WASSCE syllabus · Main subject in Arts
Literature in English
Every topic in the WASSCE Literature in English syllabus, grouped the way you will study it. The lessons for this subject are being written; the outline below shows what they will cover.
- syllabus topics
- 26
- sections
- 6
Course outline
Literature in English syllabus, section by section
01Introduction to Literature3 topics · syllabus outline
- 01What is Literature?Definitions of literature, what makes a text literary, and the difference between literature and other forms of writing.
- 02Functions and Purposes of LiteratureHow literature entertains, educates, criticises, and reflects society — and why we study it.
- 03The Three Genres of LiteratureProse, drama, and poetry — what distinguishes each genre and how they overlap.
02Prose Fiction5 topics · syllabus outline
- 01Elements of Prose FictionThe building blocks of a novel or short story — plot, character, setting, point of view, theme, and style.
- 02Plot and Narrative StructureExposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution — how a story is built.
- 03Character and CharacterisationTypes of characters, methods of characterisation, and analysing how characters drive a story.
- 04Setting, Point of View, and Style in ProseWhere and when a story unfolds, who tells it, and how the writer's choices shape meaning.
- 05Themes in ProseHow to identify themes, the difference between subject and theme, and writing about themes in a novel.
03Drama5 topics · syllabus outline
- 01Elements of DramaPlot, character, dialogue, stage directions, and the unique features of drama as a performed art.
- 02Types of DramaTragedy, comedy, tragicomedy, farce, melodrama, and historical drama — features and examples.
- 03Plot, Structure, and Conflict in DramaActs and scenes, dramatic structure, types of conflict, and the role of tension in drama.
- 04Characterisation in DramaProtagonist and antagonist, foil characters, dramatic monologue, and how playwrights reveal character.
- 05Themes and Devices in DramaThemes in drama, dramatic irony, soliloquy, aside, symbolism, and other devices unique to plays.
04Poetry5 topics · syllabus outline
- 01Elements of PoetryWhat makes a poem a poem — line, stanza, rhythm, sound, image, and concentrated language.
- 02Forms and Types of PoetrySonnet, ode, elegy, ballad, lyric, epic, free verse, and the conventions of each poetic form.
- 03Sound Devices in PoetryRhyme, rhythm, metre, alliteration, assonance, consonance, onomatopoeia, and how sound creates meaning.
- 04Imagery and Figures of SpeechSimile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, oxymoron, and other figures that create vivid images.
- 05Themes and Meaning in PoetryWorking out what a poem is about, identifying themes, and writing about a poem's meaning.
05Literary Analysis & Shakespeare4 topics · syllabus outline
- 01Literary Devices and Figurative LanguageSymbolism, foreshadowing, flashback, irony, allusion, paradox, and the broader toolkit of literary devices.
- 02Tone, Mood, and AtmosphereThe difference between tone, mood, and atmosphere, and how writers create each.
- 03Understanding ShakespeareShakespeare's world, the Elizabethan theatre, his major works, and why his plays still matter today.
- 04Shakespearean Language and ConventionsBlank verse, prose vs verse in Shakespeare, archaic English, and common devices in his plays.
06Exam Skills & Essay Writing4 topics · syllabus outline
- 01How to Analyse a Literary TextA step-by-step method for reading critically and breaking down any literary work.
- 02Writing Essays on LiteratureStructuring a literature essay, using quotations, integrating evidence, and meeting WAEC's marking criteria.
- 03Practical Criticism and Unseen TextsHow to analyse a poem or passage you have never read before, under exam conditions.
- 04Approaching the WAEC Literature PaperStrategies for Paper 1 objectives, Paper 2 prose essays, and Paper 3 drama and poetry essays.
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