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Year 11
AQA

Refining comparative essay writing

I can plan and structure a cohesive argument for a poetry comparison essay.

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New
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Year 11
AQA

Refining comparative essay writing

I can plan and structure a cohesive argument for a poetry comparison essay.

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Share activities with pupils
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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Introduction and topic sentences should use comparative and correlative conjunctions.
  2. Within a wider similarity, explore smaller variations or connections in the poets ideas, messages or use of devices.
  3. Use sequences of developmental and evaluative connectives to explore multiple angles of an idea.
  4. Ensure concluding sentences and conclusions are evaluative, drawing out precise ideas.

Keywords

  • Nuanced - a subtle difference in meaning. In our poetry essays we want to look for nuanced differences in the presentation of the same thing (e.g. war).

  • Correlative conjunctions - words that work in pairs to join ideas together (e.g. neither/nor).

  • Discourse markers - words and phrases we use to organise and connect our ideas. They let our reader know where our argument is going.

  • Evaluate - to make a judgement on something. In English we evaluate a writer’s methods and ideas.

Common misconception

The best analysis identifies similarities and differences between poems in the anthology.

The best analysis will look for nuanced variations between similarities (e.g. 'Both 'Bayonet Charge' and 'Remains' explore the impact of war on individuals. However, Remains focuses more on war's aftermath and the psychological effect it can have.')


To help you plan your year 11 english lesson on: Refining comparative essay writing, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

The practice task in learning cycle 1 gets students to compare two poems and identify a difference within a similarity. You may wish to change the poems in the task to better meet the needs of your students/any upcoming pieces of extended writing they may be completing.
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Teacher tip
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Equipment

You will need access to a copy of the AQA Power and Conflict Anthology for this lesson.

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Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
supervision-level

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
A concluding sentence should…
rephrase the topic sentence.
give your opinion about the poem.
Correct answer: have a sharp focus on the writer’s purpose.
Q2.
Instead of choosing poems based on the time they were written or their style, it's better to compare poems based on their presentation of key...
Correct answer: themes
forms
events
characters
Q3.
Topic sentences should...
Correct answer: outline arguments of each paragraph.
include contextual detail.
Correct answer: include key question vocabulary.
Q4.
Which poems from the 'Power and Conflict' anthology best explore the theme of memory?
Correct answer: 'War Photographer'
Correct answer: 'Remains'
'Bayonet Charge'
'Charge of the Light Brigade'
Q5.
These poems have been grouped together: 'Ozymandias', 'London' and 'My Last Duchess'. What key theme do they have in common?
power of love
power of war
Correct answer: abuse of power
power of nature
Q6.
If considering the theme of nature which poem would you choose to compare with 'Kamikaze'?
'The Charge of the Light Brigade' by Alfred Tennyson
'War Photographer' by Carol Ann Duffy
Correct answer: 'Exposure' by Wilfred Own

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
If something has subtle differences in meaning then it can be described as .
Correct Answer: nuanced, nuance
Q2.
'__________ Armitage __________ Owen shy away from describing the traumatic nature of war on the individual soldier.' Which correlative conjunctions could be added to make this sentence accurate?
Both/and
Correct answer: Neither/nor
Both/nor
Neither/and
Q3.
What is being described here: 'to make a judgement on something'?
analysis
comparison
Correct answer: evaluation
comprehension
Q4.
Andeep writes the following introduction@ 'My Last Duchess' highlights the vanity of powerful leaders. 'Ozymandias' does this too.' What would be a good target for Andeep to improve this?
Correct answer: use correlative conjunctions
introduce evidence to support your point
Correct answer: identify a smaller difference within a similarity to show nuanced comparison
Correct answer: link your ideas back to the question focus
compare a modern poem from the anthology with one much older
Q5.
Which of the following discourse markers would be good for showing a relationship of 'cause/effect'?
Correct answer: therefore
Correct answer: thus
Correct answer: consequently
similarly
for example
Q6.
What would be a good, nuanced difference to make when analysing 'Ozymandias' and 'My Last Duchess' (MLD)?
'MLD' was written in the reign of Queen Victoria. 'Ozymandias' wasn't.
Correct answer: In 'MLD' power is exerted over an individual, in 'Ozymandias' over a nation.
'MLD' has 56 lines. 'Ozymandias' is a much shorter sonnet of 14.
'MLD' is about artwork, 'Ozymandias' about statues.

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