How should I write an introduction for a GCSE English exam?

The best first step for a good introduction is detailed planning. However, in an exam situation there is not much time to spend a long time planning. Luckily, there are some basic guidelines to remember when it comes to writing introductions, which if remembered will set your essay off to a great start! The first thing to do is define the key word in the question, and then contextualise it. For example, if the question was "How is the realtionship between Jane and Rochester portrayed in Jane Eyre?" the opening statement might be, "In Jane Eyre, Bronte's portrayal of the relationship between Jane and Rochester is powerful as it is central to many of the themes of the novel, and produces much of the novels conflict throughout." The second step is to give an outline of the points the essay will cover. Ideally, there should be four or five points which you can mention in your introduction, and then go on to provide more detail and evidence for them in the following paragraphs. The points could relate to the theme, character, technique, structure and setting of the novel. This will show the examiner you are able to understand and analyse the novel in question. Your introduction in total should aim to be about five sentences long.