LAST LESSON…

STEPS TO TAKE WHEN ANSWERING

AN ESSAY QUESTION

1. Read the whole question twice.

2. Look for topic words. These tell you the specific topic you need to focus
on.
3. Look for command words. These tell you exactly what the assessor is
asking you to do with the information about a topic. Two or more
command words in a question means that you will have to answer each
part of the question in order to produce a good essay.
4. Rewrite the question in your own words. This step is good practice to
make sure that you understand exactly what you are being asked to do.
If possible, ask the assessor to check your version of the essay question
against the original to make sure that your understanding is correct.
 UNDERSTANDING THE QUESTION

Examples:

» Compare » Evaluate
» Contrast » Explain
» Describe » Illustrate
» Define » Justify
» Discuss » Outline
Match up
the words
on the left
to their
meaning…
 PEEL PARAGRAPHS
PEEL stands for:

• Point

• Evidence

• Explanation

• Link

If you use the PEEL structure, you will write an effective

paragraph.
PREVIOUS HOMEWORK
 HOMEWORK

• Write an introduction to the essay question we discussed:

How does Alagiah use language to create a sense of atmosphere?

You should support your answer with close references to the
passage, including brief quotations

• Due 07/09

Update:
Your homework has been marked and will be emailed to you tomorrow
morning individually.
ENGLISH GCSE LESSON 3

Structural techniques and analysing unseen poetry

AQA EXAM LAYOUT: LITERATURE
SECTION C: UNSEEN POETRY

Paper 1
 WHAT DOES THE QUESTION LOOK
LIKE?

• In the exam, you will be given a poem you have not prepared for.
• There are 2 questions
• 1 x 24 marks
• 1 x 8 marks
• Question 1 changes depending on the poem, but you will be asked for
what the poet achieves or does something
• Question 2 asks you to compare another unseen poem to the one in
question one based on a topic

Example here
 WHAT ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVE ARE
WE FULFILLING?

Explain, comment on and analyse how writers

use language and structure to achieve effects
AO2
and influence readers, using relevant subject
terminology to support their views
 ACTIVITY 1

Draw a mind map of all the structural techniques you remember!

You have 1 minute!
Caesura Assonance

Structural Enjambmen
Refrain
Features t

Rhyme Alliteration
 STRUCTURE FEATURES TO KNOW

• Assonance • Free verse

• Refrain • Irony
• Rhythm • Stanza
• Couplets • Syndetic list
• Allegory • Dissonance
• Consonance • Volta
• Enjambment • Caesura
 SOUNDS

• Assonance – the repetition of the same vowel sound

• Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers
• Consonance – the repetition of the consonant sounds. The repeated consonant
sounds can occur in the middle or end of words or even at the beginning of words
within a phrase or sentence
• Bent double, like old beggars under sacks
• He struck a streak of bad luck.
• Dissonance – is the tension that results from the combination or clash of two
incompatible elements. In other words, it is the opposite of harmony
• At noon I scale along the house-side as far as The coal-house door. Once I looked up— Through the
brunt wind that dented the balls of my eyes The tent of the hills drummed and strained its guyrope, The
fields quivering, the skyline a grimace, At any second to bang and vanish with a flap
• Rhyme – a collection of sounds that are identical in two or more words
• With spools of suffering out in ordered rows.
The only light is read and softly glows – War photographer
 STRUCTURE & FORM IN POETRY

What is the difference between structure and form in poetry?

• Structure refers to the way the content of the poem is
organized (stanza arrangement, line length, rhyme scheme,
etc.).
• Form refers to set types of poems (such as sonnet, haiku,
ballad, etc.), each with specific rules about number of lines,
rhyme structure, and thematic content.
 TEXT LEVEL STRUCTURES

• Refrain – a line, couplet or stanza that repeats throughout the

poem
• Couplets – a pair of lines next to each other which are the
same length and rhyme
• Stanza – the name for a paragraph when written as a poem
 STRUCTURE: VOLTA

• The term 'volta' comes from the Italian word for

'turn', and in poetry, it refers to a significant shift
or change in the poem. This can be a shift in the
theme, tone, perspective, or argument of the
poem. The volta acts as a kind of hinge in the
poem, around which it pivots and takes a new
direction. It often occurs around two-thirds of the
way through the poem, although this can vary.
• Volta is particularly common in sonnets. In a
typical 14-line sonnet, the volta often occurs at
line 9. This change often comes with a conjunction
such as "but" or "yet". The first part of the poem
presents an argument, an observation, or a
question, and the part after the volta responds or
gives an answer.
 VOLTA EXAMPLE

Let's look at an example from William Shakespeare's Sonnet 18,

one of the most famous sonnets:

"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? But thy eternal summer shall not fade
Thou art more lovely and more temperate: Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st;
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shad
And summer's lease hath all too short a date:
When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st:

Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
And often is his gold complexion dimmed, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee."
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance, or nature's changing course,
untrimmed:
 STRUCTURE: CAESURA

Caesura is a pause in the middle of a line of poetry. It's

often, but not always, signified by punctuation such as a
comma or a full stop. Caesuras can have various effects.
They can create a sense of balance or contrast between the
two halves of the line, emphasize certain words, or affect
the rhythm of the poem.
For example, consider the line from Samuel Taylor
Coleridge's 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner':
"The ship was cheered, || the harbour cleared."
Here, the caesura (signified by '||') creates a pause between
'cheered' and 'the harbour cleared', separating the two
actions and balancing them against each other.
 STRUCTURE: ENJAMBMENT

• Enjambment, on the other hand, is when a

sentence or phrase runs over from one line to
the next without a major pause or
punctuation. It creates a sense of flow,
moving the reader swiftly from one line to the
next and carrying the meaning forward in a
seamless way.
 ENJAMBMENT EXAMPLE

Let's look at an example from William Wordsworth's 'I Wandered Lonely as a

Cloud’:

"For oft, when on my couch I lie v

In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye v
Which is the bliss of solitude;“

In these lines, each thought runs over from one line into the next without any end
punctuation to stop the flow of the sentence. This use of enjambment helps to
create a contemplative, flowing rhythm, echoing the speaker's thought process
 STRUCTURE: SYNDETIC LIST

• A list which is fast flowing, usually using commas or semi colons

• They add rhythm, flow, and emphasis to poetry.
• Create a sense of unity and connection among the listed items.
• In terms of effects, syndetic lists can create a sense of accumulation
or build-up, enhancing the emotional impact of a poem.

• Example:
The beauty of the morning; silent, bare,
Ships, towers, domes, theatres and temples
 FORM: NARRATIVE

Narrative form in poetry is a style in which the poet tells a story

through their poem.
It's like reading a short story or a novel, but it's written in verse
instead of prose.
Narrative poems often have characters, a plot with a beginning,
middle, and end, and sometimes even include dialogue.
 FORM: EPIC

Epic poetry, in simple terms, is a grand, long narrative poem that

tells the story of a hero's journey.
You can think of an epic poem as a long adventure movie but
written in verse form. These poems often deal with themes of
war, love, heroism, and the battle between good and evil.
 FORM: DRAMATIC MONOLOGUE

A dramatic monologue is a type of poem in which a single character, who is not the
poet, speaks to a silent audience. It's as if the character is having a one-sided
conversation, and we, the readers, get to eavesdrop on this speech. This form of
poetry is a great way for poets to delve deep into the mindset and emotions of a
specific character.
The main features of a dramatic monologue are:
1. A single person, who is clearly not the poet, utters the entire poem at a critical
moment.
2. The speaker has a specific audience in mind and is not just talking to themselves.
3. The speaker reveals their character while telling a story.
4. There is often a surprise or twist in the speaker's words that gives us insights into
their true character.
 FORM: SONNET

A sonnet is a specific form of poetry that originated in Italy, which is composed of 14 lines
and has a particular rhyme scheme. It's a compact way of expressing a single, strong
emotional concept or idea. Think of it as a short story that gets straight to the point.
There are two main types of sonnets - the Italian (or Petrarchan) sonnet and the English (or
Shakespearean) sonnet.
1. The Italian sonnet: This is split into two parts - an octave (the first 8 lines) and a sestet
(the final 6 lines). The octave typically presents a problem or conflict, and the sestet
resolves it or gives a response. The rhyme scheme is often ABBAABBA for the octave
and CDECDE or CDCDCD for the sestet.
2. The English sonnet: This is composed of three quatrains (four-line sections) and a final
rhymed couplet (two lines). Each quatrain often presents a different aspect of the main
theme, and the couplet offers a conclusion or a twist. The rhyme scheme here is ABAB
CDCD EFEF GG.
An important feature of sonnets is the 'volta' or 'turn'. This is a point (usually between the
octave and sestet in an Italian sonnet, or before the final couplet in an English sonnet)
where the poem's mood, perspective or argument changes.
 FORM: FREE VERSE

Free verse is a type of poetry that breaks away from the traditional rules of poetry. Its name,
"free verse," actually describes what it is - it's poetry that is free from the constraints of
regular meter, rhythm, and rhyme.
Here are some key things to remember about free verse:
1. No Regular Meter or Rhyme: Unlike other types of poetry, free verse doesn't have to stick
to a specific metrical pattern or a particular rhyme scheme. This doesn't mean that free
verse can't have any rhythm or rhyme – it just means that it doesn't have to follow regular
patterns.
2. Line Breaks: Free verse uses line breaks to add emphasis, to create a pause, for visual
effect, or to highlight a shift in the poem's mood or topic. This allows the poet to control
how the poem is read and understood.
3. Creative Freedom: Because free verse doesn't have to follow traditional rules, poets have
a lot of creative freedom when writing in this style. They can experiment with language,
punctuation, syntax, and form in ways that aren't usually possible in other types of poetry.
ACTIVITY: CROSSWORD

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UNDERSTANDING THE POEM
 Approaching Unseen Poetry 1. On the surface, 2. Based on the
Read the poem below and then respond to what does this language of this
the multiple-choice questions that follow. poem appear to be poem, when do you
about? think it was written?
The Rose that Grew from a) In the 14th century
a) A rose growing in
b) In the late 20th
Concrete an unusual and century
Did you hear about the rose that grew unexpected place c) In the early 17th
from a crack in the concrete? b) A rose growing century
Proving nature's law is wrong it from a crack in an d) In the 4th century
learned to walk without having feet. area of concrete Why?______________
Funny it seems, but by keeping its c) A rose growing in a __________________
place that people __________________
dreams,
would expect.
it learned to breathe fresh air. __________________
d) Any of the above.
Long live the rose that grew from
3. On a deeper level, what does the poet
concreteto be suggesting in this poem? 5. ‘It learned to 6. The speaker in
appear the poem suggests
when walk without
a) Weno one else
should giveever cared.
up on our dreams and accept that ‘nature’s law is
having feet’ is a
our lot in life wrong’. What
metaphor for:
b) Roses should only grow in gardens message could the
c) Being disadvantaged early on in life does not a) Dancing with no reader take from
necessarily mean that we cannot succeed shoes on this?
d) People who start off from a disadvantaged b) Overcoming a) We should never
position can never be successful in life underestimate
disadvantage roses
4. Who do you think wrote this poem? c) Learning to walk b) People always live
a) Tupac Shakur, the late American rap artist up to our
in uncomfortable
b) William Shakespeare, poet and playwright expectations
shoes
c) Wilfred Owen, the WW1 poet c) Flowers spend too
d) William Wordsworth, Romantic poet d) Being defeated by long in jail
In this poem, the poet Shakur uses a number of poetic methods to convey his ideas. Look at the
methods highlighted. What do you think the poet is suggesting?
Asks the reader a question
Metaphor The Rose that Grew from
Concrete
Did you hear about the rose that grew
from a crack in the concrete? Metaphor

Proving nature's law is wrong it

learned to walk without having feet.
Personificatio
Funny it seems, but by keeping its dreams, n
it learned to breathe fresh air.
Metaphor Long live the rose that grew from concrete
when no one else ever cared.
by Tupac Shakur

Is the rose a symbol of something else? In other words, does it stand for something else? If this is
the case, might the concrete be a symbol as well?
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UNSEEN POETRY ANALYSIS
APPROACH
 ANALYSIS STEPS

1. Read the poem at least twice

2. Summarise the meaning
3. Look back at the theme analysis from the question
4. Come up with 3 – 5 ideas to talk about under the theme
5. Go back to the poem, find and note down evidence for each of
your points focussing on evidence in form, structure and
language
 ANSWERING

• Introduction: Creative a focussed opening which answers the exam question directly
and list the points you will cover
• Main Body: Students create 3-4 PEEL paragraphs which explore the essay question. Each
paragraph should include:
• Point: Answers the question
• Evidence:
• Explain how the quotes prove your point is correct
• Analyse individual words
• Analyse structure
• Use alternative views
• Evaluate why the author has created this idea/impression
• Conclusion: Create a strong conclusion which might evaluate the author’s overall reason
for their creative decision and/or suggest which element you feel was more important and
why.
 EXAMPLE QUESTION

Question 1. 1
Explain how Randall Jarrell presents his thoughts about the bats
in his poem Bats.

Use evidence from the poem to support you answer. (AO2 = 24

marks)
 LET’S HAVE A LOOK AT THE POEM

• Word document
 EXAMPLE SOLUTION

Explain how
Randall Jarrell
presents his
thoughts about
the bats in his
poem Bats.

Use evidence
from the poem to
support you
answer.
(AO2 = 24
marks)
 YOUR TURN

• Practice question
QUESTIONS ON ANYTHING?
HOMEWORK
 HOMEWORK DETAILS

• Complete the given unseen poetry exam practice question

under timed condition. Use the tips we learnt today.
• Deadline: 6pm, Thursday 5th October