Helpful Hints for writing an exam
commentary or essay
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Remember that unlike your oral commentary, a written
commentary is NOT chronological; you DON’T write
about the first line, second line and so on – you must
write thematically
This means you have to use the 5 part structure you’re
familiar with: formal introduction, 3 sections and formal
conclusion
As a guide, your three section headings might be as
follows: S1. First Impressions, S2. Language and
Structure, S.3 Tone and Attitude (see the following
frameworks to give you an indication of what to write
about in each section)
You should carry a set of highlighter pens into the exam:
each highlighter pen should represent either a section
heading, or, if you want to be more specific, a particular
topic in each section
Each section should have at least 2-3 paragraphs, and
each paragraph should include a quote and follow the
‘rule of three’
Remember: in the explanation sentence you should try to
focus on 1-2 KEY WORDS to help you analyse the
quote: it isn’t enough to say ‘This quote suggests..’ or
‘This indicates…’ – be specific!
Time management is crucial – if you follow the given
frameworks, you shouldn’t finish the exam in absurdly
quick times
Always give yourself AT LEAST 5 minutes to re-read
your work – this could make the greatest difference
between borderline grades
What follows, gives you a 7 step guide to how to prepare
yourself for writing in the exam
DON’T PANIC !
Structure for Writing a Commentary on an Unseen Passage :
Poetry
(2 hour Paper)
1. Choosing the task:
Read both the prose and poetry text then choose one of these to attempt the
task
(10 mins)
2. Reading and annotating:
Read the title of the poem and the poem itself; re-read the poem
highlighting key words and phrases & making marginal notes
(20 mins)
Tips:
3. Planning:
• Note down ideas of what to write in your introduction, main essay (3
sections) and conclusion
• Include quotes in your planning
Avoid use of 1st person •Planning should take a third of your total writing time (ie. (120-30)/3=30
mins)
‘I’
(30 mins)
Avoid
contractions:
‘can’t’, ‘won’t’ etc.
4. Introduction paragraph:
Avoid referring to poet
•Start with the word ‘When…’, giving one specific example of what the
as ‘him’ or ‘her’
poem is about (eg. ‘When the poet writes that…this reveals…’)
Avoid slang
•Explain briefly the effectiveness of your example (what effect it produces)
•Announce the three sections of your commentary (first impressions,
Avoid phrases such as
structure/ language, poet’s attitude)
‘basically’,
‘it
is
obvious…’
[Maximum 15 lines]
(6 mins)
Use the Rule of 3:
Point,
Evidence,
Analysis for main part
5. Main body of commentary:
of answer
•Section 1: First Impressions (title analysis, observations about purpose,
form/content)
Use literary terms to
identify
effects
of
•Section 2: Structure/Language (imagery, emotion,
language
movement/rhythm/rhyme, sound)
•Section 3: Poet’s attitude (perspective, tone)
(45 mins)
Use
a
different
highlighter
pen
to
represent each section
when annotating
6. Conclusion paragraph:
•Sum up your observations
•Open up different perspectives on the poem
(4 mins)
7. Check commentary for style & grammar
(5 mins)
Structure for Writing a Commentary on an Unseen Passage :
Prose
(2 hour Paper)
1. Choosing the task:
Read both the prose and poetry text then choose one of these to
attempt the task
(10 mins)
•
2. Reading and annotating:
Read the title of the prose extract and the extract itself; re-read,
highlighting key words and phrases & making marginal notes
(20 mins)
•
Tips:
•
Use a different
highlighter pen to
represent
each
section
when
annotating
•
Avoid generalities
in the introduction
•
Avoid use of 1st
person ‘I’
Avoid contractions:
‘can’t’, ‘won’t’ etc.
Avoid referring to
writer as ‘him’ or
‘her’
•
•
3. Planning:
Note down ideas of what to write in your introduction, main
essay (3 Sections) and conclusion
•
Include quotes in your planning
Planning should take a third of your total writing time
(30 mins)
4. Introduction paragraph:
Start with the word ‘When…’, giving one specific example of
what the extract is about (eg. ‘When the writer describes…this
reveals…’)
Explain briefly the effectiveness of your example (what effect it
produces)
Announce the three sections of your commentary (first
impressions, structure/ language, writer’s attitude)
[Maximum 15 lines]
(6 mins)
Avoid slang
Avoid phrases such
as ‘basically’, ‘it is
obvious…’
Use the Rule of 3:
Point,
Evidence,
Analysis for main
part of answer
Use literary terms to
identify effects of
language
5. Main body of commentary:
•
Section 1: First Impressions (title analysis, observations about
purpose, form/content)
•
Section 2: Structure/Language (character, setting, atmosphere,
sentence length)
•
Section 3: Poet’s attitude (perspective, genre, social/cultural
outlook, religious/philosophical outlook, psychological insight)
[spend 15 mins per section & write approx 30 lines each section]
(45 mins)
•
6. Conclusion paragraph:
•
Sum up your observations
Open up different perspectives on extract
•
[Maximum 5 lines]
(4 mins)
7. Check commentary for style & grammar
(5 mins)
Structure for Genre Essay : Poetry
(2 Hour Paper)
1. Preliminary:
•Read both questions carefully, highlighting the key words & phrases
•Choose your question & re-write it in your own words (jot down the
poems you might use)
(10 mins)
2. Planning:
•Planning should take up one third of your total writing time (ie. approx 30
mins)
Tips:
Avoid
generalities in
the introduction
Avoid use of
person ‘I’
•Jot down all your ideas for the intro, main essay (3 sections), conclusion
•Jot down useful quotes as you plan
(35 mins)
1st
Avoid
contractions:
‘can’t’, ‘won’t’
etc.
Avoid referring
to poet as ‘him’
or ‘her’
Avoid slang
Avoid phrases
such
as
‘basically’, ‘it is
obvious…’
Use the Rule of
3:
Point,
Evidence,
Analysis
for
main part of
answer
Use
literary
terms to identify
effects
of
language
3. Introduction paragraph:
•Start with the word ‘When…’ and give a specific example from your
reading that immediately links your essay to the question
•Refer back to the quote in the question (if there is one) or re-phrase the
question to show how your example is relevant to the question
•Announce the three main areas of your essay (this will depend on the
question)
(10 mins : max 10-12 lines)
4. Main essay:
•This should include a three part structure : your headings will depend on
whether you’re writing on poetry, prose or drama texts
•Each part should be an extended analysis of the texts
•Keep referring back to the question
•Use the Rule of 3 to frame your answer
(55 mins : 18 mins on each section)
5. Conclusion paragraph:
•Review your observations in the three sections of your essay
•Open up different viewpoints on the question/issue you are writing about
[Maximum 5 lines]
(5 mins)
6. Check for spelling, grammar and style
(5 mins)
Notes on the Preliminary
• This part of your exam will set
you up for planning and writing
your essay
• It is worth investing in a set of
highlighter pens so as to help
you break down the meaning of
the questions
• Choose your question carefully
and re-write it in your own
words if this helps
• Try to jot down the poems you
might use in the essay
Notes on Planning Your
Essay
• Planning is crucial because it is difficult to
structure your essay and think about what
you are going to write at the same time
• Once you have planned in detail what you
are going to say, how you say this should
come more easily and fluently
• Spend a third of your total writing time on
planning
• In general: total exam time (120 mins) preliminary & re-reading time (30 mins)
• Total writing time is 90 mins – a third of
this makes 30 mins for planning
• Remember: the way you manage your
time during the exam is very important
Notes on Writing Your
Introduction
• Avoid all generalities in the introduction
• If the essay asks you about the way women
are portrayed in poetry, do not start by
writing: ‘Women are portrayed in many
different ways in poetry.’
• Your first sentence should always give a
specific example from your reading, in a
way that links the essay immediately to the
question (one way is to begin with the
word ‘When…’)
• So, regarding the above example, ‘When
Thomas describes the farm wife in the first
sentence of his poem ‘Farm Wife’, he
gives the reader a stereotypical view of a
woman busying herself with day to day
routines.’
• Be brief, to the point and clear about what
you intend to write about in your main
essay
Notes on Writing the
Main Essay
• The main essay should always have a
three section structure
• Why? Because two sections will not allow
you to write with the necessary detail, and
more than three sections would make the
essay ‘top heavy’ and unbalanced – besides
you would not have the prescribed time to
write with enough detail in further sections
• So, regarding the previous example, the
three sections of the essay on women in
poetry could be as follows: women
portrayed positively; women portrayed
negatively; women portrayed in
ambiguous/indifferent terms.
Notes on Writing Your
Conclusion
• Avoid over-elaborating in this paragraph
• You simply need to review what you have
said in the three sections of your essay and
summarise these in a sentence or two
• You should also attempt to suggest other
ways in which you might have approached
the question or alternative perspectives
on the question
• For example, ‘In this essay we have looked
at the positive and negative roles of women
in poetry written by men. Other
approaches are possible. For example, to
study in more detail how women portray
themselves in poetry.’