Cambridge IGCSE English Literature
Cambridge IGCSE English Literature Great Expectations Exam Questions
Free Cambridge IGCSE English Literature practice questions for Great Expectations. Covers charles Dickens's novel of Pip's moral growth, social class, ambition, guilt, money and the characters who shape him.
Great Expectations practice questions
1 pack of exam-style practice questions for Great Expectations. 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 Cambridge IGCSE English Literature Great Expectations
Great Expectations is a prose set text for Cambridge IGCSE Paper 1: Poetry and Prose. Dickens's first-person novel follows Pip from his childhood on the Kent marshes, through his unexpected fortune and life as a London gentleman, to the discovery that the convict Magwitch is his benefactor. Cambridge offers either a printed passage with a question on how Dickens makes it powerful, moving or dramatic, or an essay on a character, relationship or theme across the novel. Examiners reward close analysis of Dickens's language, the older Pip's narrative voice and a personal response grounded in detail.
Key themes, characters and context
- Pip as narrator The adult Pip looks back on his younger self with regret and irony. Comment on the gap between what young Pip feels and what the older narrator judges.
- Magwitch The terrifying convict of the opening becomes Pip's devoted benefactor. His return forces Pip to confront his snobbery and learn loyalty.
- Miss Havisham and Estella Jilted on her wedding day, Miss Havisham stops the clocks and raises Estella to 'break their hearts'. Estella mocks Pip's 'coarse hands' and 'thick boots', planting his shame.
- Joe Gargery The gentle blacksmith represents true goodness. Pip's embarrassment at Joe in London is a key sign of how ambition has corrupted him.
- Class and gentility Dickens questions whether being a gentleman is about money or character. Herbert, Joe and Magwitch show different kinds of worth.
- Settings and Gothic The misty marshes, decaying Satis House and grimy London create mood and symbolism, for example Satis House's frozen time reflecting Miss Havisham's arrested life.
Common mistakes in Great Expectations
- Ignoring the double perspective of young and older Pip; the narrative voice is central to Dickens's effects.
- Calling Miss Havisham Pip's benefactor at the end of the analysis; Pip believes this for much of the novel, but Magwitch is the real source of his fortune.
- Writing about Victorian society at length; Cambridge rewards close textual analysis, so context should be brief and relevant.
- Summarising the passage rather than analysing language, dialogue and structure in the extract question.
- Making Estella simply cruel; she is also a victim of Miss Havisham's revenge, which strong answers explore.
Try three Great Expectations practice questions
1. Read the passage describing Pip's first visit to Satis House. How does Dickens make this such a memorable moment in the novel? (25 marks)
Show what a strong answer includes
A strong answer would analyse the Gothic description of the decaying room and stopped clocks; explore Miss Havisham's strange appearance; examine Estella's scorn and Pip's growing shame; comment on the older narrator's reflective voice; and explain why the scene shapes Pip's ambitions.
2. In what ways does Dickens make Joe Gargery such an admirable character? (25 marks)
Show what a strong answer includes
A strong answer would discuss Joe's kindness to young Pip, his dignity despite Pip's snobbery, his care during Pip's illness and his humble speech; analyse key moments closely; and show how Joe acts as a moral measure for Pip.
3. How does Dickens strikingly present the relationship between Pip and Magwitch? (25 marks)
Show what a strong answer includes
A strong answer would trace the relationship from fear on the marshes to Pip's horror at Magwitch's return and final loyalty; analyse language and dialogue at key points; and evaluate what the relationship teaches Pip about gratitude and class.
Great Expectations FAQs
What does Cambridge IGCSE English Literature Great Expectations cover?
It covers Dickens's whole novel: Pip's journey, the key characters, themes such as class, ambition and guilt, and the way Dickens writes.
Which paper is Great Expectations examined in for Cambridge IGCSE?
It is a prose set text on Paper 1: Poetry and Prose, with a choice between a passage-based question and an essay question.
Which moments in Great Expectations should I know well?
Know the opening on the marshes, the first visit to Satis House, Pip's departure for London, Joe's visit to London, Magwitch's return and the ending, as these often form the basis of passage questions.
