2. A Grade Criteria
• To get an A/A* you must:
• Respond enthusiastically and critically to texts
showing imagination and originality in
developing alternative approaches and
interpretations
• Confidently explore and evaluate how
language, structure and form contribute to the
poet’s ideas and themes.
• Learning Objective: To develop
alternative interpretations of word
choices in an unseen poem
3. Word grouping
In your pairs, scan your eyes across this word
cloud. Could you group any words together as a
set? Look out for common themes or patterns
5. Word associations
• Words and phrases in poems often have more
than one meaning
• There will be a literal meaning
• But then a metaphorical meaning
• To get into the A and A* grade bands you will
need to consider different possible meanings
at word level and consider the effects of these
alternative meanings on the reader
6. Word associations
• Do any of these words have double meanings?
• Let’s look at “wounded” – what different ways
could we take this word?
Wounded
Wartime
Painful injury
Difficult to
patch up Scars
Emotionally
wounded
Wounded
pride
Defeated
7. Word Associations
In your pairs try and do a word association
mindmap like I did with one of the words –
absolutely anything that springs to mind!
Silver
Chance
Trigger
Tone
Hint: If
nothing
grabs you
straight
away, use
one of the 5
words I’ve
put here to
give you a
headstart
Concealed
8. Quickdraw by Carol Ann Duffy
I wear the two, the mobile and the landline phones,
like guns, slung from the pockets on my hips. I’m all
alone. You ring, quickdraw, your voice a pellet
in my ear, and hear me groan.
You wounded me.
Next time, you speak after the tone. I twirl the phone,
then squeeze the trigger of my tongue, wide of the mark.
You choose your spot, then blast me
through the heart.
And this is love, high noon, calamity, hard liquor
in the old Last Chance saloon. I show the mobile
to the sheriff; in my boot, another one’s
concealed. You text them both at once. I reel.
Down on my knees, I fumble for the phone,
read the silver bullets of your kiss. Take this …
and this … and this … and this … and this …
By Carol Ann Duffy
Playing
detective: As
we listen to
the recording,
read along
with the poem
– what do you
think is going
on here?
9. Pick a line that features one
of the words you thought
about before – could any of
your multiple
interpretations make
sense?
Quickdraw
I wear the two, the mobile and the landline phones,
like guns, slung from the pockets on my hips. I’m all
alone. You ring, quickdraw, your voice a pellet
in my ear, and hear me groan.
You wounded me.
Next time, you speak after the tone. I twirl the phone,
then squeeze the trigger of my tongue, wide of the mark.
You choose your spot, then blast me
through the heart.
And this is love, high noon, calamity, hard liquor
in the old Last Chance saloon. I show the mobile
to the sheriff; in my boot, another one’s
concealed. You text them both at once. I reel.
Down on my knees, I fumble for the phone,
read the silver bullets of your kiss. Take this …
and this … and this … and this … and this …
Carol Ann Duffy
Remember what we said
about metaphorical
meaning!
If it works, try to think
about what the poet
might have been trying
to achieve.
10. Writing about multiple possible
interpretations
• A to A* - Key is to make a number of imaginative
comments about a carefully selected piece of
evidence
• EXAMPLE: “Wounded” could be interpreted in
‘Quickdraw’ in several ways. The statement “You’ve
wounded me” follows on from the lover firing a
“pellet” into the speaker’s ear so this could represent
emotional trauma and devastation from this attack.
Learning Objective: To develop alternative interpretations of word choices in an unseen poem
11. Writing about multiple possible
interpretations
• A to A* - Key is to make a number of imaginative
comments about a carefully selected piece of evidence
• However, the word “wounded” could also link to physical
injury, a bit more serious than a cut, that usually requires
medical attention – often involving stitches and scars, so
they last a long time. By using this exaggerated imagery,
we get the impression that the speaker’s pain is this
extreme and long-lasting. Like a physical wound, we
believe that she will be ‘scarred’ by the lover’s verbal
attack. “Wounded” also appears in the common phrase
‘wounded pride’ which could also suggest an element of
this too – that she feels defeated and deflated by this
attack.
Learning Objective: To develop alternative interpretations of word choices in an unseen poem
12. Writing about multiple possible
interpretations
• Have a go at writing
your own response
on the lined half of
your poetry sheets
• Aim to be as concise
as possible, using
your multiple
interpretations you
have considered
previously
• GET ME STARTED
• Eg. The use of the
word “silver” could
be interpreted in a
number of ways.
• ….
Learning Objective: To develop alternative interpretations of word choices in an unseen poem
13. Have we met A grade criteria?
Have a look at our original objective…
• Respond enthusiastically and
critically to texts showing
imagination and originality in
developing alternative approaches
and interpretations
• Confidently explore and evaluate
how language, structure and form
contribute to the poet’s ideas and
themes.
• Learning Objective: To develop
alternative interpretations of
word choices in an unseen poem
Swap sheets with your
partner – have they
given multiple
interpretations of a
word in the poem?
