Mastering the art of writing a high-scoring O-Level composition may seem challenging, but with the right approach, it becomes much more manageable. Whether you are struggling with generating ideas, structuring your essay, or fine-tuning your language skills, improving your writing is well within reach.
This article will provide you with 10 practical tips that can help you enhance your composition skills and aid you in tiding over any kind of English composition topic. Remember, the main objective is to write a story or reflect on a topic really well. Let us take a look below:
Tip 1
Choose your topic wisely. Go ahead and select something you already know some facts about instead of something that sounds interesting or ‘easy’. You may just find yourself in a pickle otherwise. For instance, “Write about things you like to do in your spare time” may seem effortless, but many students get caught writing about only one thing instead of a slew of things. Hence, when choosing a topic, be sure to read every keyword carefully before you begin. These are the main points in the question you should absolutely be aware of.
Tip 2
Be sure to craft a mind map or follow your template before you dash off to start writing. Do not go ahead and start writing expecting the ideas to just flow and come to you. If you are writing a story that is reflective or discursive, make sure to come up with a hook first. The hook should be relevant and show the teacher what your thoughts are on the topic. The opening of O-Level composition matters more than you think.
Tip 3
Be sure to have three points, evidence, explanation, and link backs (PEELs) before you begin. If you cannot think of three PEELs, it is highly recommended to choose another topic. The PEELs should be in your mind map or template before you start writing. It does not have to be complicated, and you do not want to spend too much time doing this as you need the time to complete the composition properly.
Tip 4
Write a fantastic conclusion. The conclusion should reflect the overall summation of the essay with regards to the key points you raised. Make it short and easy to comprehend, and then follow up with some of your thoughts. A few subjective comments can be made at this point to indicate to the teacher or marker that you are wise enough to think out of the box and establish your own opinions. This raises the bar for your standard of writing.
Tip 5
Include some wise words, quotes, or idioms in your ending. For instance, “a stitch in time saved nine” for a O-level composition on how your timely action saved some trouble will be helpful. Make sure that the idiom or quote is relevant to the topic that you are writing about.
Tip 6
The use of high quality vocabulary will go a long way in helping you improve. There should be at least four words or phrases that stand out and provide value. This will make a world of a difference and yes, your teacher will definitely notice your use of vocabulary in your O-level composition.
Tip 7
Paragraphing is important and make sure not to write everything in one big chunk as it shows that you are poorly organised. No matter how good of a writer you are, being organised makes a difference. Use the PEELs as a way to coordinate your essay. The first PEEL should begin after the introduction with the hook. The second PEEL should follow after, with the third PEEL being the last before the conclusion.
Tip 8
As aforementioned, the introduction should start with a hook. Following that will be a brief explanation of your keywords. This will reveal to the teacher or marker that you have interpreted the question wisely. It will also be a gauge for you to understand the direction of your essay. You will be able to stick to the point this way.
Tip 9
The last part of the introduction after the keywords will be the statement or thesis statement. For an expository or argumentative type of essay, this is of paramount importance. You should assert an opinion or pick a point of view. You may write about two sentences about this and make sure that you are very clear about the stance you are taking for your O-level composition.
Tip 10
Lastly, the most overlooked tip is to use connecters between the paragraphs so that the flow is smoother and not abrupt. If you are going from the first PEEL to the second, ensure that you do not start the second PEEL suddenly. Begin with something like, “consequently” or “however” or “in due course” to show that you are continuing the thread of the story or argument. This makes your composition flow better and sound more professional.
These 10 tips for O-level composition are well-researched and have served students well over the course of many years. All the best with your O-level composition!