English Literature

A Revision Guide

2 Exams – 70%

(Coursework folder – 30%)

Drama – 1 of 3 questions in 45 min.

Poetry & Prose – 90 min.1 question of 3 on each text

Opening Lines

Overview StrategyMulti-pass exposure to the source texts over timeFamiliarity with Question structuresFamiliarity with timed response structuresAwareness of Mark Schemes

Review of all class notes & text annotationsOnline study guide readingConsolidation of class notes & further research

Practise planning under timed conditionsPractise writing under timed conditionsReview and assessment of answers using marking criteria.

Drama

Identify key moments in the play and re-read themConsider Sherriff’s STAGECRAFT and EFFECT on the audienceConsider the context in which the play was written & 1st performed

Review all primary charactersReview relationships between charactersReview key themes and how they are examined through the play.

PoetryReview annotations on ALL of the poems in the collectionActively seek to link poems together based on –

ThemesImageryCharacterization and narrative perspectiveTone and attitude towards the war

Make sure you are able to identify the EFFECT of formUse past paper question structures to create new tasksPractise planning quicklyUse a word bank of poetic terminology and comparative discourse markers.

ProseReview all class notes on the novellaDon’t make the mistake of assuming familiarity with this text!

Consider the pros/cons of the passage vs. the whole text questions

Use past papers to organise your revision for this question

Review all primary characters Review relationships between characters (& creatures!)Review key themes and how they are examined in the novella

Basic Literature Essay Structure

Introduction

Directly respond to the title key terms and present a clear opinion and position which you will justify in the remainder of your essay

Main Body

With close reference to your primary text(s) present a well evidenced argument to support the position (close exemplification & brief embedded quotation)

Basic Literature Essay Structure

Main Body cont.

Make sure each paragraph begins with a topic sentence that relates back to the essay title key terms

Use discourse markers of argument (& comparison if relevant)

Take the opportunity to demonstrate your appreciation of context where relevant in answering the question

Basic Literature Essay Structure

Main Body cont.

In the Drama / Prose responses, aim to make 4-5 good points that support your position, using several points in the Play / Novella

In the Poetry response, place an equal weighting on each of the poems you are analysing and base your answer on closely observed details from the texts – no vague, unsupported opinions

Basic Literature Essay Structure

Conclusion

Return to the title’s key terms and aim to make a final ‘applause cue’ statement which reasserts your previously stated position but with a broader and more sophisticated appreciation of this text’s contextual influences

The conclusion should be brief and focused – don’t bleed off into bland praise for the text or its author!

If in doubt…Re-read the questionThink before you planPlan before you writeCheck what you’ve written

Put the time in BEFORE the night before!