01The task archive
Essay prompts that
demand an argument.
Stop improvising essay questions. Exam-style analytical, argumentative, and comparative tasks for 121+ classic texts — aligned to AP Literature, AQA, IB, and beyond.
Find a set text
- 121+ works indexed
- 8 exam boards
- Free — no signup
02Anatomy
The anatomy of a strong prompt.
A weak prompt invites summary; a strong one demands an argument. Every set in the archive is built from three task shapes that force higher-order thinking.
The analytical lens
Ties an authorial method to a thematic claim, so the essay must analyse how the text is built — not retell what happens in it.
Explore how Shakespeare presents the collapse of natural order through the fractured verse and imagery of Act 2.
Highlight — thematic core (AO1) · underline — method constraint (AO2)
The contextual synthesis
Positions the text inside its historical and intellectual moment, so context has to do argumentative work instead of decorating the introduction.
“Frankenstein is less a Gothic fantasy than an anxious response to its scientific moment.” To what extent does Shelley's novel depend on the anxieties of its age for its terror?
Highlight — the contextual claim the essay must weigh (AO3)
The argumentative pivot
Opens with a limiting critical assertion the writer must defend, challenge, or qualify — instant thesis friction from the first line.
Consider the assertion: “Gatsby is denied genuine tragedy because his suffering is entirely transactional.” Defend, challenge, or qualify this reading of Fitzgerald's ending.
Highlight — where the writer's own position must land
03Frequently assigned
Complete index
Browse all 121 prose and drama texts alphabetically.
A
- Absalom, Absalom!William Faulkner
- All the Pretty HorsesCormac McCarthy
- AmericanahChimamanda Ngozi Adichie
- Animal FarmGeorge Orwell
- Anita and MeMeera Syal
- Anna KareninaLeo Tolstoy
- AntigoneSophocles
- Antony and CleopatraWilliam Shakespeare
- As I Lay DyingWilliam Faulkner
- The Adventures of Huckleberry FinnMark Twain
- The AwakeningKate Chopin
B
C
D
G
H
- Half of a Yellow SunChimamanda Ngozi Adichie
- HamletWilliam Shakespeare
- Hard TimesCharles Dickens
- Heart of DarknessJoseph Conrad
- Henry IV, Part 1William Shakespeare
- House Made of DawnN. Scott Momaday
- Howards EndE. M. Forster
- How Many Miles to Babylon?Jennifer Johnston
- The History BoysAlan Bennett
- The House of Bernarda AlbaFederico García Lorca
- The House of the SpiritsIsabel Allende
- The House on Mango StreetSandra Cisneros
I
L
M
- A Midsummer Night's DreamWilliam Shakespeare
- MacbethWilliam Shakespeare
- MausArt Spiegelman
- MedeaEuripides
- MiddlemarchGeorge Eliot
- Moby-DickHerman Melville
- Mrs. DallowayVirginia Woolf
- Much Ado About NothingWilliam Shakespeare
- The Mayor of CasterbridgeThomas Hardy
- The Merchant of VeniceWilliam Shakespeare
- The MetamorphosisFranz Kafka
N
O
P
S
T
- Tess of the d'UrbervillesThomas Hardy
- Their Eyes Were Watching GodZora Neale Hurston
- The TempestWilliam Shakespeare
- The Tin DrumGünter Grass
- The TrialFranz Kafka
- Things Fall ApartChinua Achebe
- To Kill a MockingbirdHarper Lee
- To the LighthouseVirginia Woolf
- TranslationsBrian Friel
- Twelfth NightWilliam Shakespeare
05Beyond the catalogue
Teaching something off-catalogue?
Generate exam-style essay prompts for any book, play, or poem — tuned to your curriculum and level.
Essay prompts for poems.
Single-poem tasks grounded in Storgy's own analysis — theme, form, and context. Search by poem or poet.
06How it works
From archive to assignment in seconds.
- 01Find the textSearch 100+ set texts by title or author, or browse the complete A–Z index below.
- 02Open the prompt setAnalytical, argumentative, and comparative tasks for every work — organised by curriculum and level.
- 03Set the essayCopy, print, or project. Use a full set for an assignment bank or pull one prompt for timed practice.
Frequently asked
Are the essay prompts free to use?
Yes. Every set of essay prompts on Storgy is free to browse, print, and use in your classroom — no account or signup required.
Which curricula are covered?
Prompts are tagged for AP Literature, AP Language, AQA GCSE and A Level, IB Literature and Language & Literature, Eduqas, OCR, Edexcel, Common Core, and Leaving Certificate. Many prompts are universal and work across any curriculum.
What kinds of essay prompts are included?
Each set includes analytical prompts focused on character, theme, and structure; argumentative prompts that ask students to defend a position; and comparative prompts that connect the work to other texts or broader literary traditions.
Can I print or copy the prompts for my class?
Yes. The prompts are provided for educational use. You can copy, paste, or print them for use in your classroom without restriction.
How do I find prompts for a specific book?
Use the search box above to type the book title or the author's name. A list of matching works appears instantly — click any title to go directly to its essay prompts.
Storgy for teachers
Set the essay. Then mark it faster.
Pair prompts with rubric scaffolds, discussion questions, and quizzes across your whole reading list.