Planning an extended and developed response on conflict poetry | Exit Quiz | Oak National Academy

Which of these questions are useful to ask yourself when deciding which two poems to compare from the Edexcel conflict poetry anthology?

• Do I like both of the poems?

• Do these poems share similar themes or ideas?

• Do the poets use similar tones or create similar moods?

• Do both poems use lots of literary methods?

• Were both poems published around the same time as each other?

Answer explanation

It's also important to ask yourself: 'Do I have enough evidence to support my comparison of these two poems?' For an effective comparative analysis, we need to make a range of detailed points and avoid tenuous links.

Which of these categories would we not use to group the Edexcel conflict anthology poems?

• Poems about nature

• Poems about war

• Poems about relationships with others

• Poems about inner conflict

• Poems about prejudice and discrimination

Answer explanation

Although both 'Exposure' and 'Extract from the Prelude' explore ideas related to nature, this is arguably not the primary focus of each. Owen reflects on the futility of war and Wordsworth explores ideas related to inner conflict and the sublime.

What makes a good topic sentence?

• leading with a comparison of literary methods

• leading with a comparison of two quotations, one from each poem

• lead with a comparison of the wider context of both poems

• leading with a comparison of the key ideas or messages of each poem

Answer explanation

Leading with key ideas in a comparative analytical response provides focus and coherence, emphasising the significance of themes over superficial features.

Supporting detail should aim to be ...

• accurate.

• rephrased into your own words.

• relevant.

• judiciously chosen.

Answer explanation

It is important that all quotations are copied accurately, they link to the question focus and your topic sentence, and they are best quote from the text to support your argument.

Which of these is good advice for building a concluding sentence?

• list all of the literary methods you've identified in that paragraph

• you must focus on context in your concluding sentence

• make a new point that you can develop in the next paragraph

• make the opposite connection to the one you made in your topic sentence

Answer explanation

Identifying the opposite connection (either a similarity or difference) to your topic sentence enables you to produce a nuanced analysis, considering the subtle connections between the texts.

In your conclusion, you should aim to ...

• use some quotes you haven't previously used in your response.

• summarise the points you've made in the response.

• link your ideas to a third poem in the anthology.

• consider why you think each writer chose to the convey their ideas in this way.

• consider how the wider context helps to shape your interpretations.

Answer explanation

A good conclusion effectively summarises the main points of the essay, reinforces the significance of the argument, and leaves a lasting impression on the reader.