English GCSE and workbook help

Hi there,

Ok so to begin the edexcel are basically the same as the AQA, same info but just with different styles of representation and also only minor vocab differences between the two.

Next up is that to be honest for GCSE vocab is really not that important in Lit, more so in Lang. I woiuld say that usuing accurate language tyhat you are 100% happy with is better in lit as my teacher used to scold for being quite oververbose (her words) with my writing. With language use the best words yioubcan think of that might match it. It doesnt matter if the emaning is slighlty skewed but ONLY slightly. I would recommend literally searching on google 'books to improve your vocab' and the same ones come on repeat. You're looking at Michael Mopurgo, and books such as Ulysees, Moby **** and certainly not forgetting of course Shalkespearean plays.

Definitly for English you're looking at making quotations cards/notes with a bit of anaylsis for each quote, and I mean A BIT. try to make it as high level as possible so that you can remember the easy analysis your self. Use colours, delight your eyes and make learning quotes fun, then go over, go over, go over, go over and go over them until you are spouting out quotes here and there as i shamelessly still do.

Of course keep enquiring about better termimnology you can use for specific anaylis and teachers will be sure to give you new inside info that will.

Hope this helped,
Ryan

For English Language

1. Watch Mr Bruff videos on You Tube, and down load his book if you can afford to
2. Mind map each paper, and each question on each paper, so you know what to do, and how long you have for each.
3. Mind map the technical devices and sentence structures, you need to know what they are, how to recognise them and the effect on the reader.
4 I used acronyms as well for no 3, which I found very helpful.
5. Read newspapers to see how the articles are designed and the language they use.
6. Read across the board - just different genres and from different eras
7. I also took the front page of the books and used them as a text for the exam questions to see if I could spot things.
8. LEARN WHAT DISCOURSE MARKERS ARE AND HOW TO USE THEM, Also INFERRED MEANING. These two give you high marks.
9. Remember the basics - how to write in paragraphs, sentences, recognise an adverb, verb, adjective, noun, adverbial phase and noun phrase.
10 Get to know the punctuation marks and how to use them. A fellow student in my class wrote them down in the column of her mock paper and crossed them off as she used them. I did that in my actual exam.

You may also find it helpful to know what you need to score for each grade, your teacher should be able to help you with this one.

PS I got an 8 with merit with the above.

PPS for the spoken exam do something you know well and include technical jargon - don't use notes if you can.

Hi again,

Anytime I hope I helped you (I got the same as the other guy who commented in my gcse 8 and merit).

Good luck in all of your gcse’s, and remember you can make your own luck by revision,

Ryan