Set texts for examination in 2026 – Paper 1 - Section A: Poetry - Songs of Ourselves Volume 2, Part 3 — Cambridge International IGCSE English Literature
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Set texts for examination in 2026 – Paper 1 - Section A: Poetry - Songs of Ourselves Volume 2, Part 3 explained
This row lists Nancy Fotheringham Cato's poem ‘The Road’ as a set text for Paper 1 Section A in the 2026 examination, taken from Songs of Ourselves Volume 2, Part 3.
Read the full explanation
Study the printed poem closely: follow the journey it describes, note who travels and who speaks, and examine how the poet uses imagery of landscape, distance and movement. Annotate line lengths, stanza breaks and any repetition, and consider how these shape pace and mood. Where you quote, copy short phrases exactly and identify the speaker. Prepare to discuss how form and language create meaning, and to connect details to the poem's central ideas rather than cataloguing techniques.
Your focus
- Annotate ‘The Road’ for imagery, structure and speaker with accurate short quotations.
- Explain how form and language shape the poem's meaning and mood.
- Write focused analytical paragraphs linking technique to effect.
Set texts for examination in 2026 – Paper 1 - Section A: Poetry - Songs of Ourselves Volume 2, Part 3 exam tips
Examiner Tips
- 💡Read the poem twice: once for the journey, once for how line breaks and stanzas control pace.
- 💡Keep a quotation bank of short, exact phrases with a note on speaker and effect.
- 💡Practise a timed paragraph linking one structural feature to the poem's meaning.
- 💡Verify the specification listing so you revise the right poems for Paper 1 Section A.
Common Mistakes
- Confuses this poem with other poems about roads; anchor every point in the specific wording of Cato's text.
- Describes the journey without analysing how language and structure create its effect; pair each observation with technique and impact.
- Quotes loosely or misattributes lines; check exact wording and name the speaker of any quoted phrase.
- Ignores the volume and part listed; confirm the correct anthology placement when planning revision.