English Paper 2 Essay Lengths and Timing

Kelix

Before people say quality before quantity, with paper 2 I've noticed, the longer the answer, the better marks I get. So would these be A1 standard lengths:

Single Text: 1200 words
Comparative: 1600 Words
Studied Poetry: 1400 words

Owen_S

I would aim for twice that TBH.

WarZoneBrother

Kelix wrote: »

Before people say quality before quantity, with paper 2 I've noticed, the longer the answer, the better marks I get. So would these be A1 standard lengths:

Single Text: 1200 words
Comparative: 1600 Words
Studied Poetry: 1400 words

Can you convert that into pages?... Seems hard to judge with words...?

finality

There's no such thing as "A1 standard lengths".

Kelix

WarZoneBrother wrote: »

Can you convert that into pages?... Seems hard to judge with words...?

About 4 to 5 pages in word, so about 6 - 7 pages in handwriting

SureYWouldntYa

Hamlet - 6 pages

Comparative - 7 pages

Unseen - 1.5 pages

Prescribed - 5 pages

partyatmygaff

SureYWouldntYa wrote: »

Hamlet - 6 pages

Comparative - 7 pages

Unseen - 1.5 pages

Prescribed - 5 pages

No such thing as A1 length. I got an A1 and I wrote:
Hamlet - 3 pages
Comparative - 4 pages
Unseen - 1.5 pages
Prescribed - 4 pages

Namaste2u

Hamlet: 5 is the sweet spot

Poetry: 4, I've gotten A1s with 4, 5 is a bit ridiculous for something that is only 50 marks.

Unseen Poetry: 1.5 should do it/

Comparative: 5-6, 7 is a little too much IMO

Remember: quality =/= quantity

If your essay is finished then that's just it, don't try to fluff it up with too much waffle. A lot of muppets seem to be teaching students to write 6 or7 pages, for 'normal' handwriting that is bordering too much. The examiners don't want the whole plot of Hamlet summarised, just answer the question with scenes/poems/quotes that are relevant and you'll be fine!

Eathrin

Poetry 4 pages 1200 words
Hamlet 4 pages 1200 words
Comparative 5 pages 1500 words

I think this is more than adequate.
No such thing as A1 length, obviously you can't write just 1 page but it's about content and quakity not length.

Mysteriouschic

I think it depends on how much you've stuck to the question.
My comparative A1 was 7 pages but it was too long so I'll shorten it .
Role of women I think was 3-4 pages don't worry too much about length just as long as you answer the questions well.

SureYWouldntYa

partyatmygaff wrote: »

No such thing as A1 length. I got an A1 and I wrote:
Hamlet - 3 pages
Comparative - 4 pages
Unseen - 1.5 pages
Prescribed - 4 pages

Well it does need to be a certain length to warrant an A1 :L My writing is fairly big, round 180pp so take that into account

Kelix

I don't waffle though, I'm 100% sure everything I have to say in my essays is relevant and I get A1's with them in school, but I know in the exams people tend to do less than in school and sometimes get the same marks regardless...I just wanted to know where everyone else was at on it. The only thing is if you do the amount I said you have to rush the unseen poetry a bit - but it's easy to get full marks there.

Dapics

Kelix wrote: »

I don't waffle though, I'm 100% sure everything I have to say in my essays is relevant and I get A1's with them in school, but I know in the exams people tend to do less than in school and sometimes get the same marks regardless...I just wanted to know where everyone else was at on it. The only thing is if you do the amount I said you have to rush the unseen poetry a bit - but it's easy to get full marks there.

I disagree with you on the unseen poem. I have never seen 20/20 marks for it. It is unfeasible to even think you can get that. 17,18 is very reasonable but the full 20 is almost impossible due to the way the human mind works, no answer is ever perfect.

finality

Dapics wrote: »

I disagree with you on the unseen poem. I have never seen 20/20 marks for it. It is unfeasible to even think you can get that. 17,18 is very reasonable but the full 20 is almost impossible due to the way the human mind works, no answer is ever perfect.

It's pretty impossible to get full marks for any english question. I got 19/20 for the unseen poem in the pre, determined to repeat this tomorrow. :L

AnnaKin

Apparently my writing is small, but in any case I agree its quality over quantity. A hamlet essay i did was just barely over three pages and I got 91%. Overall I range from 3-4 pages tops, swaying between the B1's and A1's.

felixfelicis

Pages:

Single Text: 4/5
Comparative: 5/6
Poetry: 4
Unseen: 2.5

Bears and Vodka

I went to an English revision course at Christmas and the teacher was an experienced examiner. She related us a story of two candidates who both achieved A1's, one handed up two booklets for each Paper (I dont know how, she says the short story was 12 pages), and the other candidate handed up a booklet with the bare minimum written for everything. Something like 2 pages for Hamlet, 3 for Comparative and something like that.

So essentially it all depends on yourself, how you write, how you phrase, what approach you take.

bazinga_

I'd usually do a mark a minute, ie 60 mins for Hamlet, 50 for prescribed poetry, 70 for comparative, and 20 for unseen poetry, including time to read and plan in each.