SMILE explained

GCSE · English Literature · AQA · P2.C.SK — Unseen poetry exam approach: TIPCAS / SMILE / FLIRT planning frameworks; close reading techniques; building a personal interpretation under time pressure

Question

Explain the SMILE framework and how a student should use it when reading an unseen poem. (8 marks equivalent)

Answer guidance:

S = Structure: stanza shape, line length, rhyme, enjambment, caesura, turn.
M = Meaning: gist — what is happening? Who is speaking?
I = Imagery: metaphors, similes, personification, symbols, extended images.
L = Language: specific diction — connotations, register, unusual choices.
E = Effect: what does each element contribute to overall meaning and impact?
Use SMILE as a reading checklist during annotation (reading time). Do NOT write it as essay headings. It is a planning tool, not an essay structure.

8 marks · take your time before peeking.

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Generated by TopMyGrade AI · cross-check official sources before relying on the mark-scheme phrasing.