Contents
A Level Latin – currently only offered by OCR (opens in a new tab) – splits its topics across unseen translation, prose composition or comprehension, prose literature and verse literature.
This article includes an official and complete breakdown of the topics you need to revise for A Level Latin. We’ll also explain how to use topic lists for effective revision.
Key Takeaways
OCR is the only exam board currently offering A Level Latin
Topics are split across unseen translation, prose composition or comprehension, prose literature and verse literature
Use topic lists to create a revision plan and organise your notes
Why It's Important to Know Your Exam Board
Although subject content often overlaps across exam boards, each exam board has a different syllabus. This means that the same subject can be taught very differently in one exam board compared to another, with varying topics, skills and assessment methods.
Knowing exactly which topics your exam board covers means you can create a focused revision plan. You won't waste time studying content that won't be tested, and you'll know exactly what to expect when it comes to exams.
Only OCR currently offers A Level Latin, so if you’re studying this qualification, OCR is your exam board. Fortunately, only having one exam board makes it much easier to work out what you need to revise!
OCR A Level Latin Topics (H443)
Unseen Translation (Component 01) and Prose Composition or Comprehension (Component 02)
Accidence and syntax
Vocabulary and linguistic structures
Unseen prose and verse
Prose Literature (Component 03) and Verse Literature (Component 04)
Set texts
Literary, social, cultural and historical contexts
Literary techniques, characterisation, strength of argument and literary meaning
The table below shows the current content and set texts you’ll cover for each A Level Latin component:
Component | Content/Set Texts |
01) Unseen Translation | Livy (unseen prose) and Ovid (unseen verse) |
02) Prose Composition or Comprehension | Translation of unseen material or comprehension of unseen prose |
03) Prose Literature | One from Group 1 (Cicero’s Pro Roscio Amerino or Nepos’ Life of Hannibal) and one from Group 2 (Cicero’s Pro Roscio Amerino, Tacitus’ Annals or Apuleius’ Metamorphoses) |
04) Verse Literature | One from Group 3 (Virgil’s Aeneid or Tibullus) and one from Group 4 (Virgil’s Aeneid, Lucretius’ De Rerum Natura or Ovid’s Metamorphoses) |
Set texts change every few years, so double check the latest specification to make sure you are revising the right content.
How to Use Topic Lists for Revision
Create a revision plan
Print or write out your topics into a checklist. Use the traffic light system (opens in a new tab) to prioritise weaker areas, and tick each area off as you revise. Seeing progress is really motivating, and it stops you from accidentally skipping anything important.
Organise your notes and flashcards by topic
Separating your notes and flashcards according to topic will make it much easier to find information quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to revise all A Level Latin topics for the exam?
All components are compulsory. You’ll need to revise unseen translation, prose composition or comprehension, and prose and verse literature for the relevant components.
Are these topics the same across all exam boards?
OCR is the only exam board currently offering A Level Latin.
If other exam boards offer A Level Latin in the future, the content will overlap, but specifications and exam formats will remain distinct.
How do I know which topics I struggle with most?
Look at which topics you tend to get the lowest marks on in mock exams or past paper questions. Prioritise revising the areas where you’re least confident using the traffic light system.
Do all topics come up in every exam paper?
No, as each component has its own distinct set texts and content.
You will, however, be expected to draw on your knowledge and understanding of the links between language and literature, so treat each component as an assessment of similar skills.
Final Thoughts
Using topic lists to structure your A Level Latin revision means you'll know exactly what to study, and how to allocate your time between each area.
Bookmark or print this page, and use it as your roadmap. Work through each topic or area, tick it off as you go, practise answering past paper questions, and persevere to improve your knowledge and skills for your four components.
References
How to Use the Traffic Light System to Improve Your Marks (opens in a new tab)
OCR A Level Latin (opens in a new tab)
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