In this post, we will explore 1 secret that will teach you how to score well for english composition.
1. But first, what makes a good composition?
The difference between a diary account and a composition is this - Problem. A good composition is about solving a problem. At the end of the day, we want to see a character encounter a problem, face obstacles, solve the problem and learn a lesson. If your character does not go through these 4 stages, you are in trouble. Whatever lesson the character learns is strongly related to the THEME of the composition.
2. How do we find the theme of the composition?
The theme can be found within the TOPIC. If your topic is - A DISHONEST ACT, then the theme would be about a character facing consequences after committing an act of dishonesty. As a result, your character learns that acting dishonestly is bad! Your character makes a promise to turn over a new leaf.
If your topic is about OVERCOMING FEAR, then the theme would be about a character struggling against a fear and finally overcoming it. Your character learns to face fears and becomes a braver person by the end of the composition. The topic is your BIGGEST CLUE to tell you what your story should be about.
3. What are markers looking for?
Besides theme, the most important aspect markers look out for is LESSON LEARNT. We want to see a character learning a lesson after going through the struggles of solving a problem. The LESSON LEARNT is usually written at the final paragraph of your composition. Here is an example for the composition topic - A DISHONEST ACT.
After leaving the principal's office, I promised myself that I would never lie to my parents again. The entire experience was indeed a bitter pill to swallow.
4. Emphasise the theme once again.
One little secret we tell our upper primary students is to insert the TOPIC TITLE in their final paragraph. It is a wonderful way to show your marker that you clearly understand the theme.
Title: A dishonest act
I learned a valuable lesson that day. Acting dishonestly was an awful thing to do. I could lose the trust of others. After leaving the principal's office, I promised myself that I would never lie to my parents again. The entire experience was indeed a bitter pill to swallow.
Here is ONE OTHER TIP to knock the socks off your marker! Add a proverb at the end. Pick a suitable proverb that closely relates to your theme and add it at the end. This is how it should look like.
Title: A dishonest act
I learned a valuable lesson that day. Acting dishonestly was an awful thing to do. I could lose the trust of others. After leaving the principal's office, I promised myself that I would never lie to my parents again. The entire experience was indeed a bitter pill to swallow.
Honesty is the best policy.
5. To reiterate
A good composition has a clear structure that follows the theme. Your character needs to go through these 4 stages - encounter a problem, face obstacles, solve the problem and learn a lesson.
In our classes, we emphasise that EACH PARAGRAPH has a function and we reiterate weekly on the importance of these 4 stages. As students understand and follow this structure, their scores would climb. After all, practise makes perfect. Remember to clearly write what lesson the character has learned. Ensure the lesson learned is related to the theme. Lastly, add a suitable proverb to tie things up neatly.
6. Here are our 5 most favourite proverbs.
Proverb | ​Meaning |
Honesty is the best policy | Always be truthful. |
​Do not judge a book by its cover | Do not gauge a person's character based on their outer appearance |
Practise makes perfect | The more you work at something, the better you will be at it. |
Fear makes the wolf bigger than he is | The actual action of overcoming the fear is not as bad you think. |
​As you sow, you shall reap | Your actions determine your results. If you do bad things, expect bad results. |
You do not need to memorise 100 proverbs. You only need a handful. Many of these proverbs can be used for multiple composition topics. Every month, we prepare an
EXAM PREP KIT for our students that contain useful phrases that include proverbs. All they need to do is to take a brief look before sitting for a composition exam. These useful practises make a big difference. We hope this blog has been useful to you.
Did you like the technique above?
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We have come to the end of the blog. We hope these blog posts are useful. We cover plenty more during our classes. We offer both English Tuition and Creative Writing classes for both primary and secondary schools.
Our quizzes cover many aspects of creative writing. They are a great way to prepare for a composition exam. Here is a link to that!
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Here is a a GREAT LIST OF PROVERBS. We love videos. Children love videos as they are more visual!
AUTHOR: The Write Tribe
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