Eduqas GCSE English Literature
Eduqas GCSE English Literature Eduqas Poetry Anthology Exam Questions
Free Eduqas GCSE English Literature practice questions for Eduqas Poetry Anthology. Covers the new 15-poem Eduqas anthology from 2027, analysing a named poem, comparing it with a chosen poem, and themes of conflict, love, family and nature.
Eduqas Poetry Anthology practice questions
1 pack of exam-style practice questions for Eduqas Poetry Anthology. Plan and write as many answers as you can under timed conditions, then compare them with the guidance on this page and your notes.
About Eduqas GCSE English Literature Eduqas Poetry Anthology
The poetry anthology is Component 1, Section B of Eduqas GCSE English Literature. Eduqas has replaced its 18-poem anthology with a new 15-poem anthology, first taught from September 2025 and examined from summer 2027. The old anthology was examined for the last time in summer 2026, so students sitting exams in 2027 and later must revise the new list. You answer two linked questions on a named poem printed on the paper: one on that poem alone (15 marks) and one comparing it with another anthology poem you choose (25 marks). AO1, AO2 and AO3, including context, are assessed.
Key poems and themes
- New anthology (2027 onwards) Blake 'The Schoolboy', Wordsworth 'I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud', Christina Rossetti 'Cousin Kate', Elizabeth Barrett Browning 'Sonnet 29', Hardy 'Drummer Hodge', Owen 'Disabled', Claude McKay 'I Shall Return', Zulfikar Ghose 'Decomposition', Gillian Clarke 'Catrin', Seamus Heaney 'Blackberry Picking', Beatrice Garland 'Kamikaze', Carol Ann Duffy 'War Photographer', Jackie Kay 'Dusting the Phone', Simon Armitage 'Remains' and Eve L. Ewing 'Origin Story'.
- Old anthology (last exam 2026) The 18-poem list included 'Ozymandias', 'London', 'Dulce et Decorum Est', 'Valentine', 'The Manhunt', 'Hawk Roosting', 'Mametz Wood', 'To Autumn' and 'Death of a Naturalist'. These are no longer examined, so do not use old revision notes for them.
- Conflict and its aftermath 'Drummer Hodge' (a young soldier buried far from home in the Boer War), 'Disabled' (a wounded First World War soldier), 'Remains' (a soldier haunted by a killing), 'War Photographer' and 'Kamikaze' (a pilot who turns back and is shunned) show the human cost of war.
- Love, family and relationships 'Sonnet 29' and 'Dusting the Phone' present longing for a loved one, 'Cousin Kate' shows betrayal and class, 'Catrin' explores the conflict and bond between mother and child, and 'Origin Story' tells of the poet's parents meeting.
- Nature, childhood and place 'I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud' shows nature living on in memory, 'Blackberry Picking' and 'The Schoolboy' explore childhood, 'I Shall Return' is a sonnet of longing for McKay's Jamaican home, and 'Decomposition' questions turning poverty into art.
- First question: the named poem Analyse the printed poem only: voice, imagery, form, rhythm and structure, with brief context. Eduqas suggests about 20 minutes.
- Second question: comparison Choose one other poem that fits the theme in the question (a list of anthology titles is printed), compare methods as well as ideas, and use context for both poems. Eduqas suggests about 40 minutes.
Common mistakes in Eduqas Poetry Anthology
- Revising the old anthology. 'Ozymandias', 'Dulce et Decorum Est' and the other old poems are not on the paper from 2027.
- Comparing in the first question. The 15-mark question is about the named poem only; save comparison for the 25-mark question.
- Choosing a second poem you know poorly. Prepare two or three partners for every poem, for example 'Drummer Hodge' with 'Disabled' or 'Remains'.
- Writing about the two poems separately in the comparison. Weave similarities and differences through each paragraph.
- Leaving out context. AO3 is assessed in both questions, so link context such as the Boer War or the First World War briefly to meaning.
Try three Eduqas Poetry Anthology practice questions
1. Read 'Drummer Hodge' by Thomas Hardy. In this poem Hardy writes about the death of a young soldier. Write about the ways in which Hardy presents the soldier in this poem. (15 marks)
Show what a strong answer includes
A strong answer would analyse Hodge's careless burial and anonymity; the unfamiliar South African landscape and stars contrasted with his Wessex home; the regular stanzas and the idea that he becomes part of a foreign land forever; and how Hardy creates sympathy for an ordinary soldier in the Boer War.
2. Choose one other poem from the anthology in which the poet also writes about the effects of war. Compare the presentation of the effects of war in your chosen poem with the presentation of the effects of war in 'Drummer Hodge'. (25 marks)
Show what a strong answer includes
A strong answer would choose a poem such as 'Disabled' or 'Remains'; compare Hardy's distant third-person view with Owen's contrast of past and present or Armitage's haunted first-person voice; analyse form, imagery and endings; and use context for both poems.
3. Read 'Catrin' by Gillian Clarke. Write about the ways in which Clarke presents the relationship between a mother and her child in this poem. (15 marks)
Show what a strong answer includes
A strong answer would analyse the memory of birth presented as a struggle; the image of the rope or cord linking mother and child; the shift to a present-day disagreement with her teenage daughter; the two-stanza structure; and the mix of love and conflict.
Eduqas Poetry Anthology FAQs
Which Eduqas poetry anthology do I need for my exam?
If you sit your GCSE in 2027 or later, you need the new 15-poem anthology. The old 18-poem anthology was examined for the last time in summer 2026.
Which component is the anthology examined in?
Component 1, Section B. One question on a named, printed poem is worth 15 marks, and a second question comparing it with another anthology poem of your choice is worth 25 marks.
How should I prepare comparisons for the Eduqas anthology?
For every poem, choose two partner poems by theme and by method, and practise a short plan for each pair. Learn a few key words from each poem, as only the named poem is printed.
