How to approach an unseen English Paper 1?

An English Paper 1 should not scare you off. The fact that it is unseen, plays no part in the way of approaching the question. The technique and approach you should have, should be the same when dealing both with a seen or an unseen paper. Firstly, read the extract and the question thoroughly. While reading it, the most crucial part is to identify the important themes running throughout the text. What is the author talking about? What is he trying to convey? What view is he taking and what message is he trying to pass to the reader? Try to describe in your mind that extract or poem in a word. This word should be the basic theme running throughout your text. Always keep that theme in mind when answering the question and link what you are saying to that central theme; how does your point connect to that theme and the author? Look for patterns of the English language, syntaxis, and imagery; what techniques does the writer use to emphasize and depict the key themes? Bring those details within your essay and use them as reinforcements to support your arguments. Last, but not least, structure your essay carefully! The most important part of your essay should be keeping a clear cut structure. Identify what is going to be examined under each paragraph, and support that. If you follow all the steps properly, there is nothing you need to worry about! Practice will give you the confidence you need to tackle any unseen paper is given to you without any worries!