How do I answer the unseen poetry section of my exam?

This can be tricky in timed conditions, but with practice this should be okay! A few top tips to follow include:

1. Use connectives. This is simple to remember, and encourages you to delve as deep into your analysis as you possibly can! These may include: "thus", "this elucidates to", and "hence".

2. Practice unseen poetry analysis in your own home. Whilst time conditions may not be in place, practicing enables you to read and analyse at a quicker pace. If you are studying 'Conflict', some recommended poems may include Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley, and War Photographer by Carol Ann Duffy.

3. Identity literary techniques. Explore the impact these choices have, and the impact this has on the reader. This means looking at the language and structure of the poem. Key literary devices may include repetition, alliteration, or enjambment. Explore why the poet has used these devices, and their impact.

4. Write a coherent plan before you begin writing. This ensures fluency in your writing, and ensures you do not miss out of any key points you wish to make.