Students who are supported and encouraged by family members always do better! As English is central to all subjects, having the ability to interpret and understand questions is key. You can read questions with your child and decide what they mean!

Try the following example:

‘How does Shakespeare portray the character of Romeo or Macbeth?’ (Decide on the meaning of ‘portray’ and make a list of what each character says and does plus what others say about him as well as how he behaves.)

Feeling baffled or inquisitive? Ask an English tutor at Ipswich Tuition Centre for the answer sheet.

You might be surprised to hear how much our customers enjoy reading a novel or a play with their children. One parent said “The Sign of Four was so exciting that it inspired me to read more books. My son enjoyed discussing the plot and characters. We even learnt quotations together!”

Extended writing is important if you want to get a high grade in English. Have a look on the internet, or at printed articles on topics such as social media, the value of homework and the environment. See if they can spot AFOREST techniques (see explanation below ?).

Looking at the opening of novels. Can you write a brilliant first sentence? Here’s a link to some opening lines of novels.

Reading together is a great idea. Find a short story or novel of a genre that your student likes. Crime, mystery and science fiction stories are always popular. Why not ask our English tutors for a reading list? Contact us here.

Looking for more tips or advice? Help them to memorise and use language techniques such as similes, metaphors and personification. Students love to make up their own examples and are surprised when they find out that ‘hyperbole’ is not a bowling risk!

Contact Ipswich Tuition Centre before the summer and we can give you lots of helpful English activities to improve their English Language and English Literature during the holidays! Still stuck for ideas? Have a look at www.sparknotes.com or www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize

AFOREST techniques (Contact Ipswich Tuition Centre if you’re not sure about any of them):

• Alliteration, anecdote
• Facts
• Opinions
• Rhetorical questions, reliable source, repetition
• Emotive Language
• Statistics
• Triplets or List of Three