26/04/2025
LA longish Post, but here are some top tips for those about to sit English exams:
Most of us have taken a test at some point in our life. Few of us enjoy them. So how can we make exams less stressful? (
Here's how I tackle exams that involve writing essays.
• Make sure you understand the structure of the exam. Most boards will have past papers on their websites - here's just one example: https://revisionworld.com/a2-level-level-revision/english-language-gcse-level/english-language-gcse-past-papers/edexcel-gcse-english-language-past-papers Look at the type of questions and the number of marks for each. That will help you plan your time and work to your strengths. Don't spend hours on questions that will give you little reward.
• Familiarise yourself with the mark schemes. These can be found on the websites too. There will be marks available for retrieving information, marks for demonstrating your understanding, marks for providing evidence for your ideas and marks for the way you structure your answers. Some of these skills will attract more marks than others. Once you know where you can gain the most marks you will know how to spend your time most usefully.
• Look at worked answers. Again, you might find exemplars on websites. Look at any markers' comments. Think how you might have tackled that question.
• Read the questions carefully. If a question asks about language then that's what you need to talk about, not the content. You will get no credit for off-topic comments, no matter how beautifully crafted.
• Use the prompts. The question will say something along the lines of: You may talk about language features, or how the mood changes. They don't mean you may, or you can. They mean you must address these points if you want a good mark.
• Linked to that, if a question asks you to compare two texts you need to make sure you balance your coverage. If you have focused on one text your marks will be capped. Good planning should help avoid this.
• Plan your answers. Maybe not important for the 4-mark information retrieval questions but crucial for longer answers. Make bullet points, check the order they are in to make your essay flow well, then keep referring back to your plan while you write. I find it really useful to pop a quick checklist at the bottom of my plans - just a note of the things I know I need to check for. Mine would involve commas - everyone says I use too many - but think about the things your teacher repeatedly reminds you about when they mark your books
• Make sure your opening statement is clear - eg, do you agree with the statement, fully or partially, how effective is the author's technique etc.
• Make sure each paragraph covers one point, has evidence to support your point (a quote - it doesn't need to be long, in fact the most effective quotes are concise) and an explanation of what the evidence proves. The next step to explain how your evidence illustrates the point you have made, and what the effect is on the reader.
• Use the correct technical terms. If you use a metaphor in your quote, make sure you say that it is a metaphor. There's a list of key terms on the EKT website under Useful Links.
• Make sure you have a clear conclusion. In short Haddon's use of ... draws empathy from the reader and creates … effect. There's a rule called Primacy and Recency - we always remember the first bit and the last bit of a piece of writing far more clearly than all the gubbins in the middle.
• Give yourself a set amount of time for each question. Practicing timed essays, as part of your revision will help you decide how much you can write in any given time.
• Remember you don't need to tackle the questions in order. If you feel more confident with Question 3 start with that and go back to the trickier questions later, when you've got into your stride.
• EDIT! Sorry to shout but I can't emphasise this one enough. Always leave a few minutes to read through. You can mop up mistakes, alter punctuation (could that full stop become a semi-colon?) add in a quote or two, make sure you have varied your conjunctions/sentence length/sentence openers/adverbs. Editing is the single best way of avoiding making mistakes.
• Above all, make sure you have revised thoroughly. If you know your subject an exam is simply a chance to show off. Believe in yourself. You are almost certainly better than you imagine!
