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#60

Love & Relationships — Before You Were Mine (Carol Ann Duffy)

AQA English · Exam

Core thesis (AO1)

Anthology: AQA Past and Present (Love & Relationships), poem starts p.19.

  • One-sentence thesis: (write a flexible interpretation you can adapt to most questions)
  • Alternative angle: (a second, defensible reading that still fits the poem)

What you must do to hit marks (AO1/AO2)

  • Make a clear point about the relationship (power, distance, memory, conflict, etc.).
  • Use short, precise quotes (2–6 words) and zoom in on key words.
  • Analyse method → effect → meaning (not feature-spotting).
  • Mention structure (shifts/turns/endings) to show control.

High-value methods to target (AO2)

  • Form: (e.g. sonnet / dramatic monologue / free verse / lyric)
  • Structure: (e.g. volta/shift, cyclical ending, contrast, narrative movement)
  • Language: (e.g. semantic fields, imagery, sound, diction, tone)

Context hooks (AO3) — use lightly, only if it sharpens AO2

  • Context window: modern (late 20thC)
  • Useful AO3 angle: (link context to why the poet might present love/relationships this way)
  • Don’t do: long history dumps — keep it to 1–2 lines that support a method point.

Support videos

Note on quotes

  • Keep memorised quotes short. In this pack we avoid reproducing full poem text; use the anthology page reference above.

Quote bank (AO1/AO2)

  • "winking in Portobello somewhere in Scotland" → AO2: diction → meaning: (what this suggests + why it matters)
  • "Portobello somewhere in Scotland before I" → AO2: personal pronouns (voice) → meaning: (what this suggests + why it matters)
  • "thousand eyes the fizzy movie tomorrows" → AO2: diction → meaning: (what this suggests + why it matters)
  • "stamping stars from the wrong pavement" → AO2: natural imagery → meaning: (what this suggests + why it matters)
  • "somewhere in Scotland before I was" → AO2: personal pronouns (voice) → meaning: (what this suggests + why it matters)
  • "shriek at the pavement Your polka-dot" → AO2: diction → meaning: (what this suggests + why it matters)
  • "remember my hands in those high-heeled" → AO2: personal pronouns (voice) → meaning: (what this suggests + why it matters)
  • "pavement Your polka-dot dress blows round" → AO2: diction → meaning: (what this suggests + why it matters)

Examiner-rewarded interpretations (AO1/AO2)

  • Interpretation 1 (argument): The poem presents the relationship as complex (tension between affection and conflict/power), shown through precise imagery such as "winking in Portobello somewhere in Scotland" and shifts in tone/voice.
  • Interpretation 2 (methods-led): Structural movement (set-up → development → ending) controls the reader’s response; details like "Portobello somewhere in Scotland before I" can be used to track a change in perspective or emotional intensity.
  • Interpretation 3 (alternative angle): The poem can be read as exploring identity/memory/reputation in relationships; micro-details like "thousand eyes the fizzy movie tomorrows" allow you to argue a subtle viewpoint rather than simple love/hate.

Comparison pairings (best fits)

  • Pair 1: (poem) — shared theme + different method
  • Pair 2: (poem) — shared idea + different viewpoint
  • Pair 3: (poem) — similar structure (shift/ending) for a high-quality compare

Fast plan (1 paragraph)

  • Thesis answering the question
  • Poem A: Point → Quote → Method → Meaning
  • Poem B: Compare point → Quote → Method → Meaning
  • Link back to question

Fast plan (full answer)

  • Intro thesis (1–2 sentences)
  • Paragraph 1: big theme (love/power/memory)
  • Paragraph 2: relationship dynamic (control/distance/conflict)
  • Paragraph 3: structure/ending (shift/volta/resolution)