Three HSC English Tips to Help You Master Your Text!

Struggling to grasp all the content in your HSC English text?

Don’t sweat! We’ve got three HSC English tips from our MVP coach and mentor Patrick, so you can get that Band 6!

Check them out below!

Tip #1 Relate your HSC English themes to something you love

Tip #2 Read the HSC English Syllabus

Tip #3 Write five to six good dot points 

Tip #1 Relate your HSC English themes to something you love

We all love a bit of Netflix to relax but who knew it could also be a form of study?

With texts at our fingertips, you MUST know and enjoy a text that explores a theme of your English texts and can help you understand it a bit better. This is Patrick’s favourite English tip!

Patrick typically uses Harry Potter, Marvel, Star Wars and more as examples for his students! 

While you might think fantasy can’t relate to Shakespeare, did you know some people say there are only seven types of stories! 

Just think about the similarities between maybe too many…texts. 

Check out the seven plots summary here!

If you’re struggling, you should be able to identify which of the plots your text fits into and go from there! 

Common themes such as death, love and justice can be found in almost any text.

Once you find one that does it really well, use your understanding to create links to your prescribed texts!

Patrick also emphasises the need to understand the nuances within broad themes, for example, death occurs in plenty of texts but its meaning is not fixed. 

It is dependent on things such as context, the character’s personality and actions. 

Harry Potter Example!

Spoilers for Harry Potter ahead! 

Patrick uses the contrasting deaths of Voldemort and the other characters in the Harry Potter series as examples.

Voldemort’s death is an ugly, unpleasant experience as a result of cheating and fearing death in comparison to the others’ more peaceful deaths.

While this may seem completely irrelevant, by taking a similar approach to your prescribed texts you’ll be discovering the connections and intentions of authors left and right!

Spoilers over!

English shouldn’t feel foreign and irrelevant outside of the HSC.

Patrick wants you to recognise the things that you’re talking about and suggests you’ll be a lot better off for it!

Besides, this way you can put your excessive knowledge of your favourite dystopian novel or superhero movie to good use!

While Shakespeare’s work is centuries old, his stories continue to be adapted and loved by modern audiences.

Think 10 Things I Hate About You and She’s The Man! 

You’ve got this!

Find out why someone else loves it!

Still finding yourself unable to grasp what a text is about? Seek someone else’s opinion!

If there’s someone in your class that seems really passionate or just good at analysing the text, ask them genuinely what they like about it.

Everyone has their strengths, maybe you could trade yours!

Maybe your teacher is super excited to get into it – ask them why (nicely, of course)!

Don’t be afraid to use the internet, whether it be a film or book review or an obscure Reddit post on the internet – find inspiration! 

Fun facts about the context, random theories and more should help you gain ideas and become more invested as you discover its significance to others and eventually draw your own!

Tip #2 Read the HSC English Syllabus

I’m sorry to tell you this again, but you have to read the syllabus.

Read it here! Again! Make it stick!

The rationale for English and rubrics for your modules have so many clues as to what should be talked about and what each of these texts must contain.

Patrick calls the English syllabus a gold mine.

For an in-depth look at what each module is about and the buzzwords HSC markers are looking for, check out our guides here!

Although some texts may cover parts of the syllabus better than others, you will never be given a question you can’t answer.

If you still are not sure what you’re meant to be doing – ask your English teacher, perhaps you could spend a lesson it!

This is a tip every English teacher will tell you, why you might be thinking?

Because while taking an hour to go through the syllabus may seem like a massive chore, it can save you so much time!

Don’t waste time trying to understand or explain things you won’t be tested on!

As you’re reading the syllabus, have a highlighter on hand and note down the key points as you go as well as those that surprise you!

Though school work is school work, try to find some value out of it and ask yourself if you are attempting to gain the things NESA intends.

With the syllabus, you can identify what outcomes should be drawn from your examples!

Tip #3 Write five to six good dot points 

It’s always tempting to use a pre-prepared response in English, a good understanding of your texts will override your need to do so.

And likely give you better marks!

This is because in the process of generating your points, you’ve been engaging with the content.

Patrick says you should be able to consolidate your knowledge of your prescribed texts into five or six dot points that you can utilise for ANY essay.

It’s important to remember that you always want to be referring back to the question.

This can be difficult to do well under time pressure with memorised responses!

Therefore while you can’t know your analysis, Patrick says you can develop and ensure you have a really good understanding of the general ideas of the text.

This tip is something Patrick finds severely underrated in English.

Each point can be based around a theme or context you would use in an essay and have the potential to answer any questions thrown your way!

It’s important to keep your examples versatile and recognise the many ways they inform your themes.

Try mind mapping, if you’re having difficulty!

You should then be able to easily assign your examples to at least one of your dot points.

Most essays only have three to four body paragraphs, therefore having five to six will ensure that you can answer any question.

If you’re unable to do so, review and work on your dot points!

Even when you think none of your themes relate to the question, they do! 

Does the theme lead to the question or is the theme a product of the question? 

Everything links!

Your teacher is likely throwing out an excessive amount of themes so be sure to note them down and listen to the ways they are connecting them.

TEE tables

Each teacher recommends a different structure but using TEE should be enough to give you great, easy to remember notes!

Technique

Example

Effect

If you’re not convinced, find out why you should be using a TEE table here!

And don’t forget to download a free TEE table template in our article here whilst finding out how to write a Band 6 English Essay!

You should be including at least three TEE’s in each paragraph so memorise at least four for each dot point! 

By having these dot points, all of your essays will already be half written.

You’ve got your techniques and  examples, now it’s just about refining your effects/analysis under exam conditions!

And that’s Patrick’s top three HSC English tips to make sense of English done!

Need some extra help with HSC English?

Get yourself an inspirational coach and mentor like Patrick!

We offer HSC English tutoring and mentoring, with personalised lessons conducted one-on-one in your home or at one of our state of the art campuses in Hornsby and or the Hills!

To find out more and get started with an inspirational tutor and mentor get in touch today! 

Give us a ring on 1300 267 888, email us at [email protected] or check us out on TikTok!

Gabrielle Wong is currently the Digital Marketing Assistant at Art of Smart. She is a second year student at the University of Sydney studying a Bachelor of Arts/Advanced Studies majoring in Media and Communications and Marketing.