How do I achieve an A in higher English?

Hi! So I’m taking higher English this coming year and I was wondering what your advice would be towards achieving an A? My predicted grade for Nat 5 is A band 1 so I’m hoping that’s a good sign for Higher, however, I know that this year a huge number of fifth years failed their English prelim (at my school - which does tend to mark things harshly in all fairness). The teachers are good so it’s not a problem there. I’m hoping to study English Lit at uni (need 5 A’s at Higher for the universities I’m interested in) so if it’s that hard I’m a little concerned. Advice? Thanks!

Higher English isn’t much different from N5, so I’m sure you’ll be fine if u got an A at N5.
The SST is practically the same but just has a 10 mark q instead of the 8.
The RUAE is similar but u don’t get marks so easily as u do in N5.
The essays are similar also but u need a lot of analysis.
The reason a lot of people fail their English prelims is usually just because of time and practice. Prelims are usually in December/January so you don’t actually have a lot of time to practise essays/ruae etc as you would for the normal exam. People are usually in a much more comfortable position when it comes to the final exam because of this.

I would say the main thing to work on from now is timing - writing quickly, identifying techniques quickly, planning essays quickly and just thinking quickly in general. You pretty much have to do exactly the same as Nat 5 but double the work in the same amount of time. E.g. for RUAE or Scottish text, you won’t get any marks for quoting so you have to do two analyses for 2 marks compared with 1 for two marks at Nat 5. In terms of the critical essay portion, just try to make sure you have a good understanding of the texts you’ve been given. It’s okay to memorise analyses and paragraphs to some extent but if you get a really unexpected question in the exam you’ll have to be able to think about the text as a whole and create your own points on the spot which are relevant to the question. Also, for critical essays do not underestimate the vocabulary and context needed for a good essay. Even though it is timed, you may have good analysis points but if it isn’t written well then you’ve no chance of getting 20/20. For RUAE, find practice papers online and in books and start doing one a week and handing it in to your teacher and tell them to mark it harshly. For this section, practice makes perfect and you just have to get used to question types etc. I’ve always hated English and it has always been my weakest subject - however, following these tips from the very beginning of the year allowed me to never drop below an A band 1 in any test or exam and get the highest in my year for every test/exam/prelim since N5. It wasn’t my highest exam score at all but that Nat 5 grade is the one I am most proud of hands down as I know how hard I worked for it and carried the same work ethic into higher. The main thing I would say is to make sure even though when you start it doesn’t feel like a big step up from higher, treat it as though it is because it’s better to be safe than sorry. Despite covid, I’m pretty confident that I’ll get an A this year and I AM SO GLAD I WILL NEVER HAVE TO DO ENGLISH AGAIN.

Hey! I just did higher English this year and was in the same position as yourself with an A1 at Nat5 hoping to do the same at higher. The best advice I can give you is about the critical essay, do not be afraid that the questions seem more narrow - deep down they're not they just require more though towards a LINE OF ARGUMENT. this will be your most important tool throughout higher to show a marker you are sophisticated in your writing and thought process - especially useful in discursive/persuasive and critical essay. To prepare yourself during lockdown for higher is a blessing in disguise! you have all this time to fill yourself in on the knowledge required for your courses which should be fairly easy to access on BBC bitesize or asking for teachers help. Specifically for English: read your book or play or poems in advance and look at things like spark notes so you have an idea of their themes and analysis.Also some thought about what topic you want to do for your folio pieces is a good idea too.

I second this - Spark Notes SAVED me for Gatsby!