GCSE English

[.x.miss.angel.x]

So, im usless at english and next year I have my English GCSE, I basically am awful when it comes to writing. I go off into a different tense, I write all out of order ect, and im useless at checking my work, my mum normally has to help.

Anybody got any tips on how I can try and get an A in english? I know i can do it, I just need help and tips and possibly my mum in a suitcase next to me in the exams...

[ben]

read books

[.x.miss.angel.x]

read books

I work in a library. :L How worrying XD Yeah, i better clue up on some classics!

[lizzieTBH.]

In my English class we're going back to basics with commas, short sentences, complex sentences and so on.
When we first got the work we was all like "What the hell? Didn't we do this when we were 10" but I've actually found that it's worked on getting better at writing with more variety.

[chantellehugs]

Maybe in the holidays you could buy an English Revision book? CGP do a good range so it might be worth buying one and just practicing. But also as someone above said, reading helps immensely. When I was younger I was a complete and utter bookworm and from that I widened my vocabulary and learnt all about grammar, etc. I also started reading lengthy books when I was young *cough* Harry Potter *cough* so it made it easier to read lengthy books in the future. Some people in my English class have trouble reading books like To Kill A Mockingbird because they say it's too much but I have no problem with it! :)

It's really good how you're starting to think about your English GCSE now rather than realising 2 weeks before the exam that you need to brush up on your writing skills. Good luck with it!

[Jssy]

I'm guessing you're in year 10? If you are, I am too. I keep all the stuff we've done so far - Of Mice and Men, Poetry, Creative writing, An inspector calls etc in a big ring binder. Reading it all over every so often helps me refresh my memory. As the above person said go back to basics, ask your teacher if she could help you with those and if any english sessions are held at lunch time or after school :)

[Mark]

My school does after school tuition. If your school has that I would seriously take advantage of the 1 to 1 with your teacher.

[Circadia]

I'm starting my GCSE English next year to :\ I'm not to fond of English, but i've found taking my book home and letting my mum/dad check it very helpful! But since we're on a new specification we can't write one piece of coursework and keep re doing it until we're happy with it, we have to sit in a hall and write it out as best as we can and then thats our final piece no draft or anything! Which is a bit worrying, but i'm sure i will get through :L Anyway, like i said try taking things home and getting your mum/dad to help, read quite a few books and get all the help you can get from your English teacher.

[Swinkid]

I thought i was doing crap in yr 10 in english, completly opposite. Basicly just remember to use basics, Remember PEE (Point Evidence Explain) and remember to keep refering to the question.

For talking about poetry, remember C L I S M , Standing for Content Language Imagery Structure and Message. For Example, Content meaning what the poem is about, L talks about the language used, I imagery obivously (not too good with imagery so dont test me) S tructure you could say that the writer uses Enjambment to show how something is carrying on . Enjambment is when the writer carries on a sentence into the next stanza without a fullstop (If that makes any sense).

For each letter in CLISM , remember to use PEE. Since you will be limited to time in the exam, you may want to cut out things, such as if the question was asking about the poets language and imagery and how it relates to something, you could cut out content structure and message.

But yeah, goodluck, by yr 11 when you come to do ur english you'll be alright, just if you have any questions talk to your teacher.. I would say talk to me but idk what the questions will be like for you. :3

[Catzsy]

The BBC have quite a good revision tool. Link is here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english/

[Chippiewill]

I've just been sat in a bottom set English GCSE for a couple of years so I know some good things to do, there's a book called Intelligent Reading (Link (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Intelligent-Reading-B-W-Young/dp/0582326036)) which has some exercises for increasing your ability at reading (And by extension writing), it's pretty simple to do and you can do it in just like a spare five minutes, it's all a load of articles which they set some questions on and will generally ask you what they're about, or what an adjective refers too etc. it sounds easy but is actually quite difficult. The key is to understand what is needed for each question for each part of the paper, different questions have different goals and identifying what they're trying to get you to do for each question before hand is useful (ie, on my first paper, question 1 was summary, question 2 was use of language and question 3 was an essay/speech question), it's probably a little bit early to work on that but might be nice to look at.

[Conservative,]

I've done two of the first 'new' style coursework aka controlled assessments in English and there are a few things that you have to keep the same. Obviously you need good grammar, good spelling and good punctuation. However it is different for each assessment. For example - Of Mice and Men (what I've done) assess you on how well you can take quotes from the book and extract information from them, back your points up etc. Then we recently did a film review - which we had to copy a style of a particular magazine which just assess your writing ability in general.

It helps if you have a good teacher, but what I'd suggest is doing practice essays, at home, at school, and asking your teacher or parents to check them.

I did this, and my first practice I got a B, second an A and then in the real thing A* - 1 mark off 100% so it does help :)