AQA GCSE English Literature
AQA GCSE English Literature Pride and Prejudice Exam Questions
Free AQA GCSE English Literature practice questions for Pride and Prejudice. Covers Jane Austen's pride and prejudice: marriage, class, reputation, first impressions, Elizabeth Bennet, Darcy, the Bennet family and Regency society.
Pride and Prejudice practice questions
1 pack of exam-style practice questions for Pride and Prejudice. Plan and write as many answers as you can under timed conditions, then compare them with the guidance on this page and your notes.
About AQA GCSE English Literature Pride and Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice is a 19th-century novel option on AQA GCSE English Literature Paper 1, Section B. You write about an extract and the novel as a whole. Austen follows Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy as both overcome pride and prejudice, set against the pressure on the Bennet sisters to marry because the family estate is entailed away. Examiners reward analysis of Austen's ironic narrative voice, free indirect speech and dialogue, and context on Regency marriage, inheritance law and the limited options for women of the gentry.
Key themes, characters and context
- Elizabeth Bennet Elizabeth is witty and independent, but her quick judgement of Darcy and trust in Wickham show her own prejudice. Darcy's letter makes her realise her error.
- Mr Darcy Darcy first calls Elizabeth 'tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me'. His pride softens, and he secretly saves Lydia's reputation.
- Marriage The famous opening line, 'It is a truth universally acknowledged', ironically shows society's obsession with marriage. Charlotte marries Mr Collins for security; Lydia elopes; Jane and Elizabeth marry for love.
- Reputation Lydia's elopement with Wickham threatens the whole family's respectability, showing how one woman's conduct affected her sisters' prospects.
- Class Lady Catherine de Bourgh tries to stop Elizabeth marrying Darcy, but Elizabeth insists she is a gentleman's daughter. Austen mocks snobbery while accepting social hierarchy.
- Context Women of the gentry could rarely work or inherit. The Longbourn entail means Mr Collins will inherit, making marriage an economic necessity.
Common mistakes in Pride and Prejudice
- Taking the narrator at face value. Austen often uses irony, as in the opening sentence.
- Saying Elizabeth is right about everything. Her misjudgement of Darcy and Wickham is central to the plot.
- Treating Charlotte's marriage as foolish. Explain her practical reasoning in the context of women's limited choices.
- Forgetting minor characters. Mr Collins, Lady Catherine and Lydia are useful for questions on marriage and class.
- Writing modern judgements without context. Explain why marriage mattered so much in Regency society.
Try three Pride and Prejudice practice questions
1. Starting with this extract from Darcy's first proposal, how does Austen present the relationship between Elizabeth and Darcy? Write about this extract and the novel as a whole. (30 marks)
Show what a strong answer includes
A strong answer would analyse Darcy's proud language and Elizabeth's sharp refusal, then trace the letter, Pemberley and his help with Lydia, showing how both characters change and linking to ideas about class and marriage.
2. Starting with this extract, how does Austen present attitudes to marriage? (30 marks)
Show what a strong answer includes
A strong answer would compare Charlotte and Mr Collins, Lydia and Wickham, the Bennets' own marriage and Elizabeth and Darcy, considering Austen's ironic opening and the economic pressure on women.
3. Starting with this extract, how does Austen present Mrs Bennet? (30 marks)
Show what a strong answer includes
A strong answer would discuss her comic obsession with marrying off her daughters, her nerves and lack of judgement, while acknowledging that her anxiety reflects the real threat of the entail.
Pride and Prejudice FAQs
What does AQA GCSE English Literature Pride and Prejudice cover?
It covers the whole novel, including Elizabeth, Darcy, the Bennet family, Wickham, Mr Collins and Lady Catherine, and themes of marriage, class, reputation and judgement.
Which paper is Pride and Prejudice examined in?
It is examined in Paper 1, Section B, through one extract-based question on the whole novel, worth 30 marks.
Which quotations should I learn for Pride and Prejudice?
Learn short quotations such as 'It is a truth universally acknowledged' and 'tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me', plus key moments like Darcy's letter and Lady Catherine's visit.
