So I have a target of an A star and realistically, that should be ok for me to achieve. Now in the exam, I chose the mametz wood question - compare the effects of conflicts - and constructed a good answer comparing it with the yellow Palm. I wasn't to keen on the unseen poem but I gave that a good attempt to - although I only managed to write 2 pages on it.
It was only after the exam that I realised that the question has subtly hidden in it the word *place*. The question was *Compare the effects of conflict in Mametz Wood and one other poem in places*. I never read that and so I don't really have any references to places that much at all - do you think it'll be a huge mistake I've made and consequently I'm going to lose a hell of a lot of marks. I mentioned how conflict disrupts nature in Mametz wood, which is apparent through the extended metaphor of A bird and that the *Earth stands sentinel*. Furthermore, I mentioned how the refrain in Yellow Palm captures the size of the street and also appears innocuous and mundane, showing how conflict manifests itself in to people's everyday lives. But in neither of them did I link that to the question, I just mentioned it.
I know the grade boundaries are low but if I wrote a answer that isn't directly answering the question then surely there's only going to be a limited amount of marks I can pick up. I know a lot of friends who have done the same mistake, surely the wording of the question is a bit sneaky. That's AQA for you.