I was just wondering if anyone actually memorised their english essays for the hsc, and how well did you do? I am really conflicted about whether I should as some people say it is better to do heaps of practice rather than memorise while others recommend memorising. I have always done my english exams organically and have done relatively alright. Can I still get a high band 6 if I don't memorise my responses?
I'm not doing the HSC (VCE student here), but I don't tend to memorise full essays. I usually have a general memorised essay structure or possible sentence structures (i.e. say for the introduction, I tend to have a very similar sentence structure, modified for each essay type and altered depending on the topic). However, this is more achieved through writing multiple practice essays, not through actually rote learning it. I've found that this has worked really well for me, and I've been able to do well in English so far without memorising full essays. I think overall memorising can be a bit of a waste of time, since you want to show the examiner or teacher that you can apply your knowledge to a range of topics with unique insights (it also takes away from essay practice time). They can easily tell when someone has just rote learned an essay and tried to slightly modify it to the topic (which can be a problem, as a memorised essay might not fit the topics given, which could lose you marks if you try to somehow modify it to suit it). That said, I know for some people memorising essays can be really helpful in achieving high marks, and some people are really good at it. However, I don't think it's a must when it comes to essay writing. I'd focus on memorising essay structures, sentence starters, synonyms, and ways of phrasing language to ensure your essay is as analytical and insightful as possible.
_sophiestudies_ Thank you so much for your response. It does make more sense to practice rather than memorise. I think it makes better use of time. Best of luck with the VCE 
I don't like to memorise responses because, depending on the question, I might end up writing a response that deviates from what the markers want me to answer. That means no matter how well I write, even if I use sophisticated language, techniques and examples, I'll never go beyond a C. If you're aiming for a Band 6 response, I don't recommend memorising essays, but rather, memorising ideas and quotes that can prepare you for any question the markers throw at you.
I_Just_Want_To_Pass Thank you for your advice! 
lana_banana101
Hi there,
I haven't sat my HSC yet but as a year12 student, I have always memorised my essays as well as the structure.
When some people say " it is better to do heaps of practice'' what do they mean by it? I always have an esssay memorised that I practice multiple times with slightly varying essay questions my teacher has provided to further prep for the exam but it involves the same structure/themes as well as utilising the same quotes to suit the response. I'm not a student that gets 19/20 or such but I do consistently get high B's and low A's (16-17/20) with all my essays. So I think you need a bit of both to do well. With the chances of getting a band 6, this is fully dependent on the content of your essay itself and I've gotten reviews from my friends and teachers multiple times before finalising my essay and this has helped heaps in terms of improving my marks. Overall, I think you do need to do both, but whichever method works well for you personally should be preferred. Hope you do great in your HSC!
Cheers
NS-HSC12 Thank you! Wishing you the best of luck with your hsc you've got this 
_sophiestudies_ Can I see an example of one of your essays. I am trying to develop a structure to have all my essays generally memorised so it always flows well and is well structured. Thank you 
NS-HSC12 Can you send me a sample if you don't mind. I'm tryting to figure out how to structure my essay (also i'm doing VCE)
I_Just_Want_To_Pass I'm not a year 12 student, but I definitely agree and honestly this is applicable in other forms of writing too besides just exams. As a debater, I've noticed that some of the worst rebuttals that people make happen to be pre-written because they generally sound so unnatural and 9/10 deviate from the actual argument the opposition made. Many, MANY times people will end up reading out a rebuttal for an argument the opposition never even made, and they often don't even end up rebutting the point the opposition DID make. Ultimately, learning the skills and memorising possible things you can include in any form of text whether it be a year 12 essay or a debate is definitely more valuable as you can use them to shape your writing, rather than using pre-written writing and having a difficult time trying to adjust it to the stimulus given.
