When it comes to poetry revision, it’s all about working smart, not trying to memorise everything. Here’s the approach we recommend to help you feel confident, prepared, and in control! 🚀
💡Poetry Revision Strategy: The 5/15 Rule
To revise effectively, we suggest splitting your focus like this:
✅ Learn 5 poems inside out
This means knowing:
📚 Key quotes
📚 Central themes
📚 Close language and structure analysis
📚 Relevant context and form
✅ Understand the other 10 poems
You don’t need to memorise quotes in the same way, but make sure you:
📚 Know their main ideas and themes
📚 Can talk about their form and structure
📚 Understand any key contextual links
💡 Which 5 Poems Should I Learn in Detail?
This part is up to you, but here are some tips to help you choose the best ones:
🌟 Pick the Ones You Like
Which poems do you find most interesting or memorable?
You’ll retain analysis and quotes more easily if you genuinely enjoy the poem.
🔗 Choose Widely Applicable Poems
Can the poem be compared to lots of others?
Focus on ones that cover key themes like conflict, identity, power, or nature.
The more flexible the poem is, the more useful it’ll be in a comparative essay!
🎥 Watch Our Recommendations
We share our top 5 recommended poems in our Last Minute Revision video, check it out for suggestions based on theme coverage and comparison potential!
🧠 Why This Strategy Works
This approach ensures you:
💡 Have deep knowledge of a core group of poems
💡 Can confidently handle any comparison that comes up in the exam
💡 Avoid feeling overwhelmed by trying to memorise all 15 poems in detail
You’ve got this! 📝✨