What The Question Is Asking (Edexcel GCSE English Literature)

Unseen Poetry: What The Question Is Asking

Your GCSE English Literature examination requires you to answer one question comparing two unseen contemporary poems. This can seem daunting, especially as you have to write about two poems you have never seen before. However, examiners just want to see your ideas and opinions about the poems.

You will be assessed on unseen poetry in Paper 2 of your GCSE. The guide below will enable you to approach Section B part (b) of that exam paper with confidence. It has been divided into:

• Overview

• Breaking down the question

• Top tips

Overview

The Edexcel GCSE English Literature Paper 2 examination consists of three sections and lasts for 2 hours and 15 minutes. Section A concerns your study of your chosen 19th-century novel, while Section B covers your study of a poetry anthology, as well as unseen poetry. All of the questions in Section B have two parts, (a) and (b), and you need to answer both parts of the question. Overall, you should aim to spend 35 minutes on part (a) and 45 minutes on part (b). A total of 40 marks are available for Section B: 20 marks are awarded for part (a) and 20 marks are awarded for part (b).

In your response you are expected to:

• Write a critical analytical commentary on the two unseen poems printed on the question paper

• Demonstrate an appreciation of the poems by developing a personal response

• Use quotations and references from the poems to support your points

• Respond to the poets’ use of language, form and structure in the poem

• Show that you understand the main ideas and explicit meanings in the poems, as well as the implied or hidden meanings

• Compare both poems throughout your response, commenting on their similarities and differences

You should aim to spend approximately 45 minutes on Section B part (b). The suggested timings are:

Breaking down the question

For this question, you will be asked to answer one question comparing two unseen contemporary poems. The most common mistake students make in exams is not thoroughly understanding the question. By paying close attention to the question, you can significantly enhance your exam performance.

Below is an example of this task from the unseen poetry section of Paper 2:

Top tips

• Start your answer using the wording of the question:

  • This demonstrates to the examiner that you have understood both the question and the poems

• Consider your own impressions in relation to the poems before you begin to write, rather than forming an opinion during the course of writing your response

• Ensure that all of your points are fully developed and, where possible, consider alternative interpretations

• Keep your textual references succinct:

  • Textual references should be accurate and discerning and should fully support the points you make

  • One- or two-word examples are often much more successful than longer quotations

• Also make sure that your selection of quotations is directly relevant to the focus of the question:

  • Deconstruct the quotations you choose, analysing each one in detail

• You can include word-level analysis, exploring the effect of single words, but you also need to think about how elements combine to create meaning

• Remember that personas, and characters in a poem, are constructs, not real people:

  • Think about what each character’s function is in the poem

• Always frame your essay with the poet in mind:

  • Remember, poets use methods, including language and structure, to form and express their ideas and these choices are conscious and deliberate

• Zoom out to big ideas in your analysis:

  • Go from analysing language, to the poet’s overall intention, or message