A Christmas Carol GCSE revision time is upon you, and you’re stressing! Or maybe you’re feeling fine and are just looking for a refresher – either way, we are here to help you out. From past A Christmas Carol GCSE questions to quote flashcards, we’ve got a variety of revision support ready for you. Here, we’ll focus on how to practise A Christmas Carol GCSE exam questions.
Using Practice Papers
When planning your A Christmas Carol GCSE revision, one of the most effective revision techniques is to use past/practice papers. There is a very good reason why your teachers will constantly make you practise your answer! Being able to answer A Christmas Carol GCSE questions confidently helps you gain confidence, and using mark schemes can help you see if you have a weak spot or make repeated mistakes. You can try this mini exam to practise your writing!
There are four different exam boards used in England, and their ways of asking questions all differ. The themes of the questions are very similar, making it easier for teachers to use the same teaching resources without confusion. Teachers and schools tend to stick with one exam board and will use past papers from those to use as practice papers. They’ll also be used to the way questions are written, meaning they can help craft the perfect answers year after year.
Using Mark Schemes
We also suggest that you look at the mark schemes from past papers. Knowing what examiners look for in the top answers can help you when you’re practising with past papers. You’ll be able to find these online, but your teachers will definitely have copies! You could write a practice answer using the mark scheme, so you know that you’ve hit all the assessment objectives at the top level. You could also write a practice essay without the mark scheme and check it afterwards, to see how you’ve done.
Using Quotes
English Literature GCSE exams include short extracts from the novels or novellas that have been studied. The exams will always ask questions about the novel as well as the extract. It is essential that you use quotes from the extract when answering the question, but you should also have a variety of quotes memorised to use when you’re writing about the novella as a whole. Remember, though: don’t just throw in quote after quote without any analysis. Make sure you have an understanding of the quotes you’re using. If you find quotes tricky, have a read of our blog on A Christmas Carol quotes and how to analyse them.
When answering your A Christmas Carol GCSE questions, you really need to engage with the extract and show your knowledge of the novella beyond what you have been given. When relevant, bring in your knowledge of the context of A Christmas Carol. This demonstrates to the examiner that you have not only read the novella, but that you have an understanding of the time and context. To help with your A Christmas Carol GCSE revision of the context of the novella, you can use this handy Beyond blog! We also have this context annotation sheet that you can print and use for revision.
We hope you’ve found this blog helpful and that you feel a little more equipped for your English Literature exam. You can find all of our Twinkl A Christmas Carol resources right here. If you have any good tips on revising A Christmas Carol or answering exam questions, let us know below. We love hearing from you!
Next up: How to Revise for English Literature GCSE
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