Helpful Hints for writing an exam commentary or essay

1. Helpful Hints for writing an exam commentary or essay • Remember that unlike your oral commentary, a written commentary is NOT chronological; you DON’T write about the first line, second line and so on – you must write thematically • This means you have to use the 5 part structure you’re familiar with: formal introduction, 3 sections and formal conclusion • As a guide, your three section headings might be as follows: S1. First Impressions, S2. Language and Structure, S.3 Tone and Attitude (see the following frameworks to give you an indication of what to write about in each section) • You should carry a set of highlighter pens into the exam: each highlighter pen should represent either a section heading, or, if you want to be more specific, a particular topic in each section • Each section should have at least 2-3 paragraphs, and each paragraph should include a quote and follow the ‘rule of three’ • Remember: in the explanation sentence you should try to focus on 1-2 KEY WORDS to help you analyse the quote: it isn’t enough to say ‘This quote suggests..’ or ‘This indicates…’ – be specific! • Time management is crucial – if you follow the given frameworks, you shouldn’t finish the exam in absurdly quick times • Always give yourself AT LEAST 5 minutes to re-read your work – this could make the greatest difference between borderline grades • What follows, gives you a 7 step guide to how to prepare yourself for writing in the exam DON’T PANIC !

2. Structure for Writing a Commentary on an Unseen Passage : Poetry (2 hour Paper) Tips: Use a different highlighter pen to represent each section when annotating Avoid use of 1st person ‘I’ Avoid contractions: ‘can’t’, ‘won’t’ etc. Avoid referring to poet as ‘him’ or ‘her’ Avoid slang Avoid phrases such as ‘basically’, ‘it is obvious…’ Use the Rule of 3: Point, Evidence, Analysis for main part of answer Use literary terms to identify effects of language 1. Choosing the task: Read both the prose and poetry text then choose one of these to attempt the task (10 mins) 2. Reading and annotating: Read the title of the poem and the poem itself; re-read the poem highlighting key words and phrases & making marginal notes (20 mins) 3. Planning: Note down ideas of what to write in your introduction, main essay (3 sections) and conclusion Include quotes in your planning Planning should take a third of your total writing time (ie. (120-30)/3=30 mins) (30 mins) 4. Introduction paragraph: Start with the word ‘When…’, giving one specific example of what the poem is about (eg. ‘When the poet writes that…this reveals…’) Explain briefly the effectiveness of your example (what effect it produces) Announce the three sections of your commentary (first impressions, structure/ language, poet’s attitude) [Maximum 15 lines] (6 mins) 5. Main body of commentary: Section 1: First Impressions (title analysis, observations about purpose, form/content) Section 2: Structure/Language (imagery, emotion, movement/rhythm/rhyme, sound) Section 3: Poet’s attitude (perspective, tone) (45 mins) 6. Conclusion paragraph: Sum up your observations Open up different perspectives on the poem (4 mins) 7. Check commentary for style & grammar (5 mins)

3. Structure for Writing a Commentary on an Unseen Passage : Prose (2 hour Paper) 1. Choosing the task: • Read both the prose and poetry text then choose one of these to attempt the task (10 mins) 2. Reading and annotating: • Read the title of the prose extract and the extract itself; re-read, highlighting key words and phrases & making marginal notes (20 mins) 3. Planning: • Note down ideas of what to write in your introduction, main essay (3 Sections) and conclusion • Include quotes in your planning • Planning should take a third of your total writing time (30 mins) 4. Introduction paragraph: • Start with the word ‘When…’, giving one specific example of what the extract is about (eg. ‘When the writer describes…this reveals…’) • Explain briefly the effectiveness of your example (what effect it produces) • Announce the three sections of your commentary (first impressions, structure/ language, writer’s attitude) [Maximum 15 lines] (6 mins) 5. Main body of commentary: • Section 1: First Impressions (title analysis, observations about purpose, form/content) • Section 2: Structure/Language (character, setting, atmosphere, sentence length) • Section 3: Poet’s attitude (perspective, genre, social/cultural outlook, religious/philosophical outlook, psychological insight) [spend 15 mins per section & write approx 30 lines each section] (45 mins) 6. Conclusion paragraph: • Sum up your observations • Open up different perspectives on extract • [Maximum 5 lines] (4 mins) 7. Check commentary for style & grammar (5 mins) Tips: Use a different highlighter pen to represent each section when annotating Avoid generalities in the introduction Avoid use of 1st person ‘I’ Avoid contractions: ‘can’t’, ‘won’t’ etc. Avoid referring to writer as ‘him’ or ‘her’ Avoid slang Avoid phrases such as ‘basically’, ‘it is obvious…’ Use the Rule of 3: Point, Evidence, Analysis for main part of answer Use literary terms to identify effects of language

4. Structure for Genre Essay : Poetry (2 Hour Paper) • 1. Preliminary: • Read both questions carefully, highlighting the key words & phrases • Choose your question & re-write it in your own words (jot down the poems you might use) • (10 mins) • 2. Planning: • Planning should take up one third of your total writing time (ie. approx 30 mins) • Jot down all your ideas for the intro, main essay (3 sections), conclusion • Jot down useful quotes as you plan • (35 mins) • 3. Introduction paragraph: • Start with the word ‘When…’ and give a specific example from your reading that immediately links your essay to the question • Refer back to the quote in the question (if there is one) or re-phrase the question to show how your example is relevant to the question • Announce the three main areas of your essay (this will depend on the question) • (10 mins : max 10-12 lines) • 4. Main essay: • This should include a three part structure : your headings will depend on whether you’re writing on poetry, prose or drama texts • Each part should be an extended analysis of the texts • Keep referring back to the question • Use the Rule of 3 to frame your answer • (55 mins : 18 mins on each section) • 5. Conclusion paragraph: • Review your observations in the three sections of your essay • Open up different viewpoints on the question/issue you are writing about • [Maximum 5 lines] • (5 mins) • 6. Check for spelling, grammar and style • (5 mins) Tips: Avoid generalities in the introduction Avoid use of 1st person ‘I’ Avoid contractions: ‘can’t’, ‘won’t’ etc. Avoid referring to poet as ‘him’ or ‘her’ Avoid slang Avoid phrases such as ‘basically’, ‘it is obvious…’ Use the Rule of 3: Point, Evidence, Analysis for main part of answer Use literary terms to identify effects of language

5. Notes on the Preliminary • This part of your exam will set you up for planning and writing your essay • It is worth investing in a set of highlighter pens so as to help you break down the meaning of the questions • Choose your question carefully and re-write it in your own words if this helps • Try to jot down the poems you might use in the essay

6. Notes on Planning Your Essay • Planning is crucial because it is difficult to structure your essay and think about what you are going to write at the same time • Once you have planned in detail what you are going to say, how you say this should come more easily and fluently • Spend a third of your total writing time on planning • In general: total exam time (120 mins) - preliminary & re-reading time (30 mins) • Total writing time is 90 mins – a third of this makes 30 mins for planning • Remember: the way you manage your time during the exam is very important

7. Notes on Writing Your Introduction • Avoid all generalities in the introduction • If the essay asks you about the way women are portrayed in poetry, do not start by writing: ‘Women are portrayed in many different ways in poetry.’ • Your first sentence should always give a specific example from your reading, in a way that links the essay immediately to the question (one way is to begin with the word ‘When…’) • So, regarding the above example, ‘When Thomas describes the farm wife in the first sentence of his poem ‘Farm Wife’, he gives the reader a stereotypical view of a woman busying herself with day to day routines.’ • Be brief, to the point and clear about what you intend to write about in your main essay

8. Notes on Writing the Main Essay • The main essay should always have a three section structure • Why? Because two sections will not allow you to write with the necessary detail, and more than three sections would make the essay ‘top heavy’ and unbalanced – besides you would not have the prescribed time to write with enough detail in further sections • So, regarding the previous example, the three sections of the essay on women in poetry could be as follows: women portrayed positively; women portrayed negatively; women portrayed in ambiguous/indifferent terms.

9. Notes on Writing Your Conclusion • Avoid over-elaborating in this paragraph • You simply need to review what you have said in the three sections of your essay and summarise these in a sentence or two • You should also attempt to suggest other ways in which you might have approached the question or alternative perspectives on the question • For example, ‘In this essay we have looked at the positive and negative roles of women in poetry written by men. Other approaches are possible. For example, to study in more detail how women portray themselves in poetry.’