English Literature

Im sitting my real engish literature exam very soon,im focusing on cluster 2 e.g(search or my tongue) i wondering if anyoe has any good revision technique and able to give me any good advise on how to pas ha! This is a very forward q but i need help!

Reply 1

CherryCherryBoomBoom

Read through your notes, make more if you have to, and make sure you know the texts well. Some really good websites I use are www.shmoop.com, www.bookrags.com, www.enotes.com, and there's loads more if you just google the novel/poem you're studying. Good luck :smile:

Reply 2

Ben F

Remember to compare and contrast; keep the introduction concise and precise, around 70 words would be perfect, but including all of the 4 (or 2) poems you're writing about. Remember to use advanced terminology, revise the themes and motifs of the poems, see which are similar. Try find anything about the poems that you could comment on. If the layout of the poems is scattered and jagged, maybe comment on how that complements the theme of separation (that's just an example don't think I was referring to Search for My tongue). Write about how the language works, compare and contrast that, and so on.

Basically, think outside the box, don't just write about what the poems are about, maybe including one comparison. Write about anything you can find in the poems, how the repetition of the poem might symbolise the repetetive society that is portrayed in xxx.

Just remember to compare and contrast on every point you make if you want to achieve top marks, look over your notes to make sure you know each poem in depth (granted, I didn't look over them thoroughly, which was incredibly stupid, but I did remember how to answer the questions excellently, which is why technique is vital). Don't blabber on about your points for too long either; remember to stick to the question, and keep it concise and precise. Examiners hate it when you ramble on about things.

One last thing lol, in February this year just before the exams my school saw the examiner in some place to help us with the exams, and he basically said try and come up with your own points, examiners hate it when you read all your points off a website, and provide little evidence or quotations to support it. If you can manage to find your own points (trust me, it's really easy once you get enough practise) the examiners will love you a lot more, since it shows you actually understand the poem, and aren't reciting a website which is most likely wrong. Of course, getting your points off websites can be very useful, but remember to support it and try and make it sound original.

Reply 3

Marc707

Remeber to PEE: point, evidence, explain

Reply 4

Lollyage

simple but effective - use semi colons!

oh and try and sound enthusiastic too :yep:

Reply 5

cubismdream

Cluster 2 poems (e.g. Search For My Tongue) aren't in the Lit exam.

Reply 6

johnw1

Lollyage

simple but effective - use semi colons!

oh and try and sound enthusiastic too :yep:

What's special about semi-colons? :s-smilie:

To the OP: read the poems through lots and get to know their themes and points you can make about them - poetic techniques etc. Then in the exam make sure you are answering the question, whatever you say should be relevant and not just regurgitating things you've been taught. Also it's always worth making a good plan - it makes all the difference in my experience.