People and Places (set poems)

People and Places is the set poetry anthology for the OxfordAQA International GCSE English Literature (9275) qualification. It contains 26 poems spanning over two centuries, from William Blake's 'London' (1794) to contemporary voices such as Mosab Abu Toha and Amelia Loulli. This study guide covers 24 of the 26 poems (two texts were unavailable). The anthology is examined in Paper 1, Section A: Poetry, where candidates answer one question requiring close analysis of a named poem and, in most question variants, comparison with a second poem of their choice from the collection.

The poems and their range

The anthology draws together voices from Britain, Ireland, the Caribbean, North America, South-East Asia, the Middle East and beyond. It pairs canonical Romantic and Victorian poets (Blake, Hardy, Frost, Owen) with major twentieth-century figures (Hughes, Heaney, Atwood, Duffy) and living poets whose work addresses displacement, conflict and cultural identity (Nichols, Abu Toha, Hardi). Subjects range from the industrial city and the rural storm to childhood memory, parental love, war, migration and the human relationship with landscape.

How the exam works

In the exam, candidates receive a printed copy of the named poem. They must demonstrate close reading: analysis of language, imagery, form and structure, and the ways the poet creates meaning. Where comparison is required, candidates should identify meaningful connections and contrasts between two poems, using specific evidence from both. Assessment objectives reward personal response supported by textual detail (AO1), analysis of language, form and structure (AO2), and understanding of context where relevant (AO3).

How to use this guide

Each poem chapter provides a summary, close analysis, scansion and form guide, key quotations with significance, and practice questions. The thematic entries identify connections across the anthology for comparison work. The essay prompts offer model answers at exam standard, demonstrating how to structure a response, embed quotations and sustain analytical argument.