English language and literature a level help

Hi, I’m new to this app. I study a level English literature and language AQA and I have mocks in a couple weeks. I’m unsure on how to structure my answer from how many paragraphs I do and should I do a conclusion and introduction and what I should do in it. I study Paris Dracula and Duffy. I’m guessing structure would be the same despite what texts you study. Would appreciate any help.
Thank you so much

Reply 1

MillieeM2

Maybe the exemplars on the exam website, they can be really helpful in reading what to do. And examiner reports

Reply 2

Nathancondren1

Original post by MillieeM2

Maybe the exemplars on the exam website, they can be really helpful in reading what to do. And examiner reports

Thank you!

Reply 3

Irin2007

Original post by Nathancondren1

Hi Nathan same I’m new and I’m having the EXACT SAME problem, I got predicted an E and I almost basically crashed out when I sent my UCAS however this girl named Niki helped me out here is what she said. Also by the way I take (king Lear, Richard II, the rime of the ancient mariner, unseen, the great gatsby, atonement, the murder of Roger ackroyd and btw I take AQA. I hope this really does help.

For linking back to the question, I'd say to just use the words in the question and synonyms often in your essay to show that you are keeping the question in mind all throughout the essay. especially at the end of each paragraph clearly show how the paragraph links to your larger point.
For general structure advice, working through a text chronologically with each point progressing along with the narrative often works well (though there are certain questions where this won't make sense to do) and helped me to not overthink structuring the essay. This is more difficult to do for the comparison questions, but I'd always just focus on having one text chronological and adding points from the other text however they worked best.
Another general structure thing that I was taught for Shakespeare (although we did Othello) was to use a slalom structure. you pick one side of the argument that will be your conclusion and you make 2 points to prove that argument and have these points as the 1st and 3rd paragraphs. Then you do a counterargument for your 2nd paragraph.
As for making your writing flow better I really feel like that comes with practise but one tip that I have is to completely forget about the PEAZ/PEEL etc structure. this was the first thing we were taught as trying to stick to a specific structure really limits you from developing your own style.
Just write however feels natural.
For embedding quotations I have 4 tips 1. just try to make them part of your sentences, like if you took the quotation marks out it would still make sense as a sentence. This makes the writing flow as it's not taking you out of your analysis to introduce a quote
2. if the quote is dialogue, use different verbs +nouns instead of "said". For example: "Gatsby's assertion that ...
'' Tom insists that..."
3. Instead of writing "the author writes