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English is a diverse subject. And in an English class, there’s so much you get tested on.

So preparation has to do with the test contents.

Specifically, you get a test on…

  • Essay writing.
  • Literature

How you prepare for both is different. But, there is a staple routine you can follow for English exams.

We’ll discuss that routine below, in the form of 5 simple English tips!

1. Research the Exam Content.

Get to know what you must study, and what to set aside.

Teachers don’t test you on full curricula. Sometimes, there will be omissions or lessons that won’t be featured in a test.

Of all English tips, this is the most vital, especially for occasional exams (monthly and mid-year).

You don’t want to study things that won’t be featured. That will harm your score in the long run.

Ask Your Teacher.

Get the information directly from your professor/instructor.

You need to be extra sure of what’s included and what’s not included. And there’s a chance you’ll get misinformation if you ask a classmate.

You can contact them by email or directly. In fact, we recommend heading to class to get the info!

2. Prepare a Schedule.

You can’t study without a schedule.

You must assign different times of the day to study. Also, you must assign different study tactics for different times of the day.

The schedule you create is based on many factors. It depends on the exam you’ll take, and the time you have.

Essay Writing.

Most of the time you assign will be for practice.

This practice isn’t something you can do alone. You need the aid of rubrics and an instructor to improve your English essay skills.

With essay practice, you do 1 of 2 things…

  • Test your writing skills.
  • Correct any mistakes in your writing.

Literature.

With literature, you spend most of your time reading and analyzing.

Literature tests your understanding of specific content. There are specific books or novels you’ll be tested on.

Thus, it’s necessary to…

  • Read and understand the book content.
  • Understand the author.

You need to engage your thinking process with the book. You need to draw links between the story, its meaning, and the evolution of its events.

For both literature and essay writing, don’t forget your class notes.

With English, class notes help you pick up on thoughts and points you may have forgotten. They also make excellent sources to make summaries.

English Exams Are Not About Marks.

Most subjects make you study for marks. And the same applies to English exams.

But with English, practice is key. You need to start studying early, else you fail to pass.

So your schedule has to be designed 2-3 months before exam time. Studying a week before exams is a recipe for disaster.

3. Do Practice Tests.

If you’re getting an exam, use past exams to prepare yourself.

Combine this point with the previous. Schedule consistent practice tests to see how well you do.

This way, you adapt yourself to the question format of the exam. You also adapt yourself to answering in a way that gets you top scores.

4. Attend Revision Classes.

Most instructors hold revision classes to summarize the curriculum.

Sometimes, they hold it to summarize exam contents, or to point out best methods of scoring marks.

You need to attend those revision classes. It’s a chance to fulfill the first point (of figuring out the exam contents).

It also gives you an advantage. You can better tweak your schedule for effective studying.

5. Rest Well Before an Exam.

Study a ton, but don’t overstress yourself.

Too much stress will affect your performance. It’ll make you unable to study or absorb the content of your lessons.

So here’s what you should do…

Reduce Socialization.

Don’t expend your energy in social interactions – unless they help with study.

Instead, avoid noisy locations or excess stimuli. This will keep your mind sharp and focused for study.

Socialization is also distracting. If you socialize too much, you risk wasting unnecessary hours that may disrupt your schedule.

Avoid Bad Food.

Don’t eat food that ruins your energy levels.

This includes very high energy diets that can give you sugar spikes. And with sugar spikes, you won’t be able to focus for hours.

Instead, eat lower calorie meals.

Sleep Well, So that you can sleep better so that you can wake up feeling refreshed and remain focused throughout the day.

Needless to say, this is the most important tip.

Proper sleep is what you need to wake up for better focus.

We don’t recommend over studying beyond sleeping hours. With proper sleep, you recover well in preparation for the next day’s study!