PERSUSIVE TIPS

- Make sure a title is included and it should be short and unique

- The introduction is the most important part so make sure the structure is strong
- Transition words
- TEEL structure should be used so that the examiners know that you have a structure that you
are following.
- Make sure you are on topic especially if they are explicitly used in the prompt
- Try not to use rhetorical questions, not needed
- 6,000 kids are sitting the text this year.
- Feefish (ask Margaret about it), financial, education, environment, individuality and freedom
- -You can shorten the prompt to make it easier to write

TOP TIPS

- Do your homework every week it will help you improve.

- Don’t rely on just maths.
- Follow all Margaret’s feedback or ask her questions about it (check it every week)
- The 4 English tests are reading comprehension, verbal reasoning, creative writing and
persuasive writing.
- -Margaret’s email: mellwoodtutor@gmail.com

READING COMPREHENSION QUESTION TYPES

- Direct questions
- Indirect/ influential questions
- Sentence structure
- Author’s purpose/ main idea questions
- Errors in sentences
- Flipping sentences around
- Best ending for a sentence
- Word meaning
- Proverbs, idioms/ adages (adage is like a proverb but expresses the general truth)
- Mood tone

Tone/mood (questions like, what is the language of this text?)

- Colloquial
- Informal
- Formal
- Slang
- Vulgar
- Jargon
- Argot
- Vernacular

Ethos, pathos and logos

- Ethos: the sources credibility, the speakers/ authors authority. Effect: your level of credibility
is recognized by your reader.
- Pathos: the emotional or motivational appeals; vivid language, emotional language and
numerous sensory details. Effect: Evokes an emotional response
- Logos: the logic used to support a claim; can also be the facts and statistics used to help
support the argument

Figurative language:

- Simile
- Metaphor
- Symbolism
- Alliteration
- Hyperbole
- Assonance
- Personification
- Allusion
- Irony
- https://literarydevices.net/figurative-language/

Types of texts/extracts in reading comprehension

- Visual stimuli: Comic, caricature, meme

- Text: Expository, descriptions, narratives, persuasive, articles, editorials, memoir, poetry

Reading exam tricks and tips

- If you have a story to read that’s split in paragraphs, the last sentence/ first sentence often
contains the main point, and the middles are specific. Picking the right answer is the process
of elimination.
- Eliminating and analysis for the most correct answer
- Take note if there are line numbers for each extract which might even direct you to the line
where the information is found to answer a certain question.
- Use the answers given to help you solve questions- skimming the text as well as the possible
questions as well as the possible options.
- Remember, they are trying to trick you but not in every question.
- You will notice the tricks when there is more than one possible answer to a question.
- Remember with these questions you will need to figure out what the BEST/Most correct
answer is.
- Remember that they will use information in the text unrelated to the question.
- READ THE QUESTION FIRST
- SCAN THE PASSAGE FOR ANSWERS
- ALWAYS MARK OFF THE 3 WRONG ANSWERS
- CHOOSE BETWEEN THE 2 LEFT OVER ANSWERS
- THEY WILL OFTEN PUT IN SOMETHING THAT IS TRUE BUT NOT NECESSARILY IN THE PASSAGE
- IDENTIFY WHEN THEY TRY TO WRITE SIMMILAR ANSWERS BUT THERE IS ALWAYS ONE SMALL
PART THAT IS NOT 100%