How can I get a high mark in the essay for the writing section?

Here are just a few general tips to produce a strong essay. --- Read the question a few times before starting and make sure you understand what it is asking and how to best answer it - underlining key words is very helpful and as you write the essay, always return to the question to make sure your answer is consistently relevant and not moving away from the set question. --- Making a plan before starting is always a good idea; although you might feel pressed for time and therefore want to get started with the essay as quickly as possible, dedicating just 3 to 5 minutes at the beginning to brainstorming ideas and making a rough plan will save you time and effort along the line, as you know where you are going with your answer and you won't risk feeling lost in the structure or running out of points to make. --- Make sure you have a solid and organized structure and that you are using markers (such as "d'abord", "premièrement", "ensuite" etc) as they help delineate each paragraph and make the structure as clear as possible. --- Try to memorise some direct quotations from the film/book or from things the director/author has said in interviews, for example - however, make sure that if and when you use these quotations, they are relevant to the point you are making and they are actually strengthening your argument, rather than just trying to show off to the examiner that you memorised quotations. --- Always keep an eye on the clock! Time management can be what makes or breaks your essay. It comes with past paper practice and being strict with yourself - if you know you can't spend more than a certain amount of time on a specific paragraph, don't give yourself too much leeway and move onto the next section promptly (this also applies to the rest of your paper, as you should only be dedicating so much time to each answer!). You might be making a very valid point in the essay, but don't spend too long on it because once you have made the point and given evidence from the film or book, the examiner should give you the mark so there's no point in explaining things in too much depth if, in that time, you could be making another point and scoring another mark. --- Don't fall into the trap of narrating rather than analyzing! You don't need to retell the plot - the examiner knows exactly what happens in the work you are writing about. They are interested in your analysis and the way in which you extrapolate and manipulate information from the film or book so as to directly and relevantly answer the question.