studying.

hello guys!!! this is part 3 of my english language masterposts all about narrative + descriptive essays to help you out, enjoy :]

consists of a series of events, either imaginary or based on your own experience, in a vivid descriptive style

may be written in the first person [I/we] or in the third person [he/she, etc] + often includes the thoughts, reactions etc of the main character[s], describing the action as if seen through their eyes.

a good narrative should consist of:

an introduction which sets the scene to create an interesting mood/atmosphere to make the reader want to continue reading, and/or begins dramatically to capture the reader’s attention [mystery/suspense]

a main body which develops the series of events clearly, gives vivid descriptions of the people/places involved etc..

a conclusion which completes the story perhaps in an unexpected way. may describe people’s feelings/reactions, the consequences of what happened etc…

points to consider:

before starting to write, consider a suitable story outline, then a detailed plot [use what, who, when, why, + how]

writing techniques include the use of vivid description of people, places, objects etc

narratives usually occur in the past therefore you should use a variety of past tenses [eg: past continuous sets the scene, past simple is used for main events, past perfect is used to describe an event before the main event[s]

consider the sequence of events + use time words such as: before, after, then, in the beginning, later, in the end, until, while etc…

1. describing people

should consist of:

an introduction giving brief information about who the person is, where/how you met them, how you heard about them etc…

a main body which may include descriptions of physical appearance, personality/behaviour, manner/mannerisms, and/or details of the person’s life/lifestyle [hobbies, interests, everyday activities etc…]

a conclusion in which you comment on why the person is of interest, express your feelings/opinions concerning the person, etc…

you may also be asked to explain why this person is successful/admirable/unusual

start each paragraph with a topic sentence which summarises the paragraph

points to consider:

to describe physical appearance, give details of a person’s height/build, age, facial features, hair, clothing etc…moving from general to specific

to describe personality + behaviour, support your description with examples of manner and mannerisms

to describe life, lifestyle + beliefs, you should talk about the person’s habits, interests, profession, daily routine, opinions, etc…

if the title of the essay asks you to describe a person related to the present [eg: a person who is unusual] describe the person in present tenses + vice versa with titles that mention the past

the use of descriptive vocabulary and a variety of linking words + structures make your writing more interesting so use them!!

make sure you interpret the task well, do not describe every aspect of a person + make sure to not ignore the key words

2. describing places/buildings

should consist of:

an introduction giving brief information about the name + location of the place/building stating the reason why you chose to write about it

a main body giving both general and specific details about the place [moving from general features to specific ones]. refer to landscape, buildings, landmarks etc.. to give the overall impression of the place then give a detailed description of surroundings

a conclusion in which your express your feelings/opinions concerning the subject + give a recommendation

you may also be asked to explain why a particular place is important for you

points to consider:

descriptions of places/buildings may include factual information such as age, size, colour, materials etc…, details relating to the senses to suggest mood/atmosphere + opinions/impressions of the place

each aspect should be presented in a separate paragraph with a clear topic sentence

present tenses are normally used when writing for a tourist brochure/magazine article. past tenses are used when describing a visit to a place/building. first + second conditionals [will/would] can be used when you describe your ideal city/house etc… + use the present when giving factual information about a place

3. describing objects

give accurate information concerning the size + weight, shape, pattern + decoration, colour, origin and material. you can give necessary information in separate sentences

4. describing festivals/events/ceremonies

should consist of:

an introduction in which you mention the name/type, time/date, place + reason for celebration

a main body where you describe preparations for the event + the event itself

a conclusion where you describe people’s feelings or comments on the event

points to consider:

when you describe annual events, present tense is used + style is formal

however, when giving an account of an event you witnessed or took part in, past tenses are used + style can be less formal. the passive is frequently used to describe preparations/activities which take place

use descriptive vocabulary to set the scene + describe the atmosphere

+ my masterposts:

notes, studying, and self-study resources

self-study resources

supplies

igcse resources

improving your handwriting

how to studyblr

literature masterpost

organisation

aesthetically pleasing notes

annotating

studying a foreign language

really great apps

math

college + uni

motivation

biology

space!!!!

chemistry

physics

summary writing [pt. i]

the discursive/argumentative essay [pt.ii]

+ more

hope this helps some more of you with your essays, my dears <3 let me know if i can help with anything else 

some test-taking tips that might help all of you~

1. purchase at least one practice book and review everything. don’t assume that you know it until you read through and are able to understand everything you read. do practice problems and the supplemental test questions they provide. highlight anything you didn’t know so that you can review it multiple times. a review that really sticks the information into your head is the best type of review, and you can only achieve that when you read it many times! many books will focus on different things, so if money permits, buy another one!  

2. make flash cards.  even math has definitions you need to know. you have to be able to understand every question in order to score well, and to understand the questions, you need to know the vocabulary. flashcards with history dates, information on chemistry, and biology terms are examples of helpful ways flash cards are easy study tools! quizlet and some other great websites really help with studying vocabulary!

3. take practice tests. practice tests will provide you advantages like: -knowing the test format -an idea of timing -comfortability on answering questions

seriously take tests and time yourself. you’ll know where you stand and how much time you have to spend on certain topics. you can also get a lot of anxiety out of the actual test because you will be very familiar with the testing format!

4. collab with your teachers.

if you ask them questions pertaining to the subject test/topic, chances are your teacher’s going to give you more than you need, which will ease the stress when you’re answering questions. the more you know, the less stress you’ll have, which will really help you do well.

5. don’t be scared. being scared will lower your confidence and increase your anxiety. if you start to panic, you will not be able to think properly. you want to have a clear mind before you start, while you test, and afterwards. therefore, practicing and having confidence will really help!

6. study with friends.  studying with others will really help you because others will provide you with lots of resources that sometimes cannot be found online! they will be able to teach you the concepts and quiz you with vocabulary and stats.  

7. record your progress! write down what you’ve studied and your level of comfortability with it. this will allow you to observe yourself and slowly build your confidence. you will also be able to gauge how much you do not know. this will force you to study and focus on everything you need to accomplish.

8. plan a reward for after the test.  you will seriously want to do well if you promise yourself a gift or a break after acing the exam! i promised to buy myself plants if i did well, and it really motivated me to so well! it really works, especially if you bribe yourself with things you really, really want.

9. have confidence. this is kind of similar to step 5, but it needs to be said! after all this practice and collab work, you’re going to do great! review last minute equations, terms, and concepts the day before going into the test. you will absolutely be fine if you get good sleep, good practice, and confidence.

some things you should bring with you on the standardized testing day:

10. a snack. there will be breaks in between tests/sections. you want to bring a fruit or light snack that will be easy to eat and clean up. fruits are the best option because they will also keep you active!

water. water seems to wake me up when i need a kicker. water will keep your brain-juices flowing! all the concentration you need will flow right back in when you take a sip, trust me!

a sweatshirt. You do not want to be cold and nervous at the same time! if you’re hot, you can take it off, but shivering while trying to solve a math problem or comprehending a shakespeare sonnet will hurt you, not help you!

back up calculator. just do it if you’ve got one! i remember someone bringing an “illegal for testing” calculator and they had to take the test without one. you don’t want it dying in the middle of the test, either.

lots and lots of HB #2 pencils, a large eraser, a silent hand sharpener, and a pen (if it’s the ap exams etc.)

confidence, your brain, all the practice you’ve done!

Annotation

Make sure to read the poem at least 3 times over. Skim once, and read twice. Skim and read once each if you don’t think you have enough time. Don’t let the length of it to intimidate you. Annotate anything that will help you to answer the question. Answering the question, aside from literary devices on their own, is the most important. Be selective about the quotes and literary devices you find, and which ones you can write about more.

How I annotate my textbook by @studentstoolbox

How to annotate by @tbhstudying

How to annotate by @wandering-writing

How to annotate a novel efficiently by @mildstudies

How to read from a textbook by @studyaestheticx

How to read journal articles critically by @studytimeblues

Annotate and taking notes from literature by @noteology

Annotating effectively by @hideandstudy

How to use sticky notes by @etudiance

Using post-its for notes and annotations by @calcvlus

Annotations and note-taking by @novanovelist

Annotating books/textbooks etc by @freckledstudy

Annotating fiction and non-fiction by @collegerefs

Annotating texts by @delphicoracle

Novel annotation tips and tricks by @themanuscriptmusings

Annotating literature by @studiesinaonesie

How to: approach poetry analysis in an exam by @leostudies

Colour coding

How to create an effective colour coding system by @emmastudies

Colour code notes tips and tricks by @kimtented

A guide to colour code by @oreo-studies

Colour code by @3amstudying

Annotation key by @academicmind

How I highlight by @medtrash

Highlight ideas by @study2hard

Literary devices

Literary devices (with printable) by @studie-s

A list of literary techniques

Reading more

How to read more by @austinkleon

100 books everyone should read before they die

100 books to read before you die ya edition by @nicoperseid

French women write classics, too by @antigonick

Free books: 100 legal sites to download literature by @culturenlifestyle

Download free books by @wewantbalance

Haruki Murakami by @readthemoon

List of free foreign language books by @polyglot-oneday

The academic zine: issue 1 by @theacademiczine

Poetry recs by @rsiken

A guide to: assigned readings by @stellestudies

Recs list of ten short stories by @sophia-sol

Jane Austen masterpost by @septemberwildflowers

Essays

Back to school: how to get an a*/8 or 9 in an english lit essay by @thelawgraduate

Mulan’s guide to battling essays from planning to writing by @teacomets

Everything you need to know about the MLA format by @studying-and-organzing

How to write comparative essays by @rewritign

Others

Character flashcards for literature texts by @studyblroyalty

Theatre advice for Shakespeare plays by @disaster-lesbianbeau

English literature tips by @catestudies

How to ace literature by @riseandstudy

7 key literary time periods and what’s typical by @reviseordie

Analyzing literature a guide for students by @nimblesnotebook

How to literature by @llterature

Quotes

Motivational classic quotes by @classicalstudies

Enchanting Bookworm Inspired Digital Illustrations by Simini Blocker

Quotes that make you shudder by @alonesomes

Resources

Crash course

Sparknotes

Other masterposts by me

Printables

Self care

College

Ace your exams

Apps for students

Note taking

Math

2018년 02월 18일

| Muji London |

Getting my summer reading started. Anyway recommendations!

13. 09. 18

we all love procrastinating and leaving our studying till the very last minute. So here’s a guide to help you out!!