Unseen poem — single 15-mark response

Component 2, Section C — Question 1 (15 marks)

Read the unseen poem provided in the exam. Write about how the poet presents (theme stated in question, e.g. loss, childhood, place). (15 marks)

Mark scheme — banded (AO1 + AO2):

Band	Marks	Descriptor
5	13–15	Perceptive, conceptualised analysis; precisely chosen quotation; sophisticated AO2 method-effect-feeling reasoning.
4	10–12	Thoughtful, sustained analysis; apt textual support; clear awareness of form/structure.
3	7–9	Clear understanding; relevant comments on language; some terminology.
2	4–6	Some explanation; surface-level feature labelling.
1	1–3	Simple narrative comments; minimal textual support.

Indicative content: a Band 5 candidate identifies a controlling idea (e.g. "the poem moves from sensory abundance to emotional emptiness"), then anchors three paragraphs on the most distinctive features — perhaps an extended metaphor, a sound pattern, and a structural shift. A Band 3 response labels devices ("there is alliteration") without sustained method-effect reasoning. A Band 1 response paraphrases the poem.