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The Official OCR English Literature H072/H472 Predictions and Discussion Thread (AS)

So I figured we should have a nice clean thread for the upcoming OCR English Literature exam on 20th May 2016 which is actually tomorrow!

I study The Merchant's Tale, The Tempest, The History Boys and The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories. Our first exam is Shakespeare and Poetry, is everyone looking forward to it/nervous in any way?

I am a bit apprehensive over this exam, nervous too but I reckon if it is a decent paper and good answerable questions then I should secure a good grade.

To access full OCR specimen papers/candidate exemplars and specs please click here.

Myself and others, once the exam is over will post an unofficial mark scheme, grade boundaries and answers to some questions you may have struggled on! :smile:

The next exam after this one is Drama and Prose on 26th May 2016 so once this one is over, please get revising for the next one! When posting below, it could help if you could mention the texts you have studied and any advice you could give to fellow users on TSR.

Remember for Shakespeare and Poetry, it is highly advisable to look up quotes, character profiles, critics quotes and interpretations as this is essentially going to give you the top marks! Choose quotes applicable to several scenes and stay calm and relaxed.

GRADE BOUNDARIES (PREDICTIONS)
These are predictions my teacher has outlined based on the previous spec. Please do not think these are the official grade boundaries although they well could be.

56-60 - A
46-53 - B
39-45 - C
32-38 - D
25-31 - E
0-24 - U
(edited 7 years ago)

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Reply 1
Original post by Rhythmical
So I figured we should have a nice clean thread for the upcoming OCR English Literature exam on 20th May 2016 which is actually tomorrow!

I study The Merchant's Tale, The Tempest, The History Boys and The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories. Our first exam is Shakespeare and Poetry, is everyone looking forward to it/nervous in any way?

I am a bit apprehensive over this exam, nervous too but I reckon if it is a decent paper and good answerable questions then I should secure a good grade.

To access full OCR specimen papers/candidate exemplars and specs please click here.

Myself and others, once the exam is over will post an unofficial mark scheme, grade boundaries and answers to some questions you may have struggled on! :smile:

The next exam after this one is Drama and Prose on 26th May 2016 so once this one is over, please get revising for the next one! When posting below, it could help if you could mention the texts you have studied and any advice you could give to fellow users on TSR.

Remember for Shakespeare and Poetry, it is highly advisable to look up quotes, character profiles, critics quotes and interpretations as this is essentially going to give you the top marks! Choose quotes applicable to several scenes and stay calm and relaxed.

GRADE BOUNDARIES (PREDICTIONS)
These are predictions my teacher has outlined based on the previous spec. Please do not think these are the official grade boundaries although they well could be.

56-60 - A
46-53 - B
39-45 - C
32-38 - D
25-31 - E
0-24 - U


Any predictions for Hamlet or bloody chamber !? :biggrin: I am study The homecoming, Hamlet, The merchants tale and Bloody Chamber
Reply 2
Original post by Natashja
Any predictions for Hamlet or bloody chamber !? :biggrin: I am study The homecoming, Hamlet, The merchants tale and Bloody Chamber


Hmm Hamlet, I haven't actually studied however when you did your mocks, what kind of questions came up? And for BC, I think something will come up relating to Carter and her feminist beliefs. I get that feeling.
Reply 3
Original post by Rhythmical
Hmm Hamlet, I haven't actually studied however when you did your mocks, what kind of questions came up? And for BC, I think something will come up relating to Carter and her feminist beliefs. I get that feeling.


Okay thank you !
Reply 4
Original post by Natashja
Okay thank you !


I could be wrong however. What's your favourite story from the collection? Mine is The Tiger's Bride. :smile:
Reply 5
Original post by Rhythmical
I could be wrong however. What's your favourite story from the collection? Mine is The Tiger's Bride. :smile:


mmm I would have to probably say Lady of the House of Love !! Also how many stories do we use in our essay ?
Original post by Natashja
mmm I would have to probably say Lady of the House of Love !! Also how many stories do we use in our essay ?


It's been suggested to me that 3 stories are usually adequate for referencing. Should probably start going through the stories soon...but tomorrow takes priority!


Any Rossetti predictions?
Reply 7
Not looking forward to the unseen extract for Bloody Chamber always find that hard :angry:
Reply 8
Original post by Natashja
mmm I would have to probably say Lady of the House of Love !! Also how many stories do we use in our essay ?


That's an interesting story! And my least liked is The Snow Child. And I say aim for atleast three as there will be stories where the question is not applicable and since we have to make comparisons, there needs to be a broad variety of stories. I reckon the question could be related to patriarchal society or matriarchal society.
SOOO tomorrow is Hamlet and Rossetti - ah ****, royally ****ed - in terms of character - I doubt Claudius will come up as he was the specimen, Hamlet himself seems too obvious and broad for the first year - potentially Ophelia or Laertes? In terms of the themes, it could be anything; the same applies for Rossetti :frown: If anyone has any suggestions though, PLEASE let me know
Original post by iamlucy
SOOO tomorrow is Hamlet and Rossetti - ah ****, royally ****ed - in terms of character - I doubt Claudius will come up as he was the specimen, Hamlet himself seems too obvious and broad for the first year - potentially Ophelia or Laertes? In terms of the themes, it could be anything; the same applies for Rossetti :frown: If anyone has any suggestions though, PLEASE let me know


Maybe for Hamlet madness or to be a man ??
Not sure if those came up in specimen paper
Original post by Natashja
Maybe for Hamlet madness or to be a man ??
Not sure if those came up in specimen paper


Ohh that's a good idea - I think they'll be sneaky - I'm just hoping the grade boundaries favour us, especially considering the fact we don't get the flipping books in the exam. It has turned it into a test of our ability to remember quotes opposed to actual skill.
Original post by iamlucy
Ohh that's a good idea - I think they'll be sneaky - I'm just hoping the grade boundaries favour us, especially considering the fact we don't get the flipping books in the exam. It has turned it into a test of our ability to remember quotes opposed to actual skill.


I totally agree I mean its not meant to be a memory test !!
Original post by Natashja
I totally agree I mean its not meant to be a memory test !!


I'm so glad you do - the teachers seem to think it's a good thing....excuse me, no, screw them.

And as someone that saw it happen, it's easy to cheat when you have the books, all it takes is slipping a note in the back before the exam starts and you're covered. I reckon grade boundaries will have to drop or they'll have to radically change how they're marking the papers - you can't physically remember 20 scenes, approximately 15 themes, and then the characters too, as well as critics, context, structure etc AND THEN 15 poems too. What an absolute joke.
Original post by iamlucy
Ohh that's a good idea - I think they'll be sneaky - I'm just hoping the grade boundaries favour us, especially considering the fact we don't get the flipping books in the exam. It has turned it into a test of our ability to remember quotes opposed to actual skill.


Yeah I agree - although my teacher said if we have the books with us then it would waste time if we search for quotes. Instead we should bring in quotes we have revised (on a piece of paper) and use it in exams.
Original post by Rhythmical
Yeah I agree - although my teacher said if we have the books with us then it would waste time if we search for quotes. Instead we should bring in quotes we have revised (on a piece of paper) and use it in exams.


I suppose that's true, but I feel I could roughly remember which scene had which quote in that I needed, so I don't think it would impair me too much - I rather have a quote and take 10 seconds longer to look for it opposed to being like "to paraphrase Hamlet at some point in the play....I think"😂
Original post by iamlucy
I suppose that's true, but I feel I could roughly remember which scene had which quote in that I needed, so I don't think it would impair me too much - I rather have a quote and take 10 seconds longer to look for it opposed to being like "to paraphrase Hamlet at some point in the play....I think"😂


I know what you mean and it is horrible, plus I always find I do one section better than the other. And don't forget that misquoting does not equate to a loss of marks, it is all about your analysis and your writing that counts more than the quotes. Bad that I also learnt the Tempest through the film and not the play/text. :mad: Blame my teacher for that.
Original post by Rhythmical
I know what you mean and it is horrible, plus I always find I do one section better than the other. And don't forget that misquoting does not equate to a loss of marks, it is all about your analysis and your writing that counts more than the quotes. Bad that I also learnt the Tempest through the film and not the play/text. :mad: Blame my teacher for that.


Oh gosh same. I've never got higher than 26/30, and that's been with planing, so God knows what the big surprise tomorrow will be like! That's very very true, but I think for the top bands, quoting with accuracy is imperative. Especially with OCR, it's such a pretentious exam board, they dwell on intricate details. Oh gosh - I suppose intonation can help with learning, but it's usually good to read it too - I'm sure you'll do well, just try not to panic :smile:
Original post by iamlucy
Oh gosh same. I've never got higher than 26/30, and that's been with planing, so God knows what the big surprise tomorrow will be like! That's very very true, but I think for the top bands, quoting with accuracy is imperative. Especially with OCR, it's such a pretentious exam board, they dwell on intricate details. Oh gosh - I suppose intonation can help with learning, but it's usually good to read it too - I'm sure you'll do well, just try not to panic :smile:


I've never actually got higher than 18/30 :tongue: and I know the reason why, hopefully I can do well and get a B and OCR is awful, AQA seem way more nicer and easier and it's the panic of remembering quotes and scenes and then having to do a question on something you've not even learnt well or have nothing to back you up.
Original post by Rhythmical
I've never actually got higher than 18/30 :tongue: and I know the reason why, hopefully I can do well and get a B and OCR is awful, AQA seem way more nicer and easier and it's the panic of remembering quotes and scenes and then having to do a question on something you've not even learnt well or have nothing to back you up.



18/30 is nothing to worry about - in fact that's what I usually get too, just one time I managed to become Shakespeare and write a good essay :wink: I'm so glad you think the same!! You've hit the nail on the head - the panic about remembering quotes means that when you get in the exam and it's a theme or character you're not as well rehearsed with, you panic!

Are you taking it next year?

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