Eduqas GCSE English Literature
Eduqas GCSE English Literature The Woman in Black Exam Questions
Free Eduqas GCSE English Literature practice questions for The Woman in Black. Covers Susan Hill's gothic novel, Arthur Kipps, Eel marsh house, the Woman in Black, fear, grief, isolation and setting.
The Woman in Black practice questions
1 pack of exam-style practice questions for The Woman in Black. 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 The Woman in Black
The Woman in Black is a set text in Component 2, Section A (post-1914 prose/drama) of the Eduqas GCSE in English Literature. Susan Hill's 1983 ghost story is narrated by Arthur Kipps, who, as a young solicitor, travels to Crythin Gifford to settle the affairs of Mrs Drablow and encounters a vengeful ghost at Eel Marsh House. 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 setting, tension, Arthur's fear or the Woman herself.
Key themes, characters and context
- Arthur Kipps An older Arthur tells his story after his stepchildren tell ghost stories on Christmas Eve. His younger self is confident and rational until his experiences terrify him.
- Eel Marsh House The isolated house is cut off by the tide on Nine Lives Causeway and surrounded by marshes and sea mist. The locked nursery and the sound of the pony and trap build terror.
- The Woman in Black She is the ghost of Jennet Humfrye, whose son Nathaniel died in the marshes. Each sighting is followed by a child's death.
- Gothic conventions Hill uses isolation, fog, an old house, unexplained sounds and a frame narrative, written in a deliberately old-fashioned style.
- Ending Arthur's wife Stella and their baby son are killed in an accident in the park after he sees the Woman again, revealing why he cannot tell the story aloud.
Common mistakes in The Woman in Black
- Retelling the ghost sightings. Analyse how Hill builds tension through sentence length, sound and setting.
- Ignoring the frame narrative. Explain how the older Arthur's reluctance shapes the story.
- Mixing up Mr Jerome and Samuel Daily. Mr Jerome is the frightened agent; Samuel Daily is the landowner who helps Arthur.
- Writing about Victorian ghost story history at length. Context is not assessed in this section.
Try three The Woman in Black practice questions
1. Using the extract as a starting point, write about how Hill creates fear and tension in The Woman in Black. (40 marks)
Show what a strong answer includes
A strong answer would analyse the sea mist and marsh setting; the sounds of the pony and trap; the nursery and rocking chair; Spider the dog; short sentences and Arthur's reactions.
2. Using the extract as a starting point, write about Arthur Kipps and how he is presented. (40 marks)
Show what a strong answer includes
A strong answer would analyse his early confidence; his growing fear; his courage in returning to the house; his breakdown; the older narrator's view; evaluate how Hill makes him sympathetic.
3. Using the extract as a starting point, write about the importance of setting in the novel. (40 marks)
Show what a strong answer includes
A strong answer would analyse Crythin Gifford, the causeway, Eel Marsh House and the opening at Monk's Piece; contrast cosy and threatening places; link setting to mood.
The Woman in Black FAQs
What does Eduqas GCSE English Literature The Woman in Black cover?
It covers Susan Hill's novel as a post-1914 text: Arthur Kipps, the Woman in Black and the townspeople, gothic setting, and themes of fear, grief and isolation.
Which component is The Woman in Black 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.
Which parts of The Woman in Black should I know best?
Know the Christmas Eve opening, Mrs Drablow's funeral, the first night at Eel Marsh House, the nursery scenes and the final chapter.
