English exam prep questions

[krystal1012]

So, this is my situation: I have shown to be a strong English student in my class throughout the whole year, but I basically wrote most of my SACs outside SAC time. The thing is, I struggle with writing to time constraints and so I struggle with getting a good word count. The maximum I've been able to do is about 500-600 words. I know that word count is not the most important aspect, but I don't know how in-depth I can get my responses to be if I cannot write a lot in three hours. I have not consistently practiced writing in these conditions throughout the year and thus am apprehensive about how I will perform in time for the exam that is about 6 weeks away. I am also thinking part of the reason I may be slower is how well I know my texts. How should I proportion my study time between writing to time constraints and going over the texts that I've studied? Are there any useful strategies to develop my ability to write quicker in time for the exam?

Also, with regard to the Creating and Presenting section, I wanted to ask whether it would be better to do an imaginative or expository response. I have probably done more expository pieces in Creating and Presenting throughout the year. Though, in looking over examination reports, I have noticed there are high-scoring imaginative pieces that are on the shorter end of the scale. I have achieved high marks for both imaginative and expository pieces I did in my SACs but have found it easier to come up with expository pieces on the spot, even though I get concerned that they are somewhat superficial. Should I focus on increasing the depth of expository pieces or should I work on a basic structure for an imaginative respose to do in the exam? Would it even be better to do a hybrid?

For the Reading and Responding area of study, my class has studied A Christmas Carol and Dreams From My Father. Would it be more beneficial to consider the least common text (in this case Dreams From My Father)?

[astone788]

For reading and responding, don't worry about what George is writing, dont worry about what Sarah writing. Focus 100% on you and your actions. I don't know much about Dreams from father, but I studied Christmas Carol and it was deep. Point it, do whichever is more fun.

Imaginative vs Expository. I like the value of brevity (less is best) With imaginative you have to set up characters and create scenes just to demonstrate a point. And if the point your trying to make isn't obvious, the examineers will give you 0/10. Whereas in an expository essay you can just state your idea, explain it and then provide evidence. I find the expository approach way more direct and less messy.

As far as shaving off your time, when you study the text inside out, words will flow off your mind like water. Try the pareto principal (80-20 rule) Study 80% of the time. And do practice questions 20% of the time. I've gotten to the point where I study 99.9% of the time, and might do 1 practice exam prior to the exam. I find practice questions to be a waste of time. I'd rather spend the time scanning the texts for key ideas and quotes which can be used in the actual exam.

[joseph95]

I find practice questions to be a waste of time. I'd rather spend the time scanning the texts for key ideas and quotes which can be used in the actual exam.

So the first time you're going to write an essay on your book, apart from probably a SAC, is going to be during the exam? Absolutely ridiculous.

Knowing heaps of quotes from a book isn't going to suddenly enable you to structure a coherent and fluent essay under exam conditions. You need to continuously practice and refine your essays on the text, perfecting how you determine how you will go about answering essay questions, how you will manage your time, what are they key ideas that you have practised writing about, etc. As clichéd as it sounds, it's 100% true: practice makes perfect. That is the only way you can really perfect how you write about a text. Rereading and rereading quotes isn't going to do anything - you actually need to physically write and practice unpacking the meaning of the text...

And there's only so much you can get from continuously scanning your text - that in my opinion would be a waste of time. Essays are the best way to study for English, seeing as that is what you will be doing in the exam; rather than a summary of the book's quotes and ideas. Soz, but only doing one practice exam is an unbelievably bad idea if you actually want to do well.