
Every exam board uses slightly different words, but they all boil down to a few core skills:
Understanding
- Can you show that you understand what is happening in the text?
- Do you get the surface story, feelings and ideas?
Analysis of language, structure and form
- Can you comment on how the writer creates effects?
- Not just "what happens", but how it's presented
Personal, well-supported response
- Can you explain your own reaction and ideas?
- Do you sound like someone who has really thought about the text?
Use of evidence (quotations)
- Do you use short, relevant quotes to support your points?
- Do you actually analyse them, not just drop them in?
Key Insight: If you build your whole approach around these five things, you're already thinking like a top-grade candidate.
2. The Core Method: PEE / PEEL / PETER Paragraphs
Whatever the question and text, strong answers use some version of this structure:
P – Point
A clear idea answering the question.
Example: "The poet presents childhood as a time of confusion and fear."
E – Evidence
A short quote or specific reference.
Example: "This is shown when the speaker describes the corridor as 'a tunnel of shadows'..."
E – Explain / Analyse
Unpack the quote in detail.
Example: "The word 'tunnel' suggests a long, closed space where you can't see the end..."
L – Link
Back to the question or main argument.
Example: "This reflects how the child feels trapped in their situation..."
Remember: The exact letters don't matter; the logic does: Claim → Evidence → Detailed analysis → Link to question/theme.
3. How to Analyse Any Text: A Simple 4-Step Process
Before we split into poem/prose/drama, here's a universal process you can apply to any extract.
What is going on at the surface?
Who is speaking? What is literally happening? What is the mood? Write 1-2 simple sentences to capture this.
What is the writer trying to do?
What should the reader/audience feel? Is this building sympathy, suspense, anger? How does this moment fit the overall story or theme?
How do language and structure create this effect?
Zoom in on words/phrases, imagery, sound, sentence structure. Pick 2-3 strong details and ask: "Why this word/feature here?"
So what?
Link back to the question, themes, and reader's response. Show why this analysis matters to the text as a whole.
Key Insight: If you do all four steps, you are no longer just "talking about the story" – you are doing literary analysis.
10. How Inkstall Helps IGCSE English Literature Students
At Inkstall, we work with IGCSE English Literature students in:
Poetry
Unseen and set-text analysis techniques
Prose
Novel and short story analysis
Drama
Shakespeare and modern plays
We help students:
- Build a reliable paragraph structure for clear, high-scoring answers
- Master the step-by-step method for unseen texts
- Select and analyze high-impact quotations effectively
- Understand exactly what examiners look for in top-band responses
- Develop confidence in analyzing any text they encounter
Whether you're in Grade 9 just starting IGCSE Literature, or in Grade 10 aiming to push from B/C to A/A*, the key is the same: read actively, think like a writer and an examiner, and turn your ideas into clear, evidence-based paragraphs.
Once you master this process, poems stop being scary, prose becomes more than just a story, and drama transforms into a live performance in your mind, exactly how a top-scoring IGCSE Literature student sees it.