AQA Paper 2 Section C Q27.2 asks you to compare the second unseen poem with the first. You have already written about the first poem in Q27.1. This question is shorter — 8 marks — but is a comparison question.
Q27.2 format
"In both 'Poem 1 Title' and 'Poem 2 Title', the poets write about [topic]. What are the similarities and/or differences in the methods the poets use to present [topic]? (8 marks)"
- All 8 marks are for AO2 (methods — language, form, structure).
- AO1 (interpretation) is not formally assessed here.
- Time: approximately 10 minutes.
What "methods" means
AQA's mark scheme uses "methods" to mean how poets write — techniques, form, structure, voice. The question wants you to compare the craft, not just the subject or feeling.
Specific methods to compare:
- Form: both sonnets? One free verse, one structured? What does the choice suggest?
- Voice: both first person? One dramatic monologue? The same situation told from different positions.
- Imagery: do both use the same vehicle (e.g. water, nature, light) but with different effects?
- Tone: one angry, one resigned — same theme, different emotional stance.
- Structure: where does each poem turn? How do their endings differ?
Writing Q27.2
Given you have only 10 minutes, be efficient:
- Open with a comparative statement — do not introduce the poems individually first.
- 1–2 comparisons fully developed are better than 5 half-done comparisons.
- Always quote from both poems — even brief phrases.
- Use "while…, in contrast…, similarly…" throughout.
⚠Common mistakes— Common errors
- Repeating your Q27.1 analysis of Poem 1 — Q27.2 should focus on comparison, not re-analysis.
- Discussing feelings/themes without methods — the question asks for methods.
- Writing a very long response — 8 marks, 10 minutes. Economy matters.
- Missing Poem 2 — you must discuss both; Q27.2 is about Poem 2 in comparison with Poem 1, so Poem 2 should dominate slightly.
Level 4 (7–8 marks) descriptor
"Perceptive, detailed discussion of poets' methods; convincing comparison of methods." This requires specific quotation, named techniques, and precise explanation of how the techniques create different effects in each poem.
✦Worked example— Worked example structure
Opening: "Both poets present [theme] but [Poem 1] does so through [method A] while [Poem 2] employs [method B]." Point 1: Compare form/structure — e.g. "The rigid sonnet form of Poem 1 contains the speaker's grief, while Poem 2's fragmented free verse enacts the disintegration it describes." Point 2: Compare imagery — e.g. "Both poems use natural imagery, but where Poem 1 presents nature as a mirror of human order, Poem 2 presents nature as indifferent." Close: One sentence that captures the fundamental methodological difference.
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