English Literature Texts & Audio Files

There are a lot of texts to cover for English Literature GCSE so it is worth getting started early. Some of the texts are quite tricky, especially if English is not your first language, you have special educational needs (such as dyslexia or ADHD), or you are just not familiar with these types of texts.

To help you get to grips with these texts easily, here are some different versions:

• Original texts (PDFS or links)

• Audio versions (e.g., podcasts, free audiobooks, radio plays)

• Graded readers (simplified texts to suit different levels of reading ability)

• Videos (films and tv shows). 

Please note that for the exam you should familiarise yourself with the original text, especially when writing quotes. However, the graded reader books can help you understand the storyline or get to know the characters better. As for the audiobooks, good narration really brings a story to life, especially if it’s a play or has different actors for different characters. You could listen to audio versions while doing other things (such as going for a walk), or listen as you follow along with the text. 

Some of the audio sources may allow you to clip short sections or slow down the audio. If you download PDFs it’s great practice to annotate (e.g., highlight and make notes) as you read. 

Videos often have the option to add subtitles which can be very helpful.