Unit 2: Poetry


Key Skills in English


For example, if you are asked what impression you got of a person or scene, ask yourself why you got that impression, what words created it, why did the poet pick certain words, etc. Tis will help to give your response a sharp focus.


Step Three


■ Write your answer. Answers may be very short or more developed, depending on the question and the marks given. Tey must always be relevant to the question asked. If you find yourself paraphrasing or telling the story of the poem, STOP! You are probably moving away from the question. Check again to see what the question asked you to do. Now continue your answer, keeping an eye on exactly what you have been asked.


■ Make sure that you support your points with quotation from, or reference to the poem. Tere is no need to write out chunks of the poem. Tis will not get you marks and is a waste of precious time. Choose quotations carefully. It may be that one word or a short phrase will illustrate the point you are making.


■ Try to respond personally. You will be rewarded for showing that you understand what the poet is saying and that you can connect to the poem. Ask yourself how the poem made you feel. Why did you feel like that? Ten ask yourself if there is anything in the poem that is relevant to your life. What is it? How is it relevant? Is there anything you learnt from the poem?


2. Exam Focus In the exam, you may be specifically asked to: ● Respond to Language: Look carefully at the poet’s use of language. Are there any words or phrases that you thought were particularly effective or clever? Ask yourself why you thought this.


● Respond to Imagery: Examine the poem carefully, checking for any use of simile or metaphor. If you can identify a good image, comment on its effectiveness. Say why you thought it was a good image and how it contributes to the poem’s message.


● Respond to Sound: Examine the poet’s use of sound. Does the poem rhyme? Is there any use of alliteration, assonance or onomatopoeia?


● Say whether you liked or did not like the poem. You must explain your answer here. It is not enough to just state that you did or didn’t like the poem. When answering, you should consider all of the KEY SKILLS for responding to a poem which are listed on page 64.


Tip: Take care with spelling and punctuation, especially when you quote from the 80 poem. Conclude each answer with a reference back to the question asked.


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