For those of you who want to improve their folio grades for this year, here are some good on-line resources where you can get inspiration and also familiarise yourself more with critical language.

Poetry: Visiting Hour, by Norman MacCaig

• Poem text, with highlighted techniques (PDF)
• Ideas and techniques (PDF)
• Stanzas 1-5 (PDF)
• Stanzas 5-7 (PDF)

Revision: Close Reading

Here is the 2003 paper split into individual questions with guidance on how to answer. (Click to open each Word file in a new window.)

Understanding Questions

Analysis Questions

Evaluation Questions

• 2003 Marking instructions (PDF)

Here is the 2005 paper split into individual questions:

• 2005 Marking Instructions (PDF)

You can download a self-assessment sheet (here), and a front page (here) and a title page (here) for your pupil booklet. (All files are Word documents that open in a new window.)

 Here are some strategies for dealing with different types of question:

• Conclusion Questions
• Evaluation Questions
• Imagery Questions
• Punctuation Questions
• Structure Questions
• Tone Questions
• Understanding Questions
• Conclusions (True-False questions)