By: Phillip Mattie
English exams are fearsome beasts. They stalk and prey on unsuspecting students, just waiting to take advantage of one slip-up, one lapse in judgement when stress levels are high. Sometimes, students wander aimlessly without any real direction when preparing for an exam and get frustrated when studying because of it—they have no knowledge of how and what to study. But there are some really simple things that any student can do to reduce stress and ensure better results on exams and one of them is join good english tutoring online.
1. Know your source material and your teacher
Your source material is the novels, short stories, poems, and plays you have read in class. And all of these can be broken down into themes. As I have said in the past, themes can usually be referred to in a single word, such as ambition, love, revenge, etc. So your first order of business when studying for an English midterm is to know the themes of the literature you have studied. Just think: Romeo and Juliet is about love.
Macbeth is about ambition. Consider applying simple, easy-to-understand terms to your material, and you will be able to remember it so much easier. Keep in mind that literature often analyzes more than one theme or idea, so be prepared and think of a couple for each piece of literature before your exam.
Next, you absolutely need to know what your teacher requires. Know what he/she expects from you and then employ that knowledge in your writing. For example, I have one student who I tutor for Social Studies and English, and that student’s Social Studies teacher requires information to be presented in a very specific way:
First comes the explanation, then comes the evidence, and then, finally, at the end, comes the example, where students need to apply their ideas. Not every english tutoring online teacher is going to have this formula, but it’s essential that you know what your teacher requires from you. So talk to your teacher and get familiar with their grading style. At this point in the semester, you should be well on your way to understanding their style, anyways.
2. Research the source material on your own
Next up, do some research of your own on your material. So if you studied a poem or a short story, get some information about it from outside the classroom. You guessed it, the library—or better yet, the internet is an amazing resource for finding information regarding your source material.
Doing research on your own is the best way to study, and it’s definitely better than reviewing notes from class. You should still do that, of course, but… often, researching on your own will yield more detailed information than was covered in class (your teacher has a very tight time limit and can’t cover everything). And you will find new perspectives on the material, which will give you more to write about on your test.
You should also consider talking to other students from other classes who are covering the same material as you. It will allow you to get a fresh perspective on the subject matter, and you get to socialize at the same time. Who doesn’t want that? Additionally, comparing notes for differences can lead to discussion about the book, its themes, and its plot. This little bit of advice is a fun one, so why not give it a try?
3. Apply your ideas to the texts
Always be ready to give examples from the text to support your ideas. Remember that your teacher specifically chooses material that will try to teach you something about life or whatever theme it covers. Because of this, on top of knowing the themes, you should know and understand what the material is trying to teach you. I have said this before, and I will say it again, but it bears repeating. Know the lessons of your source material.
So, if Macbeth is about ambition, what is Shakespeare trying to teach you about that theme? These life lessons typically become thesis statements on essays, and they are pure gold if you can find the right words to describe them.
4. Use vocabulary from your english tutoring online class
I wrote an article earlier in the year discussing vocabulary, so if you are looking for a detailed discussion on how to implement new or difficult vocabulary in your writing, take a look in the archives. For exam purposes, it is important to use the vocabulary your teacher covered in class in your writing.
I know that it seems like brownie points, but hey, they are points, right? They still count. Review a couple of words, look at the differences between those words as nouns, verbs, and adjectives, and think of ways you could apply them to the material covered in class.
5. Be practical for english exams with english tutoring online
Exams, believe it or not, are not all about studying, and so far, I’ve talked about how to get your mind into the right place before an exam. But what about your body? When you are writing a test, your body is just as important as your mind. If you can successfully balance the two, you are ensuring the best possible grade for yourself.
Here’s my advice, then: Eat before an exam. A banana and a granola bar usually suffice for me. Consider drinking a small cup of coffee as well, just for the mental boost. And, of course, get a good night’s sleep the night before. Avoid taking medication or heavy, fatty foods before an exam. These foods will slow down your mind as much as your body; be nice to your body and give it some premium fuel, not the cheap, regular garbage.
Final words
I know that all of these tips seem like a lot of work, so don’t hesitate to spread out your studying over a period of days or weeks. Just a little bit each day. On day one, review your themes and your teacher’s expectations. The day two, do some research on your own for, say, 30 minutes.
On day three, apply your research to the text and find examples. Finally, on day four, go over notable vocabulary, applying them to the texts. And on day five—test day—be practical and give your body some good fuel and learn best with english tutoring online . That’s all! Good luck for english exams!