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25.01.2022 English Exam Tip 27 Skim through your Section A and Section B texts again. Think about the views and values of the texts’ creators. Think about the characters from all three texts: their beliefs, values, motives, words and actions. Do the characters change or grow? How and why? Think about what the texts are suggesting about life and human relationships. Consider HOW these ideas are conveyed in the texts. Ask WHY questions about these texts too: about the characters and their... motives, the events that unfold, and the authors’ intentions. Think about the texts’ socio-historical contexts and how this is relevant to the characters, the events and the authors’ messages. For Section B, what are the key themes and messages in the pair of texts, and which characters and events will you draw on in your discussion of these ideas? Which characters and events from the pair of texts are linked and how do the texts differ in the way ideas are presented? Read through all your notes, quotes, plans and essays. See more

19.01.2022 English Exam Tip 29 The persuasive features of the Section C text/s are like the stylistic features of literary texts in that they reflect/enhance/comment on/support, etc. the arguments. Look for examples of alliteration, analogies, anecdotes, emotional appeals, expert opinions, humour, hyperbole, inclusive language, juxtaposition, metaphors, repetition, rhetorical questions, statistics, tonal shifts, and words with positive and negative connotations. Analyse WHY this persuasive language has been employed. How do these features strengthen the arguments? What is their intended impact on the target audience?

07.01.2022 English Exam Tip 28 Try to include references to the stylistic features of the text in your Section A essay. If your text is a film, include references to cinematic techniques, such as types of camera shots, sound effects, lighting, mis-en-scene, symbols, etc. If your text is a play, comment on stage directions, sound and lighting effects, symbols, and the placement and movement of the characters on the stage. If your text is poetry, comment on rhythm, alliteration, repetition, rhyme, symbols, etc. If your text is a novel, refer to metaphors, descriptive passages, narrative voices, symbols, etc. Consider how these stylistic features reflect/convey/enhance the messages and values that come through the text. Note that this tip applies to the Section B texts as well.

06.01.2022 English Exam Tip 26 Do you remember the key question? This question is relevant to all three sections of the exam. The key question is WHY? Some examples of ‘Why’ questions are: Why has the author, poet, playwright or filmmaker made certain linguistic and/or visual choices? Why do the characters behave in particular ways? Why do the events unfold as they do?... If the characters change, grow or develop - why? Why does the text end in this way? Why does the persuasive piece begin and end as it does? Why are the arguments presented in this order? Why have these persuasive words and phrases been chosen? Why has that visual been included? If you continually include answers to ‘why’ questions as you are writing your essays in the exam, you will avoid storytelling and describing, and your essay will have greater depth and detail. By the way, the key question ‘why’ can be asked about the people we meet and the events we experience throughout life.

04.01.2022 English Exam Tip 25 Not to alarm you, but the English exam is one week from today. Are you memorising your quotes for Section A? Have you skimmed through your Section B texts? Are you brainstorming lots of topics? Have you practised writing exam essays in 50 minutes only, with an additional 3-5 minutes to plan and 5-7 minutes to proofread? Have you completed some Section C tasks from past exams? Study hard, but do not neglect your physical health and fitness. When was the last time you went for a walk? The saying Healthy in body, healthy in mind has some truth. Take a break from study occasionally and get some fresh air.

03.01.2022 English Exam Tip 24 ‘Control and effectiveness of language use’ is a criterion for assessment in all sections of the examination. You MUST leave a few minutes for proofreading, either after each essay, or at the end of the exam. If you are aware of the errors that you tend to make, such as spelling, apostrophes, prepositions, run-on sentences, etc., check these carefully. Aim for a formal language register; colloquial language, contractions, abbreviations, and slang are inapp...ropriate. To improve your vocabulary, select words that have three or more syllables. For example, instead of referring to a character as a ‘rebel’ (two syllables), you might say ‘nonconformist’ (four syllables); instead of ‘this suggests’ (two syllables), you might say ‘this demonstrates’ (three syllables), and so on. It is essential to develop a bank of synonyms for the key concepts related to your texts. (See Tip #10). See more