General Paper – 2 Main Strategies To Prepare Well

Table of Contents

Preparing for General Paper (GP) seems like a humongous task. There is Paper 1 with an 800-word essay.

Precision focus and sophisticated content with witty, stylistic devices will put you in good stead.

Then there is the comprehension paper which is essentially a philosophical or critical discussion on society, history, and maybe even futuristic ponderings. 

Ploughing through it and overcoming the linguistic conundrums will be your lot.

General Paper is a meaty paper but some prefer it to other subjects. 

Why?

It is a language paper and it revolves around what you do, your life, and your observations of what’s around us.

How do you prepare for such a paper?

I would like to simplify what seems to be a mammoth undertaking.

And to do that, let us get down to the brass tacks. I mean the most basic part.

What does all this massive preparation point to?

It is quite a simple solution really.

Essentially, General Paper is all about content. And you really need to have it at your fingertips. There are 2 main strategies to achieve this:

general paper

#1 Essential Strategy – Avoid Being A Frog

Let us discuss ‘content.’ The markers of your General Paper want to know if you know a little of the world around you or if you are just a frog in the well.

Avoid being a frog at all costs. And how do you do that?

Do not just stick to your handouts and lecture notes. That is a bit like the tip of the iceberg. It gives you a good oversight but it does not really provide you with depth. You may know the peripheral structure of the argument but will be unable to reinforce it.

When you write a Point for your General Paper essay, you have to ensure that you have really ‘solid’ evidence. It should be watertight and reflect your understanding of exactly what is going on today.

And when you select your point, you should have the 3 Rs:

I) Relevance

II) Resonance

III) Respect

Relevance is about making sure your point syncs with what is going on. It may be any type of question but you really need to ensure that you do let a little bit of what is going on in the world right now spill over into it.

Why? That’s because you are writing it. And your perspectives are based on your experiences. Your thoughts, feelings, and instincts about experiences from anything you have seen or read will be vital to an essay. Link this to the General Paper question.

Resonance is about making sure that your point goes down well with the reader. It should make sense. Ensure that everything is according to the times. It should be a point that is valid and is a reflection of how people think and react.

Respect is about earning the respect of the reader because of the way you write. Express your point clearly without prejudice and keep it simple. That will keep the reader engaged.

#2 Stylistic Strategy – Dress It Up

When you write something, anything, you need to impress and dress it up a little. Any point can be impressive with a little imagination and flair. After all, you need to catch the eye of the reader, isn’t it?

While content is the ‘bread and butter’ of your project, your style will be the garnishing part. There is one great way of injecting some flair into your work. 

I have always loved the way language evolves. There are several trending words and phrases going viral right now. These words and expressions are a sign of the times. You need to know these for the General Paper. 

What is the language of millennials? How is it different from Generation Z? 

What are the words that pop out at you when you browse? What do journalists love to use when they describe a happening? 

Remember, journalists love to add their own opinions in generous measure and they will pepper their observations with trending words so their viewers know that they are truly connected to the world.

You need to be able to write like this. Pretend you are a journalist recounting your view and connecting with these trending words. 

You will be a cut above the rest when it comes to writing imaginatively.

Just get into the flow of writing for General Paper with these 2 simple strategies and you will never look back!


Like this article?

Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on Linkdin
Share on Pinterest

Leave a comment

Get a Free Assessment Test

Many O and A level students are struggling with their English grades today. We conduct a FREE English Assessment Test for every student and more than 5,000 students have managed to achieve amazing results. 

Sign up for the FREE test today and we will send you the results!