One of the hardest subjects to score in has undoubtedly remained `English’ for a lot of students since it lacks objectivity. This is why it’s imperative that the students get a grasp over it as young as possible. We hope that this article helps them achieve just that.
With the exam season advancing, students often scramble to find “shortcuts” to help them ace the exams with little hard work. We intend to provide the same to them by summarising easy strategies to help them score.
Prerequisites
As we all are aware, consistency is key. A prerequisite of scoring in language subjects has to be perpetual usage of the said language, be it in conversation with friends, family, watching movies in a particular language, or writing often. Continually using the language in everyday conversation does wonder to your personal grasp and understanding of the subject, which, in turn, helps you immensely in the grammar portions that some students find hardest to score in.
One of the prerequisite skills that a student must also learn is to read between the lines of the poems in their syllabus or an unseen verse they might encounter in their question paper. A student must know to interpret the verse to the teacher’s liking whilst making sure not to lose track of the content.
Additionally, tidiness and systematic writing in format-based questions can take you a long way.
It is also smart to stick to the word limits. Some teachers can also deduct marks if you fall a lot below or go a lot above the word limit, rightfully so.
Time table
During any time-sensitive task such as preparing for your examinations, maintaining and following a timetable is an extremely essential step. It helps you be organized and not feel overwhelmed a few days before the big day. It, in turn, also helps you gain copious amounts of confidence.
For an English exam, it is suggested to give at least half an hour to every lesson you come across, regardless of its length or relevance. These exams tend to give students one-mark questions related to some of the details you would have found bleak and trivial in your first time going through the chapter. Secondly, it’s advised to go through a chapter at least thrice before the day of your exam just to make sure you don’t confuse it with any other lesson. It is important to note that equal time should be given to revise all portions of your syllabus. Do not gloss over the writing or the comprehension sections.
It could also be advantageous to alternate revising chapters with poems or other sections to avoid boredom and overconsumption of details. Writing a section deserves a significant amount of your time as it can fetch you easy marks surely just for the format.
Where and what to study
As students of class 6, it will be smart to go through the NCERT textbooks thoroughly, including back exercises and questions. As for other material, once you are done with your preparation and are confident, you must try and solve CBSE Sample Paper-1 for Class 6 English. It will give you a clear sight of where you’re lacking and how it can be improved to assure the highest score possible. For reference, you can also go through other students’ notes and gain inspiration.
In case of a doubt, do not hesitate to ask your teachers for guidance. It’s not sensible to go by a hunch in an important exam. Furthermore, English is a language that will help you in whichever field you decide to go to or whatever path in life you want to take.
Writing the paper
A language paper can, at times, be lengthier than one might expect. Regardless of how well you have prepared, it all comes down to how well you’re able to present it on paper. The basic and most useful hack is to go about writing strategically. Do not, under any scenario, leave the whole writing section for the end of the paper. It is very likely to end up overstimulating you and you would not be able to write to the whole of your potential. Although the format is the most scoring part, content is equally, if not more, important, as well as harder to score in.
It is recommended to go by writing the answers in the same order as their respective questions in the question paper.
Another thing is to articulate and frame your answers in your mind before you start penning them down. This helps you avoid unnecessary mistakes that might make your paper look hasty and untidy, which might give a wrong impression to the teacher. As in writing sections, it is vital to stay in lines and write distinctively in order to acquire as many marks as you can.
Pay proper attention to the instructions given to you as sometimes it only requires you to do a certain number of questions out of the given. If you end up doing all, the teacher will end up marking you for the first answers. This might mess with your total so be mindful of the same. For the unseen passages, make sure to stick to, and highlight, key answers to avoid any confusion. To make a good first impression on the exam checker, make sure to space your words out and leave significant gaps in between two answers to provide more clarity. Keeping track of time is also very necessary. Do not dwell on questions you don’t know the answers to, rather focus on doing the rest of the paper to the best of your ability.
Conclusion
In the end, the most important thing is to be confident in your knowledge and preparation. In order to top any exam, you should learn to manage time properly and practice a whole lot without getting overconfident. Do not be hesitant to ask for help, whether it be your parents, peers, or teachers, and do your best.
