CLOSE READING

ANSWER EVERY QUESTION! After two prelims and countless class tests
this is still not being done.
 Make sure there is enough detail in your answer to gain full marks. Lack of
detail and analysis is a problem.
 Be specific with your analysis and focus on particular details. (ETC is
BANNED!)
 Bullet points are acceptable on questions that ask for a list or a number of
points. (Usually ‘low scoring’ understanding and evaluation questions.
 Write in continuous prose for ‘big mark’ analysis questions and the last
question. Mini essays are required here.
 Focus on EXACTLY what the question asks and answer only what it asks you
to do.
 USE THE MAGIC FORMULA: WORD CHOICE – CONNOTATIONS –
IMAGERY – FIGURES OF SPEECH.
 ON IMAGERY QUESTIONS GIVE THE LITERAL MEANING FIRST
THEN THE FIGURATIVE.
 Express yourself clearly and intelligently. Keep it simple and to the point.
 Use short sentences if necessary and punctuate sentences properly. DON’T
USE LONG RAMBLING SENTENCES.
 Quote accurately and don’t use excessively long examples. This is a form of
waffling will not score any marks. SHORT QUOTES, CLEAR ANALYSIS
AND EVALUATION SCORE MARKS
 DON’T QUOTE IN A RANDOM WAY. Introduce and put quotes in
context for the marker to understand clearly what you mean.
 STATE WHY YOU ARE USING THIS QUOTE! How effective is it?
What purpose or function does this word, group of words or literary feature
serve?
 Understanding questions usually require your own words. Translate the text
into your own words. Do not use direct lifts.
 Look at the marks awarded to see how many points you have to make. (Four
marks = four points).
 DO NOT REPEAT YOURSELF! There are no trick questions and each
answer requires a different area of focus and analysis.
 Structure questions refer to how a particular area of the passage is put
together. Look for repetition of words, lists of good and bad features, dashes
and colons and evaluate their effectiveness.
 EVALUATION = OPINION + EVIDENCE FROM THE TEXT.
 ANALYSIS = THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE LANGUAGE USED IN
A TEXT. (Emotional effect, strength of message, type of imagery, mood
of the piece, tone of voice, narrative style, structural
 UNDERSTANDING = WHAT DOES THE WRITER MEAN – WHAT
DO CERTAIN WORDS AND PHRASES MEAN - IN YOUR OWN
WORDS.
 ANSWER EVERY QUESTION!!!!
 ANSWER EVERY QUESTION!!!!
GOOD LUCK