How to Study Well for the English Exam

Reread short selected literary texts. Reread any poems or short stories you learned in class. For longer texts like multi-part novels, make sure to reread any sections that seem really important or that the teacher spent a lot of time explaining it in class.

• If you took notes while discussing the literary text, review the notes first, then reread the text.
• Make sure to refer to the study plan to remind yourself of all the text you’ve read over.
• Reviewing the chapter titles, first and last sentences of each chapter in a novel can refresh your memory about specific ideas in the novel.

Read the introductory material and make a side note in the textbook. If you used a textbook in class, read the introduction and any footnotes that accompany the poem or story you read.

• These elements, often noticed at first reading the text, often provide context and generalization that can be very useful for essay questions.

Review course notes. If you took notes in class, reread them. If you don’t take notes often, you should try to create them in the near future. It’s the best way to remind yourself of what was said in class. During exams, teachers rarely ask questions that haven’t been discussed in class, so being able to review information during class is the best way to learn. Reviewing classwork is also a good idea.

Identify the “big picture” theme. Many essay questions about literature will follow the theme, or “big picture” message from the text. If you’re having trouble identifying the topic on your own, try looking it up online to find the name of the text along with the word “topic”. You will find some overviews and review guides helpful. Knowing common themes helps to identify them in specific texts: ^[3]

• Human and nature
• Humans and hostile society or God/gods
• Transient nature of time
• Death is inevitable
• Disgust phase
• The Danger of Ambition

Review study guides and online summaries. There are many websites that focus on helping students with summaries and review guides of classic (popular and well-known) texts. They are great learning tools, but never use them as a substitute for reading the text in the first place.

• If you decide to use online study guides, use reliable articles written by experts. Avoid blogs and personal websites that are not written by professionals.

Memorize details like the names of the characters. Although you are not required to specifically identify the names of the characters and their relationships in the test, they are details that will come up as needed during the test.

• Wrong character names or jumbled up characters can be devastating even if you have a great answer to a question on the test.
• Use flashcards (paper or electronic cards) to memorize the names and details of the characters. ^[4]

Refer to the study guide. The best way to prepare for the exam is to consult and fill out the entire study guide. Most teachers give you a review guide that basically helps the class work through the important key on the test. Mastering every point in the study guide can ensure a successful test.

• If your teacher doesn’t support review guides, then this solution may not be for you. You should try visiting teachers before or after school or during their work hours to ask for guidance or advice on where to focus their studies the most.

Review the course outline. If your instructor gives you a course outline, it’s a good idea to skim it. According to the teacher’s philosophy, the test is usually part of the detailed outline. ^[5] It also serves as a reminder of certain texts or elements that you have focused on.

• Any lesson that the teacher has spent more than a school day on is certainly important.
• Most course outlines include an exam section. At a minimum, you should be able to determine the percentage that each test makes up for your total score, which will help determine how much time you should spend studying.

Review class notes. For some tests, you need to be able to give definitions of some key concepts or developments in literature. Some other tests require you to be able to interpret the topic explored in a series of works. Go through the notes to double-check definitions, lists, and any topics or topics that appear more than once; that is usually a positive sign that they will show up on the test.

Take a class before the exam. Usually the day or a few days before the exam is the best time to go to class. The teacher will describe the exam program in advance and indicate the direction in which you should focus on studying. This is also the time when teachers often hand out study guides.

• If you must miss class, ask a trusted friend or classmate to copy any materials handed out or notes in their class. If they know in advance that you won’t come to class, they will take full notes instead of just listening.
• The last resort is to contact your teacher to find the material you missed in class. It is best to let the teacher know in advance that you will not be coming to class, and let them know that you have tried to get another student to take notes for you. The request should not be worded by saying that you want to know if you have missed a point or if any important points are mentioned; This may offend the teacher. Instead, ask the teacher if he or she agrees to share with you what he or she has taught in class.

Ask your teacher what you should study. If teachers do not automatically provide review guides or test information, ask them when class is about to end for the day. It’s best to be polite and just ask the study guide instead of asking to know what the test will be.

• It is also important to know whether the cumulative test, which covers all of the knowledge from the start of the semester, or the exam that covers only the material from the end of the term.

Refer to previous course exams. If this is not the first exam in the course, refer to the last exam you took. Many teachers use the same structure for each exam, so the previous test can become a review guide or at least help you know what the format of the test is.

Understand the exam structure. Besides asking about the test content, you should also ask the teacher about the test structure. ^[6] For example, finding out if the test has multiple answers or the entire essay helps you determine how to review.

• Knowing whether you will be taking the test on a computer or using pencil and paper will also help you decide how to best study. For example, a computer with word processing software can help avoid spending a lot of time reviewing the spelling of words.

Identify appropriate test documentation. Make sure you’re prepared for the exam by bringing the right study materials with you to the exam. If the test is administered on a computer, you will not need to bring any documents.

• Find out if you need pencils or pens, blank paper or test sets, and whether you can use textbooks or novels to read while taking the test.
• Some teachers even allow you to use flashcards or study guides when taking the test.

Ask your classmates if they would like to study in groups. You are not the only one who wants to study well for the English test. ^[7] Asking before or after class if anyone would like to review in groups is a great way to increase review effectiveness.

• It’s a good idea to get together to form a study group if you don’t want to wait until the day before the exam to ask for a group study: plan ahead.

Share together. Everyone takes notes in class differently, so passing around or comparing notes can be a great way to remember many specific details and discussions in class. It’s also a great way to review all materials on the day you’re not in class.

• Remember that team members don’t plan to share their notes in advance, so be polite when looking at handwritten, messy, and/or scribbled notes.
• Don’t be shy about the status of your class notes. You didn’t want to share them before, and even messy notes can be helpful to someone who doesn’t have any.

Literary talk. A lively debate about literary texts can help keep you interested and revising the content. Make sure to save the discussion by looking at the text and looking for opportunities to use “evidence” from the text to support your points.