Can a candidate do ALL passage-based questions or ALL essay-based questions in Paper 1 and Paper 2?

For syllabus years 2026 and 2027:

Paper 1: Candidates must answer one question from Section A (Poetry) and one question from Section B (Prose). There is no requirement to answer both a passage-based and an essay question.

Candidates sitting Paper 2 must answer one passage-based question and one essay question.

For syllabus years 2028 – 2030:

Paper 1: Candidates must answer two questions: one from Section A (Poetry) and one from Section B (Prose).

• In Section A Poetry, candidates answer one question from a choice of two on each set text.
• In Section B Prose, candidates answer one question from a choice of two essay questions on each set text.

Candidates taking Paper 2 must answer two questions: one from Section A (Drama) and one from Section B (Unseen).

• In Section A Drama, candidates answer one question from a choice of two on each set text – one passage-based and one essay question.
• In Section B Unseen, candidates answer one question from a choice of two, one based on a poem and one on a prose extract.

There is no requirement to answer both a passage-based and an essay question.