Starter quiz
- What does the word 'accurate' mean?
- open to more than one interpretation, unclear or uncertain in meaning
- not correct or precise, containing errors or mistakes
- correct or precise, without errors or mistakes, reflecting truth or reality ✓
- closely connected or appropriate to the matter at hand
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- What does 'judiciously' mean?
- without a specific pattern or purpose, happening by chance
- immediately or without delay, in a very short amount of time
- having a prejudice or inclination toward one side or viewpoint over others
- in a wise and careful manner, showing good judgement or discretion ✓
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- Which of these words are examples of comparative vocabulary?
- however ✓
- never
- because
- both ✓
- since
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- When comparing two texts, the most effective responses will aim to ...
- choose one poem as a primary focus and mostly use evidence from this.
- analyse more than two poems - the more, the better.
- ensure a balanced argument by focusing on both poems equally. ✓
- analyse both poems but only use evidence from one.
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- When writing analytical paragraphs, it's a good idea to lead with ...
- a key quotation from each poem.
- some relevant wider contextual information.
- a comparison of key ideas or inferences from each poem. ✓
- a sentence which shows that you've understood what happens in each poem.
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- Context should be used ...
- in every single paragraph of your analysis.
- only when it is relevant to the current argument you are making. ✓
- only for one of the poems.
- sparingly - it isn't very important to your analysis.
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Exit quiz
- What does the word 'compelling' mean?
- not interesting, containing errors or mistakes
- unclear or imprecise, lacking definite details or distinctness
- strongly captures attention or interest, often persuading or captivating ✓
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- What are comparative conjunctions used for?
- to show cause and effect
- to compare similarities or differences between texts ✓
- to indicate a personal interpretation
- to indicate the start of a new paragraph
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- In which of the these sentences is the word 'judiciously' used correctly?
- He judiciously ate a large meal before running a marathon.
- The child judiciously spent hours playing video games instead of studying.
- She judiciously allocated her time to prioritise tasks effectively. ✓
- They judiciously drove recklessly through the busy city streets.
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- When writing a comparative analysis between two poems, you should lead with ...
- a key quotation.
- an exploration of how each writer uses language.
- an exploration of how each writer uses form and structure.
- a comparison of key ideas in each poem. ✓
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- When including links to wider context, they should ...
- be written using tentative language. ✓
- be chosen judiciously and copied accurately.
- only be used when relevant to your overall point. ✓
- explore how and why the writer used language and structure in the way they did.
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- Where should your topic sentence go in an analytical response?
- at the beginning of your response
- at the very end of your response
- at the beginning of every analytical paragraph ✓
- just before you make a relevant point about the wider context
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Worksheet
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Presentation
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Video
Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Topic sentences need to be clear, comparative and linked to the question.
- Relevant quotations from the text are used to justify arguments.
- Relevant contextual information can be used to develop arguments.
- Responses should focus on the intention of the writer to avoid re-telling the story of the poem.
- Comparative conjunctions should be used to compare key ideas as well as language, form and structure.
Common misconception
Context should be used in every paragraph of a comparative analytical response.
While it is extremely important to use relevant contextual information to shape interpretations of the two poems being compared, it isn't necessary to include it in every paragraph unless it is relevant to the overall argument you are making.
Keywords
Compelling - strongly captures attention or interest, often persuading or captivating; hard to ignore
Diaspora - the dispersion of people from their homeland to multiple regions across the world
Comparative conjunctions - linking words used to compare similarities or differences
Topic sentence - a sentence expressing the main idea of a paragraph, guiding its focus
Context - information linked to text, shaping our interpretation of it (e.g. when/where it was published)
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