English Literature Past Paper Questions
Updated March 2016
Poetry Across Time
There are Four Parts to Section A of this Paper:




Character and Voice
Place
Conflict
Relationships
You have to choose ONE of the four parts and then answer ONE of the two questions in this part. DO NOT write
about all four parts or answer both questions within a part!!!
The Examination Papers have been collated by Part and Year.
The Questions have been analysed by theme and given poem.
The green highlights shows poems which have been set and the red those which have not been set yet. You might
want to focus on the ‘red’ poems in your revision because these have yet to be set BUT BE WARNED! ‘The Farmer’s
Bride’ has been set twice for different themes! So this prediction may not be reliable.
Your teachers will have focussed on a Poem Cluster from the 4 choices above. DO NOT go outside this cluster, if you
have studied the Relationship poems, do them in the examination!
There are only so many themes you can ask about a cluster so the trick is ……….
Knowing the themes of the poems in the cluster and what makes a good pairing with given poem on a specific
theme.
For the ‘red’ poems, what are the themes? How would you link them in the grids? What poems would you choose to
put into the grid alongside the given poem under a theme? An exercise worth doing!
Remember Section A is about showing your understanding of how a poet writes, the techniques etc, to get his theme
across the reader and this is very formulaic.
Section B is then about applying the same formula approach to something you haven’t seen before.
The formula approach is on a separate guide to poetry comparison and tackling the Unseen Poem, all on the school
revision website.
Character and Voice
June 2015
Compare the ways poets explore pride in ‘My Last Duchess’ and in one other poem from Character and Voice
Or
Compare the ways poets explore hopes and dreams in ‘Brendon Gallacher’ and in one other poem from Character
and Voice
June 2014
Compare the ways the poets show feelings towards another person in ‘On a Portrait of a Deaf Man’ and in one other
poem from Character and Voice.
Or
Compare the ways the poets show how relationships can affect people in ‘Les Grand Seigneurs’ and in one other
poem from Character and Voice.
June 2013
Compare the ways the poets explore ideas about control in ‘The River God’ and in one other poem from Character
and Voice
Or
Compare the methods the poets use to explore a character’s sense of identity in ‘Casehistory: Alison (head injury)’
and in one other poem from Character and Voice
January 2013
Compare the methods poets use to present an interesting character in ‘Singh Song’ and in one other poem from
Character and Voice
Or
Compare how poets use language to present ideas and feelings in ‘Horse Whisperer’ and in one other poem from
Character and Voice
June 2012
Compare how poets use language to explore ideas and feelings in ‘Checking Out Me History’ and in one other poem
from Character and Voice
Or
Compare the ways poets present ideas about power in ‘Ozymandias’ and in one other poem from Character and
voice
January 2012
Compare the ways poets present ideas about identity in ‘The Clown Punk’ and in one other poem from Charcaters
and Voice
Or
Compare the ways poets present isolated characters in ‘The Hunchback in the Park’ and in one other poem from
Character and Voice
June 2011
Compare the ways poets present powerful characters in ‘My Last Duchess’ and in one other poem from Character
and Voice
Or
Compare the ways poets present strong emotions in ‘Medusa’ and in one other character from Character and Voice
Character and Voice Poem Grid
Poem
The Clown Punk
Checking Out
Me History
Horse
Whisperer
Medusa
Singh Song!
Brendon
Gallacher
Give
Les Grand
Seigneurs
Ozymandias
My Last
Duchess
The River God
The Hunchback
in the Park
The Ruined
Maid
Casehistory:
Alison (head
injury)
On a Portrait of
a Deaf Man
June 2011
Jan 2012
YES
June 2012
Jan 2013
June 2013
June 2014
June 2015
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
Character and Voice Theme and Poem Grid
Themes
Not
Assessed
Present
ideas about
identity
Language to
explore ideas
and feelings
Language to
present
ideas and
feelings
Present
strong
emotions
Present an
interesting
character
Hopes and
Dreams
June
2011
Jan 2012
June 2012
Jan 2013
June 2013
June
2014
June 2015
The
Clown
Punk
Checking
Out Me
History
Horse
Whispere
r
Medusa
Singh
Song!
Brendon
Gallacher
Give
How
Relationship
s can affect
people
Present
ideas about
power
Present
Powerful
Characters
Explore ideas
about
control
Present
isolated
characters
Les
Grand
Seigneu
rs
Ozymandia
s
My Last
Duchess
The River
God
The
Hunchbac
k in the
Park
The
Ruined
Maid
Explore
character’s
sense of
identity
Feelings
towards
another
person
Pride
Casehistory
: Alison
(head
injury)
On a
Portrait
of a
Deaf
Man
My Last
Duchess
Place
June 2015
Compare the ways poets present reactions to places in ‘A Vision’ and in one other poem from Place
Or
Compare the ways poets present the power of the natural world in ‘Below the Green Corrie’ and in one other poem
from Place
June 2014
Compare the ways the poets show how places can cause people to have powerful feelings in ‘The Blackbird of
Glanmore’ and in one other poem from Place.
Or
Compare the methods the poets use in ‘Cold Knap Lake’ and in one other poem from Place, to show how places can
hold strong memories for people.
June 2013
Compare the ways the poets use imagery to explore ideas about change in ‘The Wild Swans at Colle and in one other
poem from Place
Or
Compare the methods the poets use to create a strong sense of place in ‘Crossing the Loch’ and in one other poem
from Place
January 2013
Compare how poets present the idea that nature cannot be controlled in ‘The Moment’ and in one other poem from
Place
Or
Compare the methods poets use to show that places can affect people in ‘Extract from The Prelude’ and in one other
poem from Place
June 2012
Compare the ways poets show the relationship between people and places in ‘Neighbours’ and in one other poem
from Place
Or
Compare the ways poets show attitudes towards particular places in ‘Hard Water’ and in one other poem from Place
January 2012
Compere the ways poets show people’s relationships with nature in ‘Below the Green Corrie’ and in one other poem
from Place
Or
Compare how poets use language to present ideas in ‘Storm in the Black Forest’ and in one other poem from Place
June 2011
Compare how nature is presented as threatening in ’Wind’ and in one other poem in Place
Or
Compare the ways poets present feelings about a place in ‘London’ and in one other from Place
Place Poem Grid
Poem
The Blackbird
of Glanmore
A Vision
The Moment
Cold Knap Lake
Price We Pay
for the Sun
Neighbours
Crossing the
Loch
Hard Water
London
Extract from
The Prelude
The Wild Swans
at Coole
Spellbound
Below the
Green Corrie
Storm in the
Black Forest
Wind
June 2011
Jan 2012
June 2012
Jan 2013
June 2013
June 2014
YES
June 2015
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
Place Theme and Poem Grid
Theme
Not Assessed
June 2011
Jan 2012
June 2012
Place can
cause people
to have
powerful
feelings
Reactions to a
place
Present the
idea that
nature cannot
be controlled
How places
can hold
strong
memories for
people
Jan 2013
June 2013
June 2014
June
2015
The
Blackbird
of
Glanmore
A
Vision
The
Moment
Cold Knap
Lake
Price We Pay
for the Sun
Show the
relationship
between
people and
places
Create a
strong sense
of place
Show
attitudes
towards
particular
places
Present
feelings about
a place
Methods to
show that
places can
affect people
Use of
imagery to
explore ideas
about change
Neighbours
Crossing
the Loch
Hard Water
London
Extract
from The
Prelude
The Wild
Swans at
Coole
Spellbound
Show
people’s
relationship
with nature
Language to
present ideas
How nature is
presented as
threatening
Power of the
natural world
Below the
Green
Corrie
Storm in
the Black
Forest
Wind
Below
the
Green
Corrie
Conflict
June 2015
Compare the ways the poets use places to present ideas about conflict in ‘Mametz Wood’ and in one other poem
from Conflict
Or
Compare the ways poets present fear in ’Bayonet Charge’ and in one other poem from Conflict
June 2014
Compare the ways the poets demonstrate the effects of conflict on people in ‘Extract from Out of the Blue’ and in
one other poem from Conflict.
Or
Compare the ways the poets present feelings of confusion in ‘Come On, Come Back’ and in one other poem from
Conflict
June 2013
Compare the ways the poets present ideas about power in ‘Hawk Roosting’ and in one other poem from Conflict
Or
Compare the ways the poets present the destructive impact of conflict in ‘The Yellow Palm’ and in one other poem
from Conflict
January 2013
Compare the ways poets show how conflict and war affect feelings about a place in ‘At the Border, 1979’ and in one
other poem from Conflict
Or
Compare the methods poets use to present their points of view in ‘next to of course god america i’ and in one other
poem from Conflict
June 2012
Compare how poets present the effects of war in ‘Mametz Wood’ and in one other poem from Conflict
Or
Compare how poets present bravery in ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’ and in one other poem from Conflict
January 2012
Compare how poets use language to present strong feelings in ‘Poppies’ and in one other poem from Conflict
Or
Compare how poets show attitudes to war in ‘Futility’ and in one other poem from Conflict
June 2011
Compare how poets present the effects of conflict in ‘Belfast Confetti’ and in one other poem from Conflict
Or
Compare how poets present the experience of soldiers in ‘Bayonet Charge’ and in one other poem from Conflict
Conflict Poem Grid
Poem
Flag
Extract from
Out of the Blue
Memetz Wood
The Yellow
Palm
The Right
Word
At the Border,
1979
Belfast
Confetti
Poppies
Futility
The Charge of
the Light
Brigade
Bayonet
Charge
The Falling
Leaves
‘Come On,
Come Back’
next to of
course god
America i
Hawk Roosting
June 2011
Jan 2012
June 2012
Jan 2013
June 2013
June 2014
June 2015
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
Conflict Theme and Poem Grid
Theme
Not Assessed
June 2011
Jan 2012
June 2012
Jan 2013
June 2013
June 2014
June
2015
Flag
Demonstrate
the effects of
conflict on
people
Present the
effects of war
Present the
destructive
impact of
conflict
Extract
from Out
of the
Blue
Memetz
Wood
The Yellow
Palm
The Right
Word
Show how
conflict and
war affect
feelings about
a place
Present the
effects of
conflict
Language to
present
strong
feelings
Show
attitudes to
war
Presents
bravery
At the
Border,
1979
Belfast
Confetti
Poppies
Futility
The
Charge of
the Light
Brigade
Present the
experience of
soldiers
Bayonet
Charge
The Falling
Leaves
Present
feelings of
confusion
Present their
points of view
Present ideas
about power
Ideas about
conflict
Present fear
‘Come
On, Come
Back’
next to of
course god
America i
Hawk
Roosting
Memetz
Wood
Bayonet
Charge
Relationships
June 2015
Compare the methods poets use to present damaged relationships in ‘The Manhunt’ and in one other poem from
Relationships
Or
Compare the ways poets explore trust in ‘Sister Maude’ and in one other poem from Relationships
June 2014
Compare the ways the poets use form and structure to help present their ideas in ‘Ghazal’ and in one other poem
from Relationships.
Or
Compare the effects the poets create with the endings of their poems in ‘The Farmer’s Bride’ and in one other poem
from Relationships.
June 2013
Compare the methods the poets use to explore ideas about love in ‘Sonnet 116’ and in one other poem from
Relationships
Or
Compare the ways the poets present hopes and wishes in ‘Born Yesterday’ and in one other poem from
Relationships
January 2013
Compare the methods poets use to explore ideas about time in ‘Hour’ and in one other poem from Relationships
Or
Compare the methods poets use to present difficult relationships in ‘The Farmer’s Bride’ and in one other poem
from Relationships
June 2012
Compare the ways poets explore strong feelings about another person in ‘Quickdraw’ and in one other poem from
Relationships
Or Compare the ways poets use language to present relationships in ‘Praise Song for My Mother’ and in one other
poem from Relationships
January 2012
Compare the ways poets use structure to develop ideas about a relationship in ‘Sonnet 43’ and in one other poem
from Relationships
Or
Compare the ways poets present a speaker’s attitudes towards another person in ‘Harmonium’ and in other poem
from Relationships
June 2011
Compare how poets use language to present feelings in ‘The Manhunt’ and in one other poem from Relationships
Or
Compare the ways poets portray emotions in ‘Nettles’ and in one other poem from Relationships
Relationships Poem Grid
Poem
The Manhunt
Hour
In Paris with
You
Quickdraw
Ghazal
Brothers
Praise Song for
My Mother
Harmonium
Sonnet 116
Sonnet 43
To His Coy
Mistress
The Farmer’s
Bride
Sister Maude
Nettles
Born Yesterday
June 2011
YES
Jan 2012
June 2012
Jan 2013
June 2013
June 2014
June 2015
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
Relationships Theme and Poem Grid
Theme
Not
Assessed
Language to
present
feelings
Explore ideas
about time
June 2011
Jan 2012
June 2012
Jan 2013
June 2013
June 2014
June
2015
The
Manhunt
Hour
In Paris
with You
Explore
strong
feelings
about
another
person
Use form and
structure to
present ideas
Quickdraw
Ghazal
Brothers
Language to
present
relationships
Attitudes
towards
another
person
Explore ideas
and love
Structure to
develop
ideas about a
relationship
Praise Song
for My
Mother
Harmonium
Sonnet 116
Sonnet 43
To His Coy
Mistress
The effects of
the endings
of poems
Present
difficult
relationships
Portray
emotions
Present
hopes and
wishes
Damaged
relationships
Explore trust
The
Farmer’s
Bride
The
Farmer’s
Bride
Nettles
Born
Yesterday
The
Manhunt
Sister
Maude