How to Prepare for an English Exam Essay

Passing an English exam essay takes preparation and commitment.

When preparing for a English exam essay, you will want to brush up on your reading comprehension and writing skills. Ask your instructor ahead of time for help in the areas where you're the weakest. For example, if you struggle with composing a strong thesis statement, ask the teacher for advice in writing stronger statements.

Instructions

1. Read essays written by other authors. Visit the school library or public library and go to scholarly websites such as JSTOR and Project Muse for articles on English-related subjects. If the essay will require you to analyze Shakespeare's works, look at essays on Shakespeare and see how other writers have successfully approached this subject.

2. Read newspaper or magazine articles and formulate three questions about them. Answer each question with short paragraphs. This is a good way to practice analytical writing and critical thinking, which you'll need for the exam.

3. Practice your grammar. English essays require adherence to proper grammar, so it will be important to reacquaint yourself with sentence and paragraph structure, parts of speech and vocabulary definitions. Turn to grammar books and dictionaries such as the Merrill-Webster Collegiate Dictionary for help.

References

• California State University: Essay Writing Essentials
• University of Houston: Suggestions for Writing Effective Essays