Revision Advice

Let's face it, there's no realistic way of revising for a task based on an unseen passage. All you can really do is practice. With that in mind, here are few things you might try:

• Familiarise Yourself

Watch lots of TV drama programmes. As many as you can, of different subgenres. But don't just passively watch them as entertainment, look for the stereotypes. Create a checklist of the groups you may be asked to write about; remember, they are:

Gender: male and female

Age: young and old
Ethnicity: white, black, Asian, or any other racial stereotype
Sexuality: straight or gay
Class and status: upper, middle, or working class
Physical ability/disability: characters who may be deaf, blind, physically or mentally disabled.
Regional identity: northerners, southerners, Scots, Welsh, Irish etc
See how many are shown in the programme you are watching. For each one, it is the simplest question in the world: is this character being shown as a stereotype?

• Test Your Vocabulary

Go to Quizlet and test yourself on the technical terms of textual analysis.