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English - writing enough

Naturally, English should be my best subject and my coursework is almost all full marks (shame it's only worth 20% of the English and 30% of the English Lit.). My problem is, I really really struggle to write fast enough in the exams and always have done - even in the KS1 SATs. I've improved this year a little. I still don't write much but I manage to finish them now - as in, I write a conclusion (well, I usually manage to start writing it and the time runs out part way through). They're just very short essays - with even shorter conclusions.

We've done a few timed essays now, and mine are consistently almost the exact same length - about a page and a quarter, sometimes up to a half. According to my teacher, we're expected to write at least 2 pages. Now, my writing is quite narrow and very squashed up - I don't leave much of a gap between words so if I tried to write a bit bigger, that should take up a bit more room. Also, the exam booklets are smaller and have bigger lines than the paper my essays have been written on, which has quite small lines so that should make it look a bit longer too. However, I still know I write much less than most other people.

So these are my ten time saving/speed increasing ideas:
1. Don't do a plan - I really can't afford the time. I don't usually do this anyway though, so this won't give me any extra time.
2. Don't write the title - just the question number. Another waste of valuable time.
3. Pick a task and poems straight away - don't think too hard about it. Just start writing asap.
4. Try to be writing all the time - not pausing to think too much.
5. Try to write faster, which has the added benefit of making my writing bigger and more spaced out (if also less readable).
6. Use the anthology and book as little as possible. Definitely do not waste time trying to find quotes. Have some key ones memorised and just use those.
7. Add a few more paragraphs in - takes up a couple of extra lines.
8. I asked my teacher and she thinks I should miss out the introduction. I'm not keen on that idea at all, and she says she doesn't like recommending it either but thinks it's necessary in my case so I can get more analysis in. She says I shouldn't lose marks for missing it out, but I feel like I need it to get myself started - particularly when I'm planning on not having any thinking time.
9. Remember to keep an eye on the time - try to have about a page written by half way through.
10. Above all, spend every moment as though it's the last 5 minutes.

I know it's supposed to be quality over quantity, and that's what I usually do. I just need it to be long enough that I won't be penalised for not writing enough. I'm hoping I can afford to sacrifice a little bit of quality for some more quantity. =/

Any thoughts/extra ideas/people with the same problem?

Reply 1

Vaza

Do not remove your introduction. It allows you to get set on writing and get into a rhythm of writing. That way, the small mistakes you make at the beginning of an exam because of nerves .etc don't effect the actual essay, instead they just effect the intro.

Reply 2

m8nmina0h4

A good introduction can make a big difference, but you shouldn't need to spend too much time on it. You should already really have it prepared and then just incorporate the question.. In poetry essays you can just write a short sentence about each poem summarising it and its key devices e.g. In Nothing's Changed Dharkar furiously condemns the ongoing racial inequality and segregation in Post Apartheid South Africa using an extended structure and framed narrative..
and then something similar for each other poem.

Reply 3

riiight.

Meliae

I don't leave much of a gap between words so if I tried to write a bit bigger, that should take up a bit more room.

Are you serious? You aren't marked at all on the quantity of your writing. Just write how you would normally.

I wouldn't drop the plan, but i know plans don't help everyone. So long as you're confident you can structure your writing well without a plan...

Why is your writing slow? Do you write joined up, just overly neat or...?

Reply 4

moody28028

We've been told not to include an introducion as it wastes time and you get absoloutely no marks for rephrasing the question; just get on with the analysis. Making you writing bigger isn't going to give you more marks. The examiner won't think 'this person has written 1/4 of a page more so deserves more marks', it's entirely what you write. Also, I would advice that making a plan is a good idea as stops you pausing and give you a clear strucutre. Also, if you do not finish, the best thing is to annotate the plan. This way, the examiner can go back and see what you were going to write, and at least give you some marks. I know, I'm contradicting other people, but we've had a chief examiner coming into to speak to our class for 5 hours about it, as well as seeing other chief examiners at other events, and they've all said this.

Reply 5

Vaza

moody28028

Why don't my school get people to talk about the exams :s-smilie:

Reply 6

adam_1234

moody28028

Also, I would advice that making a plan is a good idea as stops you pausing and give you a clear strucutre. Also, if you do not finish, the best thing is to annotate the plan. This way, the examiner can go back and see what you were going to write, and at least give you some marks.

My English teacher said exactly the same.
She went mad when none of us had included a plan in our mock.

Reply 7

Meliae

KnightRider

That's exactly the sort of introductions I do, and they don't really take that long hence I'm not keen on sacrificing them. We've been told if you're only going to rephrase the question in your intro, don't bother. Some classes have been told not to bother at all.

To the other points raised:
I've never really got much out of writing a plan. I generally end up ignoring them if I do actually make one. My teacher also went mad about not enough people writing a plan in the practices, but when I was talking to her on my own about how to write more, she said I could afford to sacrifice it because I can structure my writing well without one and I need the time more than I need a plan.

As for the people saying you aren't marked on the quantity of your writing, I'm aware of that but the problem is I'm not writing enough at the moment to get everything I need in. Seriously, almost every teacher I've ever had has told me I write too slow (in every subject, but especially in essay subjects like history and english) and I've lost a lot of marks in the past from not finishing or not writing enough.

The part about writing a little bigger was maybe a little stupid, but you do get penalised in the English writing tasks (argue/persuade/advise and inform/explain/describe) for not writing enough so I think leaving slightly bigger gaps between words should help to fill the 1.5-2 sides necessary in those exams. We also had a chief examiner coming in and he said that's how much we should be writing.

Reply 8

Mr Nonsense

this is somethingni've always been unsure about - what to write in the introduction? we've been toldit really isn't good just to rephrase the question so what should i write?

Reply 9

Rubberband

Meliae

8. I asked my teacher and she thinks I should miss out the introduction. I'm not keen on that idea at all, and she says she doesn't like recommending it either but thinks it's necessary in my case so I can get more analysis in. She says I shouldn't lose marks for missing it out, but I feel like I need it to get myself started - particularly when I'm planning on not having any thinking time.

Eep, absolutely do not miss out your introduction, it is vital for establishing where you are coming from in your assessment of the question and just generally getting the examiner interested in what you have to say. Just diving straight in to anaylsing particular aspects of the text will sound unplanned and lacking in confidence.

Take a minute before you start writing (I know you want to get on and write your answer, I struggled with this for years, but do it :P!), think about what you are going to use to answer the question. If the question is on how women are treated or something (for instance) and you think that using examples of a particular relationship in the play is a good demonstration of this, then say that in your introduction! "In (text name), the relationship of X and Y is a particularily poignant example of the view expressed that (the question). Approaching the text from this angle will allow me to establish (blah blah blah)".

Hope that didn't sound too confusing :/ Just wanted to show you that you can still get marks for your introduction, and it can even enhance your anaylsis because the examiner knows what you are tying it all to. I'm surprised your teacher told you to skip it!

Reply 10

monkee

Do a list in planning, and most of all link your ideas together in a coherent way. Do NOT miss out your introduction and conclusion, just make your introduction short and to the point if needs be. An introduction is vital to show you have a good writing structure.

Reply 11

danielharris627

Do a writing plan now, try and do one that can be applied to every possible essay question.

Reply 12

moody28028

If you want good marks, you do not need an introduction. There are absoloutely no marks available in the mark schemes and its a waste of time, but on your head be it.

Reply 13

Vaza

moody28028

If you want good marks, you do not need an introduction. There are absoloutely no marks available in the mark schemes and its a waste of time, but on your head be it.

You pretty much contradicted what everyone else in this topic has said...

Reply 14

DreamGirlx

^ Yes, my english teachers always say a piece looks more mature and finished with an introduction and an ending LINKING BACK to the introduction, showing you have acheived what you have set out to do in the essay right? Even if there is little or no marks for an introduction, surely it just LOOKS better and gives the impression of a better essay when it is neatly introduced and concluded?

Reply 15

Kestrel_Lover_Sophie

Does anyone else know why they choose to make the English exams so short, time-wise?
I have never understood it because everyone I know feels extremely pressed for time and I can't help thinking if they just added an extra half hour to the exam they'd recieve much better though-out and interesting answers which also would give a better indicator of the candidate's suitable grade.
I also feel the short exams disadvantage the high-achieving students the most because they have the most to write!
I really don't understand exam boards!

Reply 16

moody28028

Murkai

But an introduction shows the examiner you understand the question fully and is able to demonstrate your writing abilities early on. Without an intro, the examiner will just see poor essay structuring and will be less positive.

Successfully answering the question by comparing poems is what shows the examiner you understand.Without an intorduction, an examinre will see you are capable of immediately responding and not waffling about the question.

Vaza

You pretty much contradicted what everyone else in this topic has said...

Not everyone:

My English teacher said exactly the same.
She went mad when none of us had included a plan in our mock.

But as I have said, chief examiners...those who write the paper and are responsible for how it is marked, have said this.

Reply 17

Malsy

I know how you feel.....plus the time given is just not enough!!!!!!

:smile:

Reply 18

Rubberband

moody28028

Without an intorduction, an examinre will see you are capable of immediately responding and not waffling about the question.

An introduction is not waffle (or shouldn't be)! A good introduction should outline your approach to the whole question - it shows that you understand both what they are asking of you and how you will go about providing this, you aren't just writing a knee jerk "immediate response" and hoping for the best. English is not just about a few small sections of close reading, you need to demonstrate understanding and a cohesive idea about the piece as a whole, not some disjointed anaylsis. :s-smilie:

Reply 19

Farron92

Meliae

1. Don't do a plan - I really can't afford the time. I don't usually do this anyway though, so this won't give me any extra time.
2. Don't write the title - just the question number. Another waste of valuable time.
3. Pick a task and poems straight away - don't think too hard about it. Just start writing asap.
4. Try to be writing all the time - not pausing to think too much.
5. Try to write faster, which has the added benefit of making my writing bigger and more spaced out (if also less readable).
6. Use the anthology and book as little as possible. Definitely do not waste time trying to find quotes. Have some key ones memorised and just use those.
7. Add a few more paragraphs in - takes up a couple of extra lines.
8. I asked my teacher and she thinks I should miss out the introduction. I'm not keen on that idea at all, and she says she doesn't like recommending it either but thinks it's necessary in my case so I can get more analysis in. She says I shouldn't lose marks for missing it out, but I feel like I need it to get myself started - particularly when I'm planning on not having any thinking time.
9. Remember to keep an eye on the time - try to have about a page written by half way through.
10. Above all, spend every moment as though it's the last 5 minutes.

1) I think a plan is quite important, it need only take 2 or 3 minutes, aslong as you know what you are going to say in each paragraph.
2) Very good tip.
3) In my opinion it's best to be SURE what you are going to write rather than pick a task and find out half way through it's not the best for you. However, I agree that you should spend minimal time choosing a task.
4) Yea, just don't go overboard.
5) Yes, but just because something looks bigger the examiner won't think you have written more, they aren't stupid :smile:

6) Yes, good tip.
7) As I said, you won't fool the examiner, don't add paragraphs for the sake of it (although of course, paragraphs are essential).
8) No, don't miss out an intro.
9) Definatly.
10) Definatly.

KnightRider

In Nothing's Changed Dharkar furiously condemns the ongoing racial inequality and segregation in Post Apartheid South Africa using an extended structure and framed narrative..
and then something similar for each other poem.

Well, Dharkar did not write Nothing's Changed - I think you are referring to Afrika. Oh, and that's a fantastic part of an introduction <adds to revision notes>