2026
MY ONE
Re-read If— and Sonnet 116.
Compare how the writers present strong and unchanging attitudes in If— and Sonnet 116.
You should make reference to language, form and structure.
Support your answer with examples from the poems.
Compare how the writers present strong and unchanging attitudes in If— and Sonnet 116.
You should make reference to language, form and structure.
Support your answer with examples from the poems.**
AO2 Responses may include:
If— (Rudyard Kipling)
• The poem presents a strong, unchanging attitude of moral resilience and self-discipline, with the speaker instructing the reader to maintain composure in all situations, particularly through the repeated conditional structure “If you can…” which creates a steady, controlled tone
• The accumulation of conditional clauses builds a sense of endurance and emotional stability, suggesting that strength is achieved through continuous self-control rather than momentary emotion
• The imperative tone of the poem (“keep your head,” “trust yourself”) reinforces the authoritative voice of a father-like figure guiding the reader towards an ideal of stoic masculinity
• The structure of the poem as one extended conditional sentence reflects the idea of persistence and continuity, mirroring the unchanging attitude being promoted
• The contrast between external chaos (“all men doubt you”) and internal control emphasises the importance of remaining unchanged regardless of circumstance
• The final lines (“you’ll be a Man, my son!”) present a culmination of stability and achievement, suggesting that emotional restraint leads to maturity and success
• The regular rhyme scheme and steady rhythm reinforce the disciplined, controlled mindset advocated throughout the poem
Sonnet 116 (William Shakespeare)
• Shakespeare presents love as an unchanging, eternal force, emphasised through the declarative opening “Let me not to the marriage of true minds admit impediments,” which immediately establishes certainty and permanence
• The use of metaphor (“Love is not love / Which alters when it alteration finds”) reinforces the idea that true love is constant and unaffected by change
• Personification of love as an unshakable force (“Love is an ever-fixed mark”) suggests strength and stability beyond human control
• The structure of the Shakespearean sonnet, with its ordered rhyme scheme and final rhyming couplet, reflects control and reinforces the idea of emotional constancy
• The use of negative repetition (“not… nor… never”) strengthens the absolute and unchanging nature of true love
• Imagery of time (“bending sickle’s compass”) presents time as destructive, yet love is shown to resist its effects, reinforcing permanence
• The volta introduces reflection on death, but even here love is shown to endure “even to the edge of doom,” reinforcing its eternal quality
Both poems (AO3 comparison):
• Both poems present strong, unchanging attitudes as ideals that must withstand external pressures, whether emotional instability in If— or time and death in Sonnet 116
• If— focuses on personal moral strength and self-control, whereas Sonnet 116 focuses on the constancy of romantic love, showing different forms of emotional permanence
• Both poets use structured poetic forms (a single flowing conditional structure in If— and the sonnet form in Sonnet 116) to reflect stability and control
• Repetition is used in both poems to reinforce certainty: “If you can…” in If— and “Love is not love” in Sonnet 116
• Both poems use declarative, authoritative tones to present their ideas as universal truths rather than personal opinions
• While Kipling presents strength as something to be achieved through discipline, Shakespeare presents love as inherently unchanging and beyond human control
• Both poems conclude with a sense of resolution and certainty, reinforcing the idea of permanence—manhood achieved in If— and eternal love affirmed in Sonnet 116
These examples are suggestions only. Accept any valid responses.
Compare the ways the writers present how an ordinary moment becomes important in Blessing and one other poem from the anthology.
Compare the ways the writers present how an ordinary moment becomes important in Blessing and War Photographer
AO2 Responses may include:
Blessing (Imtiaz Dharker)
• The poem presents an ordinary moment—a dry, hot day in a poor community—suddenly becoming important when water arrives unexpectedly like a “blessing”
• The contrast between dryness and sudden water creates impact, shown through the metaphor of “The skin cracks like a pod” which shows suffering before the moment of relief
• The arrival of water is described as explosive and powerful, with “a sudden rush of fortune” suggesting the moment feels almost magical and life-changing
• The poem uses vivid imagery of everyday poverty, such as “squatter city” and “nails” and “streets,” making the ordinary setting feel harsh and real
• The structure reflects excitement and intensity, with short lines like “drip / drop” slowing time and making each drop feel precious and important
• The use of onomatopoeia (“drip drop”) makes the moment sensory and emphasises how something small becomes powerful
• The tone shifts from suffering to joy, showing how a simple moment (water arriving) becomes a miracle for the community
• Enjambment creates a flowing movement, mirroring water spreading and the sudden emotional release it brings
War Photographer (Carol Ann Duffy)
• The poem presents an ordinary moment—developing photographs in a darkroom—which becomes emotionally important because of the traumatic memories attached to it
• The contrast between the calm darkroom and the violent images in the photographs shows how an everyday job becomes deeply serious and emotional
• The phrase “spools of suffering set out in ordered rows” shows how ordinary photography materials are transformed into symbols of global pain
• Religious imagery like “A priest preparing to intone a mass” suggests the moment is sacred and heavy with meaning
• The red light in the darkroom creates a calm, controlled setting, but this contrasts with the chaos of war remembered in the images
• The structure moves between present and past, showing how ordinary actions trigger powerful memories
• The final lines “They do not care” show the impact of the images is ignored by society, making the moment important but also tragic
• Enjambment and controlled rhythm reflect the photographer’s attempt to contain emotion, even though the memories break through
Both poems (AO3 comparison):
• Both poems show how an ordinary moment becomes important because it reveals something much bigger—life and survival in Blessing, and human suffering in War Photographer
• Blessing focuses on physical survival (water in a poor community), while War Photographer focuses on emotional and moral suffering caused by war
• Both poets use contrast to show importance: dryness vs water in Blessing, calm darkroom vs war images in War Photographer
• In both poems, small details become powerful symbols—water droplets in Blessing and photographs in War Photographer
• Both use vivid imagery to turn ordinary scenes into emotionally powerful moments for the reader
• Blessing creates a joyful, hopeful tone, while War Photographer creates a serious and reflective tone
• Both poems show how a single moment can represent wider human experience—poverty and survival in Blessing, and global suffering and memory in War Photographer
These examples are suggestions only. Accept any valid responses.
Optional
EITHER 2
Re-read The Tyger and Blessing.
Compare how the writers present the idea of something powerful being both beautiful and dangerous.
You should make reference to language, form and structure. Support your answer with examples from the poems.
OR 3
Re-read If—.
Compare the ways the writers present control over emotions in If— and one other poem from the anthology.
You should make reference to language, form and structure. Support your answer with examples from the poems.
EITHER 2
Re-read Sonnet 116 and If—.
Compare how the writers present strength of character in Sonnet 116 and If—.
You should make reference to language, form and structure. Support your answer with examples from the poems.
OR 3
Re-read Blessing.
Compare the ways the writers present moments that quickly change people’s feelings in Blessing and one other poem from the anthology.
You should make reference to language, form and structure. Support your answer with examples from the poems.
EITHER 2
Re-read The Tyger and Sonnet 116.
Compare how the writers present ideas about things that cannot be controlled or changed.
You should make reference to language, form and structure. Support your answer with examples from the poems.
Re-read If—.
Compare the ways the writers present the importance of patience in If— and one other poem from the anthology.
You should make reference to language, form and structure. Support your answer with examples from the poems.
Re-read Sonnet 116.
Compare the ways the writers present certainty in Sonnet 116 and one other poem from the anthology.
You should make reference to language, form and structure. Support your answer with examples from the poems.
Re-read Blessing.
Compare the ways the writers present the importance of ordinary things in Blessing and one other poem from the anthology.
You should make reference to language, form and structure. Support your answer with examples from the poems.
Re-read The Tyger and Blessing.
Compare how the writers present the idea of something powerful being both beautiful and dangerous.
You should make reference to language, form and structure. Support your answer with examples from the poems.
Re-read If—.
Compare the ways the writers present control over emotions in If— and one other poem from the anthology.
You should make reference to language, form and structure. Support your answer with examples from the poems.
Re-read Sonnet 116 and If—.
Compare how the writers present strength of character in Sonnet 116 and If—.
You should make reference to language, form and structure. Support your answer with examples from the poems.
Re-read Blessing.
Compare the ways the writers present moments that quickly change people’s feelings in Blessing and one other poem from the anthology.
You should make reference to language, form and structure. Support your answer with examples from the poems.
Re-read The Tyger and Sonnet 116.
Compare how the writers present ideas about things that cannot be controlled or changed.
You should make reference to language, form and structure. Support your answer with examples from the poems.
Re-read If—.
Compare the ways the writers present the importance of patience in If— and one other poem from the anthology.
You should make reference to language, form and structure. Support your answer with examples from the poems.
Re-read Sonnet 116.
Compare the ways the writers present certainty in Sonnet 116 and one other poem from the anthology.
You should make reference to language, form and structure. Support your answer with examples from the poems.
Re-read Blessing.
Compare the ways the writers present the importance of ordinary things in Blessing and one other poem from the anthology.
You should make reference to language, form and structure. Support your answer with examples from the poems.
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