English — Exam Writing Tips
How to write English answers for full marks in TGBIE — tips for prose, poetry, grammar, and comprehension.
Essay/Prose Questions
- 1For 'What is the theme?' questions: state the theme in one sentence, then explain it using 2-3 specific examples from the text.
- 2For 'Character sketch' questions: describe character traits first, then support each with a specific incident or quote from the text.
- 3Write in paragraphs. Each paragraph should have a topic sentence, supporting detail, and a linking sentence to the next paragraph.
- 4Do not re-tell the story unless asked. Analyse and explain.
Poetry Questions
- 1For 'Stanza-wise appreciation': identify the theme of each stanza, key imagery or literary device, and what emotion it evokes.
- 2For 'What does the poet mean by...?': explain in simple prose what the poetic language conveys, using your own words.
- 3Mention at least one literary device (metaphor, simile, alliteration, personification) in poetry answers — it demonstrates closer reading.
- 4Quote one or two relevant lines from the poem to support your answer.
Grammar Transformation
- 1For Active/Passive transformations: first identify the tense, then apply the corresponding passive form (is done, was done, has been done...).
- 2For degree transformations: write all three forms (positive, comparative, superlative) in the same sentence-set. Check that they convey the same meaning.
- 3For tense transformation: identify what tense marker changes (yesterday → today, etc.) and ensure all verbs in the sentence are consistently transformed.
- 4For reported speech: change tense (present → past), pronouns (I → he/she), time expressions (now → then, today → that day).
- 5After writing grammar answers: re-read once to check subject-verb agreement and article usage.
Reading Comprehension
- 1Read the questions first, then read the passage — this helps you focus on relevant information.
- 2Answer in complete sentences. Never answer with just 'Yes', 'No', or a single word.
- 3For 'find the meaning of the underlined word': replace the word in the sentence with your answer and check if it still makes sense.
- 4For summary questions: include only the main idea and key supporting points — avoid minor details and personal opinions.