English lit 9-1 exam AQA

How are you guys revising english? need a few pointers to get that grade 6-7 im aiming for (currently at a 5+)
My books are Macbeth , The sign of 4 for the first lit paper.

I'm (trying to) rewrite all my notes from lessons
Also plan what my answers would be for some sample questions (I don't have time to actually write full answers) e.g. Picking out my three/four key points to address and the sub points for each

Doing Macbeth and Jane Eyre

what key quotes are you memorising for macbeth? im just memorising a few which i think are vital such as "Is this a dagger which i see before me, the handle toward my hand"

I'm not learning any specific quotes! I'm trusting the extract plus any I can think off the top of my head! Ambitious probably XD
The mark scheme says the upper bands require "specific references" rather than quotes, so it's not the end of the world if you can't remember the wording (although it probably is for poetry!)

what key quotes are you memorising for macbeth? im just memorising a few which i think are vital such as "Is this a dagger which i see before me, the handle toward my hand"

"Theres dagger in mens mind , the near bloody , the nearer bloodier"-malcolm
"So clear in his great office"-duncan
"Be the innocent flower but be the serpant under it" lady macbeth

Thats all i know XD

XD i guess im going to practice using the sample paper and prepare model answers to prepare
I guess ive got a lot of work to do for tomorrow then the p1 test (gotta revise my EM spectrum )

XD i guess im going to practice using the sample paper and prepare model answers to prepare
I guess ive got a lot of work to do for tomorrow then the p1 test (gotta revise my EM spectrum )

Haha, same. I'm on the Edexcel board and have english lit on Mon and Friday. I'm so worried but hopefully we'll do well.

Are you using the standard PEEL structure or do you have a structure of your own , you see im not really in a high set within my school so we haven't really been taught a great lot regarding other ways of structuring your responses

I just got an 8 in my mock (though we hadn't finished Jane Eyre by then so I should be able to get a safe 8 in the exam; 25 or 26/30 for both is what I want)

My teacher suggests the PEE formula but I've never really understood how it works! My thinking/method does follow that sort of pattern though:
Pick three key ideas that are shown from the extract and can be developed/linked to the rest of the novel/play
For each point I make, I write the quote and why Shakespeare chooses to use it, then usually what effect this has on the audience

E.g.
How does Shakespeare present Macbeth in the play?
(Key point)
Shakespeare presents Macbeth as a man easily manipulated in the presence of Lady Macbeth in the early chapters of the play. This changes as the play progresses, as Macbeth no longer confides or submits to Lady Macbeth.
(Point)
In Act 1 Scene 5, Macbeth barely says a word to Lady Macbeth, who takes complete control of the situation in saying "leave all the rest to me".
(Explain)
This suggests Macbeth does not have much power in the relationship. This shows a different side of Macbeth to the audience, who has heard of him being a "noble" man who is also ruthless, yet Shakespeare also suggests him to be "too full o'th'milk of human kindness" through Macbeth.
(Effect)
The power that Shakespeare gives Lady Macbeth would have worried the audience, as the audience is already aware Lady Macbeth is planning to manipulate Macbeth into killing Duncan. Lady Macbeth's bold words about Macbeth would also have been surprising to a 17th century audience, as it would have been unusual for a wife to be so involved in her husband's life, as they were generally expected to be submissive and passive.


This is a bit dodgy tbh XD I feel like my teacher would say I'd be going off the question topic but that's my general thought process!

Thanks for the example im currently scoring 18/30 in the practice questions hopefully thatll be different this time around and ill be able to get a good 25-30 marks in the essay.

Good luck! English is one of my weakest subjects honestly so I know a 9 is way out of reach XD Hopefully advice was okay!

I personally dislike english however its needed and i really cant bear the thought of a resit and coming back to school just to do it all over again.
Just going to do physics , Maths , Chem for A levels (well if i get the grades i need)