ENGLISH LIT Grade 8/9 students!

Is anyone here predicted an 8 or 9 in English!? I am currently learning 6 quotes and in depth analysis per theme in all 3 books we are studying. I have 10-14 themes per book. So around 30 quotes and in depth analysis per book, providing some quotes intertwine with multiple themes. Is what i'm doing enough, or do i have to learn Character quotes as well, for me to be able to fully answer any question that comes up in the exam?

Hi!

I think that what you're doing is more than enough! (More than me, anyway, and I got an 8 in my last mock...)

Just a heads-up - my teacher told me that a good way to get into the 8s/9s is to write about how the writer represents a theme in each character.

So for example, IDK if you study An Inspector Calls, but in the exam, you would probably write 'Priestley uses Mr. Birling to represent capitalism/the old generation, while Sheila, on the contrary, represents a younger, more socialist post-war generation.'

Hope I helped!

I got grade 9 last year,character quotes are amongst the important aspects that need to be covered with any book. Regardless, it is important to explore characteristion as a tool which develops the plot and theme. A grade 9 response explores the developing and chaning relationship between characters, their interractions and responses to others. I recommend making model essays, continousy getting them remarked and checked over by the qualified teachers in the English department, until you've produced a God essay. Use this as your template.

Furthermore, it is reccommended that you create revision notes, A3 analysis of extracts and most potently, poems. Revise kiddo!

My personal technique is standing infront of your room, and pretending to be a teacher!

GL! and have fun!

It's just confusing because it asked you a question on both a theme and a character, so i don't understand why i'd need to learn both and why 1 is more important to revise than the other. I fell like there's many themes, so that if i learnt quotes for each, i would end up being able to answer questions on characters aswell, as the quotes in that theme are said by the character, but idk aha still kind of confused. However, i really odn't wonna start having to redo what i've done for each theme, for each character as well....

Yeah that's fine, the quotes by characters which represent the theme is good, I thought you were taking quotes from narrative. No need to worry, just select the most appropriate quotes per character which represent the theme, you're most likley going to reieve a theme related question, depending on exam board, Edquas gave my year a character for AIC, a theme for ACC and a relationship question for Macbeth. Themes are the most important, so learn 7/8 quotes per character, and split those quotes into themes.

Yeh thanks that's what i'm doing. It's just confusing because i've got relationships down as a Theme anyway lol

May I ask what exam board you're doing, and what literature?

AQA- Jekyll and Hyde, Animal Farm, Macbeth and love and relationships. What did you do?

Eduqas- Macbeth, An Inspector Calls, A Christmas Carol, and 18 poems from the provided anthology (Mixed themes etc)

Hi, I got 2 9's last year and I revised for Inspector Calls in particular in such a way that as soon as I flicked to the page in the exam booklet, I was, if anything, disappointed by the easiness of the question. this sounds like im bragging but I'm not, the method to getting the grades isn't just about 'talent' its about the way you study.

Start with your character notes, I did it in a table. 3 (well, 4) sections.
Person's Character - Choose a 5 main quotes, ones that are memorable, 6 words max, write down the PEEL. Point you want to make, choose the correct quote, write down what it shows you/what can be implied. and finally, a simple sentence showing what it tells you about their character.

What they did to Eva/attitude to her death - 5 quotes that explain what they did to Eva (helps you be selective with explaining their role in Eva's death, you dont want to be too descriptive and it helps you to back up your points about their character eg. 'Sheila got Eva fired because 'she was too pretty' (I cant remember oops its been months) which demonstrates her insecurities and shallow nature....blah blah blah) do the PEEL again

Character development: what do they say/do end of play? Have they changed? how do you know and what does this show? -5 quotes and PEEL

then the 4th and final column is basially selecting quotes that you've already chosen from you previous 3 columns that fit into a theme, eg Gender roles, Power, money, etc. You can repeat your points if applicable but the point is to make it easier for when you do your theme notes. It can vary from 3-4.

The point of this is to essentially break down the writing of an essay and have around 15 easy quotes to remember for your chracter, start, middle and end so even if you have an extract question (Depends on your board), you're sorted, no matter where it is in the play. I made sure that my notes + quotes were in chronological order just so it's easier to remember when trying to recall what you wrote in the plan.

for your theme essays, simply write out an introduction (try and integrate a few cheeky quotes here and there -you dont have to) and then go chracter by character the different theme quote/points you have already written down.

Hope this helps!

Are you in year 10 or 11?