Think I did bad GCSE English. How do I get over it? Is there a chance I got good?

English. One of the subjects that I absolutely wanted to do very well for these GCSEs. Me and English have always had a weird relationship. Last year in Year 10 I used to get grade 2s but my teacher always saw potential in me, it was the first year I’d ever been introduced to an essay based subject; I had my glimpses going through the year but I only really started to get the real concept of it near the end of that year. When Year 11 came, I would say I had massively improved but there’s always been one thing for me with English: my timing. I could write good quality by then but it took me a lot to come up with points, and it’s always been like this hence why my grades have ranged from 5s-7s this year. One massive example; For English language Paper 2 in my Year 11 mocks my timing was so bad. I had missed the whole of Q4 (16 marks) but somehow still managed to get 44 marks which would have been a 5 in 2019 GCSEs. I knew I always had something in me but it was just my timing holding me back.

Approaching these GCSEs I had high expectations for myself, I knew my one problem and I only barely attempted to try and improve it a few times but I wouldn’t say it was my actual main problem these GCSEs somehow.

Paper 1: I was stressed. I knew I had to start off well, but I can’t lie I was bricking it. I didn’t go to sleep until sometime in the morning that day trying to binge watch any English language related YouTube videos(which I regret). The day of the exam comes and my heart is beating outside the exam hall. When it started it took me so long to take in the extract (blame it on lack of sleep). I was struggling with only the Q1 whilst seeing people beside me with already half of q2 done so I knew I had to move on to it. I only managed one paragraph before realizing I had spent too much time on it, so I had to move on again. My q3 was much better, I started to gain slightly more confidence as I completed it whole. I had left myself 50 mins left and 60 marks for grabs. I wrote as much as I could for Q4 (wasn’t that bad) but I was only able to do 2 paragraphs and nearly 2 pages. Then I left myself around half an hour for Q5! When I tell you I wrote the worst possible most lackluster, mediocre and bang average creating writing with barely any language devices for 2 pages! I’m lucky to have scraped a 5 for that paper in my eyes. I can’t lie after that exam I was nearly in tears for a few hours, but I reckoned that Paper 2 would have been the time to put it right. My initial aim for English was a 7; (I knew I was capable, I had got it earlier that year) but I knew that it would have been too hard to achieve after that paper so level 6 was tampering my mind.

The day of Paper 2 comes: I wanted to be as prepared as possible. I slept enough for that exam, I was stressed but at least I wasn’t half asleep which in essence means I was kind prepared. The exam starts and I do well enough for Q1 and Q2 (stupidly lost a mark for Q1 kmt) with my timing still intact. In English exams I always love looking at where people are to see if I’m doing well. I saw people were behind me which filled me with confidence and reassurance that I was doing well. I was doing good, I thought I was dreaming as I always struggle with timing. But, I knew it was too good to be true as I realized only after 10 minutes that I wrote a whole page for about the wrong Source for Q3! The worst thing I could have done was panic! I was feeling content with myself by then, so I decided not to stress too much about it even though my heart felt like it nearly stopped when I had realized. Instead of trying to rewrite my answer, I recognized the significance of Q4 and Q5 so I planned to finish them as quickly as possible and then hopefully leave myself enough to write enough to get a few marks for Q3. My Q4 went great (I think). My best question answered in these English GCSEs (Really hope it carried me) so I approached Q5 confidently. I thought my Q5 was good, my intro was kind of long but what I’m scared about is the fact that I wrote some 2 big paragraphs for my points when in Q5 there’s supposed to be lots of small paragraphs, but regarding the language devices and structural devices I was happy with myself. When my invigilator announced there was 5 minutes my heart nearly crashed: My Q3 was still not done so I wrote as much as I could during that time, which was half a page and 1 paragraph so the maximum marks I could get from that was 4. Soon after the exam I wasn’t that upset about it as I was kind of confident with the rest of my questions until people told me I could have possibly failed, so dread started kicking in and I got more bothered about it. I had nearly no motivation to revise the exam that followed after.

Ever since those 2 exams I’ve just been thinking how many marks I’ve possible racked up for each question in order for me to get a least enough to scrape a 6. I always knew I had the potential to do well in English, so it’s so sad to me how it’s panned out, but I’ve keeping hopeful. People are saying the grade boundaries are gonna be lower (Than 2019 at least) and they’re going to mark “generously” which might help me. I need 6 so I could enter Economics for 6th form which I want to so bad, but unfortunately I probably haven’t done enough to even pass😢 I just wanna get over this but I can’t, this is what I’ve been thinking about for the last 2 weeks.

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 1

KirstinTM

This is unreadable. You need to use paragraphs, I gave up halfway through so I can’t judge how you’ll do, but if it’s anything like this then it won’t be good.

Reply 2

username5952367

Well, no one knows what you got. The most you can do is look forward. What do you want to do at university? If you don't get the grades required for what you wish to do for A-levels, there are other courses that can get you into the career you want to do.

You can always resit GCSEs too. There are sixth form/colleges that will let you. But only do this if you do awful and there is no other option, otherwise its a waste of time/

Reply 3

Lost Kid

Original post by KirstinTM

This is unreadable. You need to use paragraphs, I gave up halfway through so I can’t judge how you’ll do, but if it’s anything like this then it won’t be good.

Damn😢

Reply 4

Lost Kid

Original post by Imperviousness

I appreciate your viewpoint. I might just have to accept it 😢
😢

Reply 5

username5952367

Original post by Lost Kid

I appreciate your viewpoint. I might just have to accept it 😢
😢

Cheer up! GCSEs really don't account for anything, your A-level grades matter way more.

Reply 6

KirstinTM

Original post by Imperviousness

Cheer up! GCSEs really don't account for anything, your A-level grades matter way more.

This is true. As long as you get a 4 you can go to most unis, the top unis will require a 6.

Reply 7

Lost Kid

Original post by KirstinTM

This is unreadable. You need to use paragraphs, I gave up halfway through so I can’t judge how you’ll do, but if it’s anything like this then it won’t be good.

I used paragraphs now. Please try to give it a read, I need other people’s viewpoints so I can get over it, it’s subject that’s been messing with my head for the last weeks

Reply 8

Lost Kid

Original post by KirstinTM

This is true. As long as you get a 4 you can go to most unis, the top unis will require a 6.

It’s been so hard for me to accept it. Could I decide to retake it even If I get a pass?

Reply 9

username5952367

Original post by KirstinTM

This is true. As long as you get a 4 you can go to most unis, the top unis will require a 6.

For sure. Most universities (excluding Oxbridge/Durham/LSE/UCL- and the likes of those) don't really care about GCSEs as long as OP has a good 6 at decent grades and above. Its just the more 'better' GCSEs you have, opens more doors but 'bad' GCSEs (subjective) is not the end all, be all.

Reply 10

username5952367

Original post by Lost Kid

It’s been so hard for me to accept it. Could I decide to retake it even If I get a pass?

You can retake, a lot of colleges will let you. Taking a year out is a waste of time in my opinion, especially if you don't even want to take English A-level or anything to do with English.

Reply 11

skhan11111

Original post by Lost Kid

I used paragraphs now. Please try to give it a read, I need other people’s viewpoints so I can get over it, it’s subject that’s been messing with my head for the last weeks

I’m sure you did great! The way you wrote this showcases a natural flair in your writing and remember that if you struggled, a lot of other students struggled too who might not be as intelligent as you are. It sounds like you’re overthinking and obsessing over every potential mistake. The test is over and there’s nothing you can do until results day so just believe in yourself and enjoy your summer

Reply 12

nakkiVela

what did you get - same position here

Reply 13

Lost Kid

I ended up getting a 5, and I remember that despite the mistake I thought I had done way better in Paper 2 than 1 but it turns out it was the opposite as individually I got a 6 for Paper 1 and a 5 for Paper 2 (the marks averaged to a 5 overall) which shows that you don’t really know what you got no matter how you feel about it because you’re not the examiner, therefore it’s better to not be like me and just don’t think about it, even though eventually after a few more weeks I got over it. But now I’m doing A Levels and I’m basically doing the same thing by counting possible marks I could have got for my exams again as I’m hoping I can scrape a C for Psychology so I still can’t even get rid of this habit of stressing over what I got😭, I guess it’s normal to care about it for some time but make sure to just move on from it by distracting yourself or maybe just let your emotions flow and you will not care as much naturally as time goes.