What 4EA1/02 assesses
Section A (Reading, 30 marks) is one essay question on a poetry or prose text from Part 2 of the Anthology. Section B (Imaginative Writing, 30 marks) is one task from a choice of three.
The anthology text is provided in the exam. This is the exam alternative to coursework.
- Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Marks: 60
- Weight: 40% of Pearson Edexcel 4EA1 (Specification, Issue 7 (August 2025))
- How it is assessed: External (written examination; available paper-based or onscreen)
- Who takes it: Exam route (instead of Component 3)
4EA1/02 is worth 40% of the 4EA1 grade and carries 60 marks. Each mark moves the qualification by about 0.67%. The qualification is graded 9–1.
What the examiners reward in 4EA1/02
Reading
- AO3: explore links and connections between writers' ideas and perspectives, as well as how these are conveyed
This is one of the objectives. The 4EA1 overview lists the full set.
Writing
- AO4: communicate effectively and imaginatively, adapting form, tone and register of writing for specific purposes and audiences
This is one of the objectives. The 4EA1 overview lists the full set.
Writing marks divide into two strands, and strong work serves both. The first is communication and organisation. This means choosing a form, tone and register that fit the purpose and reader, and sustaining them.
It also means structuring ideas so the piece builds with cohesion. The second is technical accuracy. This means correct spelling, punctuation and grammar.
It also means a range of vocabulary and sentence structures used for effect, not to show off. Good work reads as purposeful from the first line. It develops points or images with specific detail and varies its sentences deliberately.
Above all it stays controlled. A tight, accurate piece scores higher than an ambitious one that loses shape or slips on accuracy.
For more detail, see 4EA1 writing in the syllabus.
The trial lesson can work on Pearson Edexcel 4EA1 Component 2 directly, with timings, mark scheme and your child's own answers.
Question types we practise for 4EA1/02
- Poetry essay: Arguing about a poem with embedded evidence. Skills guide · annotated model response · practice
- Prose essay: Writing about character, theme and narrative in prose. Skills guide · annotated model response · practice
- Descriptive composition: Building a place or moment through controlled sensory detail. Skills guide · annotated model response · practice
A timing plan for 4EA1/02
The syllabus gives 60 marks and 1 hour 30 minutes for 4EA1/02. That is about 1.5 minutes per mark. A 10-mark answer therefore earns about 15 minutes.
At the halfway point of 45 minutes, check that you have covered about 30 marks' worth of the paper. This is a practice guide built from the stated totals. The paper's own instructions come first.
Where marks are lost on 4EA1/02
Writing about a character: Treating the character as real. The student guesses at feelings the text does not support. Read the full guide.
Analysing imagery: The biggest loss is labelling without explaining. Writing "this is a metaphor" and moving on is not analysis. Read the full guide.
Preparing for 4EA1/02 with us
A teacher works through 4EA1/02 question types with your child under timed conditions, against the criteria in the mark scheme. See First Language English tuition for how a session runs.
4EA1/02 is one component of Pearson Edexcel 4EA1, graded on the 9–1 scale. Check the current arrangement for your exam year with your school or the board.