Students often fall into two camps when it comes to how they approach the General Paper (GP) essay. The first group believes religiously in spotting questions and the power of the memorised template essay. However, tweaks to familiar questions by crafty examiners can negate the template’s effectiveness, and what if the spotted questions fail to turn up altogether? The second group is the opposite, and regard GP as a subject they can breeze through without much studying. Just choose any question that looks easy or interesting, write what comes to mind and hope for the best, right? Sadly, the best is rarely achieved. You have probably been in one or even both of these groups at some point. Neither approach is entirely wrong or correct - they wouldn’t exist if they didn’t work to some extent. However, if your goal is to write a GP essay that will score you an A, then you will need more than an approach that works to some extent. 

Here are 5 tips from The Learning Lab that will help you improve your writing and your chance at an A for the General Paper. 

Conversely, you may find that some of the general knowledge you have absorbed in preparation for the exam can be applied to a question on a less familiar topic, and provides the breadth of examples that markers look for. A good practice is to shortlist two or three questions before you start planning, just in case you hit a snag when formulating your argument and need an alternative.

Ask yourself:

Do you have enough to substantiate each point? 

Which example is better used for which point?

 Are there obvious gaps that you can’t think of a way to fill, and should you quickly go and look at another question instead?

You should also avoid giving too detailed a description of your points in the introduction. A good rule is to keep the introduction as short as possible: you should not write much more than an opening sentence, a thesis statement, and a sentence to link your introduction to your first point. 

If a favourite example of yours doesn’t quite fit the argument you are crafting, cut it. Unlike Mathematics or the Science subjects where plonking down some calculations or facts could earn you some marks, in GP, it’s better to keep your examples on point rather than try to show everything you know.

Nurturing Independent Thinkers and Writers 

The ability to write clearly is an asset for students even when they move from the classroom to the working world, as effective communication is what greases the wheels of the corporate world.

At The Learning Lab, we want our students to go beyond simply learning how to read and write. Our teachers work closely with students to instil in them the fundamental principles of good writing. Find out more about our writing programmes here. 

The Learning Lab is now at 8 locations. Find a location that suits your needs.

If you have any questions about our range of programmes or class schedules, you may fill in the form below or contact us at 6733 8711 or enquiry@thelearninglab.com.sg.