Eng lit revision

For English Literature there is a lot of information, so mind maps can be a good idea. You can try making a mind map for each of the key themes in poetry, and for each mind map try placing on quotes or how that theme is represented in different poems. Comparison is important for poetry, so splitting the mind maps up according to theme may be better than doing a mind map for each poem, as it allows you to make comparisons easier.
You can also make flashcards, on one side have the poem and other the other have key points. Such as a little note on the structure, a little note on the language and key themes. However you will have to condense these ideas to fit them on, so you will have to become familiar with the poems which is a good thing.
You should also look through other poems (from outside of the course) and try to analyse them, then get a friend, teacher, parent or someone online to have a look at your interpretation. You can get friends to look at the poems to and try to compare what you have read into to try and improve your skills.

For the prose it may be best to make mind maps for each text, as comparison between them is not as important as in the poetry section. For each text try and memorise a few important quotes, the texts can be longer than the poetry and you don't want to be searching in the exam for everything you want to quote.

You can come up with questions yourself (such as discuss the author's use of blah, or how theme X is portrayed), you don't have to give full answers to all of these questions but you should bullet point or mind map your ideas (as this is a good way to get the hang of starting answers). If you think of something else to add later, then just go back and add it (you're not being tested or marked on this, so feel free to keep improving your work).

A very important thing to do is try lots of questions. Try and get these questions marked if you can. For questions that have been marked you should ask to go through them in more detail with someone. If something you have said is unclear, what would have been a better way to put it? If you have repeated a point too many times, ask where it was appropriate to repeat and where it wasn't. Try and find model answers (possibly from online, or your school may have them, and some of your friends may let you photocopy theirs if they did well) and annotate them a lot. Go through them and find out what they did well and so how you can improve yours.

Try and look over questions you have answered previously after leaving them for a couple of weeks or so. After a break from your answer you may be able to look at it with fresher eyes, your unnecessary repetition of points or mistakes may be more obvious too as you are no longer looking at it and 'knowing what you meant'. Being able to see your mistakes more clearly should hopefully help you improve future answers.

When answering questions try to spend a couple of minutes planning your answer. You should list or map your ideas for your response, and then number them or organise them according to how you want to address them. This will make sure that you answer isn't too repetitive and that you address all of the necessary points. Once you have answered your question cross out your planning to make clear it isn't to be marked (a large cross with a ruler over the section where you have done your planning is enough, any more will look messy and is unnecessary).

An hour or two a day (don't worry if you can't do this every day) should see you feeling confident for your mocks.

I hope this helps

I got 99% in my english lit GCSE and my best advice is to use GCSE pod or schmoop.

P.S.I know this is irrelevant but I have never met anyone with the same surname as me before!

Wait your surname is McEwan? And btw thanks for the advice 😊

Yeah- I never meet anyone with that surname You're welcome