Essay Tips
1. Pick 1 title from the prose
fiction section
2. Write 1 essay
3. Make sure you have an
introduction, 4-5 main body
paragraphs and a conclusion
4. Be specific and make sure you
answer the question
5. Use 1 quotation in each main
body paragraph
6. Identify 2-3 techniques in each
quotation and discuss their effect
in detail
7. Introduction: title, author,
summary of the novel, key words
from the title
8. Main body: point, evidence,
explain, link to the task
9. Conclusion: title, author, repeat
your main body, give your personal
response to answer the question
Poetry Tips
• Quote for every answer unless it
tells you otherwise
• 1 quote and explanation = 1 mark
• Analyse at least 1 technique for
each quotation
• For insightful comments/2 marks
make sure that you talk about at
least 2 techniques
• Clear link to the question
• 10 mark question: use bullet points
and the heading below
• Commonality: Sentence how exam
poem fits the question and a
sentence about how the other poems
fit the question
• Exam poem: Quote from exam poem,
identify techniques, analyse their
effect and link to the question x2
• Other poem: Quote from the other
poems, identify techniques, analyse
their effect and link to the question
x6
In Your Own Words
Understanding
 What the examiner is looking for

• You must take information from the passage and turn it into
your own words.
• Simple words from the passage can be used if there is no
alternative.
• Figures of speech or slang must be changed into plain
English.
• You must not lift whole phrases or sentences from the
passage: these will not be awarded any marks.
Word Choice
Analysis
 What the examiner is looking for
• 1. Quote the word.
• 2. Say what the connotations of that word are.
• 3. Explain how the connotations of the word help achieve a
particular effect.

• NOTE: All WC questions ask you to comment on how a word

does a specific thing.
• E.g. Comment on how the WC suggests/gives the
impression/creates X. You must focus your answer around X.
Don’t just say what the word means on its own.
Linking Questions
Understanding
 What the examiner is looking for
• You have to show how one sentence provides a link in the
passage.
• The link will join one idea to the next.
• The link sentence will often stand at the beginning of a
paragraph.
• Usually the first part of the sentence refers back to the
previous topic and another part of the sentence will
introduce the new topic.
• Usually worth 2 marks - 1 for each identification of the
part of the sentence and comment on the topic it links to.
Sentence Structure
Analysis
 What the examiner is looking for

• 1. Identify the feature of sentence structure.

• 2. Comment on the effect it has. Why has it been used?

• Depending on how many marks the question is worth,

you must provide one feature/effect for each mark.
Imagery Questions
Analysis

Similes

Metaphors
 What the examiner is looking for

• To acquire all of the marks in an imagery question you must

ask yourself:
• What is being compared to what?
• In what respects are the two similar?
• How does the comparison help you to visualise the subject
better?
 Tone
Analysis

Serious or Humorous?
 What the examiner is looking for

• 1 - Identify the tone.

• 2 - Quote the words or phrase which helped you work out the
tone.
• 3 - How did this help you work out the tone? Did they use
any techniques to do this? (metaphor, simile, hyperbole,
repetition, word choice etc...)
 Final 5 Mark Question
• This question is unique to the Higher RUAE (close
reading) paper.
• To answer, you must consider both passages in the
paper – this is the only question you will need to
answer on the second passage.
• It will ask you to identify and explain similarities or
differences (or both) between the arguments presented
in each of the passages.
 How the marks are allocated
Five marks – identification of three key areas of agreement
with detailed/insightful use of supporting evidence
Four marks - identification of three key areas of agreement
with appropriate use of supporting evidence
Three marks - identification of three key areas of agreement
Two marks - identification of two key areas of agreement
One mark - identification of one key area of agreement
Zero marks – failure to identify any key areas of agreement
and/or misunderstanding of the task
 Top tips
• Identify the three key areas first – get your guaranteed
three marks!
• Answer in a grid (next slide) or extended bullet point
form.
• As you read passage two, highlight any areas that
seem familiar (whether they have the same or an
opposing view point). This will help when you have
use evidence.
RUAE Tips
• Read the question carefully and
look for key words
• Answer using bullet points
• Learn the formula for each
question type and make sure
you use it to answer the
questions clearly
• The examiner will be looking for
your own words in a lot of
anwers
• Identify techniques
• Include analysis of the
techniques and link every
comment back to the question
• 5 mark question: include 3
points of similarity/difference,
back each point up with a
quotation from each passage
and link these to your point
where possible.
Study Ideas
RUAE:
1.) Find articles yourself or use the ones attached and have a go at creating your own questions.
 ‘Identify the writer’s key points on… (name topic).’  Analyse the writer’s use of language in
paragraph (number).’  How effective do you find the title/ introduction/ link/ conclusion.’ 
2.) Then try to answer then using the formulas. 
Critical Essay 
1. Create revision posters for the following topics:  Effective introduction/ Satisfactory or
Unsatisfactory ending/ Character development/ Themes/ Relationships or Turning point/
Setting 
2. Create flashcards with your favourite quotations.  Looking at past papers lay the quotes out
to consider which are relevant for the chosen question and in what order you might use them. 
Scottish Text
Write your favourite quotations on post it notes. Rotate them displaying 5 at a time each week.
Have a go at analysing these. Revise the final question formula.