HSC English Paper 1 Section 1 Tips from NSW State Rank 1st Mentor, Renee |

HSC English Paper 1 Section 1 Tips from NSW State Rank 1st Mentor, Renee

05 Sep 2020

What I love about our English department at Uplift is that we have such a diversity of experience. From former HSC markers to younger mentors who have just finished their HSC – our team has it all.

I finished my HSC last year at Sydney Girls High School with an ATAR of 99.45 and a NSW State Rank of 1st in English Extension 1. Uplift was a big part of my student journey.

My classes were both fun (at least most of the time ) and intense. They pushed me to work hard at the subject.

Thanks to both the Sydney Girls English Faculty and my mentors at Uplift, I picked up some little tricks that helped me to do well in Paper 1 Section 1:

Tip 1 – Always make sure that the opening sentence of your response offers an intelligent, conceptual argument

Be insightful. For example, if the question says: “Explain what Text 1 suggests about the power of love”, you might write “Text 1 suggests that love is a powerful force which empowers feelings of comfort and belonging”. There should always be a clear ’cause’ and ‘effect’ in your topic sentence.

Tip 2 – Have a plan

After the topic sentence, I had a little formula. It doesn’t work for everyone, but it really helped me. I made it my mission to write one analytical sentence per mark. So if I was asked a three mark sentence, I would write three analytical sentences. If I was asked a four mark question, I’d write four. What is an analytical sentence? A sentence that combines technique, example and effect all in one place. I was always taught that each sentence needs to say something useful and build up the persuasiveness of the response. This is why I made sure to offer analytical depth. Corner your markers into having to agree with you (or at least see your perspective).

Tip 3 – Structure your answer like a mini essay

With questions that ask for multiple texts, it’s important to structure your answer as a mini essay. Have a short introduction (usually one sentence is enough!) and a few body paragraphs that address the texts. Make sure to provide synthesis. Make a few points about how the texts might be similar or different in the ideas they offer.

Good luck everyone – and remember we are here to help so reach out to us on 1300 92 92 99 to book your first free trial lesson!