Exam Buster Study Tip
Writing Strategies
• Before you write you should always spend some time thinking about what you are going to write and how you are going to organise it. A good way to do this is by making a mind map. Mind maps are also great for revision!
Complete
1 Jody has to write a short essay, ‘My Favourite Book’. Put the missing words on the correct branches of the mind map.
Characters Details Plot Setting Themes Why my favourite book 2 ............................. Scout Finch > young white girl > narrator Atticus > Scout’s father > lawyer Tom Robinson > black man Boo Radley > outsider
1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .............. Title > To Kill a Mockingbird Author > Harper Lee > American Published > 1960 Pulitzer Prize > 1961
3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............... Where > Alabama – south USA When > Great Depression – 1930s
My Favourite Book
5 . . ........................... Prejudice > racism Outsiders – Courage – Innocence
Study Tip
4 .......................... . . . Tom accused of raping white girl Atticus defends Scout attacked Boo saves Scout
6 ............................. About growing up Powerful
• Use connectors to make your writing flow and easy to read. Here are some examples. First / secondly / then / next / however / although / also / but / because / so / for example / like / such as…
Fill the gaps
2 Read Jody’s finished text. Complete the gaps using the correct connectors.
My favourite book is To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. It was published in 1960 and won the Pulitzer Prize in 1961. The story is set in a small town in Alabama in southern USA during the Great Depression of the 1930s. The main characters are Scout Finch, who is a young white girl, her father Atticus who is a lawyer, a reclusive outsider called Boo Radley and Tom Robinson who is a poor black man. Tom is accused of raping a white girl, (1) .............. Atticus, a good man, agrees to defend him. (2) .............. he is innocent, the white jury finds him guilty. Tom decides to try and escape from prison (3) ........ . . . . . . he is shot and killed. (4) .............. , one night, Scout and her brother are attacked (5) .............. their father defended Tom. (6) .............. , Boo Radley is near and saves them. The novel has many themes (7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . prejudice, racism and classism. Innocence and courage are (8) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . important themes. I had to read this book last year for school. I usually read vampire stories and science fiction (9) ..... . . . . . . . . . this book really moved me. It’s about growing up and fighting for what you think is right, which is very important.
Writing
3 Make a mind map for your favourite book / film / music group / TV programme / actor etc. Use this mind map, with connectors, to write a short essay.
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