Practise for GCSE and A-Level English – Charlotte Brontë’s Letter on Emily’s Death

Below, you can find practise for letter writing for GCSE and A level English Language. Here, Charlotte Brontë tragically describes the effect that Emily’s death (aged 30, from tuberculosis) had on her and the family – she is writing to Emily’s former publishers. For anyone who studies the Brontës, going deeper into their history and […]

Descriptive Writing – How to create a setting in your story

Taking the necessary time to properly create your setting will give your story more vibrancy and keep your readers engaged. As a writer, you want to dive straight into your plot and start giving detailed character descriptions. But those characters and that story all need a space in which they will exist – that space […]

10 Descriptive Writing Prompts – Character

To help you brainstorm, we’ve put together this list of 10 descriptive writing prompts – but it’s focused on developing a character. If you want to become a better writer, the best thing you can do for yourself is practise writing every single day. Writing prompts are useful because we know sometimes it can be […]

Wilfred Owen’s Last Letter – practise for GCSE and A-Level English Literature

Below, you can find an extract from the last letter Wilfred Owen wrote to his mother. For anyone who studies Wilfred Owen or simply enjoys reading his poetry, reading his letters is an absolute must. He presents a completely different view of himself and his personality here. He is kind, sensitive and thoughtful – but […]

Charles Dickens Reading Comprehension: Great Expectations

Below, you can find Charles Dickens Reading Comprehension: Great Expectations. This extract and the following questions are designed as a practise for students taking GCSE English – the exam questions are based on the type of assessments you would find in an English Language exam, such as AQA, CIE, Eduqas or Edexcel. Use the extract […]

Emily Dickinson and her Volcanoes

You may have noticed that Dickinson loves her volcanoes! Several of her most famous poems either feature volcanoes as a central symbolic image or contain references to them and their hidden powers. Even though she never saw a volcano in her life, she learned much about them and felt personally connected to them – below, […]

Poem Analysis of ‘I did not reach Thee’ by Emily Dickinson

Here, you’ll find an analysis of the poem “I did not reach Thee” by Emily Dickinson. Includes a breakdown of the stanzas, an insight into the speaker + voice of the poem, and an exploration of the themes and deeper meanings. This is only a quick overview to help you get to grips with the […]

I did not reach Thee by Emily Dickinson

Here’s a full poem ‘I did not reach Thee’ by Emily Dickinson. If you’re interested in a full analysis of this poem, check out our links at the bottom of the page! I did not reach Thee I did not reach TheeBut my feet slip nearer every dayThree Rivers and a Hill to crossOne Desert […]

Practise Exam Question for GCSE AQA Power And Conflict

Here’s a practise exam poetry comparison essay question for the AQA Power and Conflict. It’s taken from the May 2019 paper. Remember, in this exam you should write a comparative essay that compares and contrasts both poems together in every paragraph – focus equally on both and write topic sentences that compare the poems at […]

How To Structure an Essay Paragraph

Below, you can find an overall explanation of how to structure an essay paragraph. Lots of my students struggle with essay writing – in any essay subject, the process for writing a great middle paragraph is exactly the same. Once you learn it, your grades will massively improve across the board! This advice is for […]