What you'll learn
How to write about the poems or poet you have studied.
Building the essay
- Focus on the question's theme or method.
- Analyse language and imagery, form and structure, tone and the poet's methods.
- Where relevant, compare poems by the same poet or on a theme.
- Support with precise quotations.
Exam tips
- Analyse specific words and images, not general impressions.
- Track how the poem develops from start to finish.
Common mistakes
- Paraphrasing the poem instead of analysing it.
- Ignoring form and structure.