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FA English Literature (Elective) Flashcards
51 question-and-answer cards covering English Literature (Elective) as it is examined in FA. 24 of them are printed below, taken from across the deck — no signup, no paywall on the preview.
24 sample cards from the English Literature (Elective) deck
Sampled from the end of the deck, so these are different cards from the ones shown on the syllabus page.
What is a sonnet and how many lines does it have?
A lyric poem of 14 lines, usually written in iambic pentameter; common forms are the Shakespearean (English) and Petrarchan (Italian) sonnet.
What is the difference between a Shakespearean and a Petrarchan sonnet?
A Shakespearean sonnet has three quatrains and a closing couplet (ABAB CDCD EFEF GG); a Petrarchan sonnet has an octave and a sestet (ABBAABBA followed by CDECDE or similar).
What is iambic pentameter?
A line of verse with five metrical feet, each foot being an iamb (an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed one), giving ten syllables per line.
What is a critical appreciation of a poem?
A detailed analysis and evaluation of a poem covering its theme, structure, language, imagery, tone, and overall effect, supported by evidence from the text.
What elements should a critical appreciation typically discuss?
Subject/theme, tone and mood, structure and form, diction and language, figures of speech and imagery, sound devices, and the poem's overall impact or message.
What is 'tone' in a literary work?
The writer's attitude toward the subject or audience, conveyed through word choice and style, e.g. ironic, serious, mournful, or joyful.
What is the difference between tone and mood?
Tone is the writer's attitude toward the subject; mood is the emotional atmosphere or feeling the work creates in the reader.
What is the basic structure of a formal essay?
An introduction (states the topic and thesis), a body (develops ideas in paragraphs with evidence), and a conclusion (sums up and restates the main point).
What is a thesis statement in an essay?
A single sentence, usually in the introduction, that states the main argument or central idea the essay will develop.
What is the difference between an expository and an argumentative essay?
An expository essay explains or informs about a topic objectively; an argumentative essay takes a stance and persuades the reader using reasons and evidence.
What are the main elements of a short story?
Plot, character, setting, point of view, theme, and conflict.
What is the typical plot structure of a story (Freytag's pyramid)?
Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution (denouement).
What is the 'climax' of a story?
The turning point of highest tension or the most decisive moment, where the main conflict reaches its peak.
What is 'conflict' in a narrative, and name its two main types?
Conflict is the struggle that drives the plot; the two main types are internal (within a character) and external (between a character and an outside force, person, society, or nature).
What is 'setting' in a story?
The time and place in which the events of the story occur, including the social and physical environment.
What is point of view in narration?
The perspective from which a story is told, such as first person ('I'), second person ('you'), or third person ('he/she/they').
What is the difference between first-person and third-person omniscient narration?
First-person narration is told by a character using 'I' and limited to their knowledge; third-person omniscient is told by an all-knowing narrator who can reveal the thoughts of all characters.
What is 'flashback' as a narrative technique?
A scene that interrupts the present action to depict events that happened earlier in time, giving background or context.
What is 'foreshadowing'?
A narrative technique in which the writer gives hints or clues about events that will happen later in the story.
What is the difference between plot and story?
A story is the sequence of events as they happen in time; a plot is the arrangement of those events with emphasis on cause and effect.
What is a 'twist ending' or surprise ending?
An unexpected conclusion that overturns the reader's assumptions, revealing a surprising turn in the plot.
What is suspense as a narrative device?
The feeling of anxious uncertainty or excitement a writer creates about what will happen next, keeping the reader engaged.
Name the major literary periods of English literature in order.
Old English (Anglo-Saxon), Middle English, Renaissance (including Elizabethan), Neoclassical (Augustan), Romantic, Victorian, and Modern.
What are the key features of the Romantic period in English literature?
Emphasis on emotion and imagination over reason, love of nature, focus on the individual and common people, and interest in the supernatural and the past.
What this deck covers
The English Literature (Elective) deck follows the FA English Literature (Elective) syllabus — 5 chapters and 13 topics — so questions land on material that is genuinely examinable rather than trivia around it. That works out to roughly 10.2 cards per chapter.
Answers are written to be recallable, not just readable — averaging about 134 characters, which is long enough to carry the reasoning and short enough to say out loud.
A deck like this earns its keep on the second and third pass. Read the syllabus first so you know the shape of the subject, then use the cards to find the specific facts that have not stuck.
English Literature (Elective) flashcards FAQ
How many English Literature (Elective) flashcards are in this FA deck?
51 cards. This page previews 24 of them, sampled evenly across the deck so you can judge the difficulty before installing anything.
Are these FA flashcards free?
Yes. The preview here is free to read with no signup, and the full 51-card deck is free inside the Examius app.
What do the English Literature (Elective) cards cover?
They follow the FA English Literature (Elective) syllabus — 5 chapters and 13 topics — so the questions track what is actually examinable.
How should I use these flashcards?
Read the syllabus first so you know the shape of the subject, then drill the deck. Examius schedules each card with spaced repetition, so cards you keep missing come back sooner and ones you know drift further apart.