How to compare poems for GCSE English
Preparing for the poetry analysis and comparison questions in an exam can sometimes be daunting.
In this weeks Blog, we break down the techniques you should employ when approaching this part of the exam.
To prepare for the poetry analysis and comparison question, you need to:
1. Select the poems that you will compare before the exam – put them into pairs.
2. Learn the poems as pairs so that you have a clear understanding of all the ways that the two poems compare to each other.
3. Use the comparisons to write about different questions that could be asked about those poems in practice for the exam.
In order to select appropriate pairs in your preparation and revision:
I. Consider which poems in your anthology have the most common features.
a. Think about common themes, meanings, ideas and moods.
b. Consider common language techniques and semantic fields.
c. Reflect on the structural features used to create similar effects or feelings – these may be different features that have a similar impact.
II. Learn the themes, language techniques and structural features of each pair of poems to discuss in the exam.
The chart below is a useful tool to help you to find common features of your chosen poems:
Below you will find two completed comparison charts as examples. The first is from the Edexcel Relationships Anthology and the second is from the AQA Power and Conflict Anthology.
What do you think? We hope this blog was helpful, and if it was, please let us know!
Why not join one of our online tuition groups or booster sessions to learn much more about poetry or other English Language and Literature topics for English GCSE?
Find out how you can do this at: Tutors for Excellence
