How to do well in English? (1 Viewer)

[bachviete]

Hi,

I am doing the HSC next year and i really need a band 6 in english to achieve my goal. So here is my question, how do you get a band 6 in english? Is it witchcraft, do you have to know every Shakespearian play? Do you constantly have to read books like moby dick and stuff?

How is it done?

 

[mtsmahia]

u dont need to know every Shakespearean play wtf..

but u do need to know all the texts u do in class very well it will help u a lot

 

[Shadowdude]

^ And read related texts and know them inside out, and NOT regurgitate pre-prepared essays - but be able to think on your feet, i.e. know your stuff. Always relating the book/text or whatever to your Area of Study or Module.

 

[speedofsound]

just answer the bloody question,

that's really all you need to do.

 

[philphie]

interest in literature means nothing in english advanced.

there's only one formula: TECHNIQUES, TECHNIQUES, TECHNIQUES!!!!!

 

[Phoenix Fury]

^ And read related texts and know them inside out, and NOT regurgitate pre-prepared essays - but be able to think on your feet, i.e. know your stuff. Always relating the book/text or whatever to your Area of Study or Module.

This, just know the points you want to make really well.

 

[kfnmpah]

Go to class. Do your work and constantly do practice writing/essays.
Memorise a GENERAL, MOULDABLE structure and important quotes.
Live and breath the 'syllabus outcome' thingies. They're all that matter in every HSC subject anyway.

I wish i did this... I might not have come 9th last in English

 

[Shadowdude]

interest in literature means nothing in english advanced.

there's only one formula: TECHNIQUES, TECHNIQUES, TECHNIQUES!!!!!

Yes, especially that.

 

[philphie]

have you seen the english advanced silly bus?

it goes on about absolutely nothing. you;d have to really read between the lines to fish something out

 

[lychnobity]

You need to know all your texts inside out to be able to adapt your essay to the question. For practice, you write an essay, get i checked and repeat until it is perfect and can be moulded to different questions. One way of doing this is having a 2k word essay with stand alone paragraphs which you can drop or keep based on the question (which is what I did)

but i have nfi how to do creatives properly. just make sure its not cliched.

This, just know the points you want to make really well.

^ Those especially

1) Know texts really well
2) Have a strong thesis

Creatives
Take anything cliched/your own experiences and change it, so that the world you create is not your own.

eg you felt isolated in high school. Don't make the protagonist a teenage human. Maybe you could try to write in second/third person, or make it non-linear, or perhaps have your protagonist be a middle aged, balding woman.

You could translate the feeling of isolation into why a loner is resigned to such a fate etc etc. And maybe why being a part of the minority isn't so bad at all (if you reason that it's because it makes you unique/different/awesome because you can 'go against the crowd' the markers will burn your creative and your house down for being so epically shit).

NB: writing a creative doesn't mean whining about isolation/belonging being painful/scary

have you seen the english advanced silly bus?

it goes on about absolutely nothing. you;d have to really read between the lines to fish something out

It's written in plain English what they want you to write in the module.

eg module b is about your perception of your prescribed text, module a is about how the same shit seems different because of time, and module c is about how different views change how something is seen

 

[Hornby]

Hire a tutor

 

[philphie]

no actually it's incredibly specific

not on your prescribed text

 

[Fluorescent]

Write as much as you can and get someone to review it

I came 3rd in my class got 89 in my externals but moderated to 88

But then again I know I could have done better if I started earlier

Just send your teacher heaps and heaps of work - essays/stories/answers to questions

All the best.

 

[philphie]

[quote = Board of Studies English Syllabus]Students explore the ways in which different media present information and ideas to understand how various textual forms and their media of production offer different versions and perspectives for a range of audiences and purposes.

this is all you need to know what to do - this is very specific. of course they don't say:

Students learn that on p.34 line 12 there is a metaphor which demonstrates etc. etc.

because that defeats the whole point of having interpretations and would be a waste of time/effort to create.[/quote]

i was thinking of something more like the history syllabus, you have the text listed, then certain dot points on some general topics that relate to the module

 

[Nyxie]

Really use your teachers - they are there to help you. Write practice essays and creative writing pieces, hand it in to your teacher and ask for feedback.

From doing this you'll learn how to improve, you'll form a good relationship with your teacher, not to mention improved marks!

English is a process - you can't master it overnight. By practicing writing essays and getting feedback from teachers you will steadily improve.

I hope I've been helpful, best of luck!

 

[bachviete]

Thanks everyone. This has really been helpful =)

 

[Casablancas]

I'd recommend a tutor. Honestly, their not just for dumb people. I was expecting an 84 max in Adv english and ended up with 90 assessment mark moderated to an 89. This coming from a person who failed prelim and got 57% in half yearlies. Then I got a tutor before trials which really helped. Get a recent High School graduate from a selective school. I only had mine for a couple of sessions and it helped so much more than I expected. They can share with you exactly how they approach texts and essay questions.
If tutoring isnt for you, then draft as many responses as possible for all your assessments, work on your written expression and develop a strong thesis for modules. In essays for modules, only focus on 2 main ideas to explain them in detail and avoid a superficial argument.

Do this consistently throughout the year and you've got yourself a band 6. Too bad I only started during stuvac >.<
Good luck

 

[ninetypercent]

english is so gay.
how do I study english?
I just write heaps of essays and get these edited by the teacher
I then write a sample response before the exam and memorise it

you see, english is all about memorising. even the creative writing has to memorised

I managed to jump from 50% to a 80% in English by pure memorisation

 

[ashie0]

english is so gay.
how do I study english?
I just write heaps of essays and get these edited by the teacher
I then write a sample response before the exam and memorise it

you see, english is all about memorising. even the creative writing has to memorised

I managed to jump from 50% to a 80% in English by pure memorisation

This is probably why you won't do well in English...

 

[ashie0]

i had a memorised creative, and I got a band 6

Yes but I'm sure with that memorised creative piece you had a thorough understanding of the concept, strong vocabulary and control of language etc. You didn't get a band six by simply regurgitating some shit story.