Studied Text

What should you focus on when analysing quotes?

Go beyond the plot. Focus on deeper themes, meanings, and insights the quote reveals about the text.

What elements should you consider when interpreting a text for the exam?

Intended audience, author’s purpose, narrative structure, characters, themes, and language features.

How do you create a strong quote analysis rather than a basic summary?

Explore the author’s intention, themes, tone, and impact on the audience, rather than simply describing what happens in the scene.

What are the big three of perceptiveness in literary analysis?

Society, the human condition, and wider literature.

What two key questions should you always ask when analysing a text?

How is the idea shown, and why has the author chosen to present it that way?

How can you show appreciation of the text in your exam?

Demonstrate that you understand the significance of the text’s ideas and the author’s purpose in creating them.

What makes a response perceptive rather than just descriptive?

It connects the text’s themes to universal issues and explains their ongoing relevance or impact on readers.

What is a thesis in a literature essay?

The main idea or argument that your essay will prove.

What must your thesis always include?

Key words taken directly from the essay question.

What makes a strong thesis statement?

It directly answers the question, takes a clear stance, and sets up the main ideas your paragraphs will explore.

What should you start writing first? (Order-wise, not at the start of the point)

Philosophical yarn - perceptive ideas & appreciation for the text. 

What should you start writing second? (Order-wise, not the second part of the point)

Your thesis and how this point relates to it.

What should you start writing third/last? (Order-wise, not at the end of the point)

Relevant evidence (quotes etc).

What is the T in TEXAS?

Topic sentence: the purpose of the paragraph. USE WORDS FROM THE QUESTION.

What is the E in TEXAS?

Evidence: what quotes from the text prove this point?

What is the X in TEXAS?

Xplain: how does this prove your thesis?

What is the A in TEXAS?

Author’s purpose: why is the thesis shared by the author (why did the author want to prove this)?

What is the S in TEXAS?

Summary: link it all back together and to the question. USE WORDS FROM THE QUESTION.

How many paragraphs and quotes should an essay have?

2-3 TEXAS paragraphs with 1-2 quotes per paragraph.

What is the formal language you should use in the essay?

No contractions (like don’t or can’t - avoid apostrophes!), and no personal pronouns (like I or my) unless the question specifically calls for them.

What must you always include at the start of your essay introduction?

The author’s name and the title of the text.

What should you do with the essay question in your introduction?

Clearly state and use each key word from the question to show you are addressing it directly.

What should your introduction outline for the marker?

The key points or arguments you will discuss, listed in the order they will appear in your essay.

What extra element makes an introduction strong and insightful?

Mentioning the author’s purpose.

What should the topic sentence of a body paragraph include?

It must clearly present both parts of the essay question and introduce the main idea of the paragraph.

What comes after the topic sentence in a body paragraph?

An explanation that develops your point and shows your understanding of the idea or theme.

What evidence should you include to support your point in a body paragraph?

Relevant examples and direct quotes from the text that illustrate your argument.

What should you do after presenting a quote or example?

Explain its relevance; how it supports your point and why it is important to the text’s message or themes.

How do you connect your paragraph to deeper analysis?

Link the point to the author’s purpose, real-world ideas, other literature, audience impact (both past and present), literary critics, or historical context.

Why should you avoid a dangling link?

You should always finish by clearly showing how the paragraph ties back to the author’s purpose and your overall argument.

What should you restate in your conclusion?

The key words from the question and a summary of how your essay has argued or proven your thesis.

What should you briefly include after restating your thesis in your conclusion?

A short summary of your main points or arguments from the body paragraphs.

What should you emphasise in your conclusion to show insight?

The relevance; why the text’s ideas matter and what they reveal about society or the human condition.

How can you make your conclusion impactful?

End with a striking statement, poetic quote, or rhetorical question.