How do I respond to a Shakespeare extract?

Read the question carefully. Don't be afraid to underline keywords in the question. Often exam papers will ask you to write about themes like love, confusion, war and greed. If you see a big scary-sounding noun like that, circle or underlines it. This is a great way of getting your mind to think about a theme. This may sound obvious, but the simplest things are easy to overlook when you're in an exam situation! Read the extract carefully. Firstly, look at who is speaking and when in the play the scene/speech appears. Exam papers will often provide the context behind the scene -- this is a very valuable tool, so don't skim over it! Whilst reading the extract, try and think about what it would sound like out loud. Shakespeare was a playwright and intended his work to be performed and it is very helpful to ask yourself basic questions such as, how is this character speaking? Are they whispering or are they shouting? What are they trying to do in this scene? Are they bringing news to other characters, or are they being deceptive? Is this scene funny, serious or even scary? Even if you don't understand every detail and word in a scene, having a grasp of these basics is very helpful. As with reading the question, make sure to underline key words and phrases. If you see something in the extract that reminds you of the phrases or keywords in the question, circle them! If this scene reminds you of something, jot it down next to the extract, even if it's just a word you remember from your lessons. Re-read the extract! It's easy and normal to miss things the first time round, and re-reading the extract once you're more warmed up is really important. Try and come up with three points. Write down three things that are important in the extract with regard to the question. If the question is about ambition in Macbeth, for example, write down three things to do with ambition in the scene. This will give your essay a good, strong structure. What about the rest of the play? The question will often ask you about an aspect of the scene, then ask you if this aspect can be found elsewhere in the play. Use the scene as an anchor in your response. The extract is on your side, not against you, and helps you to keep your response balanced and stable. In a paragraph, introduce one of the three points you've come up with. Remember your P.E.E. (Point Evidence Explain) here. Once you've made your point, given evidence (using quotes from your extract) and explained what the evidence means, state where else in the play you can find this point at work. Use model phrases, such as "This can also be seen later in the play when _____ says...' to help you.