Q&A for How to Study for an English Exam

To improve writing, your first step should be to read more. This will give you more ideas and enhance your creativity. Before writing your answer, make a small column on the side and list all the points you want to make. Then arrange them in the proper order so that there is cohesion. If you are unsure about the meaning or spelling of a word, don't use it. Use a synonym. Make sure that you do not change tenses in your composition, and leave yourself enough time to read it over and fix any mistakes you might have made.

Take a short break to refocus. You might also move somewhere else if your current environment is problematic for studying.

In that case, break up the material into topics. Then study them with short breaks in between. Study the most important points in every single topic, accepting that depth isn't going to be as useful as breadth.

First read the comprehension passage twice. Then look at the question. Read the passage again and underline everything that is related to the answer. If you are not able to find an answer, then read again and take a few minutes to understand the question. Try thinking of all possible answers and eliminating the wrong ones based on a solid reason.

Breathe deeply and slowly. This will help you relax and keep your head in the game.

I would suggest looking over your vocabulary and reading some poems, as many poems use figurative language such as metaphors. As for techniques, reading a variation of books can be very beneficial for getting a sampling of different writing styles and techniques used by different authors within different genres. You could even do some online research for samples on particular techniques. The same can be done for dialogue.

It depends on the content but study at least 2-3 hours a week starting two weeks before the exam. That should be plenty of time to review and go over past papers.

Do your easiest/favorite classes first, then go to the harder ones that will likely require more time and concentration. Obviously, prioritize classes with upcoming exams.

Just follow the steps in the article. Revise it thoroughly and keep practicing.

If you read more, you will gain more knowledge about things. If you come across a new word and if you are not getting the meaning, do not leave it, but find the meaning and also try to use those words in most of your conversations.

Try to find the meaning of the poem and something you can connect with. Talk about the mood, the theme, and the structure. Include analyses of specific words and phrases. Point out any literary techniques used, such as hyperbole or allusion. State the author, the title, the speaker, the audience, and the genre.

It is, if you study and prepare for it.

It could be of some help as practice in analyzing a passage and organizing your response to it.

Think faster. Thinking is a perfectly appropriate thing to do during an exam. The more studying you do and the better prepared you are before the exam, the less time you'll actually have to spend thinking during the test.

There are several websites devoted to English grammar, among them Grammarly.com and Grammar-Monster.com. There are also many grammar textbooks available in schools and libraries.

Always read the choices a couple of times. Remember to look for what you easily recognize as 'wrong' answers. Eliminate those right away. And if stuck, go with your gut––studying is one phase but simply letting that knowledge out is what you do in exams. Make sure you know if wrong guesses count against you––if not, use your guesses.

Always remember to read the comprehension at least 2 times before looking at the questions. Then, read the questions and underline this answers in the paragraph. If you didn't get the answer to a question, read the paragraph again.

It's hard to tell about our own writing sometimes. It might help to have someone you trust read or listen to your writing.