Nettles
Edexcel GCSE English Literature revision on Nettles. Aligned to the Edexcel GCSE English Literature 1ET0 specification. This bank has 15 practice questions on this topic.
Sample questions (3 of 15)
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Question 1
Who is the speaker of the line: 'My son aged three fell in the nettle bed'?
- A) The son
- B) The father
- C) The mother
- D) The gardener
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Answer: The father
The poem is a personal, reflective narrative written by Vernon Scannell from the perspective of a father. The speaker describes his own reaction to his son being hurt, establishing the father-son dynamic central to the poem.
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Question 2
What literary technique is used in the phrase: 'The tall recruits behind the shed'?
- A) Simile
- B) Personification
- C) Metaphor
- D) Oxymoron
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Answer: Metaphor
The poet uses a metaphor to compare the nettles to a military regiment. By calling them 'recruits', he suggests they are hostile, disciplined, and part of a larger army that he must fight against on his son's behalf.
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Question 3
What does the line 'White blisters beaded on his tender skin' reveal about the son?
- A) He is resilient and strong
- B) He is physically vulnerable and innocent
- C) He is angry at his father
- D) He is playing a dangerous game
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Answer: He is physically vulnerable and innocent
The adjective 'tender' emphasises the child's fragility and lack of worldly experience. The physical reaction of the skin creates a sense of sympathy in the reader for the child's suffering.
Want to test yourself on the remaining cards for this topic?
12 more questions on Nettles — plus mistakes tracking and spaced repetition across the whole English Literature spec.