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English Literature
All levels

How do I write an critical commentary on a passage I've never seen before?

Start by reading it multiple times, because the meaning of a passage or a poem can be tricky to grasp on a first reading, no matter how much you know about literature. The excerpt you're looking at will h...

GR
4046 Views

What is expected in Paper 1?

Paper 1 is a commentary on an unseen text. They will give you two different passages, one in prose and one piece of poetry and you decide on one of them to comment on. When commenting on the passage alway...

CS
2802 Views

How to analyse a poem?

When analysing a poem, I find that using the method ‘SMILE’ is very helpful. SMILE stands for:S - StructureM - MeaningI - ImageryL - LanguageE - Effect When looking at a poem, you should always try to fin...

GV
3629 Views

How do I construct my line of argument and paragraph points for my AO1?

When posed with the question, think about the answer carefully. What do you actually think? If the question was about the presentation of love in Othello, then think about how you think love is p...

PT
6649 Views

Discuss the significance of repetition in 'Waiting for Godot'.

Waiting is often associated with repetition. The cyclical existence of protagonist, Vladimir and Estragon, is defined by the tyranny of an unknown force, which renders them prisoners of time. Such force i...

EW
9811 Views

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