Eduqas GCSE English Literature
Eduqas GCSE English Literature Leave Taking Exam Questions
Free Eduqas GCSE English Literature practice questions for Leave Taking. Covers Winsome Pinnock's play, Enid Matthews, Del and Viv, Mai, migration, identity, mothers and daughters and belonging.
Leave Taking practice questions
1 pack of exam-style practice questions for Leave Taking. 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 Eduqas GCSE English Literature Leave Taking
Leave Taking is a set text in Component 2, Section A (post-1914 prose/drama) of the Eduqas GCSE in English Literature. Winsome Pinnock's 1987 play follows Enid Matthews, who came to England from Jamaica, and her British-born daughters Del and Viv as they struggle with ambition, identity and a sense of home. You answer one 40-mark question that uses a printed extract as a starting point and asks you to write about the whole text. The section assesses AO1, AO2 and AO4 (spelling, punctuation and grammar); context is not assessed here. Questions often focus on Enid, on the mother-daughter relationships, or on Mai, the obeah woman.
Key themes, characters and context
- Enid Enid works hard as a cleaner and wants her daughters to succeed in England. Her strictness hides sacrifice and grief, including news of her own mother's death in Jamaica.
- Del and Viv Del, the elder daughter, rebels against Enid, becomes pregnant and goes to stay with Mai. Viv is studious and obedient, but she too questions what her mother wants for her.
- Mai An obeah woman whom Enid visits for guidance, Mai links the family to Jamaican tradition and offers Del a refuge.
- Identity and belonging The daughters feel neither fully English nor fully Jamaican, while Enid's idea of 'home' is divided between two countries.
- Dramatic methods Pinnock uses naturalistic dialogue, Jamaican and London English, domestic settings and contrasts between generations to build conflict and understanding.
Common mistakes in Leave Taking
- Seeing Enid only as harsh. Show how Pinnock reveals her love, loneliness and sacrifice.
- Ignoring language variety. Pinnock's use of Jamaican Creole and London speech is a key method.
- Writing about Windrush history at length. Context is not assessed in this section.
- Writing only about one daughter. Compare Del and Viv to show different responses to their mother.
Try three Leave Taking practice questions
1. Using the extract as a starting point, write about Enid and how she is presented in the play. (40 marks)
Show what a strong answer includes
A strong answer would analyse her ambitions for her daughters; her conflict with Del; her visits to Mai; her grief; her final moments with her daughters; evaluate how Pinnock builds sympathy.
2. Using the extract as a starting point, write about the relationship between Enid and Del and how it is presented. (40 marks)
Show what a strong answer includes
A strong answer would analyse their arguments; Del's rebellion; her pregnancy and leaving home; moments of tenderness; how the relationship changes by the end.
3. Using the extract as a starting point, write about how Pinnock presents ideas about home and belonging. (40 marks)
Show what a strong answer includes
A strong answer would analyse Enid's memories of Jamaica; Mai's world; the daughters' uncertain identities; language as a sign of belonging; the play's title.
Leave Taking FAQs
What does Eduqas GCSE English Literature Leave Taking cover?
It covers Winsome Pinnock's play as a post-1914 text: Enid, Del, Viv and Mai, and themes of migration, identity, family and belonging.
Which component is Leave Taking examined in?
It is in Component 2, Section A (post-1914 prose/drama). You answer one 40-mark question that starts from a printed extract and asks you to write about the whole text.
How do I revise Leave Taking?
Make a scene-by-scene summary, note how each daughter's relationship with Enid develops, and collect short quotations that show different voices and dialects.
