What 4ET1/01 (Component 1) assesses
Section A, Unseen Poetry (20 marks): one essay on an unseen poem printed in the paper. Section B, Anthology Poetry (30 marks): one essay from a choice of two, comparing two poems from Part 3 of the Pearson Edexcel International GCSE English Anthology. Section C, Modern Prose (40 marks): one essay from a choice of two on a studied modern prose text.
It is a closed-book exam, but candidates are provided with the anthology poems. It runs in the June and November series.
- Time: 2 hours
- Marks: 90
- Weight: 60% of Pearson Edexcel 4ET1 (Specification, Issue 3 (August 2025))
- How it is assessed: External (written examination)
- Who takes it: All candidates
4ET1/01 (Component 1) is worth 60% of the 4ET1 grade and carries 90 marks. Each mark moves the qualification by about 0.67%. The qualification is graded 9–1.
What the examiners reward in 4ET1/01 (Component 1)
Reading
- AO1: Demonstrate a close knowledge and understanding of texts, maintaining a critical style and presenting an informed personal engagement
This is one of the objectives. The 4ET1 overview lists the full set.
The prose essay rewards four things working together. First, you need a confident, personal grasp of the whole text. You also need a clear argument that answers the exact question rather than everything you know.
Second, you need to analyse how the writer builds meaning (narrative voice, structure, description, dialogue, symbolism). Use accurate terminology and link every method to its effect. Third, you need to support the argument with short quotations embedded inside your own sentences, chosen because they prove a point.
Fourth, where the text invites it, show how the time, place and ideas it was written among shape its meaning. Do not let biography swamp the analysis. Above all, examiners reward selection: a tight, relevant essay beats one that empties the notebook onto the page.
For more detail, see 4ET1 prose in the syllabus.
The trial lesson can work on Pearson Edexcel 4ET1/01 (Component 1) directly, with timings, mark scheme and your child's own answers.
Question types we practise for 4ET1/01 (Component 1)
- Comparing poems: Comparing two poems on theme and technique. Skills guide · annotated model response · practice
- Embedding quotations: Weaving short quotations neatly into analysis. Skills guide · annotated model response · practice
- Poetry essay: Arguing about a poem with embedded evidence. Skills guide · annotated model response · practice
A timing plan for 4ET1/01 (Component 1)
The syllabus gives 90 marks and 2 hours for 4ET1/01 (Component 1). That is about 1.3 minutes per mark. A 10-mark answer therefore earns about 13.3 minutes.
At the halfway point of 60 minutes, check that you have covered about 45 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 4ET1/01 (Component 1)
Analysing imagery: The biggest loss is labelling without explaining. Writing "this is a metaphor" and moving on is not analysis. Read the full guide.
Comparing two poems: The most common failure is the two-essay structure. The student says everything about the first poem, then everything about the second. Read the full guide.
Preparing for 4ET1/01 (Component 1) with us
A teacher works through 4ET1/01 (Component 1) question types with your child under timed conditions, against the criteria in the mark scheme. See Literature in English tuition for how a session runs.
4ET1/01 (Component 1) is one component of Pearson Edexcel 4ET1, graded on the 9–1 scale. Check the current arrangement for your exam year with your school or the board.