1. Top Tips: Literature. Use these tips in every essay – 4/5
Use the Author’s name
Shakespeare
Dickens (ACC)
Conan Doyle (TSOF)
Orwell
Anthology - Poet name x 2
Unseen – Poet name
Unseen Comparison – Poet name x 2
Why?
Shows you know the text is consciously created by the writer.
Know the plot and events with or without quotes
Why?
Shows you have understood the importance of what happens in the text
Use Analytical verbs after stating event or quote
Suggests
shows
implies
Infers
Demonstrates
Etc.
Why?
Ensures you are analysing and not just re-telling the story
+WHY?
Because
Due to As
Why?
To show you are developing your analytical opinions and reasons for suggesting something about a text

2. Top Tips: Literature. What else is included? 6/7+
Lead with context or embed context
Author’s intentions
Author’s message
Author’s influences
What was happening at the time of writing?
Why?
Shows you are aware of the influences in the text and reasons the writer wrote it
Embed Terminology
Use methods
Methods used by the writer
Why?
Shows you have understood the importance of the language in the text and what the writer was doing
Be tentative/use modal verbs
Could
May
Maybe
Perhaps
Why?
Shows you are aware that there is a possibility of their being other reasons
Embed structural awareness
Plot
Narrative voice
Chapter/stave/act placement of events
Etc.
Why?
Shows you know what happened where and why it was placed in that part of the text. Shows understanding of whole text and why?
High Level Vocabulary choices
Plot
Narrative voice
Chapter/stave/act placement of events - Etc.
Why?
Shows you have a developed understanding of how language creates meaning and what happens in the text

3. Paper 1A: Shakespeare extract to whole essay
The Paper
There will be many texts in the exam.
You choose only the one text you have studied in class:
Romeo and Juliet
Macbeth
Merchant of Venice
You must write about the whole text:
Start
Middle
end of the play
Include the extract analysis where appropriate

4. Paper 1B: A Christmas Carol or The Sign of Four extract to whole essay
The Paper
Again there will be many texts in the exam.
You choose only the one text you have studied in class:
A Christmas Carol
The Sign of Four
You must write about the whole text.
You must include context.
Start
Middle
End
Include the extract analysis where appropriate

5. Paper 1: DO The Paper Remain calm – breathe
Read the question carefully
Annotate the question for the key focus
Ensure you read the extract
Annotate the extract quickly
Make a quick plan for both essays
Structure your essay fitting information from the extract where relevant
Include three ideas in your introduction to show understanding of three different ideas across the whole text
Remember to write about the WHOLE text. Extract only will cap you at ten marks from a potential 30!
SPAG included in Shakespeare – edit for this at the end

6. Paper 2A: Animal Farm – Question Only
The Paper
There will be many texts in the exam.
You choose only the one text you have studied in class:
All students – Animal Farm
You will have a choice of two questions – choose one only.
You must write about the whole text:
Start
Middle
End

7. Paper 2B: Anthology – Question Only with one poem copy
The Paper
There will be Love and Relationships poems in the exam as well as Power and Conflict.
You choose only the poem from Power and Conflict.
You will have one poem provided that you must analyse.
You decide the best poem to compare with the given/named poem.
You must include context in this essay.
You must write about the whole text:
Start
Middle
End

8. Paper 2C(a): Unseen Poem – Single poem essay
The Paper
There will be a poem you have never seen before
You should read the poem with the key focus of the question in your mind
You should select quotes to analyse and link to the wider meaning
You must write about the whole text:
Start of the poem
Middle of the poem
End of the poem

9. Paper 2C(a): Unseen Poem – Comparison poem essay
The Paper
There will be a poem you have never seen before to compare with the poem you did the single poem essay about.
You should compare both poems
You should select quotes to analyse and link to the wider meaning of both poems
You must compare the two poems:
Complete two paragraphs with the meaning in mind

10. Paper 2: DO The Paper Remain calm – breathe
Read the question carefully
Annotate the question for the key focus
Make a quick plan for every section of the exam
Include three ideas in your introduction to show understanding of three different ideas across the whole text
Remember to write about the WHOLE text
Compare in Anthology and Unseen part 2
SPAG is marked for in Animal Farm

11. Paper 1 & 2: The key to structure of the essay
Intro – link to the question & understanding of text & three key ideas
P1 - Start – analysis of the opening of the text
P2 - Middle – analysis of the middle of the text
P3 - End – analysis of the middle of the text
Conclude – summary with the author’s message
Shakespeare & A Christmas Carol & The Sign of Four include information from the extract
A Christmas Carol & The Sign of Four and Animal Farm & The Anthology – include context
Shakespeare and Animal Farm – SPAG edit

12. Paper 1 & 2: Top Tips – The KEYS TO Success
TO QUOTE OR NOT TO QUOTE THAT IS THE QUESTION?
Yes – where possible
If you remember them embed them
If not use the top tips for 4/5+ to ensure you analyse
4/5+
Know the plots/events
Use Author’s name
Use analytical verbs
Do + why? 7+
All of the 4/5+
Lead/embed context
Include terminology
High level vocabulary
Be tentative
Include structural awareness