Lesson 6: Practice Questions on Poetry

🟦 Introduction

Now that you’ve studied poetic forms, sound devices, figurative language, tone, mood, and theme, it’s time to put your skills to the test. This lesson gives you guided practice with real-style WASSCE poetry questions, just like what you’ll face in the exam. You’ll analyze poems, interpret meaning, identify devices, and explain effects—step by step.

🟩 Practice Poem and Guided Questions

Practice Poem: “The Village Blacksmith” (excerpt)

Under a spreading chestnut-tree
The village smithy stands;
The smith, a mighty man is he,
With large and sinewy hands;
And the muscles of his brawny arms
Are strong as iron bands.

Section A: Multiple-Choice Practice

Choose the correct option for each question.

1. What is the form of this poem?
A. Narrative
B. Lyric
C. Dramatic
D. Ballad

✅ Answer: A. Narrative – It tells a story about the blacksmith’s life.

2. Which poetic device is used in “strong as iron bands”?
A. Personification
B. Alliteration
C. Simile
D. Metaphor

✅ Answer: C. Simile – It compares strength to iron bands using “as”.

3. The tone of the poet in this stanza is best described as:
A. Humorous
B. Mocking
C. Admiring
D. Sad

✅ Answer: C. Admiring – The poet praises the blacksmith’s strength and hard work.

4. What is the rhyme scheme of the stanza?
A. AABBCC
B. ABABAB
C. ABCABC
D. ABCCBA

✅ Answer: A. AABBCC
→ “tree / stands” (A), “he / hands” (B), “arms / bands” (C)

5. What is the main theme of the poem?
A. The sadness of village life
B. The glory of war
C. The dignity of honest labor
D. The weakness of old age

✅ Answer: C. The dignity of honest labor

🟨 Section B: Short-Answer Analysis

Answer in 2–4 sentences each.

6. Identify one example of imagery and explain its effect.
✅ “Large and sinewy hands” – This creates a clear visual image of the blacksmith’s physical strength and hardworking nature.

7. How does the structure of the poem help convey its message?
✅ The steady rhythm and clear rhyme scheme reflect the regular, dependable work of the blacksmith, reinforcing the theme of strength and routine.

8. Explain how the poet uses tone to shape the reader’s view of the blacksmith.
✅ The poet uses an admiring tone, emphasizing the blacksmith’s power and dedication, which makes the reader respect and appreciate the value of his work.

🧠 Additional Poem for Independent Practice (Optional)

“Hope” is the thing with feathers –
That perches in the soul –
And sings the tune without the words –
And never stops – at all –
— Emily Dickinson

📌 Practice Questions:

1. What is the extended metaphor used in this poem?

2. What mood does the poem create?

3. Identify the form and tone.

4. What is the central theme?

📝 Try these on your own, then compare with the answer key at the end of this module (you can request it!).

🔁 Recap

This final lesson gave you:

• Real-style WASSCE poetry questions (both multiple-choice and short answer)

• Practice identifying form, tone, theme, poetic devices, and structure

• Step-by-step models for answering interpretation and analysis questions

🪞 Reflection Prompt

Think about your progress in this poetry module.

• Which skill do you feel most confident with now?

• Which one still feels a bit challenging?
  Write a brief personal reflection on how poetry analysis has changed the way you read or appreciate poems.