O LEVEL ENGLISH ESSAY

O Level English essays: 6 tips to score more

Cambridge O Level English Language 1123
 

Look at your mistakes
One of the best ways to add marks to your essays is by fixing the the small, tiny errors that you make. This can be done by scanning your practice copies, test papers and mock exams. See where you made mistakes. Check for what reduced your marks and try to fix it from next time. Check for common spelling and grammar mistakes as these are fastest responsible for reducing your marks.


Pay attention to you word limit
My teacher once told me that writing an essay with words less than the required word limit can straightway end up with a C grade. On the other hand, don't exceed your word limit. The examiner would think that you are not capable of expressing yourself with the required word limit.
The reason that I am mentioning this is because during your English exam, you would be in a rush. There would be a lot of tension and it would seem like you are running out of time. Amidst all this, some students tend to over-simplify their essay and some often tend to add more things than needed.
One tip is to write half of your essay count the words, write it down and then complete rest of the essay and count the remaining words.



Take a look at your mark scheme
I would urge every student to take a look at their essay mark scheme at least once. This will help you to appreciate how the examiners mark each essay. You would be able to see what factors make one essay better than another.


Select the proper title
It is very important to select a proper title. Of course we can write on any topic but only we know, on which topic we can write the best. Sometimes there is an easier topic but if you think that you can express your words and usage of English even better with another title, then go for it! Also make sure that you have completely understood your title. Sometimes students assume that the title means something whereas it means something else.



Splurge on planning
I would advise you to make a thorough plan of your entire essay before you start writing.
Not only would this give a good flow to your writing but this is also what the examiners are looking for. If you add points or make sudden changes, that would disrupt the normal flow of your essay and the examiners would be able to tell that.
Hence, jot down the points for each paragraph and also every idea that you are thinking about including in your essay.This might take some of your time initially, but it would really save time later as you would be in a rush (and in tension!) and it would be frustrating then to plan, what will happen next in your essay. Also don't forget draw a line diagonally on your brainstorming so that you can read what you have written but the examiner does not count it as a part of your essay.


Fix errors right away
Well it is a great thing if you get time for revising but I would advise you not to rely upon that. What I mean is that if you notice that you have missed a word or messed up a tense, fix it right away. Or else, it might end up costing marks.





Also note that the examiners are not looking for a world-changing essay or an essay that would deeply inspire them. Your story might be simple but the way you express the story matters. Your examiners are looking for good writing skills, proper usage of English grammar and a good variety of suitable words for your theme.

Also don't ever take the risk of including a word or a phrase that you suspect to be a slang. Try not including the name of a brand or a company. For example, instead of writing Coca Cola, write Soda. Or if you want to include the name of something, mention it like this: Coca Cola, a sweet and almost black colored soda.




Best of luck!