Hey guysssss

I do unit 3+4 english language and unit 3+4 literature, both I enjoy very much and am comfortable with the content. However, whenever it comes to writing close passage analysis/analytical paragraphs/ACs under timed conditions, I always find that my mind just blanks out and I don’t end up writing the points I wanted to for each paragraph. Instead, I end up writing about something else and my more ‘impressive’ ideas don’t end up getting used. My flow of ideas end up being incoherent and messy, regardless of if I use a set structure like ELP sentences or TEEL. I swear I have good ideas its just writing them out on paper under timed conditions messes me up 😭😭.

Is there any way to improve my writing so that I get all my good ideas down instead of panicking and going off topic?

any and all advice would be very much appreciated 💕🎀

    hi! i had the same problem as you in year 10, and i was searching for ways to make sure my ideas make it onto the page. when i first read the prompt, i branch ideas from it on the task sheet. for example, i’m studying ‘we have always lived in the castle’ for english and the prompt is ‘how does the author suggest an oppressive society?’, i would branch off my ideas (ie: the village oppressing the blackwood family, merricat being oppressed by her family, etc. etc.). i wouldn’t necessarily tick it off, but i would make sure i write to my ideas in timed conditions and if i were to deviate from it, it would be beneficial to strengthening my writing.

    i hope this helps 🙂

    yo whats ur email i saw u were looking for the genral maths book i can send u the pdf

      fruitpie Oh no! It sounds like you're struggling with the pressure of the task rather than the actual writing itself?

      With our students who struggle with the pressure, we suggest gently desensitising them to the pressure. For different students, different things trigger the pressure. Some students finds the silence really triggering, other students find the presence of a clock triggering. I suggest thinking about your experience and identifying what's exactly making you stress out, then findings ways to gently increase it.

      For example, let's say it's the sitting on a hard chair in silence that's difficult for you. I suggest sitting on a hard chair and writing without a timer, then with a timer for a long period of time (eg 30mins for a BP), then gently bring down that time limit, then towards the end, put on some noise-cancelling headphones while sitting on a hard chair writing within a tight timeframe.

      I hope that helps! Brain farts are awful and if it makes it any better, you're not the only one experiencing it 🙂

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