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How to full answer 10 & 20 mark english lit questions?

Hey, in English Lit we've been doing Of Mice and Men and An Inspector Calls.
I'd like to get as high marks as possible, but in a few practice papers I've only had around 7/10 and 14 or 15/20 (one was about George & Lennies relationship, the other about Curley's wife being responsible for the books tragic events) Those are pretty good, yes, but I'd like to better them to perhaps an A or A* for the real thing.
Whenever I ask my teacher how to get higher marks, all she says is 'Oh, go into more detail...' And that doesn't really help.
So can anyone help me out? Do any of you guys use a certain structure? Talk about other points that aren't completely direct to the question?
Any advice?
Oh and please note, I hadn't read the book since about September when we did the practice papers, I've read it again now though.
Your help will be greatly apreciated, thanks!

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Reply 1

ooze

Talking about points that aren't direct to the question will lose you marks overall! Be precise and get in as many relevant points as possible.

Reply 2

Emmalouise1990

Im in a similar situation.We haven't done any past papers yet an my exam is on the 20th . Iv'e been gettin B's for all my timed essays, so im just hoping *fingers-crossed*, that wih A/A* couseworks and a B in the exam, I will average at an A.

Reply 3

danielharris627

RusholmeRuffian

Talking about points that aren't direct to the question will lose you marks overall! Be precise and get in as many relevant points as possible.

No I mean that, say the question was about how Curley's Wife was responsible...our teacher said that we could talk about why she may NOT be responsible, or how other characters are.
Sorry, I should have been more specific :tongue:

Reply 4

danielharris627

Bump....
Structures anyone?

Reply 5

trance addict

Emmalouise1990

Same here unfortuantly :s-smilie:

Reply 6

username163092

I assume you know PEE? For the 20 mark questions when they say "How far is X responsible for Y / important to the novel as a whole", put both sides and imagine how the story would've been without X...

Reply 7

nothingspek

Go heavy on opinions and alternative responses.

Reply 8

I Have No Imagination

No dont use PEE use PEEL its point, evidence, explanation, link(back to the question)
Hope this helps. :smile:

Reply 9

Mrgd291190

danielharris627

Exactly. Don't stray but build a full argument, for both sides.

Structure wise...I can't fully recall a year ago and it's hard without a sample of your writing to see how you can improve. I'd say that you address the question's statement, address the hell out of it and then move on to other points that are relevant. Good intro and conclusion are handy for a couple of extra marks.

Try and bring your own stuff into the essay. Sounds dumb but BSing it is important sometimes. Sound pretentious in parts and try and do something you haven't implicitly been taught, e.g. for example in my exam we did the theme of dreams in the play. I said that, actually, the most tragic was Curley himself - he was so close to his boxing dreams and lost it at the last moment. The Harder They Fall and all that.
Also some background. The origins of the title is handy to know. Do you?

Sorry I can't be of more help :redface:

Reply 10

username163092

I Have No Imagination

No dont use PEE use PEEL its point, evidence, explanation, link(back to the question)
Hope this helps. :smile:

Surely it'd be useful for the 10 mark question / extract response...?

Reply 11

Bateman

Thats basically the whole point, thats what revision is for, theres no answer on how to get more marks,
you have to study the books in and out, buy a revision guide, always refer to the question, don't say what the book is about the examiners know..

Point (which links to the question) example ( which supports you point) explain (how it reltes to the question)

It really is about quality and not quantity, you should also have a sample essay plan in your head, knowing what what paragraphs are about what

e.g in the poem section of the lit exam:

paragraph one-how the four poems relate to the question
paragraph 2 &3 themes and how they link to question
4-5 how the langauge and structure answers the question

6cultural contexts of the poem
7 concise conclusion

ask your teacher for one of those, but remember P.E.E, be concise, answer the question in basically every sentence

Reply 12

Bateman

steffi.alexa

Surely it'd be useful for the 10 mark question / extract response...?

No it's PEE

Point= what you're trying to say and how it links into the question..

Reply 13

username163092

Oh! Just remembered, my teacher told us to PLAN...for 5 mins to structure our response...it does help! :biggrin:

Reply 14

username163092

Bateman

No it's PEE

Point= what you're trying to say and how it links into the question..

... I said using PEE :frown:

, e.g. Harper Lee creates a eerie mood through her use of adjective "insert adjective here" This creates an eerie mood by making the reader visualise the scene in vivid detail...etc

Reply 15

Bateman

steffi.alexa

... I said using PEE :frown:

, e.g. Harper Lee creates a eerie mood through her use of adjective "insert adjective here" This creates an eerie mood by making the reader visualise the scene in vivid detail...etc

I meant to quote the person that you quoted, sorry :biggrin:

Reply 16

username165864

Well... seeming I have already done my GCSE in English Literature and got an A, I am a pretty good source of revision tips (or not)... Anyway, what I was going to say is that the only way you can do well in this exam is if you READ THROUGH EACH QUESTION THOROUGHLY, underlining keywords given. By the way, the PEE thing that the person has written above is the abbreviation for, 'Point, Evidence, Explanation'. I learnt it as PQE (Point, Quotation, Explanation... How sad...) Learn everything possible about all the characters (the way they behave e.g. I think it was Lennie was described to have 'bear hands' referring to his shear size and his animal like behaviour, also including their names which is quite important when you have to refer to them). Do a few past papers. Learn a few of the weird words that are contained within the text, for example 'Ranch'. Last of all, GOOD LUCK! (I've amazed myself by being able to remember all the above, seeming it has been a year since I last touched upon the subject :biggrin:

Reply 17

username163092

Bateman

I meant to quote the person that you quoted, sorry :biggrin:

Oh...lol, my brain is slow today...ah, Brian the Brain, will you please wake up?!?

Reply 18

username165864

By the way, linking back to a question you have mentioned above about George and Lennie's relationship, you can mention how Lennie was shadowing George at the start (and wearing the same clothes... Trying to walk in the same style, etc.) Also, you could mention about how George and Lennie have a relationship linked back to the Aunt X (I put X because I can't remember her name... Don't laugh).