Leaving Cert English Notes & Study Guide

Effective english notes are concise, organised summaries of key texts, literary devices, and exam strategies designed to streamline revision. Here’s what you need to know for the Leaving Certificate exam.

Creating robust english notes is fundamental for success in both Paper 1 and Paper 2. It allows you to condense vast amounts of information into manageable, recallable formats.

Crafting Effective English Notes

The best study notes are personalised and cater to your specific learning style. However, certain strategies universally enhance their effectiveness:

• Conciseness: Avoid copying large chunks of text. Focus on keywords, main ideas, and crucial evidence.
• Organisation: Use headings, bullet points, and numbered lists to structure your notes logically.
• Visual Aids: Incorporate diagrams, mind maps, or colour-coding to highlight connections and important distinctions.
• Active Recall: Don’t just transcribe. Pause and summarise in your own words. Test yourself as you go.

Developing strong writing skills is also part of mastering English. For Paper 1, explore our comprehensive guide on writing a descriptive essay, a popular composition choice.

English Notes for Paper 1: Composition and Comprehension

Paper 1 requires a blend of creative and analytical skills. Your notes should reflect this:

• Composition:
• Deconstruct essay types: personal, persuasive, descriptive, argumentative. Note down structural requirements, common features, and effective language techniques for each.
• Keep a bank of sophisticated vocabulary, impressive openings, and strong concluding statements.
• Comprehension:
• Summarise key reading strategies for analysing unseen texts: identifying tone, purpose, audience, and stylistic devices.
• Practice answering common question types for Part B (e.g., ‘Do you agree?’, ‘How does the writer…?’) with template responses.

💡 Examiner insight: A common mistake students make is writing notes that are too broad. Your notes should be specific enough to trigger detailed information about themes, characters, or literary devices for a given text or question type.

Notes for Paper 2: Texts and Poetry

Paper 2 requires in-depth knowledge of prescribed texts and poets. Tailor your english notes to each section:

Single Text (e.g., Shakespeare)

• Character Analysis: Create individual profiles for major characters, including key traits, motivations, relationships, and development.
• Theme Exploration: Dedicate sections to core themes, listing relevant scenes, quotes (where applicable), and their significance.
• Dramatic Techniques: Document instances of soliloquy, dramatic irony, imagery, and their effect.

Comparative Study

Successful comparative notes focus on the relationships between texts. Organise by mode of comparison:

• Cultural Context: Note similarities and differences in societal values, beliefs, and historical periods.
• Literary Genre: Compare narrative structures, character archetypes, and thematic concerns across selected texts.
• General Vision and Viewpoint (GVV): Analyse the authors’ overall message or outlook on life, comparing optimism/pessimism, hope/despair. For more general support, check out our insights on English grinds.

Poetry

• Poet Profiles: Summarise each poet’s key themes, distinctive style, and recurring imagery.
• Individual Poems: For each poem, note down the central message, structure, poetic devices (e.g., metaphor, symbolism, alliteration), and key lines. Highlight how these elements contribute to the poem’s meaning and your personal response.

Key Takeaways for Effective English Notes

• Prioritise active learning when creating your notes, not just passive copying.
• Use a consistent, organised system for all your materials, perhaps categorised by Paper 1 and Paper 2 sections.
• Regularly review and update your notes, adding new insights from classes or further reading.
• Integrate exam-style questions into your note-taking process to ensure relevancy.