Know your strengths, and play to them

It’s really important that you’ve figured out what type of pieces suit you and perhaps more importantly those that don’t. This is especially true in the composition section, where you write one essay from the seven available. These can vary from short stories and newspaper articles to speeches. If you haven’t already done so, look at a few of these out from the past papers and see what kind of composition best fits how you write. You can easily view all of the composition topics from past papers on Studyclix.ie, as well as what examiners were looking for in each year. It might be a case of going with what jumps at you on the day, but it’ll be a lot easier to write a piece in a style that you like.

Always plan

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For your essay style answer you do in English, it helps to have a plan before you commit pen to paper. Your plan doesn’t have to be complicated or cover everything you’re going to write but it should be a rough guide of what points you plan on covering in your answer. What you can do, for each piece you have to write, is to jot down the key words for what you want to include in each paragraph. It helps you keep on track when you’re writing, instead of forgetting your train of thought in the middle of your essay. This can be a lifesaver, as many students often get carried away with their composition and don’t have any structure as to where the essay is going. You can do your plan out on some extra paper and keep it in front of you in the exam or at the back of your answer book.

Know your timing

It’s a good idea to learn off by heart or write on your hand the times which you should be finished each section at before the exam. Your exam will start at 9.30am. You’ll need time to read through the paper first, as well as plan questions so, ideally, you should have your composition done at 11am. I recommend doing the composition first, as it’s worth the most marks. Then, you should aim to finish Question A (or B) by 11.40am and Question B (or A) by 12.30pm. Obviously, it won’t work out this way for everyone, and you might need more or less time for a particular section, which is fine, as long as you finish in time.

Irish Country Living has teamed up with Studyclix.ie to offer last-minute help to Leaving Cert students the night before their exams.