Complete WAEC Literature in English 2026/2027 Text List
The WAEC Literature in English text list 2026/2027 is the same as the published list for the 2026-2030 WAEC examination cycle. Here is the complete list of recommended reading for your reference. This list is based on the West African Examination Council Harmonized List of Literature in English Texts for WASSCE 2026-2030.
(These requirements also serve for NECO Literature in English 2026-2030).
| Section | Category | Number of Texts | Prescribed Text | Author |
| Shakespeare | Shakespearean Drama | 1 | Antony and Cleopatra | William Shakespeare |
| Prose | African Prose | 2 | So the Path Does Not Die | Pede Hollist |
| Redemption Road | Elma Shaw | |||
| Non-African Prose | 2 | To Kill a Mockingbird | Harper Lee | |
| Path of Lucas: The Journey He Endured | Susanne Bellefeuille | |||
| Drama | African Drama | 2 | Once Upon an Elephant | Bosede Ademilua-Afolayan |
| The Marriage of Anansewa | Efua Sutherland | |||
| Non-African Drama | 2 | The Inspector Calls | J. D. Priestley | |
| A Man for All Seasons | Robert Bolt | |||
| Poetry | African Poetry | 6 | Once Upon a Time | Gabriel Okara |
| New Tongue | Elizabeth L. A. Kamara | |||
| Night | Wole Soyinka | |||
| Not My Business | Niyi Osundare | |||
| Hearty Garlands | S. O. H. Afriye-Vidza | |||
| The Breasts of the Sea | Syl Cheney-Coker | |||
| Non-African Poetry | 6 | She walks in Beauty | Lord Byron | |
| The Nun’s Priest’s Tale (shortened) | Geoffrey Chaucer | |||
| Digging | Seamus Heaney | |||
| Still I Rise | Maya Angelou | |||
| The Telephone Call | Fleur Adcock | |||
| The Stone | Wilfred Wilson Gibson | |||
| Total | 21 works |
What Does the WAEC Literature in English Examination Test?
This is a question that students frequently ask, as the syllabus often only lists the required texts. But knowing the text is only the beginning. The students are required to demonstrate their ability to interpret, analyse, and evaluate literary texts. Therefore, candidates should build up proficiency in the following areas to be able to accurately tackle questions in WAEC Literature in English.
1. Plot
- Understand the sequence of events in the text and how individual events contribute to the development of the story.
- Identify the beginning, rising action, climax, and falling action.
- Identify the message or social critique in the text.
2. Characterisation
- Explain what characters do, why they behave in particular ways, and how their actions contribute to the text.
- Master each character and how their behavior drives the story.
3. Setting
- Identify where events in the text happen and how the setting influences the characters, conflicts, and themes.
4. Themes
- Identify the major themes in the story, play, or poetry.
- Demonstrate how the author develops each theme.
5. Literary Devices
- Recognise literary devices in the text and provide supporting examples. Devices to learn and master include:
- Simile
- Metaphor
- Irony
- Personification
- Imagery
- Repetition
- Alliteration
- Assonance
- Consonance
- Hyperbole
- Oxymoron
- Euphemism
- Satire
- Symbolism
6. Style
- Authors have unique ways of passing the message of a literary text. Therefore, consider the author’s language to expose the meaning of the text. Here are things to consider –
- Diction
- Sentence structure
- Use of imagery
- Dialogue
- Narrative voice
- Tone
- Mood
- And Figurative language
WAEC Literature in English Examination Structure and Components
WAEC Literature exam consists of three (3) different papers – Paper 1, Paper 2, and Paper 3.
Paper 1 – Multiple Choice
This consists of 50 multiple-choice questions testing general literary background, figures of speech, comprehension of unseen prose and poetry, and context questions on a designated Shakespearean text. Each question is followed by four options of which one is the correct answer.
Unseen Analysis focuses on poems and prose excerpts students have not read before.
Paper 1 question structure follows the pattern below:
- 20 questions cover general understanding of Literature in English.
- 20 context questions on the prescribed Shakespearean text (in this case, Antony and Cleopatra for 2026-2030).
- 5 questions on an unseen poem (the poem is provided in the paper).
- 5 questions on an unseen prose passage (a short prose passage is provided in the paper).
Candidates are required to answer all questions in this paper.
Time allotted is 1 hour.
Each question carries 1 mark.
Total marks obtainable for Paper 1 is 50 marks.
Paper 2 – Prose and Essays
Paper 2 evaluates knowledge of assigned African and non-African Prose. It consists of detailed essay questions.
This paper is divided into two (2) sections –
Section A – covers African prose
Section B – covers Non-African prose.
Two questions are set on each of the prescribed novels in the syllabus.
Time allotted: 1 hour 15 minutes.
All questions carry equal marks (25marks each).
Candidates are required to answer 2 questions in all – one from each section.
Total marks obtainable for this paper is 50 marks.
Paper 3 – Drama and Poetry
In Paper 3, critical appreciation of the prescribed African and non-African drama and poetry is tested. This paper is divided into four (4) sections –
- Section A – African Drama
- Section B – Non-African Drama
- Section C – African Poetry
- Section D – Non-African Poetry
Each section consists of two (2) questions from each of the prescribed poems and drama texts.
Candidates are required to answer a total of four (4) questions in this paper, one question from each section.
- Section A (African Drama) – Answer 1 question out of the 2 options.
- Section B (Non-African Drama) – Answer 1 question out of the 2 options.
- Section C (African Poetry) – Answer 1 question out of the 2 options.
- Section D (Non-African Poetry) – Answer 1 question out of the 2 options.
Each question carries 25 marks.
Total marks obtainable is 100 marks.
Time allotted for Paper 3 is 2 hours 30 minutes.
Grading WAEC Literature in English
Combined, the complete WAEC Literature in English exam carries a total cumulative mark of 200 marks.
Paper 1 (Multiple choice) – 50 marks
Paper 2 (Prose) – 50 marks
Paper 3 (Drama and Poetry) – 100 marks
Total marks obtainable = 200 marks
How to estimate your grade
- Aggregate your raw marks in the 3 papers.
- Scale the total mark from (1) to a percentage.
- Apply WEAC grade boundary.
| Grade | Numeric Value | Score Range (%) | Interpretation |
| A1 | 1 | 75-100 | Excellent |
| B2 | 2 | 70-74 | Very Good |
| B3 | 3 | 65-69 | Good |
| C4 | 4 | 60-64 | Credit |
| C5 | 5 | 55-59 | Credit |
| C6 | 6 | 50-54 | Credit |
| D7 | 7 | 45-49 | Pass |
| E8 | 8 | 40-44 | Pass |
| F9 | 9 | 0-39 | Fail |
Note: The minimum grade required for university admission is C6 for core subjects.