How to revise effectively for English Lit. Poetry exam?

Ok, so Poetry is the part of the english exam that I dread most but the part that I'm not actually too bad on. Apart from going over the poems and the various techniques they use what other things does everyone else do when revising for poetry? (It would also be good to try and make it exciting/interesting to whatever degree is possible ahah). Yeah, so just share tips and stuff for me and everyone. Thanks in advance.

Reply 1

m8nmina0h4

15

Print of blank poems and annotate them from memory.

Reply 2

rottcodd

3

Try to get somebody else to read the poems to you, or to find a recording of somebody else reading them. I sometimes found when I study a poem intensely that I make certain mistakes in reading style that I get used to and consistently make everytime I read it, or 'hear it' in my head. You might hear somebody else read it then suddenly get a eureka moment over something that you previously didn't quite get.

You could always get hold of some secondary material, or read a slightly different poem by the same poet that you could drop in as a comparison in the exam, so as to show off a bit.

But nothing beats really getting to grips with the poem itself, studying the themes and all that malarky. What poems are you studying?

Reply 3

Matthewsimpson

OP

1

rottcodd

Try to get somebody else to read the poems to you, or to find a recording of somebody else reading them. I sometimes found when I study a poem intensely that I make certain mistakes in reading style that I get used to and consistently make everytime I read it, or 'hear it' in my head. You might hear somebody else read it then suddenly get a eureka moment over something that you previously didn't quite get.

You could always get hold of some secondary material, or read a slightly different poem by the same poet that you could drop in as a comparison in the exam, so as to show off a bit.

But nothing beats really getting to grips with the poem itself, studying the themes and all that malarky. What poems are you studying?

Uhmm, thanks for the advice, and I'm doing the following:

Duffy - Havisham
Anne Hathaway
Before You Were Mine
Education for Leisure (my favourite

Armitage - Mother, any distance greater than a single span...
Homecoming
Kid
Hitcher

Pre-1914 poetry bank:

On my first sonne by ben jonson
The song of the old mother by yeats
The man he killed by hardy
Sonnet 130 by the bard
My Last Duchess and The laboratory by Browning

that's all :smile:

Reply 4

Diaz

12

First you should make sure you know the poems inside out, e.g How the culture or the time the poem was written can affect the way the writer has set it out. Then practice as many questions as possible. Try and remember some key quotes as well which could come under different ideas like themes or structure, this will save you time in exams when you have to have quotes.

The biggest thing also is making sure you know connotations of specific words, this really counts in the exam.

Good luck!

Reply 5

Girl1999

Gdjvsksbsjsvzbzhdvsjdbd stressed out maaaaan

Reply 6

Maddiee_xoxo

5

Anyone doing AQA English Lit and studying Browning & Tennyson?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 7

GibbyGibson123

You can find most of the poems on BBC bitesize if you google the right thing...
I found a list of all the poems i'm doing for my exams here http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english_literature/poetryrelationships/
:smile:

Reply 8

jojo10834

11

My technique when dealing with poetry was to annotate the poems and then chose the key stuff that I could apply to any possible question. So for each poem I would write out:

Language
Quote - annotations/devices
Quote - annotations/devices
Quote - annotations/devices

Structure
Rhyme Scheme:
Iambic Pentameter:
And then another structural device

Form
- The layout of the poem

The language one tends to have more as there's a lot more to comment on usually. Obviously make sure you understand the meanings of each poem, so that you can link language, structure and form to it.

Hope this helps :smile:

Reply 9

tameimpalaaa

12

The easiest way to "revise" poetry is to see it like a song or something which resonates with you.
Try and find something you connect with in the poem, something it reminds you of. This way you'll remember it more if you associate it with yourself.

Take a look at: genius.com- It's mainly for song lyrics but it gives a step by step annotation of each line.
I found that was useful for revision.
Also, memorize as many literary techniques as you can, then apply them to the poem and impress the examiner.

Good luck!

Reply 10

unicorn2504

Death of a naturalist

Reply 11

charli0026

2

i just make lash cads and that helps a lot

Reply 12

taanyab

4

Original post by Maddiee_xoxo

Anyone doing AQA English Lit and studying Browning & Tennyson?

Posted from TSR Mobile

yup I am

Reply 13

SarahBaker2002

1

Listen to 'mr Bruff'- if your struggling to get to grips with poems and you don't understand what they are on about. I strongly recommend him! To find out more go on YouTube type in Mr Bruff and the poem you are struggling with :smile:

Reply 14

danni.scannell6

1

I tried watching his videos and they really helped thanks for the advice 👍🏻

Reply 15

MimiElf

9

I've been using Seneca Learning quite a lot for poetry revision - they do super analysis and also help you to learn it. And I also watch Mr Bruff on YouTube.
And then I often just make flashcards and put post its up around my room to help me familiarise myself with it and learn it by heart!