Elat 2010

Oh jeez, I just marked my practice paper (having no teachers to do it for me) and you can really tell I haven't written an essay in over a year! I went over it very carefully pretending to be a mean teacher and writing little comments and everything (god I'm lame) and it was just all over the place. I think I did okay picking stuff up from the texts but there was no structure at all and I didn't make any real points. I definitely need to spend more time planning when it comes the real thing. I was looking at the plan I did for the practice and literally all it said was "Imagery, metre.. ?". Very useful. So I sat down and re-planned it as if I was going to write it again, which was helpful, I think.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 401

kuroshokora

2

Original post by coggles

Oh jeez, I just marked my practice paper (having no teachers to do it for me) and you can really tell I haven't written an essay in over a year! I went over it very carefully pretending to be a mean teacher and writing little comments and everything (god I'm lame) and it was just all over the place. I think I did okay picking stuff up from the texts but there was no structure at all and I didn't make any real points. I definitely need to spend more time planning when it comes the real thing. I was looking at the plan I did for the practice and literally all it said was "Imagery, metre.. ?". Very useful. So I sat down and re-planned it as if I was going to write it again, which was helpful, I think.

Imagery and metre is always the thing I forget... I think my problem is trying to go all psychoanalytical and diagnose the author's state of mind. And forget to comment on rhythm.

Reply 402

SelfishGiant

8

I wish the question was less open - I need direction!!

What did you all do for it? I compared The Human Stain to Clarissa.

How much did you/are we meant to write?

Can you tell I'm panicking :mmm:

Reply 403

kuroshokora

2

Original post by SelfishGiant

I wish the question was less open - I need direction!!

What did you all do for it? I compared The Human Stain to Clarissa.

How much did you/are we meant to write?

Can you tell I'm panicking :mmm:

Compared the Herrick poem (Reverend Shade?) to Carousel and Grocer's Daughter.

Think I wrote four sides, it's a while since I did it.

Reply 404

Orwell

3

I'm doing it, I haven't really prepared much due to a chronic lack of sleep, but I'm going to brush up on my critical language, and maybe look at some poems and comapre them a little.

Reply 405

MSB

17

Original post by SelfishGiant

How much did you/are we meant to write?

As much as you can in the time available. However, as in most things, quality should always be preferred over quantity.

Reply 406

SelfishGiant

8

Original post by MSB

As much as you can in the time available. However, as in most things, quality should always be preferred over quantity.

Would writing very little (say, less than 2000 words) put you at a disadvantage? Or it that common?

I did the practise paper the other say and only wrote about 1500 words, how is everyone else doing? :s-smilie:

Reply 407

MSB

17

Original post by SelfishGiant

Would writing very little (say, less than 2000 words) put you at a disadvantage? Or it that common?

I did the practise paper the other say and only wrote about 1500 words, how is everyone else doing? :s-smilie:

No one is going to see one thousand five hundred words and think it 'very little'. I couldn't tell you how much people normally write in the test, but I can tell you that it isn't really something worth worrying about.

Reply 408

SelfishGiant

8

Original post by MSB

No one is going to see one thousand five hundred words and think it 'very little'. I couldn't tell you how much people normally write in the test, but I can tell you that it isn't really something worth worrying about.

Thank you very much :biggrin:

I had a kind-of length obsessed English teacher for Higher - it's kind of always at the back of my mind :pinch:

Reply 409

-aimz

17

Doing the practice paper and slowly dying...may just be because I have no motivation to speak of at the moment.

Reply 410

SelfishGiant

8

I cannot wait to get this over with :frown:

Reply 411

coggles

Original post by SelfishGiant

I cannot wait to get this over with :frown:

Ditto

I do this really annoying thing of diverting stress, so instead of being stressed about performing badly and thus preparing more thoroughly, I'm getting worried that my old school will have ****ed up somehow registering me and that the papers won't turn up. Why not productive, motivational stress, brain, why!?

Reply 412

Slizzle92

I am not in exam mode!! :frown:

I hope the texts aren't too hard to decipher.
Good luck everyone

Reply 413

Ambs

7

I did the practice test again yesterday (did it the first time a few weeks ago), and I'm really panicking. I wrote about Grocer's Daughter and Carousel, but the result is so weak. I've never been taught how to do practical criticism - and it shows! My essay was ridiculously short as well; 525 words. And if that would have been 525 intelligent words leading to sensible points I would be ok, but most of it is waffle.
I did another practice test earlier today, and when I compared my analysis with theirs I actually cried. Damn you ELAT.

Reply 414

Misericorde

3

My final school-leaving exams finished last Thursday, and hence these three days have mostly been the burning of high school textbooks and fervent celebration. But eep, here comes another exam...

Reply 415

Orwell

3

Having done the dample paper, it's OK, I don't actually want to go to Oxford.

Reply 416

coggles

I'm hurtling wildly between thinking a) that I'm worrying too much and b) that I'm NOT WORRIED ENOUGH :woo:

Reply 417

Slizzle92

**** going to oxford now

Reply 418

darcied

Original post by Ambs

I did the practice test again yesterday (did it the first time a few weeks ago), and I'm really panicking. I wrote about Grocer's Daughter and Carousel, but the result is so weak. I've never been taught how to do practical criticism - and it shows! My essay was ridiculously short as well; 525 words. And if that would have been 525 intelligent words leading to sensible points I would be ok, but most of it is waffle.
I did another practice test earlier today, and when I compared my analysis with theirs I actually cried. Damn you ELAT.

Hi. Sorry to bother you, but what do you mean comparing yours with theirs? Is there a sample answer out there somewhere? :confused:

I'm not feeling good for this exam either, as the 1 hr time limit kills me and I make a lot of bogus points.

Reply 419

ClaraPirie

I've spent about 10 minutes looking over stuff, and that 10 minutes only made me even more nervous as it dawned on me that I'm so not prepared. But hey, if I find it too hard then I guess Oxford isn't for me! I've got so much on at the moment that I really just want to get it out of the way. Also, I missed the registration date so I actually have to go down there to sit it, meaning less study time. Ah well, c'est la vie!

Elat 2010

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