Samuel O. answered • 05/21/19
Awesome English Teacher from Australia
First, read the question out loud to yourself. Your brain will understand it better if you say the question out loud compared to just reading it silently to yourself.
Work out what the essay is asking you to do. Write a very simple answer to this question: for example, this essay question is asking me to explain and analyse a text about a famous speech.
Choose your big word. The one word that summarises the text. Write it down. This will focus your mind and help you get passed the initial writer's block.
Next, write down three ideas/concepts that you want to focus on in your essay. Three main points that you will talk about.
Also, write down who you are writing for. And don't just say the person grading the essay, imagine you were going to read this essay in public to a group of people. Who would want to hear it? Who do you think should hear it? You have to find a reason for writing to these people, otherwise you will not write a good essay. Put some heart into it. It will show in your writing.
Next, write your final thoughts in a simple sentence. This will be for the end of the essay. What is the one thing/idea that you want your reader to remember by reading your essay? Write this and finish strong.
