Unseen poetry requires a systematic reading approach. Two widely-used frameworks for AQA are SMILE and TIPCAS. Both are structured reading protocols that ensure you cover the main analytical areas before writing.
SMILE
| Letter | Stands for | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| S | Structure | Stanza shape, line length, rhyme scheme, enjambment, caesura, volta/turn |
| M | Meaning | What is the poem about? What is happening? What is the speaker's situation? |
| I | Imagery | Metaphors, similes, personification, extended imagery, symbols |
| L | Language | Specific diction choices — connotations, register, unusual words |
| E | Effect | What does each element CONTRIBUTE to the overall impact and meaning? |
Use SMILE as a reading checklist — it prevents you from missing key areas.
💡Tip— TIPCAS
| Letter | Stands for | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| T | Title | What does the title suggest? Does it change meaning at the end? |
| I | Ideas | What ideas does the poem explore? What does the poet seem to think? |
| P | Personas/Voice | Who is speaking? What is their tone/attitude? |
| C | Context (literary) | What form/tradition does this poem use or subvert? |
| A | Attitude | What is the speaker's emotional stance? Does it shift? |
| S | Structure | See above. |
TIPCAS is slightly more analytical from the start; SMILE is faster for reading and annotating.
Which to use
Choose one framework and practise it consistently before the exam. In the exam itself, you do not need to write the framework — it structures your annotation and planning.
Planning from the framework
After SMILE or TIPCAS annotation:
- Draft your thesis (for Q27.1).
- Identify your 3–4 analytical points — each from a different SMILE/TIPCAS category.
- Ensure one structural point (S) and at least two imagery/language points (I, L/A).
A common pitfall: SMILE as a formula
Do not write paragraphs headed "Structure:", "Meaning:", "Imagery:" — the frameworks are planning tools, not essay structure. Your essay should have analytical paragraphs, each making a focused point, using SMILE as invisible background.
Subject terminology for unseen poetry
Structural: stanza, volta, enjambment, caesura, line break, end-stopped line, couplet, quatrain, free verse, sonnet (Petrarchan/Shakespearean). Voice/form: dramatic monologue, lyric, first person, second person address, direct address, retrospective narration. Language: metaphor, simile, extended metaphor, personification, pathetic fallacy, sibilance, alliteration, assonance, onomatopoeia, juxtaposition, oxymoron, anaphora, repetition. Tone: elegiac, sardonic, wistful, rueful, defiant, ambivalent, tender, bitter, celebratory, melancholic.
Final checklist before leaving Section C
- Have I written a focused thesis for Q27.1?
- Have I analysed both language AND structure in Q27.1?
- Have I written Q27.2 as a comparison of METHODS (not just themes)?
- Have I quoted from both poems in Q27.2?
- Have I checked time — have I left enough for Q27.2?
AI-generated · claude-opus-4-7 · v3-deep-english-literature