HiSET Reading Study Guide: Poetry

The final section of our reading study guide covers poetry. Poems may seem intimidating at first, but with the right tools, you can break them down just like any other literary text. Poems use structure, imagery, and sound in unique ways to create meaning. The HiSET may ask you to analyze how a poem is built, what its words suggest, and how it uses language to create a specific tone or mood.

Practice Quiz

Understanding Poetic Structure and Form

Unlike prose, poetry often follows specific structures that shape its meaning. Some poems stick to strict rules, while others break conventions.

Common types of poems include:

• Sonnet: A 14-line poem, often about love, with a set rhyme scheme.
• Free Verse: Poetry without regular meter or rhyme, focusing on natural speech patterns.
• Haiku: A short, three-line poem with a 5-7-5 syllable structure.

Even if a poem is short, its structure affects how we interpret it. Pay attention to stanza organization and line breaks—a sudden break in a line may create emphasis or alter the poem’s rhythm.

Hint
If a poem doesn’t seem to follow a pattern, that may be a clue about the poet’s intent!

Analyzing Imagery and Symbolism

Poets don’t just tell you what to feel—they show you through vivid imagery and symbolic meaning.

• Concrete imagery describes things you can see, hear, touch, taste, or smell.
• Abstract imagery describes emotions, ideas, or concepts in a vivid way.
• Symbolism is an object, action, or phrase that represents something deeper (e.g. a road splitting to symbolize life choices).

Hint
If a poet repeats an image or symbol, it’s likely important to the poem’s meaning.

Interpreting Figurative Language

Poets often use figurative language to enhance their themes and messages. Understanding these devices will help you uncover deeper meanings in a poem.

Common figurative language in poetry includes:

• Metaphor: A direct comparison between two things without using “like” or “as” (e.g. Her smile was a ray of sunshine).
• Simile: A comparison using “like” or “as” (e.g. Her smile was like a ray of sunshine).
• Personification: Giving human qualities to non-human things (e.g. The wind whispered).
• Hyperbole: Deliberate exaggeration for effect (e.g. I’ve told you a million times).
• Understatement: Deliberately downplaying something’s significance (e.g. The hurricane caused a bit of a mess).
• Oxymoron: Combining contradictory terms (e.g. deafening silence).

Hint
If something in a poem seems exaggerated or unusual, ask yourself why the poet made that choice.

Analyzing Sound Devices

Poetry isn’t just about what words mean—it’s also about how they sound. Sound devices can create rhythm, enhance mood, or even emphasize meaning.

Key sound devices include:

• Rhythm and Meter: The beat or pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables.
• Rhyme Scheme: The pattern of end sounds (e.g. ABAB, AABB).
• Alliteration: The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginnings of words (e.g. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers).
• Assonance: The repetition of vowel sounds (e.g. How now brown cow).
• Consonance: The repetition of consonant sounds, particularly at the ends of words (e.g. first and last).
• Onomatopoeia: Words that imitate the sounds they describe (e.g. buzz, hiss, clang).

Hint
Read a poem aloud—its sound may reveal new layers of meaning!

Evaluating Tone and Mood

Poets carefully choose words to create tone (the poet’s attitude) and mood (how the reader feels).

How can you identify tone and mood?

• Tone: Look at word choice—does the poet use formal, sarcastic, joyful, or sorrowful language?
• Mood: Consider how the poem makes you feel—does it create excitement, nostalgia, or unease?
• Contrast: A shift in tone or mood may signal a key turning point in the poem.

Hint
If you’re unsure about tone or mood, look at the verbs and adjectives—they often reveal a poet’s intent.

By mastering these poetry analysis skills, you’ll be prepared for any poetry question the HiSET throws your way. The more you practice, the more poetry will start to make sense—and maybe become more enjoyable, too!

Poetry Review Test