The GCE Literature in English exam tests candidates on poetry, drama, prose, and literary devices. Below are 10 carefully solved questions to prepare you for the 2025 examination.
Question 1: Poetry – Praise Poem
Q1. A praise poem is:
A) An elegy
B) A panegyric
C) An ode
D) A ballad
Solution:
A praise poem celebrates and glorifies a king, hero, or deity. Such poems fall under panegyric, a form of poetry written in adulation of important figures.
Correct Answer: B (Panegyric).
Question 2: Prose – Animal Characters
Q2. A literary work in which the characters are animals is called a:
A) Allegory
B) Ballad
C) Fable
D) Epic
Solution:
When animals act and speak like humans to convey moral lessons, the work is a fable.
Correct Answer: C (Fable).
Question 3: Drama – Soliloquy
Q3. In drama, a soliloquy is a:
A) Speech made to other characters
B) Short dialogue between two actors
C) Speech in which a character reveals inner thoughts alone on stage
D) Poem recited by the chorus
Solution:
A soliloquy allows the audience to know a character’s inner thoughts and feelings, spoken when the character is alone.
Correct Answer: C (Speech in which a character reveals inner thoughts).
Question 4: Poetry – Elegy
Q4. A poem written to mourn the death of someone is called an:
A) Ode
B) Ballad
C) Elegy
D) Sonnet
Solution:
An elegy is a poem of lamentation, usually mourning the dead.
Correct Answer: C (Elegy).
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Question 5: Prose – Allegory
Q5. A story in which events, settings, and characters symbolize abstract ideas is an:
A) Allegory
B) Narrative
C) Fable
D) Myth
Solution:
An allegory uses extended symbolism to convey moral, spiritual, or political meanings.
Correct Answer: A (Allegory).
Question 6: Drama – Aside
Q6. In drama, an “aside” refers to:
A) Words spoken directly to the audience unheard by other characters
B) A quarrel between actors
C) The closing speech of a play
D) A description by the narrator
Solution:
An aside is a brief remark by a character intended for the audience but not for other characters on stage.
Correct Answer: A (Words spoken directly to the audience).
Question 7: Poetry – Sonnet
Q7. A sonnet is a poem with:
A) 12 lines
B) 10 lines
C) 14 lines
D) 16 lines
Solution:
A sonnet traditionally has 14 lines, often written in iambic pentameter.
Correct Answer: C (14 lines).
Question 8: Prose – Autobiography
Q8. A prose work in which an author writes about his or her own life is called:
A) Biography
B) Autobiography
C) Memoir
D) Diary
Solution:
When an author tells their own life story, it is an autobiography.
Correct Answer: B (Autobiography).
Question 9: Drama – Tragedy
Q9. A play that ends unhappily due to the downfall of the protagonist is a:
A) Tragedy
B) Comedy
C) Farce
D) Romance
Solution:
A tragedy highlights the downfall of a hero often due to a tragic flaw or fate.
Correct Answer: A (Tragedy).
Question 10: Poetry – Ode
Q10. A poem that celebrates and praises a person, object, or event with deep emotion is an:
A) Epic
B) Ode
C) Ballad
D) Sonnet
Solution:
An ode expresses admiration and deep emotion toward its subject, usually in an elevated style.
Correct Answer: B (Ode).
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Conclusion
These 10 solved GCE Literature in English questions cover poetry, drama, and prose. They introduce candidates to common literary forms such as elegy, ode, sonnet, allegory, fable, soliloquy, and tragedy. Mastering them boosts confidence for the 2025 GCE Literature exam.
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