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TABLE
of
CONTENTS
GCSE ENGLISH / ENGLISH LANGUAGE:
English / English Language Unit 1 Exam: Section A………………………......................................4
English / English Language Unit 1 Exam: Section B…………………………………………………….……19
GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE:
English Literature: Unit 1 Exam……….………………………………………………………………………………45
English Literature: Unit 2 Exam…………….…………………………………………………………………………47
Afterword……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...81
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English / English Language
Unit 1 Exam
Section A
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English / English Language
Unit 1 Exam
Higher Tier
Section A
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ENGLISH / ENGLISH LANGUAGE EXAM SECTION A
THE PAPER
This exam is a long one: 2 hours 15 minutes. Your paper is marked out of a total of 80 marks,
with 40 available for section A and 40 available for section B. In section B, around 1/3 of the
marks available are rewarded for spelling, punctuation and grammar. In section A, there are
no marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar as it is testing your reading skills.
For section A you are required to read three source texts – usually a newspaper article,
advert, webpage etc. It is recommended that you spend 15 minutes reading those sources
before moving onto the questions. In the higher tier paper all three texts tend to be very
dense – no easy posters here!
QUESTION 1
Question 1 is based on source 1 and is worth 8 marks. You are given 3 pages in the answer booklet,
and should aim to fill at least two of these. The question is testing your ability to read and
understand a text, backing up your points with quotations. It is a fairly easy opener to the exam
paper. You are being asked to summarise the text in your own words, pointing out subtleties or
inconsistencies if you can spot them.
Although this is a fairly simple question, there are still a few pitfalls you need to avoid. To begin with,
this is not a language analysis question. You should not be picking out DAFOREST techniques and
commenting on their effect on the reader. In fact, all you are being asked to do is summarise the text
in your own words.
TOP TIPS FOR QUESTION 1





Make a range of points which summarise all parts of the text.
Comment on how the text begins, what it is saying in the
middle and how it ends.
Use your own words – don’t just copy out the text.
Back up your points with appropriate quotations.
Look for subtleties such as inconsistencies or contradictions.
The following sample question and answer is based on my article ‘Education for the Nation’
which can be found on page 16.
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Q: What do you learn from the article about the ways students are revising?
The article ‘Education for the Nation’ shows us that students are revising in a number of different ways.
To begin with, they are revising through watching online videos, such as those recorded by Andrew Bruff.
We know this to be true because the videos have been ‘been viewed nearly half a million times’. This is a
staggering statistic which must represent a massively part of the population who take exams. Considering
such a great number is being achieved by just one teacher, we can hypothesise that the majority of
students are now using this method of online videos to revise.
Another way students are revising is through downloading eBooks. Again, Andrew Bruff’s eBook has been
downloaded over 10,000 times in a month which suggests that there is a big call for this type of revision
material. The beauty of eBooks is that they can be downloaded not only onto PCs but also iPad, iPhone
and the like. This suggests that students are revising ‘on the go’, at times and places where they want to
revise. This perhaps shows that students are no longer just revising at home or school, but are utilising
their mobile technology to revise whenever they can fit it in – during car trips for example. If an actual
print book sold 10,000 copies it would be considered a bestseller, so clearly this huge figure points to the
fact that students WANT to revise on the move.
Students are also revising through podcasting. Podcasts are a relatively new phenomenon, but clearly
students revise through them as Andrew Bruff has seen the need to create the ‘walk to school’ podcast.
Again this suggests that students want to revise on their own terms, at times and places that are
convenient for them.
The final thing we learn about student revision is that students want instant feedback and results.
Andrew Bruff has 1,000 followers on Twitter and gets asked questions which he responds to ‘in real time’.
This shows that students want 24/7 communication with teachers and are utilising technology to achieve
this. They don’t want to have to wait until they get to their English lesson to speak to their teachers.
QUESTION 2
This means everything except
words, so you should be
thinking about images, fonts,
pictures, photos etc.
Question 2 will ask you to explain how the writer uses presentational devices to engage the
reader. This question is worth 8 marks, meaning you should spend around 12 minutes on it.
You are expected to analyse the presentational devices mentioned in the question and
comment on their effect on the reader. Also, there will be a second part to the question,
usually asking how the presentational devices relate to the text itself.
The best way to approach this question is to imagine that the sources began as blank white
pieces of paper. Every single colour, image and font was therefore chosen with purpose, and
the placement of these elements was also a deliberate choice. That means you will have
plenty to choose from.
Because of copyright, I cannot reprint any texts here. However, imagine the front cover of a
weekly women’s magazine. The colour pink is used throughout, and the main image on the
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cover is of an attractive woman with blonde hair; she isn’t a celebrity or a glamour model,
but a homely and nice looking woman. Why might these colours and images have been used
in this source? Well, you’ll need to explain your thinking in PEE paragraphs something like
this:
In source two the colour pink in used throughout the text in both the title, headings and banner. The
colour pink is a signifier which has a connotation of femininity. The colour is used to make the audience
realise that the magazine is primarily pitched at a female target audience.
The main photo on the magazine front cover is of a beautiful young woman. This woman adheres to the
stereotypical image of female beauty: blonde hair, blue eyes and straight teeth. The image is used to
appeal to female readers in the same age range as the model; she acts as a role model to readers who
aspire to be like her. The connotation is that the magazine contains information on how to be like this
woman.
As you can see, my answer clearly focuses on the purpose of the text – in this case the
magazine front cover is trying to attract women to buy the magazine. From there I explain
how the colours and images are attempting to do this. Never write about different elements
in the same paragraph – keep them for a separate paragraph.
TOP TIPS FOR QUESTION 2
Make a direct reference to illustrate the device. Obviously
you can’t quote a picture or colour, but you can refer to it
like this: ‘the colour pink is used for the magazine title’.
Explain why the writer has used this device.
Comment on the effect on the reader.
Because of lack of source material, I will once again base my sample answer on my article
‘Education for the Nation’. However, please note that question 2 will be based on a different
source to question 1 in the exam.
Q: How are the headline, subheadline and picture effective. How do they link to the text?
There are basically 4 different parts to this question:
1)
2)
3)
4)
How is the headline effective?
How is the subheadline effective?
How is the picture effective?
How do they link to the text?
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To me, it seems logical therefore to attempt these four parts one by one, following all of the
guidance set out in the ‘top tips’ section above.
The headline of the article ‘Education for the Nation’ is effective for two reasons. To begin with, it does
what every good headline should do – it hints at the topic of the article and it is catchy and memorable
due to the use of rhyme. It is also effective because it summarises the most important part of the article:
that Andrew Bruff’s online resources are teaching students across the country. It links to the text because
the text goes on to explain just how Bruff is educating the nation, e.g. ‘Andrew created over 200 videos’
[on YouTube].
The picture is effective because it really symbolises so much of what Andrew Bruff does. The photo shows
Bruff smiling / laughing. The connotation here is that Bruff is a fun person who has a good sense of
humour which is likely to be used in his revision materials. This would appeal to students who may think
revising is boring; if Bruff makes it fun then that would certainly make them want to look at his resources.
This links to the text because Bruff himself says “I try to throw in some humour where I can, just to keep
things lively”.
Also, the ‘Education for the Nation’ image shows Mr Bruff wearing a pair of sunglasses. The connotation
and the effect on the reader is that they therefore think Mr Bruff must be ‘cool’. For teenagers (Mr Bruff’s
target audience), image is very important – as is street cred, so appearing ‘cool’ would be very important
to attract the right target audience. This ties in with the text because the text goes on to explain how Bruff
uses YouTube, Twitter and iTunes: all sites which are very popular with young people. Through utilising
sites which are popular with young people, Bruff is, as suggested in his pose in the photo, contemporary
and relevant to young people.
My final point about the photo is that Bruff is faced away from the camera. This symbolically refers to the
relationship Bruff has with his audience: they watch him but he cannot see them. It shows that the
responsibility lies with the student to make the effort to watch his materials. This is different to school life
where the teacher will be checking up on the class. In the online world where Andrew Bruff operates, the
onus is on the student to watch the teacher, not the other way around. This links to the text because in the
text we see that Bruff uses Twitter to ‘answer questions’. The focus here is on students coming to Bruff
and him responding, not the other way around.
Finally, the subheading is effective because it summarises the whole article in a short space. This is the
purpose of a subheading – if the headline has grabbed the reader’s attention, the subheading will then
show them whether the article is going to be of interest to them. When we read ‘An English teacher from
Devon is revolutionising the way students learn, utilising web2 technologies such as YouTube, iTunes and
Twitter’ we have a full understanding of what the rest of the article is going to be about. It links to the text
because there is a paragraph in the article about each of the points mentioned in the subheading: one on
YouTube, one on iTunes and one on Twitter.
The subheading is also effective for another reason. Through the use of emotive language. One example
can be found when he states that the work Mr Bruff completes is ‘revolutionising’ learning. The word
‘revolutionising’ conjures up images of something grand and historical. The effect on the reader is that
they think the work Mr Bruff is doing is absolutely amazing, and therefore it makes the reader want to
read on to find out just what is so stupefying.
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QUESTION 3
Question 3 is based on source 3. It is a difficult question in that it appears to be quite vague.
It will ask you to explain – to make clear and understandable, something you have read
about in the source. The question is, once again, worth 8 marks. It will often, but not always,
be based on a non-fiction text such as a journal or autobiography piece.
Like question 2, this question will be testing your ability to understand and interpret
meaning, this time in source three. Again, it is not a language analysis question, and
language should only be analysed if it specifically answers the question. You should not
write about the effect on the reader in this question (that comes in question 4).
As with question 1, you should aim to make a range of points which cover all parts of the
text. Comment on how the text begins, what it is saying in the middle and how it ends.
TOP TIPS FOR QUESTION 3:



Write about all parts of the text – beginning, middle and
end
Back up your points with quotations from the text
Do not write about the effect on the reader.
This sample question and answer is based on the biography extract titled ‘First Day Nerves’,
which can be found on page 18
Q: Explain the feelings and thoughts Andrew Bruff had on his first day of teaching.
Using the top tips above, here is my sample answer:
One of the first feelings Andrew Bruff had on his first day of teaching was of feeling unprepared for the
job. On that first day Bruff came to the worrying realisation that, ‘despite everything you learn in your
teacher training year, nothing can prepare you’ for the start of teaching. This suggests that there is a vast
difference between learning the theory of teaching and actually putting it into practise. It also suggests
that teacher training does not do a good enough job in preparing trainees for the realities of the job and
clearly Bruff was panicked when he realised this personally on day one.
As the lesson began the students were grinning at Bruff and he felt confused ‘about just why they were so
amused’. This sense of confusion is backed up by the short sentences used in this part of the text such as ‘I
froze’. This short sentence perhaps reflects the short breaths or fast heart beats that Bruff was
experiencing in this difficult lesson.
As the lesson went on, Bruff began to feel angry at the students, blaming them and their backgrounds for
the poor lesson. We see this when he refers to the students as a ‘rabble’ in paragraph four, a stark
contrast from the collective term of ‘group’ which was used at the beginning of the text. This change of
language choice shows how Bruff’s thoughts were turning bitter against the students that he could not
control.
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When Bruff began sending numerous students out, he felt self conscious and paranoid at how his Head of
Department would feel. We see this when he imagines the Head of Department’s thoughts: ‘had the new
guy cracked already?’ Bruff was clearly feeling paranoid here as the Head of Department didn’t even say
anything, but Bruff imagined his thoughts and imagined them in a very negative fashion.
QUESTION 4
This is the trickiest question in section A, in that it will require you to choose which sources
you will write about. You will be asked to compare the language use in two texts – one is set
and the other is to be chosen by you. This question is worth 16 marks and requires a very
detailed answer.
A lot of students struggle with this question, particularly with the idea of analysing
‘language’ which seems like such a vague term. The exam boards have stated in their
examiners’ reports that many students struggle with this question because they do not have
a tool-kit to analyse language. Well, I have got a toolkit for you, and it’s called DAFOREST. I
will happily share it with you but I must make it clear that it is not going to get you an A or
A* - it is a good building block to start with, and I include it here for those of you looking for
a starting point when it comes to language analysis, but I will give some more sophisticated
techniques afterwards.
Here is DAFOREST:
TECHNIQUE
DEFINITION
Direct address Referring to the reader
directly using the pronouns
‘we’ or ‘you’.
Alliteration A group of words beginning
with the same letter or
sound.
Fact Something which can be
proven to be true.
Opinion A belief which cannot be
proven to be true.
Rhetorical question Any question in a piece of
writing which does not
require an answer.
Emotive language Words which elicit a
powerful emotional
response.
Statistics Numerical facts and data.
(rule of) three Lists of three things in a
sentence.
EXAMPLE
‘You need to give up
smoking’
‘Smoking sucks’
‘60% of teens have tried
smoking’
‘Everyone hates people who
smoke’
‘Do you want to die young?’
‘Smoking is barbaric and
torturous’
‘8/10 smokers want to quit’
‘smoking is expensive,
harmful and anti-social’.
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There is no quick way around this other than to say you will need to memorise DAFOREST
and be able to spot it in the two sources. The great thing about it is that the effect it has on
the reader is always the same, so if you can memorise it now you pretty much have your
answer ready for question three. Here is another table explaining the effect of each
technique:
TECHNIQUE
EFFECT ON THE READER
Direct address Engages the reader to read on as they feel that, by being addressed
directly, the text is relevant to them.
Alliteration Makes the text catchy – it sticks in the reader’s head.
Fact Make the text seem authoritative, accurate and therefore believable.
Opinion Sway the reader towards the writer’s viewpoint.
Rhetorical question Engages the reader to read on as they feel that, by being addressed
directly, the text is relevant to them.
Emotive language Makes the topic of the text seem overly good or bad, depending on
the purpose of the text.
Statistics Make the text seem authoritative, accurate and therefore believable.
(rule of) three Makes the text catchy – it sticks in the reader’s head.
If you can memorise the details in the table above, then answering question 4 becomes
quite simple:


Read the two sources, highlighting the DAFOREST techniques as you find them. You
may not find them all, but there should always be at least five of them.
Turn each one into a separate PEE paragraph, using the formulaic answers from the
table above. For example:
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The writer of the anti-smoking leaflet uses direct address in the article, asking ‘do you want to die young?’
The use of ‘you’ grabs the reader’s attention and makes them feel the article is written just for them. It
makes them want to read on.
The use of emotive language persuades the reader to want to give up smoking. Words such as ‘barbaric’
and ‘torturous’ make smoking seem so bad that they are persuaded to see their habit in an extremely
negative light. The writer does this to make them want to quit’.
BUILDING ON THE BASICS OF DAFOREST
As I have said, DAFOREST is a useful starting point but for those of you aiming to achieve the
very top grades you will need to do more than churn out simple PEE paragraphs verbatim.
For example, you should also try to consider the structure of a text as seen in this sample
answer:
The writer uses a mix of fact and opinion to persuade the reader to give up smoking. When we read 'each
cigarette contains 0.2 grams of asbestos', this fact makes us feel that the article is accurate and to be
believed; facts give an air of authority to a text. By following this with the opinion 'smoking is a disgusting
habit', we are led to believe that this too is a fact, like the one that went before it. The effect is that we
believe the opinion to be fact and are therefore persuaded that smoking is both a dangerous and
disgusting habit.
You should also look for examples of humour, irony, satire, hyperbole and other techniques.
When you find these you should follow the same format as stated above: mention the
technique, back up your point with a quotation and write about the effect on the reader.
Finally, if you are naturally a top level student you should also be willing to ‘go with your
gut’. If there is a word or phrase which seems significant to you then you should write about
it.
Do not forget that this is a comparison question. Because of this, you will also need to
consider how the two texts are similar and different. A comparative paragraph may read:
Source three does not use fact at all, but relies on emotive language to do its bidding. In an attempt to sell
the holiday package the text is littered with words such as ‘awe inspiring’ and breath-taking’. These
words are hyperbolic; this is but a simple two star package holiday. However, the desired effect is that the
reader will fall in love with the holiday, rating it far higher than it does in actuality deserve. Whereas
source one uses facts to sound authoritative and accurate, source three sees no such need. Perhaps this is
because the whole advert is ‘tongue in cheek’ , using a wry sense of humour to entertain its reader and
ultimately cause them to amiably book the holiday.’
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TOP TIPS FOR QUESTION 4





Choose your second source carefully – the easiest thing to do
is choose the one which contains most of the DAFOREST
techniques.
Read both sources, highlighting the DAFOREST techniques as
you find them. You may not find them all, but there should
always be at least five of them.
Turn each one into a separate PEE paragraph, using the
formulaic answers from the table above.
Look for more sophisticated points if you are aiming for A and
A* grades.
Remember to compare – write about similarities and
differences.
For my sample answer, I will use the texts ‘Education for the Nation’ and ‘First Day Nerves’
to answer the following:
Q: Compare the use of language in two texts
The writer of ‘Education for the Nation’ uses emotive language throughout the article. One example can be
found when he states that the work Mr Bruff completes is ‘revolutionising’ learning. The word
‘revolutionising’ conjures up images of something grand and historical. The effect on the reader is that
they think the work Mr Bruff is doing is absolutely amazing.
The writer of ‘First Day Nerves’ also uses emotive language. However, whereas the purpose in ‘Education
for the Nation’ is to present the topic in positive terms, the emotive language used in ‘Firs Day Nerves’ is
used to show how awful the students were. Describing the group as a ‘rabble’ of ‘yobbish lads’ is clearly
used to have the emotive effect on the reader of thinking that these students were incredibly uncouth.
The inconsistency here is that Mr Bruff had only just met the class, so clearly these assumptions were
being made on first impressions.
Another use of language in the ‘Education for the Nation’ is seen through the persuasive mix of fact and
opinion. The writer uses many facts such as ‘half a million times across 179 different countries’. The
writer uses facts to make the text sound accurate and authoritative. Whereas the rest of the article is
largely made up of positive opinions, the facts and statistics make the reader believe what they are
reading is true. It moves away from sounding too much like a fan piece to seeming to be real ‘news’. This
is important as the text comes from a newspaper and should therefore aim to appear impartial. The truth
is that the text is not impartial – it clearly aims to promote the online work of Mr Bruff. However, by
cleverly mixing facts and statistics along with the more persuasive opinions such as ‘an English teacher
from Devon is revolutionising the way students learn’, the reader is inclined to believe that everything
they are reading is fact. The subtle juxtaposition of fact and opinion is used to make the reader believe
every part of the article is fact.
The line between fact and opinion is also blurred in the source ‘First Day Nerves’. Facts such as ‘the group
was a year 11 class’ make the reader believe that they are going to be reading a factual recount piece.
However, opinions are then mixed in, such as: ‘nothing can prepare you for your first ever lesson as a
newly qualified teacher’. This particular opinion is used to suggest that Bruff was not to blame for this
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poor lesson, that there was nothing he could have done about it. Were the piece wholly made up of
opinion we might question this, but being once again juxtaposed with facts, the effect on the reader is that
the whole thing seems accurate.
Another language technique used in ‘Education for the Nation’ is the rule of three, seen where we read of
Mr Bruff’s ‘videos, podcasts and eBooks’. By putting things in a list of three it makes them catchy and
memorable, meaning the reader is more likely to remember the services Mr Bruff offers, simply because
they are put into a list of three things. The writer of ‘First Day Nerves’ also uses the rule of three
‘unkempt, uninterested, yobbish lads’. The rule of three is once again used to make something stick in the
reader’s head but, in this case, it is the fact that the boys were so difficult.
The writer of ‘Education for the Nation’ ends by using direct address, telling the reader to ‘Google his
name and you’ll see for yourself’. By addressing the reader with the personal pronoun ‘you’ it makes them
feel they are being spoken to personally, and therefore makes them more likely to take note of what is
being written. Ending the article with this command is also a clever way of making sure the reader (when
they have finished the article) goes and researches Mr Bruff right away. In contrast, direct address is also
used in ‘First Day Nerves’, but for a completely different purpose. When we read ‘how was I to know?’ we
can see that the writer is trying to gain sympathy from the reader. The technique is the same, but the
purpose is very different.
So that concludes Section A. Next up I will take a look at section B of the exam.
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Education for the Nation
An English teacher from Devon is revolutionising the way students learn, utilising web2
technologies such as YouTube, iTunes and Twitter.
Andrew Bruff began recording lessons in his class-room in 2011: “I had spent around eight hours
prepping the starter for a lesson which would only take around ten minutes to deliver”. Knowing
that the lecture would be missed by absent students, Andrew looked for a way to gain maximum
value from his efforts. The solution: film the lesson with a handheld camera and upload it onto
YouTube for the class to re-watch as revision.
“I quickly realised that actual video footage
was not the way to go – I looked bald and
overweight, the room was untidy, the lighting
ineffective. At that point I began researching
screen capture software”. From here, Andrew
fell into his regular format: animated videos
with his voice-over added. He began uploading
to youtube.com/mrbruff.
What quickly became apparent was that Mr
Bruff’s students were not the only ones
watching: “in that first few months I had just
under 5,000 views from across 76 different
countries. I received dozens of message of
support and from that point on I was hooked”.
Over the next two years, Andrew created over
200 videos on GCSE and A Level English which
have, to date, been viewed nearly half a million
times from across 179 different countries. But
it didn’t stop there.
Last month Andrew launched his own website:
‘mrbruff.com’ and with it his first eBook, a
revision guide based on his videos. Within a
month the eBook had been downloaded over
10,000 times.
English revision master Andrew Bruff
With the chaos of teaching, leading a
department and running the online revision
site, I asked Andrew if the pressure can be
too much. His response: “I try to throw in
some humour where I can, just to keep
things lively Every day I get messages from
students, teachers and authors across the
world who tell me that what I am doing is
making a difference, so I guess I just can’t
stop!”
In February, he launched a ‘walk to school’
podcast made up of 15 minute episodes which
cover key exam skills and tips. “I guess I am
motivated by making a difference to students,
making sure that any student anywhere can
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access outstanding teaching and learning”.
/15
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/16
FIRST DAY NERVES
English teacher Andrew Bruff here writes about his first lesson as a qualified teacher.
Despite everything you learn in your teacher training year, nothing can prepare you for your
first ever lesson as a newly qualified teacher; mine still gives me nightmares to this day.
The group was a year 11 class made up, for the most part, of street-wise boys. I met the
group at the door with a wide smile, but as each one slowly filtered in I could feel the energy
drain out of me. I had pictured well dressed, keen-to-learn children, but those who entered
‘my’ room were unkempt, uninterested, yobbish lads who probably all had ASBOs. Seating
plans weren’t even invented back then, so the students simply placed themselves down
wherever they fancied – that was a big oversight on my part, but how was I to know?
When I was sure I had the whole group in, I slowly closed the door and turned to face them.
There, staring back at me in suspense were fifteen arrogant boys, all grinning from ear to
ear. I remember feeling confused about just why they were so amused. Looking back with
the benefit of hindsight I now know that it was because they knew they had me; the
following hour was going to be a nightmare. These boys were surrounded by a harem of
adoring chav girls – the kind who would go on to be hairdressers no doubt.
The minute I opened my mouth they began talking over me. At this point I knew none of
their names and so I struggled with a “hey you, don’t talk over me”, which the offender
simply ignored. It was like I wasn’t there. I froze. I simply did not know what to do with this
rabble. I tried sending one out – much to the amusement of both the boy in question and
the rest of the class. Did this silence the others? No way! If anything it spurred them on. I
sent another out, then another and another and another until I had sent out what would go
on to be my career best of nine students. After three or four, my Head of Department
looked at me with concern – had the new guy cracked already? I was asking myself the same
question.
Over the coming weeks and months I learnt a multitude of valuable lessons in how to
manage a class, and by the end those boys and girls were working, learning and achieving. If
I could go back in a time machine I would do it all differently, but alas there is no such thing,
so I will simply have to remember with discomfort that painful first ever lesson with Year 11.
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/17
English / English Language
Unit 1 Exam
Section B
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ENGLISH / ENGLISH LANGUAGE EXAM SECTION B
Section B is the writing section of the exam, requiring you to write two long answers. You
are recommended to spend around 25 minutes on question 5 and 35 minutes on question 6.
Around 1/3 of the marks available in this section are awarded for spelling, punctuation and
grammar, so it is not just about what you write but how you write it.
I shall divide this chapter into 4 parts: purpose, audience, format and technical skills.
PURPOSE
The section B questions are based on a number of purposes: writing to argue, persuade,
inform, explain and describe are the most common ones. However, there is one great set of
linguistic devices which applies to all of these: DAFOREST.
Here are some typical questions you might see in Section B of the exam:
Write a letter to your head teacher arguing that you should be able to wear what you
want to school.
Write an article for your school website which persuades prospective parents to send
their children to your school.
Write a letter to your parents in which you persuade them to let you go on holiday with a
friend this summer.
Write the text for a speech in which you argue for or against compulsory PE lessons.
All of these questions would suit the DAFOREST linguistic devices.
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/19
LINGUISTIC DEVICES: USING DAFOREST
TECHNIQUE
DEFINITION
Direct address Referring to the reader
directly using the pronouns
‘we’ or ‘you’.
Alliteration A group of words beginning
with the same letter or sound.
Fact Something which can be
proven to be true.
Opinion A belief which cannot be
proven to be true.
Rhetorical Any question in a piece of
question writing which does not
require an answer.
EXAMPLE
‘You need to give
up smoking’
‘Smoking sucks’
‘60% of teens
have tried
smoking’
‘Everyone hates
people who
smoke’
‘Do you want to
die young?’
Emotive Words which elicit a powerful
language emotional response.
‘Smoking is
barbaric and
torturous’
statistics Numerical facts and data.
‘8/10 smokers
want to quit’
(rule of) three Lists of three things in a
sentence.
‘smoking is
expensive,
harmful and antisocial’.
WHY WE USE IT
Engages the reader to
read on as they feel
that, by being
addressed directly, the
text is relevant to
them.
Makes the text catchy –
it sticks in the reader’s
head.
Make the text seem
authoritative, accurate
and therefore
believable.
Sway the reader
towards the writer’s
viewpoint.
Engages the reader to
read on as they feel
that, by being
addressed directly, the
text is relevant to
them.
Makes the topic of the
text seem overly good
or bad, depending on
the purpose of the text.
Make the text seem
authoritative, accurate
and therefore
believable.
Makes the text catchy –
it sticks in the reader’s
head.
When you use DAFOREST in your writing, it automatically hits the highest bands in the mark
scheme for both section B questions. Below is an example of just how you can do that. This
article argues that the elderly are to blame for today’s problems (it’s an old exam question I
tried to answer). As you will see, you can use DAFOREST to make up the majority of your
answer. Everything that is highlighted is an example of DAFOREST – can you work out which
bit is which technique?
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/20
PENSIONERS POLLUTE
As current surveys show 75% of old people hold young people responsible for today's problems, Andrew
Bruff suggests today's youth are not the key offenders; the elderly had the planet ruined before they even
arrived.
Look around you. What do you see? Do you, like me, see a world that is full to the brim of rubbish,
creating pollution by the bucket-load? Do you see wasteful consumerism gone crazy, an insane, insatiable
desire to have everything? Now look up from this problem; who are those doing these things? Is it, as a
recent survey shows, young people's fault? No way.
In a recent article it was argued that the make do and mend generation knew something about how to
save the environment. Of course, what the writer failed to mention was why they were make do and
mending in the first place: World War 2. Oh yes, whilst grandma was washing her tin-foil, grandad was
being shipped off the Poland, destroying natural landscapes with tanks, clogging up the Polish air with
fuel emissions from the machinery of war (not to mention the killing).
I am a young person. I care. I care about the environment, I care about pollution, I care about recycling.
Old people don’t seem to realise that 80% of members of Greenpeace are under 25: young people care.
Old people are to blame – take my granddad for example.
Roger Bruff is 81 years old. He lives alone, but refuses to downsize from the three bedroom house that he
brought his family up in. This is common of many of the elderly – you don’t need a big house unless you
have a family! I visit granddad once a week. I often check his green and brown bins, but the recycling one
is always empty. His argument is that he’s too weak to be sifting through his rubbish, yet he’s not too
weak to get to the pub every week. In granddad’s driveway is a car – a big beast that guzzles fuel. Like all
old people, he’s stubborn, and refuses to walk anywhere, but drives. My granddad is not a rare case, he is
a typical old person: selfish. His house is always bathed in heat with his radiators kicking out toxic waste
24/7.
What’s my point? It isn’t young people who are to blame. We are not the homeowners, the car drivers, the
consumers. We are not those who fly around the world on holiday. What do we do? We go to school, we
see our friends. It is the elderly who do these things – they torture and destroy the world. They crucify
nature in their desire for satisfaction. Yes, all young people have mobile phones, but we use them for
music, phone calls and internet, not like the wasteful elderly who make a call once a year.
The youth of today are the most educated people in the world; our conscience does not allow us to be
wasteful.
PLANNING DAFOREST:
For these long answers you need to spend a few minutes planning before you begin writing.
A great idea is to write DAFOREST down the side of your page and actually plan the
sentences you will write for each one. It might look something like this:
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/21
D: ‘You need to give up smoking’
A: ‘Smoking sucks’
F: ‘60% of teens have tried smoking’
O: ‘Everyone hates people who smoke’
R: ‘Do you want to die young?’
E: ‘Smoking is barbaric and torturous’
S: ‘8/10 smokers want to quit’
T: ‘smoking is expensive, harmful and anti-social’.
Everyone plans in different ways, so I won’t prescribe any set way of doing it. However, you
must make a plan – examiners have to read them, and they give off a great first impression
if you’ve got things like DAFOREST in your plan. If you do not plan your answer, the
likelihood is your work will begin strong (with your best ideas) but get weaker and weaker as
you write. A well planned answer, on the other hand, can stay strong throughout the entire
piece.
AUDIENCE
For questions 5 and 6 you need to think very carefully about your audience. Consider the
two very similar tasks:
Write a letter to your head teacher in which you argue for the abolition of school uniform.
Write a letter for the student newsletter in which you argue for the abolition of school
uniform.
The purpose of both of these texts is exactly the same: arguing for the abolition of school
uniform. A good answer would be riddled with DAFOREST and all the other topics in this
chapter. However, the difference in target audience – the head teacher or fellow students,
will make both pieces very different.
The first thing to think of is the tone and level of formality you write in. To the head teacher
you would write with a formal and polite tone, whereas there would be room for a more
relaxed tone in the student newsletter. You have to consider the person reading the text
and how you can best communicate with them to achieve your purpose.
The second thing to be aware of is the art of second guessing. This is an often overlooked
area which basically means this:
Anticipate your reader's response and argue against that.
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So, when writing to your head-teacher arguing that he / she should abolish school uniform,
you would anticipate these responses:



School uniform encourages good behaviour
Some students couldn't afford the expense of smart clothes for school
It's a time honoured tradition
With this as your starting point, you then argue against these ideas e.g.
I know you will say that school uniform encourages good behaviour, but I disagree. At the moment,
students are using their poor behaviour to express their individuality. Allow students to wear what they
want to school and their clothing choices will become their expression of self, resulting in better
behaviour across the school.
By pre-emptively striking against your audience’s response you are effectively winning the
argument before they even have a chance to make their points: it’s a very clever technique
and the examiners love it!
SATIRE
If you are trying to hit the A / A* grades in your exam then it is important to use satire or
humour in your writing. Satire is the use of humour to attack injustice. On TV, the best
example is the show ‘Have I Got News For You’. In writing, the Irish satirist Jonathan Swift
(1667 – 1745) wrote some very popular satire. In his essay ‘A Modest Proposal’ he
suggested that poor Irish people should sell their children as food to rich Americans. Of
course he wasn’t serious, but he laid his essay out in a very formal way. The point was to
mock heartless attitudes towards the poor.
Let me show you an example of how you can use satire in your own writing. Imagine the
following question:
Write a letter to your fellow school students in which you inform them of the benefits of
school uniform.
Now consider the following response:
The current school uniform gives us a sense of community and belonging. Because we wear the same
clothes there is no room for bullying over appearance; we all look the same, so we all treat each other the
same.
This is a very acceptable paragraph, but it fails to jump off the page and grab the reader’s
attention. The next two examples use humour to engage the reader. See what you think:
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By wearing the shirt, tie and blazer, we are preparing ourselves for the world of work and our future
careers. Dressing up for school today shows you how to dress up for McDonalds tomorrow or, maybe for
the lucky few of us, even Primark.
It is a well known fact that imposing a school uniform results in improved behaviour from students.
Indeed, since introducing the blazer last year, we have been able to completely dispose of the behaviour
system completely. One Year 7 student even told me "wearing a tie makes me want to be a better boy".
Other have said that just slipping on school shoes stops them from swearing.
Indeed, school uniform makes us behave so well, I suggest we start wearing it at home too. The magical
effect will mean we never back chat our parents again!
As you can see, the use of tongue in cheek humour makes the piece far more engaging. If
you are naturally a funny person, then attempt to use some of that humour in section B of
the exam.
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FORMAT
The most common formats required in section B are letters and articles.
LETTER FORMAT
If you are asked to write a letter you should use the following format:
Exam Headquarters
15 GCSE Street
London
SN21 4SQ
Your address goes on the right
hand side; their address goes on
the left. It is fine to make up both
addresses but make sure you use
capitals correctly.
5 Banana Gate Rd
Hr St Budeaux
Plymouth
PL2 6TZ
Today’s date should be placed
under your address.
Dec 30th 2012
Address your reader, then indent
the next line and begin your
Dear Sir / Madam,
letter.
I am writing to you with reference to
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.
Yours faithfully,
Andrew Bruff
If you don’t know the name of the person you are
writing to, sign off with ‘yours faithfully’. If you do
know the name of the person you are writing to, sign
off with ‘yours sincerely’.
COPYRIGHT © 2013, ANDREW BRUFF. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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ARTICLE FORMAT
If you are asked to write an article of any kind (newspaper, magazine, web-page etc.) then
you should use the following format:
Your headline should be
short, snappy and alliterative.
Your subheading (first
It should hint at the topic of
paragraph) should summarise
the story but not give too
the whole article in a few
much away.
sentences.
PENSIONERS POLLUTE!
As current surveys show 75% of old people hold young people responsible for today's
problems, Andrew Bruff suggests today's youth are not the key offenders; the elderly had
the planet ruined before they even arrived.
Look around you. What do you see? Do you, like me, see a world that is full to the brim of
rubbish, creating pollution by the bucket-load? Do you see wasteful consumerism gone
crazy, an insane, insatiable desire to have everything? Now look up from this problem; who
are those doing these things? Is it, as a recent survey shows, young people's fault? No way.
In a recent article the writer argued that her make do and mend generation knew
something about how to save the environment. Of course, what she failed to mention was
why they were make do and mending in the first place: World War 2. Oh yes, whilst
grandma was washing her tin-foil, granddad was being shipped off the Poland, destroying
natural landscapes with tanks, clogging up the Polish air with fuel emissions from the
machinery of war (not to mention the killing).
I am a young person. I care. I care about the environment, I care about pollution, I care
about recycling. Old people don’t seem to realise that 80% of members of Greenpeace are
under 25: young people care. Old people are to blame – take my granddad for example.
Richard Smith is 81 years old. He lives alone, but refuses to downsize from the three
bedroom house that he brought his family up in. This is common of many of the elderly –
you don’t need a big house unless you have a family! I visit granddad once a week. I often
check his green and brown bins, but the recycling one is always empty. His argument is that
he’s too weak to be sifting through his rubbish, yet he’s not too weak to get to the pub
every week. In granddad’s driveway is a car – a big beast that guzzles fuel. Like all old
people, he’s stubborn, and refuses to walk anywhere, but drives. My granddad is not a rare
case, he is a typical old person: selfish. His house is always bathed in heat with his radiators
kicking out toxic waste 24/7.
The rest of your article should go into
more detail about the topic. It should
ideally include quotations from interviews
with relevant people (you make these up).
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TECHNICAL ACCURACY
1/3 of the marks available for section B are awarded for spelling, punctuation and grammar.
Because of this, you need to learn the following technical skills.
CAPITAL LETTERS
Capital letters may seem like a very easy place to start, but in actual fact there are many
uses of a capital and if you make mistakes with these supposedly 'simple' pieces of
punctuation then you will struggle to get a high grade. Despite their hidden complexities,
there is little more off-putting and instantly recognisable to an examiner than the incorrect
use of a capital letter.
You should use a capital letter for:
1) The start of a sentence e.g. 'Today is Monday'.
2) Names of people, brands, days of the week and months e.g. 'Andrew, Nike, Monday,
January'.
3) Countries and cities e.g. 'America, Plymouth'.
4) Languages and religions e.g. 'French, Buddhist'.
5) Holidays e.g. 'Christmas, Easter'.
6) Titles. The first and significant words in a title need a capital e.g. 'The Lord of the Rings'.
In this example the words 'of' and 'the' are not significant- they don't hold the meaning,
so they are not capitalised.
7) The personal pronoun 'I' e.g. 'I love Mr Bruff's revision videos'.
8) Abbreviations e.g. 'BBC'.
9) Emphasising words: if you wish to show strong emotion such as anger you can put
whole words or sentences in capitals e.g. 'I HATE YOU!'
As you can see, capital letters are not as simple as you might have thought. Why not try
writing a paragraph which incorporates all nine types?
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APOSTROPHES OF POSSESSION (BASIC LEVEL)
Apostrophes of possession show us who or what owns something in a sentence. For
example:
Mr Bruff’s videos are an amazing resource.
Because the videos belong to Mr
Bruff we put an apostrophe after
‘Mr Bruff’.
There is a technique worth learning here, as it makes it all very easy when we get to
advanced level apostrophes:
1) Ask yourself who the thing belongs to. Whatever the answer is, the apostrophe goes
after that. E.g. who do the revision videos belong to? The answer is Mr Bruff, so the
apostrophe goes after Mr Bruff.
If you can understand that simple technique then we can apply it to the advanced level of
apostrophes of possession.
APOSTROPHES OF POSSESSION (ADVANCED LEVEL)
The thing about apostrophes of possession is that they very quickly become very difficult.
Consider the following two sentences:


The students work was awesome (when talking about an individual student).
The students drama show was a real let down (when talking about a group of
students).
Where would you put the apostrophes in these sentences? Well, if you apply the technique
above it’s simple:
In the first sentence who does the work belong to? The answer is the student, so we put the
apostrophe after the word student, making the correct answer: the student’s work was
awesome.
In the second example, who does the drama show belong to? The answer is the students, so
we put the apostrophe after the word students, making the correct answer: the students’
drama show was a real let down.
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This simple reversing technique should help you to work through the following tricky
sentences:
The womens movement was a seminal event in history.
The childrens park was in need of some repair.
The babies hats were so cute.
If you find those three difficult be sure to watch the video.
APOSTROPHES OF OMISSION
These are the simplest type of apostrophe, used to show where letters or words have been
taken out. Look at the following example:
I didn’t even know that spiders could bite.
Here we have shortened the words ‘did’
and ‘not’ into the one word ‘didn’t’. In
doing so, we have taken out the letter ‘o’,
so we put an apostrophe of omission in its
place to indicate this.
The only tricky bit with apostrophes of omission is that there are some words which have been
shortened for so long that you might not realise it. For example: 8 o clock should be written 8
o’clock, as it was originally shortened from ‘8 of the clock’.
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CONNECTIVES
Connectives are words which link sentences and paragraphs together. You should aim to use
them in your writing to show that there is some cohesion between the different parts of
your answer. Without connectives, it will look like you have simply written a bunch of
random thoughts.
Here are some of the main connectives you can use. I recommend trying to memorise five
or six to use in your written work:
Firstly Secondly Eventually Meanwhile After Next Before
Consequently Because Therefore As a result Likewise Also In the
same way Equally Similarly Although Conversely In contrast
Whereas On the other hand In particular Above all Indeed
Especially Significantly In addition Furthermore What’s more
Moreover For example For instance
So how should you use them? Here is a slightly over the top example, but it gives you an
idea or how your writing will appear so much more cohesive with the use of connectives.
Because of a power-cut, my alarm did not sound at the prescribed hour of 7AM. Furthermore, a traffic jam
on the A38 delayed me by an extra ten minutes. Consequently, I arrived at the office twenty three minutes
later than planned. However, my boss Michael was also late, meaning that I still arrived before him.
Nevertheless, I threw myself into my work with reckless abandon, working fiercely to redeem the lost
twenty five minutes. As a result, by the time Michael did arrive, I had caught up with the missed work.
In contrast to this, Kelly arrived at work on time. However, she spent the first forty ‘boss free’ minutes of
the day catching up on Facebook and Twitter. Therefore, when Michael walked in, it was Kelly that was
disciplined, not me. Provided that no-one informs the boss of my blunder, I am now in prime position for
a job promotion.
SENTENCE VARIETY
The following is an absolute must for those students aiming to achieve A and A* grades. So
many students fail to vary their sentence structure, and the result is pure boredom for the
examiner. If you incorporate the following into your answers for questions 5 and 6, your
work will stand out from the rest and impress that examiner.
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1) Two adjective beginnings
The aim here is to start your sentence with two adjectives which describe the subject
of the sentence. For example:
Informative and entertaining, Mr Bruff’s eBook was a worldwide
bestseller.
The adjectives ‘informative’ and ‘entertaining’
transform this sentence into something much
more engaging than ‘Mr Bruff’s eBook was a
worldwide bestseller’. Simple but effective.
Here is another example:
Exhausted and frustrated, the students finally finished their GCSE exams.
2) Starting with an ‘ing’ word
What you do here is start your sentence with an ing word, leading into a clause
which tells us more about the subject of the sentence. For example:
Straining with the effort, Grandma did a back-flip.
Rather than the simple sentence ‘Grandma did
a back-flip’, the ‘ing’ clause at the beginning
makes the sentence so much more interesting.
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3) Beginning with an ‘ly’ word
For this third example of sentence variety, we begin the sentence with an adverb (an
‘ly’ word) which gives us more detail on how the verb is performed. For example:
Happily, Mr Bruff wrote a 15,000 word revision guide over the holiday.
Without the adverb ‘happily’, the reader
would have no idea how I felt about
making the eBook. On top of that, it
again avoids having to start your
sentence with the subject.
So what would it look like if you were to use these three types of sentence variety in an
exam response? Well, let me take part of the article from earlier in this chapter and edit the
structure of some of the sentences.
This is our starting text:
In a recent article the writer argued that her make do and mend generation knew something about how
to save the environment. Of course, what she failed to mention was why they were make do and mending
in the first place: World War 2. Oh yes, whilst grandma was washing her tin-foil, grandad was being
shipped off the Poland, destroying natural landscapes with tanks, clogging up the Polish air with fuel
emissions from the machinery of war (not to mention the killing).
Here’s the same text with some sentence variety added in:
Disillusioned and despondent, the writer recently argued that her make do and mend generation knew
something about how to save the environment. Curiously, what she failed to mention was why they were
make do and mending in the first place: World War 2. Hoping to be economical, grandma was washing her
tin-foil whilst granddad was being shipped off the Poland, destroying natural landscapes with tanks,
clogging up the Polish air with fuel emissions from the machinery of war (not to mention the killing).
The most notable thing here is that altering the sentence structure does not alter the
content of your answer – the content stays the same, but the quality of written
communication is dramatically improved.
SEMI-COLONS
The semi-colon is the undisputed king of punctuation; use it correctly and you are bound to
impress the examiner. Surprisingly, it is a very simple to use piece of punctuation. In your
COPYRIGHT © 2013, ANDREW BRUFF. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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answers to questions 5 and 6 you should aim to use one at the beginning and one at the
end; you never want to commit semi-colon overkill.
Semi-colons are used to join two sentences, where both sentences are about the same
topic.
For example:
Mr Bruff’s revision videos are hosted on YouTube; his eBook is hosted on his
own site.
In this example there are two separate sentences:
Mr Bruff’s revision videos are hosted on YouTube.
His eBook is hosted on his own site.
However, both of the sentences share a common topic – they both focus on the hosting
sites of the revision materials created by Mr Bruff. Because of this, a semi-colon can be
used.
Here are some examples where a semi-colon should not be used. Can you work out why it is
not correct to use a semi-colon?
I like Christmas; because I get lots of presents.
It is Thursday today; my Christmas tree is fake.
In the first example, the clause ‘because I get lots of presents’ is not a complete sentence (it
is a subordinate clause). Remember: semi-colons can only be used to join two complete
sentences. A sentence (for those of you asking) is a group of words that makes sense on its
own. It also needs to contain a verb (a doing word). ‘Because I get lots of presents’ does not
make sense on its own and is therefore not a sentence.
In the second example, although they are two complete sentences, the sentences are not
about the same topic. There is no direct link between stating the day in one sentence and
the nature of your Christmas tree in the next.
So there you have it: use a couple of semi-colons in your answers to questions 5 and 6.
Ideally you should use them right at the beginning and right at the end (this way they stick in
the examiner’s head and remind him / her just how great you are).
COMMAS
Commas direct us on how to read a piece of writing and are an incredibly complex piece of
punctuation to use correctly. As with capital letters, there are a number of uses of commas.
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1) Listing commas
This is the one everyone knows: we use commas to break up the items in a list,
except for in-between the last two items where we use the word ‘and’. The comma
is correct if it can be replaced with the word ‘and’ or ‘or’.
The four flavours of Starburst are: orange, lemon, lime and apple.
2) Commas for joining
Commas are used when two complete sentences are joined using conjunctions such
as ‘and, but’ or ‘so’.
The boys wanted to stay up and see Santa, but they grew tired and fell
asleep.
3) Bracketing commas
This is my own personal favourite use of the comma, largely because it is a simple
way of making your written work seem very impressive. Bracketing commas are used
to mark off the beginning and end of a weak interruption to a sentence. In other
words, you can lift the words out from between the two commas and the sentence
still makes sense. Let me show you what I mean:
MrBruff.com, a brand new website, is being viewed 1000 times a day.
The above sentence would still make sense if we took the bit out between the
bracketing commas, leaving us with:
MrBruff.com is being viewed 1000 times a day.
Like the previous section on sentence variety, the weak interruption is giving us
more information about the subject of the sentence- in this case MrBruff.com.
4) Commas for subordinate clauses
Commas are used to break up the clauses in complex sentences. The comma always
comes after the subordinate clause:
I am very tired, because I woke up at 5AM this morning.
On either side of this comma is a clause. The
independent clause ‘I am very tired’ makes sense
C O P Y R I Gon
H Tits©own,
2 0 1 3whereas
, A N D R Ethe
W dependent
B R U F F . A Lclause
L RIGHTS RESERVED.
‘because I woke up at 5AM this morning’
/34
One of the interesting things about complex sentences is that you can start the sentence
with either clause. If you begin some of your sentences with the subordinate clause in the
exam, it will add more variety to your writing:
Because I woke up at 5AM this morning, I am very tired.
Despite the
rearrangement of
sentence structure, the
comma still comes after
the subordinate clause.
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/35
PARAGRAPHS
Paragraphs are often misunderstood. Students tend to skip a line when they have written
quite a lot of text, but that is not what paragraphing is all about.
To start with, you should start a new paragraph when you change to a new idea or focus in
your writing. Therefore, it helps if you are following a plan for your answer; you simply start
a new paragraph when you move onto a new part of your plan.
Every paragraph needs a topic sentence. A topic sentence is the first sentence of the
paragraph, which explains what the paragraph will be about. The rest of the paragraph then
goes into more detail on this point. For example:
Here is our topic sentence which explains
what this paragraph is about: the lack of
comfort in the school uniform,
You should be able to wear what you want to school because the uniform is too
uncomfortable. The jumper is 90% asbestos; you don’t stop scratching yourself the
whole day. The ties have you half choked and the trousers – don’t even talk to me
about the trousers; they cut you at the waist and the ankle. It’s a joke.
Here is the rest of the paragraph which goes
into more detail on the topic of just how the
uniform is uncomfortable.
If you find yourself drifting onto a topic that is not the same as the topic sentence then it is
time to start a new paragraph.
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SAMPLE ANSWERS
OK, let’s look at some sample answers for section B. Imagine this is your question for
question 5:
Write a letter to your headteacher in which you argue that you should be able to wear
what you want to school.
This is typical of the kind of question you will get in the exam; something everyone can
answer. The exam boards have to set general questions that everyone is guaranteed to
understand, so be prepared for that.
You should begin with a plan where you map out your ideas; you can do this in bullet points
if you like. Spend two or three minutes thinking about the question and come up with four
or five points you are going to make, along with a reminder of the skills you are going to use
(e.g. DAFOREST).
My plan would look something like this:




Uncomfortable - itchy jumpers, choking tie
Expensive – many families can’t afford uniform
America – no uniform and they are very successful
DAFOREST, semi-colons, wide vocabulary
Here is the kind of answer you should aim to write if you were aiming for a ‘C’ grade (which
of course you are not). Have a read through it to see if you can work out what makes it a
good answer. On the next page I will give you the answers! Since you’ve spent 3 or 4
minutes planning, you now have around 20 minutes to write. Remember, my answer is
typed so it looks shorter than a handwritten answer.
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‘C’ GRADE SAMPLE ANSWER:
Vunderschool
Walkplanton Rd
Devon
PL3 3 ER
6 Bananagate Rd
Plymouth Devon
PL20 6TR
April 1st
Dear Mr Smith,
I am writing to you to argue that we should be able to wear what we want to school. Do
you like being uncomfortable? Well I feel uncomfortable every single day. The school jumper is torture!
It’s so itchy that I come out in a rash whenever I put it on. The only person I know who wears itchy
woollen jumpers like that is my grand-dad, so why are you making me wear one? The tie is also very
uncomfortable – I feel half choked most of the time. Wearing a tie is a health and safety hazard, especially
considering that there are 1400 of us moving around the building every hour. The chances of us getting
caught on something and choked (not to mention those mean bullies doing the same) is worryingly high.
In a recent survey, 85% of students in the UK said they would like to wear their own clothes to school.
You cannot ignore this! I know you will probably think that students who wear their own clothes will
misbehave in school but I disagree. I think that students will behave more maturely if you treat them
more maturely by letting them make their own choices over what they wear. You may not think it, but
students are mature, intelligent and responsible.
America is the most powerful country in the world, the market leader in industry and guess what?
Students in America wear their own clothes to school. Surely this is a clear sign that what children wear
to school has no influence on how they go on to perform in future life?
Finally, did you know that 65% of students in our school come from a one parent family? How are these
parents supposed to afford school uniform? By the time you buy the PE kit parents can spend as much as
£200 on uniform. If you let students wear their own clothes then they wouldn’t have any extra costs –
they already have these clothes at home, so it won’t be adding to their shopping expenses.
I hope you will agree with my thoughts,
Yours sincerely,
Andrew Bruff
So what makes this a successful answer? Well, there are at least 4 things it does very well:
1) Follows the letter form, complete with address, date etc.
2) Uses DAFOREST – each paragraph is based on DAFOREST. The whole thing is filled
with direct address, fact, opinion, rhetorical question, emotive language, statistic
and rule of three.
3) Is broken into paragraphs, with each paragraph focusing on a different part of my
argument.
4) Uses a range of punctuation: 5 types can be found in my answer.
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Next let’s look at a higher tier sample answer for the same question.
‘A’ GRADE SAMPLE ANSWER:
Vunderschool
Walkplanton Rd
Plymouth
PL3 6TR
6 Bananagate Rd
Fishtonk
PL3 3ER
April 1st
Dear Mr Smith,
Responsible and mature, the young adults at Vunderschool are eagerly looking for ways to prove to you
just how trustworthy they are. Will you give them the chance? Clearly this is a great opportunity for you
to strengthen your relationship with the student body. Because you are undoubtedly a busy man, I will
get straight to the point: I am writing today to ask you to consider the abolishment of school uniform.
In a recent Vunderschool survey, 85% of students said they want to wear their own clothes to school; you
cannot ignore this statistic. As I walked past your office this morning I was reminded of our school motto
‘Developing independence is the route to success’. Well, what better way to create independence in
students than by letting them choose their own clothes?
You may begin by enquiring ‘what exactly is wrong with the school uniform’? Well, I’m glad you asked. To
begin with, the jumper is so itchy I would not be surprised to see that it is made from loft insulation. The
tie is a health and safety hazard – it threatens to choke us on an hourly basis. There are 1400 students at
Vunderschool who travel around the building every hour; I think this is an accident waiting to happen.
And the trousers are just ridiculous. Rigid and cold, I feel like I am wearing a pop up tent rather than a
pair of trousers.
I imagine you will say that school uniform encourages good behaviour, but I disagree. At the moment
students are using their poor behaviour to express their individuality. Allow students to wear what they
want to school and their clothing choices will become their expression of self, resulting in better
behaviour across the school. Have you ever been into the city centre and seen the youths who frequent
the sun-dial? These teens wear long leather jackets and black boots. On first inspection, they may seem
intimidating but nothing could be further from the truth; these children do not engage in anti-social
behaviour! They simply spend time together with their friends. You see, their clothes are expressing their
individuality.
Can I ask you a question? What are your career aspirations for your students? I imagine you want us to be
rich and successful. Well I have bad news for you – by making us all wear the same uniform day in day out
you are simply preparing us for workplaces that do the same, namely fast food restaurants and shop
workers. You see, the high powered business-men and entrepreneurs of this world choose their own
clothes. Indeed – YOU choose your own clothes. You have the freedom to choose your own suits, your own
shirts, your own ties (even the whacky ones you wear every Friday). You are operating within the
constraints of a dress-code, but you wear what you choose. We deserve the same. Give us a dress code by
all means, but don’t keep us in this barbaric uniform.
You may also feel that wearing our own clothes would lead to a reduction in our academic achievement.
To prove you wrong I need only point to our transatlantic cousins in America. America is the richest, most
powerful and most successful nation in the world and guess what: school students wear what they want
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to school. Surely this proves that there is no link between what we wear to school and how we will
succeed in life.
I look forward to your reply,
Yours sincerely,
Andrew Bruff
OK, so how did this answer achieve more than the previous one? It comes down to three
points:
1) Second guessing – throughout the letter, the writer anticipates how the headmaster
will respond and pre-emptively argues against those points.
2) Sentence variety – the two adjective openings and adverb openings are used
occasionally, as is a short sentence for effect. This careful crafting of sentences will
set your work apart from the rest.
3) Complex points – the points made are a little more sophisticated than in the
previous example. In higher tier you need to spend a little longer planning to ensure
you have sophisticated ideas you can use.
QUESTION 6 SAMPLE ANSWER
Now imagine a question 6 which looks like this:
Write an article for your school parents’ newsletter in which you persuade them of the
benefits of mobile phones in school.
Once again, you should start with a plan. In your plan you should aim to come up with 4 or 5
good points, along with a reminder of the skills you will want to use.

Use the calculator feature for Maths

Use the camera to take photos of homework (a
‘virtual planner’)

Use reminders for homework deadlines

Go online for research purposes

Access existing online revision materials
‘C’ GRADE SAMPLE ANSWER:
PHONES FOR SCHOOL!
Mobile phones can dramatically improve your child’s success at school. Year 11’s Andrew Bruff reports.
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90% of students in the UK own a mobile phone, but only 60% of them bring them to schoole every day. I
believe that mobile phones can really help your children to achieve their potential, and I will tell you why.
Firstly, mobile phones can be of great use in a Maths lesson. Nearly every lesson I have in Maths requires
me to use a calculator. Do you know how much a graphic calculator costs? No, neither do I. I don’t need to
know. I have my own calculator built into my phone. Not only does this save money from buying a
calculator separately, but it also saves me valuable space in my bag. There is one boy in class who has a
graphic calculator and it is huge! What’s the point? He needs a phone.
Another great use of mobile phones in school centres around the camera. If you don’t have your
homework planner you can simply take a photo of your homework off the board. Cameras on phones can
also be used to record so, with the teacher’s permission, we can now record parts of lessons where we
know the teacher is saying something really important.
I only got my phone last year. Before that I was always late handing in my homework but not any more!
Do you know why? Because I use the reminders and alarms on my phone to remind me when to do the
work. Wouldn’t you like it if your child never got into trouble again for late work? Well the answer is
simple: buy them a phone.
The final reason all students should have a phone and bring it to school is because they promote safety. If
there is ever a problem, or if students have or witness an accident on the way to or from school, then they
can use their phone.
So I hope you can see that phones really are the way forward, and I hope you will let your child bring one
to school.
OK, that was a very simple answer. It used DAFOREST, made a range of different points and
was clearly expressed, but there was so much it didn’t do. Now read the following answer
which is a higher tier example. Try and pick out the differences.
‘A’ GRADE SAMPLE ANSWER:
Mobile Phone Master-Class: Smart Phone = Smart Student
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The world of education is changing. Your children need calculators, planners, cameras and online
research skills. In this article, year 11 student Andrew Bruff explains the good news: if your child
has a mobile phone then they’ve already got all that they need.
Schools today are nothing like those of the 80s and 90s: fact. Gone are the blackboards and OHPs, in are
the iPads and interactive white-boards. Yes, the schools of today are unrecognisable from their historic
counterparts. In fact, walking through a school these days feels more like walking through the fancy Apple
Store in the mall than a group of classrooms. Modern and exciting, the technological age is upon us. More
than ever before, students are utilising technology to own their learning; will you let your children
become a part of this exciting development?
It can seem very intimidating for a parent who, despite having their child’s best interests at heart, is
simply overwhelmed when it comes to technology. Well, let me help you with that. Students today need to
be able to do a number of things which can all be achieved through using a simple, off the shelf mobile
phone. If you buy them a smartphone, it really will smarten up your child.
Firstly, imagine your child is sat in a Mathematics class and needs to use a calculator. Do you know how
many students these days carry around those bulky calculators? None! No, students use the calculators
built into their phones. Now imagine it’s homework time. The homework is written on the board for your
lovely son or daughter to copy up but whoops! Where’s that homework planner? Is it the same one that
got soaked in the bottom of his bag last week? Well it doesn’t matter: they can use their phone to take a
photo of it.
But it doesn’t stop there. Studies show that students who have regular ICT access learn at a faster rate.
Well we’d love to give every student their own laptop but it just isn’t feasible in the current budget.
However, a smartphone can perform all of the online functions that you would find on a laptop. Let me
explain.
Although it gets a bad press, the internet is a wonderful place these days. Sites such as mrbruff.com are
packed with revision videos, eBooks and podcasts which help thousands of students to achieve their
exam potential. Don’t you want the same for your child? All they need is a phone and they can forget the
laptop – they can even access the school wi-fi to surf for free, meaning they’re not racking up a high bill.
With our own safety filters in place, there is no chance of them finding something inappropriate online
either.
Think back to your own education – wouldn’t you have loved the chance to use the internet, take photos,
set reminders and more? Well you can make that dream become a reality for your child.
Of course there are other benefits to – for example safety. With a mobile phone, you never need to worry
again about your child’s whereabouts. Not only can they get in touch with you when they need to, but you
can get in touch with them to. I know you want your child to be safe, and I also know that the average
contract price of £15 a month is nothing compared to the peace of mind you will receive knowing that
your child can contact you whenever they need to.
So, in conclusion, I hope that you can see now that buying your child a mobile phone is one of the smartest
things you can do. Please choose to be a smart parent and buy your child a smart phone.
So what do you think? This was clearly a better answer, but why? Well to begin with it really
paid attention to its audience, second guessing their likely response. The vocabulary and
tone were also very persuasive, with emotive language deliberately used to manipulate the
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reader’s response. On top of that there was a more sophisticated range of punctuation and
sentence variety. In your answers in section B you should really aim to go beyond the basics
of DAFOREST and write the most sophisticated answer you can.
Well, that’s it for the English / English Language Paper. I hope you found it helpful. Check
out the videos at youtube.com/mrbruff and the ‘Mr Bruff’ podcast on iTunes for more help
on these sections of the exam.
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English Literature
Unit 1 Exam
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THE PAPER:
This exam is 1 hour 30 minutes long. The exam is marked out of a total of 60 marks, with 30
available for section A and 30 available for section B. You need to choose one question from
section A and one from section B.
Due to copyright restrictions, I cannot give any sample answers or detailed points for this
paper as all of the texts it focuses on are still in copyright. However, there are over 50 videos
based on this exam unit available on my YouTube channel youtube.com/mrbruff, so please
do take advantage of those and accept my apologies for the lack on detail here on this
exam.
TOP TIPS FOR THE UNIT 1 EXAM:




Try to analyse language, structure and form
Write in PEE paragraphs
Write about the author’s themes and the effect on the
reader
For higher paper look to give alternative interpretations – look for more than one
answer to the question.
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English Literature
Unit 2 Exam
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THE PAPER:
This exam is 1 hour 15 minutes long, which is incredibly short when you consider what you
have to do. It is marked out of a total of 54 marks, with 36 available for section A and 18
available for section B. You need to choose one question from section A and one question
from section B, spending around 45 minutes on Section A and 30 minutes on Section B.
As you can see, this is a very fast paced exam, and even more difficult when you consider
that section B requires you to analyse a poem you have never seen before. However, I have
come up with a tried and tested method to attack an unseen poem (which we will get to in a
bit).
SECTION A:
You may not know it, but there are many different clusters of poetry being studied for this
exam up and down the country. For section A you need to begin by finding the question on
your cluster of poetry, for example ‘relationships’. There are two questions to choose from,
so the first challenge is to decide which one to answer.
The question will give you a named poem, a topic and the choice to choose a second
question. To help you choose which question you want to attempt you should think about
the following:
1) How well do I know the named poem
2) How confident am I on the set topic
3) Can I think of a second poem which I know well that would compare strongly
For example, imagine this question:
Q: Compare the methods poets use to convey meaning in Sonnet 116 and one other poem
Well the good thing about this poem is that the topic is very general. Rather than asking you
to focus specifically on ‘language’ or ‘structure’ it asks you to analyse ‘methods’ which
basically means you can write about language and/or structure and/or anything you like.
The set poem is Sonnet 116, which happens to be my favourite (what a co-incidence).
However, to see if this is a good question to choose I need to think carefully about two more
things:
a) What is the ‘meaning’ of Sonnet 116
b) Is there another poem I know well which is similar, that I can compare.
So let’s take those two points and break them down further:
a) The ‘meaning’ of sonnet 116 is actually quite ambigious. We know it is addressed to
a man, and there is no real way of knowing if the love professed in the poem is
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romantic or platonic. However, the general gist of the poem is that it is about the
nature of true love – how true love is perfect, stable, strong and eternal. This
meaning is mostly presented through the use of the sonnet form and language.
b) With those points in mind, you should then flick quickly through the anthology and
look for a poem which, perhaps, also uses form and language to present a message
about love. The big tip here is not to simply settle for the first one you come across,
but to actually look through every poem before you make your decision. For me, I
would choose Sonnet 43 because it uses the sonnet form but presents love in more
religious terms, and with less idealism that sonnet 116.
Remember, this is not a comparison question. However, higher tier students will
naturally tend to compare. What follows is an exemplar higher tier answer. In your
planning you should try to map out the similarities and differences between the two
poems. However, before we get to that, let me teach you about the two poems in
question, so that the answer clearly makes sense to you.
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English Literature
Relationships Poetry
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
‘Sonnet 43’
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BARRETT-BROWNING BARRETT BROWNING: SONNET 43
THE POET: ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING
When it comes to biographical detail, it is important that we only look at the details of a poet’s life
that are relevant to the poem itself. Therefore the following details should be considered:






Born in 1806 and died in 1861
A very successful poet who was published from the age of 15
Suffered great sickness and invalidity for her entire adult life
Famous in both the UK and USA during her lifetime
The poet Robert Browning wrote to her as a fan and ended up becoming her husband
A deeply Christian woman.
THE FORM: SONNET
The sonnet is a genre of love poetry which originated in Italy in the 13 th Century. The 14th
Century poet Petrarch is the most recognised Italian sonneteer. Falling in love with a woman
known only as ‘Laura’, he wrote 366 sonnets to her. However, she rejected his proposals. The
Italian Sonnet follows a strict form:





14 lines
The first 8 lines (known as the octave) present a problem
The last 6 lines (known as the sestet) present a solution to the problem
Line 9 (known as the Volta) introduces a sharp twist, or turn, which brings about the
move to the resolution
ABBA ABBA rhyme scheme.
THE SHAKESPEAREAN SONNET
In the 16th Century, the sonnet made its way into English poetry. Sir Philip Sidney
developed what has come to be known as the Shakespearean Sonnet (after Shakespeare
made it truly famous). This is written in iambic pentameter (lines of 10 syllables, with
alternating stressed and unstressed syllables). It was divided into 3 verses of four lines
each, known as ‘quatrains’, and finished with a rhyming couplet which also served as the
Volta. Its rhyme scheme was also different: ABAB CDCD EFEF GG.
Browning’s ‘Sonnet 43’ follows the conventions of the Italian sonnet; perhaps Browning
related to Petrarch’s intense pre-marriage love more than Shakespeare’s mixture of
romantic and platonic sonnets? Perhaps she related to Petrarch’s spirituality and shied
away from Shakespeare’s overtly sexual poetry.
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THE CONTEXT: ‘SONNETS FROM THE PORTUGESE’
During their engagement, Barrett-Browning wrote 44 sonnets to Robert Browning, her
husband to be. Robert was so impressed with the sonnets that he pushed His future wife to
publish them. However, the sonnets were deeply personal and Barrett-Browning would only
agree to publish them anonymously; she didn’t want anyone to know that they were
written by her.
‘Sonnets from the Portugese’ was published in 1850, promoted as an English translation of a
collection of Portugese poems. The ‘Portugese’ part is a nod to Luis De Camoes, a Portugese
sonneteer who Barrett-Browning admired greatly. ‘My little Portugese’ was also Robert’s
nickname for Barrett-Browning.
THE POEM: SONNET 43
You should begin by having a read through the poem. Most poems on the GCSE course have
a simple, literal meaning and a hidden, deeper meaning. As you read the poem for the first
time you should try and work out the simple, literal meaning. Also, highlight any words you
don’t understand. After reading, look up each word you are unsure of.
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints!---I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life!---and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.
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A MODERN TRANSLATION
This poem is particularly difficult to understand. To help, I will begin with a ‘modern
translation’ to help you get to grips with what the poem is saying at its most simplistic,
literal level.
THE ORIGINAL POEM
MODERN TRANSLATION
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
How much do I love you? I will write you
a list.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and
height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love you massively and without
knowing where our love will take us. My
love for you is God-like and holy.
I love thee to the level of every day’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love you enough to cook and clean for
you.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love you without having to try.
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love you with absolute purity.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's
faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints!—
I love you with the same strong
emotions I used to feel when I was really
sick, and when I was a little girl learning
about God.
-I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life!---
I love you for better and worse with all
my life.
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LINE BY LINE ANALYSIS
Now you understand the basics of the poem, let’s look at it line by line.
We begin with direct address –
the poem is written to Robert
Browning, seemingly in response
to a question he has asked
Barrett-Browning.
The tone in this question is hard
to read – is Barrett-Browning
angry that she has been asked
such an accusatory question?
Far from being offended or upset
by the question, BarrettBrowning delights in the
opportunity to express her love
for her husband to be. The
exclamation mark shows just how
excited she is to do this.
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways!
A spatial metaphor is used
(highlighted in yellow) to say ‘I
love every part of you’.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
The soul is the mind and emotions of a
person. It is every part of a person that isn’t
spiritual.
Grace is the Christian concept of God’s
undeserved favour in our lives; God does
good things for us regardless of our
performance.
By combining spiritual and non spiritual
imagery in this sentence, Barrett-Browning
is suggesting that the love she has for
Robert is all encompassing; it engages both
the spiritual and non spiritual parts of her –
her whole being.
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By ‘quiet need’ Barrett-Browning means the
simple, domestic elements of life. In other words
‘I will be a submissive wife to you and make your
tea, scrub the toilet etc.’ This is all the more
powerful given the fact that the poet was a
celebrity at this point, yet she is willing to humble
herself for the love of her life.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
Sun and candlelight are symbols for youth and
old age, day and night, strength and weakness. In
all of these interpretations the message in clear: I
will love you forever, through all stages of life.
The first part of each of these
two lines is fairly simple to
understand: I love you of my own
free will and I love you with
purity and goodness.
This simile suggests that ‘just a people freely
choose to act morally, I freely choose to love
you’. The term ‘Right’ is capitalised as it means
the definitive right i.e. moral rightness.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
Just as it is pure to modestly shy away from
people’s admiration, my love for you is pure.
Barrett-Browning is surely writing from her
own experience here of dealing with fame.
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However, there is a secondary meaning to these lines, based in the religious imagery they
connote. Consider the following:
Free will: the God given right to
make choices for ourselves
without prejudice. This gives us
the choice to accept or reject
God, and also gives Elizabeth the
choice to accept or reject Robert.
In both cases, she chooses to
accept.
Righteousness: one who is pure
in heart. The connotation here is
that the poet’s love for Robert is
pure and holy. It is as if she sees
him, quite literally, as a gift from
God.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
Purity is defined as freedom from
guilt or sin. Again there is a sense
that the love the poet feels for
Robert is holy and anointed;
there is no need for feelings of
guilt concerning her love for her
husband to be.
Praise means to magnify or
glorify. The poet feels that her
pure love for Robert is worthy of
honour and commendation.
And there we have our first eight lines, the octave of this sonnet. In this section of the poem
Barrett-Browning has basically been comparing the love she has to the power of God. Like
her love for God, her love for Robert is pure, holy and to be admired. As we move into the
sestet of the poem it is clear that things become a little more sinister and even worrying.
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The passion is a religious term, referring to the suffering Jesus went through before his
crucifixion. Beaten, whipped, flogged and nailed to a cross, this word is deliberately used at
this point of the poem to introduce a theme of suffering. What Barrett-Browning is
essentially saying is that she will love Robert in the bad times, just as Christ remained
faithful to God as he went through the agony of the passion.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
Barrett-Browning is referring
here to her lifetime of illness
and invalidity which she
experienced from the age of
15. She is saying that the
intensity of feeling she felt in
sickness is the same intensity
she now feels in her love for
Robert. Again this is a very
negative image, surely
pointing out that the poet
knows her relationship will
contain problems, but she is
more than happy to embrace
them. She is not going into this
relationship with unrealistic
expectations.
This line is a Biblical reference
to Matthew 18: 2-14 ‘Unless
you change or become like
little children you will not
enter the kingdom of heaven’.
This Bible verse speaks of
accepting Jesus with your
heart, not trying to
intellectualise or figure
everything out. In the same
way, Barrett-Browning is
loving Robert with a blind,
trusting and child-like faith.
Again this echoes earlier lines
which suggest that this
relationship is a risk – the poet
does not really know Robert
that well but is committing her
whole life to him.
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I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost Saints!—
The catholic faith presents saints as virtuous people who have already entered heaven. However,
Barrett-Browning wasn’t a catholic, so the meaning here is unclear. My guess is that Elizabeth learnt
about, and loved, the concept of saints as a child but as an adult rejected this catholic concept.
Here she remembers the love she had as a child and translates it to Robert. Is there a suggestion
that her love for Robert is unrealistic and will change as she learns the reality of him, just as she
learnt the reality of saints?
The positive image of ‘smiles’ is juxtaposed with
the negative image of ‘tears’ to suggest that the
poet’s love echoes the wedding vows of ‘for
better or worse’. Again we get the sense that
Barrett-Browning has very realistic expectations
of the limitations of true love, but embraces it
all the same.
-I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life!--- and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.
The idea here is that, if God allows it, the couple
will go on loving after death when joined in heaven.
By bringing God into the equation it again suggests
a holiness and purity to the relationship.
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So there we have it: Barrett-Browning is very aware of the limitations of relationships. She
fully understands there will be elements of ‘for better or worse’ and yet loves Robert with a
religious zeal that suggests their love is holy and pure.
Of course, all this is backed up by the strict adherence to the sonnet form. It isn’t easy to
follow those conventions in a poem, but by doing so Barrett-Browning is using structure and
form to exclaim her love for her husband to be. To finish with, let’s take a look at how the
poem follows the sonnet form.
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints!---I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life!---and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.
The octave compares Elizabeth’s love
for Robert to her love for God.
The sestet makes comparisons
between Elizabeth’s intense feelings
now and her intense feelings from
childhood.
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English Literature
Relationships Poetry
William Shakespeare
‘Sonnet 116’
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WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE: SONNET 116
THE POET: WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
William Shakespeare is undoubtedly the most well-known poet in the anthology, meaning
there is a plethora of biographical information available to sift through. However, this is
actually a bad thing as it means we need to be discerning over which details to memorise.
First off, let’s look at the basics:



Born in 1564 and died in1616
An English poet and playwright, he wrote 38 plays and 154 sonnets
Married Anne Hathaway at the age of 18 and had 3 children.
These simple facts give us the basics, but there are also some very important biographical
details which will play a key part in our analysis of the poem:


Shakespeare was a great friend of Henry Wriothesley, the 3rd Earl of Southampton.
Henry was a patron of Shakespeare’s who supported him financially. Shakespeare
dedicated his first published poems (‘The Rape of Lucrece’ and ‘Venus Adonis’) to
Henry. This is important as it has often been suggested that Sonnet 116 is addressed
to Henry (watch the video for evidence that suggests this to be the case).
Shakespeare was famous at the time of writing this sonnet. This is significant
because, at the end of the poem, Shakespeare wagers his entire writing career in a
bet. This would have been a significant bet as Shakespeare was an established and
successful writer at the time of writing.
THE FORM: SONNET
The sonnet is a genre of love poetry which originated in Italy in the 13 th Century. The 14th
Century poet Petrarch is the most recognised Italian sonneteer. Falling in love with a woman
known only as ‘Laura’, he wrote 366 sonnets to her. However, she rejected his proposals.
The Italian Sonnet follows a strict form:





14 lines
The first 8 lines (known as the octave) present a problem
The last 6 lines (known as the sestet) present a solution to the problem
Line 9 (known as the Volta) introduces a sharp twist, or turn, which brings about the
move to the resolution
ABBA ABBA rhyme scheme.
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THE SHAKESPEAREAN SONNET
In the 16th Century, the sonnet made its way into English poetry. Sir Philip Sidney developed
it, but it came to be known as the Shakespearean sonnet (after Shakespeare made it truly
famous). This form is quite different to the Petrarchan sonnet:



It is written in iambic pentameter (lines of 10 syllables, with alternating stressed and
unstressed syllables).
It is divided into 3 verses of four lines each, known as ‘quatrains’, and finished with
a rhyming couplet which also served as the Volta.
Its rhyme scheme is also different: ABAB CDCD EFEF GG.
However, the topic of Shakespearean sonnets remains the same: they are all about love.
THE CONTEXT
Shakespeare published his sonnets in 1609. The collection contained 154 sonnets in total. In
a shocking twist to the standard use of sonnets, the first 126 were addressed to a man
known only as ‘fair youth’. Since the date of publication there has been speculation over
whether this male to male love was purely platonic and friendship based, or romantic and
sexual. Bearing in mind the poem was written at a time when homosexuality was a crime
punishable by execution, it was a brave move by Shakespeare to publish these sonnets at
all. If his love was sexual he risked death in professing it. If his love was platonic, he risked
being misunderstood and getting into trouble. The aim of my notes is to examine the
evidence for both platonic and romantic interpretations: giving alternative interpretations is
one of the A* skills in the exam, so keep both ideas in mind.
THE POEM
Most poems on the GCSE course have a simple, literal meaning and a hidden, deeper
meaning. As you read the poem for the first time you should try and work out the simple,
literal meaning. You should also jot down any words you do not understand (with
Shakespeare there are bound to be a few of these). Use an online dictionary to find the
meaning before moving onto the next section of this guide.
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Sonnet 116
Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments; love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove.
O no it is an ever-fixed mark,
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wand'ring bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come;
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.
After your first reading you should make an initial judgement: is this poem about romantic,
sexual love or platonic, friendship based love? Can you pick out any words or phrases in
particular which influence your decision one way or the other?
It may be that the language is too difficult for you, on first reading, to make any judgements
just yet. This is a very common complaint with modern readers of Shakespeare. The only
way to combat this is to read more Shakespeare – after a while it will become natural to
you.
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A MODERN TRANSLATION
This poem is quite difficult to understand. I will begin with a ‘modern translation’ to help
you get to grips with what the poem is saying at its most simplistic, literal level.
THE ORIGINAL POEM
Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments;
love is not love which alters when it
alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove.
O no it is an ever-fixed mark,
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wand'ring bark,
MODERN TRANSLATION
Nothing should get in the way of two
likeminded people being together;
True love does not change when faced
with difficult circumstances,
True love doesn’t stop when one
partner stops loving the other.
Despite the storms of life, true love is
steady and stable;
Love is stable and fixed like a star in the
sky,
Whose worth's unknown, although his
height be taken.
It is immense and invaluable
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and
cheeks
Love does not change over time, even
though physical beauty is;
Within his bending sickle's compass come;
Love alters not with his brief hours and
weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.
Love does not change,
But remains to the end.
If I am wrong I never wrote anything,
and no man ever loved.
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LINE BY LINE ANALYSIS
Now you understand the basics of the poem, let’s look at it in more detail. For each line I
will see if I can interpret the language as romantic and platonic love. Any analysis of the love
as romantic will be presented in text boxes that are dark pink. Any analysis of the love as
platonic will be presented in text boxes that are light blue. Any analysis which does not fit
either interpretation, but is useful to our understanding, will be highlighted in different
colours.
Romantic love: the word ‘marriage’ is
used here to signify a romantic
relationship. If the love was platonic,
surely the word ‘marriage’ would not
have been used.
Platonic love: The ‘marriage of true
minds’ could refer to the joining together
of two similar intellects. This basically
means two good friends who have the
same interests and patterns of thinking.
Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments;
Romantic love: the word ‘impediments’
is used in the marriage vows: ‘I know not
of any lawful impediment’. If the love
was platonic, surely the language of a
wedding ceremony would not have been
used.
love is not love
which alters when it alteration finds,
Romantic love: the word ‘alter’ is a pun
on ‘altar’, as in the marriage altar where
husband and wife are wed. Again the
language of marriage is embedded in the
poem to show that Shakespeare’s love is
romantic.
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Near repetition of ‘remove’ shows that
love is constant – it won’t change the
way appearances do.
Or bends with the remover to remove.
Romantic love: the reference to love being
like a lighthouse which is not affected by sea
storms is the first of many examples of
imagery in the poem that is related to
sailors. In Shakespeare’s time sailors were
reputed to regularly engage in homosexual
relationships. Is this a subtle hint at the
romantic love Shakespeare was feeling?
O no it is an ever-fixed mark,
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
Romantic love: Another example of sailor imagery here: the Pole
star, which remains in the same place in the sky and helps sailors
to navigate, is used as a metaphor. On the rough seas of life,
Shakespeare’s love remains constant.
It is the star to every wand'ring bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
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Platonic love: these lines are basically saying ‘true
love is not affected by time like physical beauty is’. By
rejecting physical beauty (which would be just as
important in homosexual as well as heterosexual
love). Shakespeare is showing that his love is not
romantic but platonic.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come;
Romantic love: the ‘sickle’ here refers to the
implement carried about by Death. Like the
lighthouse before it, it is a very phallic
image. Shakespeare is renowned for using
Phallic imagery to symbolise sexuality.
See notes on ‘altar’ from line 2.
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
The Biblical definition of the end times,
a time of suffering and tribulation
before Christians are taken to heaven.
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If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.
Here Shakespeare wages his
entire written works on the
bet that he is right about
love. Remember, he was a
successful writer at the time
so this wager was significant.
Romantic love: This is a clever little line
which can be interpreted in two ways:
either it means ‘no man ever loved anyone’
or it means ‘I never loved any man’. Of
course, the second meaning could still only
mean a platonic love, but it’s a clever play
on words to finish the poem with.
In conclusion, there are two ways of interpreting this poem. Either Shakespeare is using the
sonnet form in an ambiguous and playful way to present his platonic love for a male friend,
or he is using the sonnet form as intended when created in the 13 th Century: to present
feelings of romantic and sexual love. To hit the top grades in the exam you should aim to
present both interpretations.
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SAMPLE ANSWER:
In this answer I shall compare how the meaning of love is presented in Sonnet 43 by Barrett-Browning
Barret Browning and Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare. Both have a lot to say about the meaning of
love, and both do so in an array of similar and contrasting ways.
To begin with, Barrett-Browning presents love as a religious experience in Sonnet 43. She does this
through her regular use of religious imagery, which can be found throughout the poem. When Browning
speaks on loving her future husband to the ‘depth and breadth and height’ it clearly echoes the Biblical
book of Ephesians and its mention of Christ’s love being of immesuarable ‘breadth, and length, and depth,
and height’. Today this reference may be lost on many of the atheist readers, but Barrett-Browning was a
deeply religious woman and would have been thinking of this verse when writing. The suggestion that
she is making is that true romantic love is pure and holy like the love of Jesus Christ. This is a theme
echoed throughout the poem – the love Barrett-Browning had for the future husband Robert Browning to
whom she is writing is pure and unadulterated. This is a stark contrast to the love presented by
Shakespeare in Sonnet 116.
Shakespeare too presents his vision of true love, and suggests that it is un-wavering in the face of the
trials of life. However, he chooses much more base and bawdy imagery to present his feelings about true
love. One of the key images he chooses is that of a light-house, suggesting that true love is ‘an ever-fixd
mark that looks on tempests and is not shaken’. A first reading of this image seems very positive – like a
lighthouse in a storm, true love is an unshaken guide. However, there is a much more sexual connotation
to this image, where the lighthouse can be seen as a phallic image. Like the mention of a ‘sickle’ found
later in the poem, the connotation is that true love is rooted in sexuality. This is not to say that
Shakespeare doesn’t believe in true love, but he certainly believes it should include a heavy dose of sexual
energy too. This is massively different to the love presented in Sonnet 43.
One of the similarities in the poems is found in their use of the sonnet form. This seems fitting, as the
sonnet is a famous form of love poetry. However, there are also some interesting differences in the way
the sonnet form is used within the two poems. Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116 pre-dates Barrett-Browning’s
by a few hundred years, and uses the form known as the Shakespearean Sonnet, where the original Italian
form is altered slightly. One of the changes made from the original form is that Shakespeare presents his
volta in a rhyming couplet at the end of the poem. Perhaps this was the playwright in him which knew the
impact of a powerful ending. However, Barrett-Browning, writing 300 years later, in a period where
Shakespeare’s own version of the sonnet was popular, chose to write in Petrarchan style, with an ABBA
rhyme scheme and the volta in line nine. It is interesting to think about why the poet did this, and what it
tells us about the presentation of true love in the poems.
It seems clear that Barrett Browning is rejecting the form made so famous by Shakespeare as she is also
rejecting his morals concerning love. We have already seen how Shakespeare’s sonnets are riddled with
sexual innuendo, but it is also true that Sonnet 116 was addressed to a man. Whether a profession of
homo-erotic love or merely platonic affection, the fact remains that Shakespeare has a view on love which
does not fit with Barrett-Browning’s own reserved and religious feelings. So, considering BarrettBrowning believed in love as a religious experience, she chose to use the form of Petrarch, the priest who
wrote of unrequited love. This choice more accurately reflects her own feelings of reserved emotion and
affection for a loved one.
In conclusion, both poets portray their view of true love, but whereas Shakespeare’s is sexual and
adventurous, Barrett-Brownings is more reserved and religious.
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OK, so what makes this a good answer? It does all the basics of PEE paragraphs and
commenting on language, structure and form. It answers the question too. However, what
sets this apart as a good example of a higher tier answer are perhaps two things:
1) The detailed knowledge of the poems, the poets, the
contexts and the important surrounding details (such as
the Bible references).
2) The way the answer is presented as one extended
argument – rather than having a number of different points I basically have one or
two which are then covered through the different mediums of language and form.
TOP TIPS FOR THE ANTHOLOGY POETRY QUESTION:



Analyse language, structure and form
Write in PEE paragraphs
Write about the poet’s themes and the effect on the
reader
SECTION B: UNSEEN POETRY
In Section B you will be asked to analyse a poem you have never seen before, spending just
30 minutes planning and writing your answer. I have created a system for analysing unseen
poems which I shall now share with you. However, before I do that, take a look at this
unseen poem and the question that follows it.
BULLY
Your words cut into me, sharp as a knife
The pain that you cause always goes unseen
I curl up defenceless, scared for my life
Why do you always have to be so mean?
We met in our tutor group, class 1E
At first you barely saw that I was there
But soon your attention fell upon me
Your words were flying and always unfair
After a few years we became good friends
Most of the time, you were actually kind
But then those moments of friendship would end
The good times were gone – all kindness behind
But those very good times enriched my life
That’s why in the end I took you as my wife
(Andrew Smith, 1981-)
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Question: What is the poet’s attitude to relationships? How is this presented in the poem?
OK, here are the 7 steps to follow with any unseen poem.
STEP 1: THINK ABOUT THE POET
Although you will almost certainly have never heard of the poet in the exam, you can work
out quite a lot from the name. To begin with, does it sound foreign or common? In the
example above the name ‘Andrew Smith’ seems to be a British or maybe American name –
there are certainly no clues that it may be the name of a non English native. Secondly think
about the sex – the fact that this poem is written by a man may play an important part of
the analysis to come.
STEP 2: THINK ABOUT THE DATE
If there is a date listed you need to think about the life-time experiences of the poet and
relate them to what you found out in step 1. For example, a poem from the 1600s written
by a woman is going to be based in a context where women’s rights were very different to
today. In the poem above you can see that the poet is just over 30 years old. This means
they have lived through the same sort of things you have lived through and share the same
cultural experiences: the internet boom, TV, 9/11 etc. Of course you don’t know exactly
when the poem was written, but again your first impressions on the date can be important
later on.
STEP 3: FIRST READING FOR LITERAL MEANING
The exam board will choose a poem in this section which has both a simple meaning and a
complex meaning. To begin with, read through the poem looking for the simple meaning.
That is: what does this poem literally mean?
Using ‘Bully’ as an example, we can say that the poem is about two school enemies who
later became friends and got married – that is the simple meaning.
STEP 4: LOOK FOR THE POETIC DEVICES
You should really do this at the same time as step 3, but look for the poetic devices used in
the poem. For example: similes, metaphors, alliteration, rhyme, rhythm etc.
STEP 5: LOOK AT THE STRUCTURE AND FORM
How is the poem organised? When do the verses change and why? Does it follow the
pattern of a type of poetry? The poem ‘Bully’ follows the form of Shakespearean Sonnet. If
you don’t know about sonnets then you need to know. Let me fill you in about them.
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The sonnet is a genre of love poetry which originated in Italy in the 13 th Century. The 14th
Century poet Petrarch is the most recognised Italian sonneteer. Falling in love with a woman
known only as ‘Laura’, he wrote 366 sonnets to her. However, she rejected his proposals.
The Italian Sonnet follows a strict form:





14 lines
The first 8 lines (known as the octave) present a problem
The last 6 lines (known as the sestet) present a solution to the problem
Line 9 (known as the Volta) introduces a sharp twist, or turn, which brings about the
move to the resolution
ABBA ABBA rhyme scheme.
In the 16th Century, the sonnet made its way into English poetry. Sir Philip Sidney developed
it, but it came to be known as the Shakespearean sonnet (after Shakespeare made it truly
famous). This form is quite different to the Petrarchan sonnet:



It is written in iambic pentameter (lines of 10 syllables, with alternating stressed and
unstressed syllables).
It is divided into 3 verses of four lines each, known as ‘quatrains’, and finished with
a rhyming couplet which also served as the Volta.
Its rhyme scheme is also different: ABAB CDCD EFEF GG.
However, the topic of Shakespearean sonnets remains the same: they are all about love.
So, now you know about sonnets, it is clear that Smith uses the sonnet form to back up the
message that this poem is about falling in love (albeit with a childhood enemy).
STEP 6: LOOK FOR THE INCONSISTENCIES / DEEPER MEANINGS
The next step is to look for the deeper meaning of the poem. This is often found by looking
for words or phrases which don’t seem to fit in with the literal interpretation. In the poem
above, you might consider the use of the present tense ‘cause’ which suggests that this
bullying is still taking place to this day. Perhaps this poem is more than a simple ‘we used to
hate each-other and now we love each-other’ and is actually about domestic abuse?
Similarly, the form of the poem suggests a deeper meaning. Although it follows the sonnet
form religiously, the last line contains 11 syllables not 10. On first reading this is a very
happy line which seems to laugh at the way the married couple used to be friends.
However, why did Smith choose to break the sonnet form? Does it, perhaps, suggest that
the love the couple has is not real?
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STEP 7: ANSWER THE QUESTION
Steps 1-6 should really only take 4 or 5 minutes to complete. Of course, they will take a lot
longer whilst you are unpractised, so I have included a number of unseen poems for you to
practise with. These begin on page ??.
TOP TIPS FOR THE UNSEEN POETRY QUESTION:



Analyse language, structure and form
Write in PEE paragraphs
Write about the poet’s themes and the effect on the
reader
With all that in mind, let’s look at the difference in how a ‘C’ grade and ‘A’ grade student
might attempt this question.
‘C’ GRADE SAMPLE ANSWER:
The poet’s attitude to relationships is that they are complex and multi-faceted. On the one hand,
relationships are loving and romantic. This is seen through the use of the sonnet form. The poem follows
the form of a Shakespearean sonnet: 14 lines of iambic pentameter, ABAB CDCD EFEF GG rhyme scheme
etc etc. By using the form of a famous type of love poetry, Smith is showing that the relationship is loving.
However, the title of the poem tells another story. By calling the poem ‘bully’, it is clear that this
relationship contains pain and suffering as well. This pain and suffering is clearly seen throughout the
poem. The effect on the reader is that they may feel confused about these conflicting emotions, which is
probably how Smith himself feels.
Ok, so the part answer above is a good answer. It is structured in PEE paragraph format and
comments on the effect on the reader. It analyses language and form, and shows a clear
knowledge of the understanding of sonnets. However, it really only focuses on a surface
analysis – there is much more that could be said. So, how do you develop that answer into
an ‘A’ grade answer? Using the answer giving as a starting point, let’s see if we can develop
it into something more sophisticated which addresses the deeper meanings and possible
alternative interpretations.
The poet’s attitude to relationships is that they are complex and multi-faceted. On the one hand,
relationships are loving and romantic. This is seen through the use of the sonnet form. The poem follows
the form of a Shakespearean sonnet: 14 lines of iambic pentameter, ABAB CDCD EFEF GG rhyme scheme
etc etc. By using the form of a famous type of love poetry, Smith is showing that the relationship is loving.
However, the use of the sonnet form is more subversive in this poem – it isn’t until the volta at the end
where we actually realise this poem is about a marriage. The effect on the reader of this sharp twist is that
they are surprised to see these seemingly combatant people are married. Perhaps Smith himself is
surprised at how he has fallen into this marriage. On top of that it is very important to note that the poem
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is not a perfect sonnet – the last line ‘That’s why in the end I took you as my wife’ contains 11 syllables
where it should only contain 10. This suggests that there is more lurking under the surface of this
seemingly happy marriage – perhaps it isn’t quite so happy at all, but is a façade, just like the forced and
ultimately inaccurate use of the sonnet form.
The language of the poem certainly does little to suggest the relationship is a happy one. By calling the
poem ‘bully’, it is clear that this relationship contains pain and suffering as well. This pain and suffering is
clearly seen throughout the poem. In fact, in verse one there is a suggestion that the relationship is still
not happy, seen in the use of the verb ‘cause’. This present tense usage is perhaps a subtle hint that the
‘bullying’ of their childhood is still taking place in their modern marriage. In this interpretation it could
even be suggested that childhood bullying is a metaphor for domestic abuse. Smith might be covering the
issue through childish imagery to reflect how he feels immature and childish to be the victim of domestic
abuse and yet also be a man.
You can see that this answer is much more sophisticated than the first. It picks out subtleties
and inconsistencies and analyses these persuasively. As with all poetry, you don’t have to
have the right answer – any answer is valid if it can be explained.
Well now it’s your turn! The next five pages are made up of unseen poems written by my
good friend and colleague Ollie Hayne. Each is a masterpiece of language, structure and
form. Attempt to analyse the poems following the steps laid out in this chapter and see
what conclusions you come to.
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Little Monkey
You’re a barrel-load of monkey business
I can’t guess what hides inside
your downward rolling left to right.
I start the upward caper
climbing.
You see, I’m pressing on from A to B, quite simply.
Still you’ve paused to view your options,
raising bars of difficulty
turning music louder as we’re
speaking.
We’ve had but one embrace, my little donkey
faced with dates I played it straight to make you mine,
running, jumping platforms of your mind
to find, my lovely, they’re all wonky
disappointingly.
You’ve called the plumber to attend to
mess clogged up inside your U-bend
but the man can’t do as men intend. Oh
look, a ladder here just at the end, missing rungs
conveniently.
You’re scoring more points now as I did then,
in fact, you’re very high on my top ten.
I’m going nowhere in these dungarees
these European threads don’t suit me
red.
So thanks for playing, thanks for trying,
pull the plug, no need replying.
My gorilla lust has lost confused,
it’s now game over, princess, no continues,
dead.
Start one player game.
COPYRIGHT © 2013, ANDREW BRUFF. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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Tell Me, I Know
“You’re limping again.”
That’s right. That’s right.
Notice my helplessness
drunk Thane of Leglessness
march me to Inverness
tell me it’s straightening.
“You’re limping again.”
Ka-blam. Ka-blam.
Batman’s utility
belt has facilities
cures disabilities
tell me it’s straightening.
“You’re limping again.”
I know. I know.
That’s me in the mirror, Jack
me with the aching back
me with the trousers slack
tell me it’s straightening.
“You’re limping again.”
Doctor. Doctor.
I’ve only one leg, sir
can’t stand to be with her
can’t ride with just one spur
tell me it’s straightening.
COPYRIGHT © 2013, ANDREW BRUFF. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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Clinton
I’m not sure how to begin.
I know not of the time before time.
Perhaps I should start in the middle?
Is there a middle?
Nevermind.
Bang.
That’ll do for now.
Clinton.
When you lie on your deathbed
I might send you a card.
Although you’d be positively neutral, I’m sure,
a testament to the sentiment,
we’re merely animals, after all.
Nobody noticed me so terribly small
took to swimming, took to swimming, took to swimming
found the shore
learned to run before I could walk
now…watch me soar!
Unbounded
got bored, now I’m grounded
I talk.
In another fifteen million years
I’d like a brain in my anus.
Today the nurse tried to pinpoint your soul
found nothing and could not plug the hole she’d created
(you’d long since vacated).
Heard her weeping a while on the landline
said you’ve been seeping with bile
like a boy on a landmine
aged only nine.
Bang.
Let’s go round again.
This morning, on the way to visit your ailing frame
a bus-load of atheists mounted the kerb
on the corner of Gower and Grafton Way.
A bus-load of believers
stabbing each other ‘til there was but one survivor.
I’m normally numb to the crimes of the nihilist
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but I felt for the driver
who had faith in some god
and was doing his job.
But the captain is final in leaving the boat
and had your new humanity rammed down his throat.
I make it to your ward.
Talk to the ward clerk
(whatever she’s called).
Said you’ve been talking of your genus,
had been acting quite the fraud
annoying dying men,
dying in adjoining beds
sat dying with their crying wives.
You’d told them when they’re gone and dead
there’d be no afterlives.
You’re no good.
Tell a grandson granddad’s worm food.
Tell a grieving tot her dog will rot
and stiffen in the ground,
no gilded gate of heaven,
no silver trumpet sound.
COPYRIGHT © 2013, ANDREW BRUFF. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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Anne Frank
I live here in this loft space as the ruling German nation
has declared my Jewish race an accursed abomination.
So our principle is now to creep not dash upon the floorboards
whilst the people down the stairs provide what food they can afford.
And I get bored…
Especially at night when light is sought
but soon snuffed out
in case we’re caught by eyes of prying soldiers,
nosy neighbours who’ve been bought to be informers
or recorders of illegal Jewish boarders.
It’s not so bad at times,
this book of mine has kept me entertained,
and the company of boys, well, one particular, a joy.
Yet we’re all anxious to avoid the news of labour camps like chicken coops
where the best and worst of Hitler’s troops use our gold to clothe their coven
and our souls to fuel their oven.
It’s getting late.
The night is endless
yet I lie awake and restless.
Do I dare to move myself to strike a single match?
To find a hateful pair of German eyes upon me through the hatch
to drag me down to hell and back,
my body burned to dust and ash
but firmly gripped in father’s grasp my words return to you for evermore.
Dear Kitty,
fly, the world is yours…
I’m Anne Frank.
Please world protect me.
I’m Anne Frank.
And don’t forget me.
I’m Anne Frank.
Please, father, find me.
I’m Anne Frank.
Look after Kitty.
I’m Anne Frank.
Please, Father, help me.
I’m Anne Frank.
Please…Father…
COPYRIGHT © 2013, ANDREW BRUFF. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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Box Room
When you were just a child of three
you scratched a crayon on the wall
your mother silently appalled
then sent you bedward
shortly to report your flaw
to dear old father,
he took it harder
and in the morning flatly laid the law
over piles of sodden cornflakes
suggested lowering your profile for the day
to save you drawing further mischief
on the woodchip of the wall.
And so you pencilled in a tantrum
once your ruler darted sharply through the threshold
where your kingdom ends and world begins,
thumbing footholds in your mother’s thinly folded clay
of pasta-layered patience.
Kingdom come and kingdom go
your arms gyrating down below
your legs a blur of tiny maelstrom
on freshly floured linoleum.
Grizzly-faced, po-faced,
you reach for the kill
asking mother to fill up
your Tupperware beaker
with fizzy Ribena:
a mixture of cordial and dark lemonade.
Her mistake wryly made
as you eyeball her, tilt it
“Oh, Mummy, I’ve spilt it!”
Laugh all the way up the timber hill
slam the door in the box room
and wait for the thrill
of your father’s dun wrapping
on the wood of the door,
the squeak of the doorknob and
the speech he abhors of
the poor job you’re making of baking with Mother.
A yearning, they’re learning,
for a sister or brother.
COPYRIGHT © 2013, ANDREW BRUFF. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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AFTERWORD
OK, you have reached the end of this eBook. I truly hope it has been useful to you. I would
ask that you tell your friends about it and get them to buy a copy! I also suggest you head
over to my website mrbruff.com
Mrbruff.com hosts a number of my videos, my podcasts, my blog and a whole host of other
useful bits and bobs. If, through reading this eBook, you think you would like some 1-2-1
tuition from me, then please use the contact form at mrbruff.com and let me know the
topics you are interested in. I currently tutor in a number of ways, including making videos
specifically for you on your topic of choice.
I hope you do brilliantly well in your exams – send me an email when you get your results
and let me know how you got on: abruff@live.co.uk
Andrew Bruff
www.mrbruff.com
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