How to Prepare for IGCSE World Literature Paper 3 (Set Text)

IGCSE World Literature Paper 3 is the ‘set texts’ exam, the largest single component within the World Literature syllabus. Paper 3 is worth 38.5% of candidates total grade, and rewards students who have an in-depth knowledge of their text. Unlike the IGCSE World Literature Paper 2, candidates study their Paper 3 text ahead of the examination. 

This blog post will address the format of IGCSE World Literature Paper 3, the current lists of set texts, what both question types require, what markers reward, and how students can approach preparation effectively.

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The syllabus for IGCSE World Literature is being updated for the 2028–2030 exams. Please note that this blog applies to candidates sitting their exams in 2026 and 2027.

What IGCSE World Literature Paper 3 Involves

IGCSE World Literature Paper 3 is worth 50 marks total, and is 1 hour 30 minutes long. Students answer two equally-weighted questions, one from Section A and one from Section B. Each question is worth 25 marks.  

The IGCSE World Literature Paper 3 is a closed book exam, meaning that candidates are not permitted to take a copy of their set text into the examination room. Consequently, IGCSE students must have a strong knowledge of their text, its key quotes, and relevant analytical ideas ahead of exam day.

For Paper 3 of the IGCSE World Literature syllabus, students study at least one set text, but in some cases may study two. Candidates may choose to respond to both questions on the same text, or they may choose to answer on two different set texts they have studied. 

The set texts for Paper 3 change annually, and include poetry, prose, and drama options. Teachers have flexibility in the texts that they select for their students.

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Students of IGCSE World Literature should confirm both the relevant list for their exam year and their specific set text(s) with their teacher.

IGCSE World Literature Paper 3 Set Texts

The IGCSE World Literature Paper 3 set text list for 2026 includes:

  • Samanta Schweblin, Fever Dream (prose)

  • Ama Ata Aidoo, Anowa (drama)

  • Fabio Geda, In the Sea There Are Crocodiles (prose)

  • Anton Chekhov, The Cherry Orchard (drama)

  • Songs of Ourselves Volume 1, Part 5: Poems from the 19th and 20th Centuries III 

    (a selection of 14 poems including those from Emily Dickinson, Elizabeth Bishop, Seamus Heaney, Grace Nichols and others)

  • Stories of Ourselves Volume 2 

    (10 stories from authors such as Oscar Wilde, Virginia Woolf, Arthur Conan Doyle and P G Wodehouse)

For 2027, the IGCSE World Literature Paper 3 set text list consists of:

  • Chinua Achebe, A Man of the People (prose)

  • Lillian Hellman, Little Foxes (drama)

  • Fabio Geda, In the Sea There Are Crocodiles (prose)

  • Anton Chekhov, The Cherry Orchard (drama)

  • Songs of Ourselves Volume 1, Part 5: Poems from the 19th and 20th Centuries III 

    (the same selection of poems as the 2026 list)

  • Stories of Ourselves Volume 2 

    (the same selection of poems as the 2026 list)

Fabio Geda’s In the Sea There Are Crocodiles and Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard appear in both the 2026 and 2027 IGCSE World Literature set text lists. The 2027 list, however, replaces Schweblin and Aidoo with Achebe's A Man of the People and Hellman's Little Foxes.

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The IGCSE World Literature set text lists can and do change. Students should always verify the list for their exam year and the individual text(s) that they will be covering in school with their teacher, before beginning detailed study.

What IGCSE World Literature Paper 3 Markers Are Looking For

Both sections of Paper 3 assess all four of the IGCSE World Literature assessment objectives (AOs) equally, with each AO carrying 25% of the marks available. To reach the highest grade boundaries, candidates must address all of the AOs. Only focusing on one or two objectives is insufficient.

The IGCSE World Literature assessment objectives are as follows:

  • AO1: Show detailed knowledge of the text's content through accurate, well-selected textual reference. 

    As paper 3 is a closed book exam, students must memorise key quotations and be able to refer to specific moments in the text with precision. To score highly, simply reproducing long quotations is not sufficient.

  • AO2: Demonstrate an understanding of the text beyond its literal content. 

    Essays need to engage with the situations, themes, relationships, and characters in the text. Top-grade responses explore beyond surface-level meaning to consider the text’s message, attitude and ideas.

  • AO3: Analyse how the writer uses language, structure, and form to create meaning and effect. 

    To achieve AO3, candidates must do more than just name literary and poetic devices. They must explain the effect of specific authorial choices, and address why these choices matter in the context of the text as a whole. 

  • AO4: Communicate a sensitive and informed personal response. 

    As students have studied their text in depth, AO4 rewards essays that present a genuine critical engagement with the exam question. Those who articulate a clear and considered view of the text will outperform those who recite what a teacher or study guide has said.

AO3 and AO4 are where most IGCSE candidates struggle to push their answers into the top of the markscheme. Those who know their text(s) well but default to retelling the plot or listing themes without analysis tend to plateau. Reaching the highest grade levels requires a combination of close reading, knowledge of the overarching themes/ideas of the text, and the use of a confident personal voice.

How IGCSE World Literature Paper 3 Section A Works

Section A of IGCSE World Literature Paper 3 presents students with a printed extract from their text/anthology. Students should re-read the extract or poem carefully before beginning to answer the question. 

In Section A, the exam question will focus specifically on the passage given to students. World Literature candidates are expected to address what is happening in the extract, how the writer uses language, and what the extract reveals about the text’s larger concerns. 

As an extract is printed and provided, Section A is an opportunity for IGCSE World Literature students to work closely with the words on the page. Responses should stay focused on the passage and the question being asked, rather than drifting into a general discussion of the text.

Strong Section A responses connect their close analysis of the passage to the text’s wider themes and/or the writer’s broader literary/poetic methods. 

The extracts printed in Section A of Paper 3 will be taken from the nominated edition of the set text. Candidates using a different edition should be aware that wording may differ slightly from their copy of the text. While this is rarely significant for prose or drama, for poetry, using the nominated edition of the set text is more important.

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Students should discuss with their teachers which edition of their text is the nominated version for their exam year.

How IGCSE World Literature Paper 3 Section B Works

In comparison to the tighter focus of Section A, Section B of Paper 3 requires a more general essay response. Candidates are expected to address the text as a whole, or a significant element within it (such as a character, relationship, theme, or structural feature). 

Unlike Section A, there is also no printed extract provided in Section B. This means that  students must select their own evidence. Therefore, a deep knowledge of the set text and a strong recall of quotations is imperative to achieving high marks on this question.

Section B rewards candidates who can construct a coherent argument that is well sequenced. Weaker essays move through a series of disconnected points, while top-grade work exhibits a clear line of argument that is returned to and developed in each paragraph.

Candidates who answer Section A and Section B on different texts should be able to analyse both texts with an equal amount of depth. Answering a question on a text that has not been studied in detail often leads to less sophisticated analysis that fails to move beyond surface level meaning. As both Section A and Section B are weighted equally, one weak essay can significantly impact students’ overall grade.

How to Prepare for IGCSE World Literature Paper 3

The different demands of Section A and Section B in IGCSE World Literature Paper 3 mean that candidates must undertake tailored preparation for both. 

For Section A preparation:

  • Practice close reading of extracts from the set text under timed conditions.

    To develop the skill of reading a passage quickly and purposefully, repetition is required. Tackling extracts in detail also helps students build their in-depth knowledge on their set text. 

  • Complete past paper Section A questions or teacher-generated extract questions.

    Working through a variety of practice questions helps to build familiarity with the kind of focused language analysis that Section A questions demand. 

  • Annotate key passages of your text. 

    Actively annotating your text as you study it is more effective than just reading it. The habit of noticing specific word choices and thinking about their effect translates directly to the skills required in Section A.

For Section B preparation:

  • Develop a working knowledge of the whole text, not just the moments that are the easiest to quote. 

    Section B essay questions can address a range of textual and thematic elements. Therefore, candidates who can only analyse certain sections of their text risk writing under-developed essays that fail to reach the top levels of the markscheme. 

  • Identify and memorise a bank of precise quotations across different themes and characters. 

    Short, specific quotations that are relevant to multiple themes and/or characters are more useful in a closed-book exam than long passages that are difficult to reproduce accurately. As well as knowing these quotations, candidates need to be able to analyse the language and imagery within them, and explain how these effects serve the author’s intent.

  • Practice planning and writing timed essays.

    A student who can produce a focused, well-structured essay in 40 to 45 minutes is in a strong position to tackle Section B of the IGCSE World Literature Paper 3. 

  • Think about the text's key arguments and ideas rather than just its content. 

    Understanding the central themes and arguments of the text is essential to analysing the impact of the author’s techniques. Those who have a considered view of their text going into the exam often write more sophisticated essays than those who don’t.

Preparation for both sections:

  • Read the question carefully, and keep your analysis focused.

    Responses that have a specific focus on the question achieve higher markers than those that address the text generally. 

  • Use the four assessment objectives as a checklist when reviewing practice answers.

    Top responses must, (1) include close textual reference; (2) analyse the language used; (3) use this analysis to explore deeper meanings; and (4) sustain a personal voice from the first paragraph to the last.

Start Preparing for IGCSE World Literature Paper 3 with a BartyED Tutor

As a closed-book examination, IGCSE World Literature Paper 3 demands that students have both a genuine depth of knowledge about their text, and the analytical skills necessary to formulate sophisticated arguments. Both of these skills are difficult to attain independently, and students who receive targeted feedback on their written responses almost always develop much faster than those studying independently. 

At BartyED, our expert tutors have a wealth of experience supporting students through their IGCSE World Literature courses. To find the right IGCSE World Literature tutor for you or your child, contact us today via phone +852 2882 1017, WhatsApp +852 57215837, email us at enquiries@bartyed.com, or fill in the form below.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • IGCSE World Literature Paper 3 is 1 hour 30 minutes long and worth 50 marks.

  • Candidates taking IGCSE World Literature must answer two questions on Paper 3, one from Section A and one from Section B

  • In IGCSE World Literature Paper 3 candidates must answer two questions, one from Section A and one from Section B. Both questions are worth 25 marks, making Paper 3 worth 50 marks total.

  • Not completely. The set text lists for IGCSE World Literature Paper 3 change with each exam year. Candidates should clarify with their teacher which list is applicable to their exam year, and the specific text(s) they will be studying.

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IGCSE, World LiteratureKathryn Ealand