Caesura

A caesura is a pause or break within a line of poetry. It is usually created by punctuation, such as a full stop, comma or dash in the middle of the line. This interruption breaks up the flow of the rhythm and forces the reader to stop.

It can create emphasis, hesitation, drama or a sense of divided thought. A caesura works against the forward movement of the line. It is often placed at a moment of tension, decision or shock, where the pause itself carries meaning.

In Literature, identify a caesura and explain its effect. This shows you can hear how a poet controls pace and emphasis within a line, not just at its ends. Examiners reward the link between the pause and the feeling at that moment, such as hesitation or finality.

Discussing caesura alongside enjambment gives you a full vocabulary for a poem's movement and rhythm.

A line reading he stopped, turned, and said nothing at all uses commas to force pauses. These make the character's hesitation and unease feel real.

Locate the mid-line punctuation and read the line with the pause in place to feel its effect. Explain what the break emphasises or interrupts, such as a moment of doubt or a sudden change. Connect it to the poem's mood or a character's state of mind.

Pair it with enjambment to show how the poet shapes pace overall.

You may also find writing formats and annotated model responses useful. Next, visit our skills guides for IGCSE English to see terms like this used in real answers. Our IGCSE English tuition page explains how lessons run. When you are ready, the paid one-hour trial is the first step.