My Macbeth GCSE Predictions: 2026 Exams! 🤴

⏰ GCSE Countdown: 34 Days Left ⏰

34 days. That’s all that stands between you and your GCSE English Literature exam.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, a bit behind, or like you should have started earlier, I promise you, most students feel exactly the same at this point. The difference now isn’t when you started, it’s what you do next.

I sat down with the wonderful Mr Salles and we asked a simple question: what do exam boards actually love asking every year and can we spot a pattern? Because if we can, you don’t need to revise everything equally… you can revise smart. 

In my latest YouTube video, we break this down and make our predictions for the 2026 exams. My personal prediction? I think Macbeth is going to come up for three reasons: He’s a central character, he’s appeared a number of times before and exam boards tend to revisit key figures in slightly different ways.

To make this more than just a guess, I went through every AQA Literature Paper 1 and 2 question from 2017 to 2024 and built a full predictions table. If you’re part of my Easter Literature Week classes, you’ll get a copy of this (So, you should definitely join that).

 

BUT WHAT IF MACBETH DOESN’T COME UP?

Smart revision isn’t about relying on one prediction. It’s about being ready either way. That’s why in the video I also share two other likely options. Watch it and see my reasons behind them.

Yet the bigger point is this: between now and your final Exam, you need to:

✅ Know Macbeth & Lady Macbeth’s characters inside out, back-to-front
✅ Cram clever quotes, context and themes that you can use in ANY essay
✅ Pro tip: Witches & Supernatural overlap and if you can make clever connections your questions - you’re easily hitting Grade 7, 8, 9
✅ Pro plus tip: Have essay plans ready for the main characters, themes AND prediction questions
✅ NEVER FORGET: mention SHAKESPEARE’S MESSAGE!

PS: Save time by joining my Macbeth Masterclass - I’ve prepared a cheatsheet you can use so you don’t waste another second on making revision notes and flashcards:
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Also, a quick reality check, you don’t need 50 pages of notes or hundreds of flashcards right now. You need the right content, organised in a way you can actually use under exam pressure.

If you want to see what this actually looks like in a Grade 9 model answer or if you want help structuring your essays, or if you just want someone to explain things clearly without rushing through it then my Easter GCSE Literature Masterclass (6 - 12 April) is exactly for this.

You can join here: https://www.firstratetutors.com/literature 

These next 36 days matter more than you think. Let’s make it count ❤️

xxx,
Barbara