Hi, first of all, I think its great that your already reaching out- this is a sign success. I didn't do English Standard but I think I can still help (I did 4U English). The same study strategy applies no matter the level of English, except for some slight changes in intensity/dedicated time but I'll try adapt it to suit your ability.
1. How to study
English requires plenty of practice and reading. First and foremost, you must ask your teacher for feedback on your responses, whether it be a short answer or full essay. Getting feedback is the only way to improve in this course. I recommend spending at least an hour a day dedicated to writing responses, answering questions, and going through the syllabus. In your free time, you should read a variety of books from different genres, with the occasional critical piece/article. This will enhance your vocabulary and in doing so, you can also try to emulate the authors writing style. This leads on to my next point. Moreover, to score good marks, you need to truly understand the text, which can only be done by reading it multiple times. You should also read about the author and their context. From there, you'll be able to determine their purpose/motivations, and message.
2. How to prepare for essays and creatives
For critical essays, make sure you have what I like to call a 'skeleton essay'- basically a general essay that puts your evidence and arguments into paragraphs that you can adapt to any question. I like to have a evidence bank that contains my quotes, quote techniques, elaboration on the quote and its techniques, the purpose/effect of said technique, and a little bit of context.- U can put this into a table.
Now if you really want to get ahead, this strategy prepared me for any unseen question: go through thsc and write a thesis statement for every past paper. Just a thesis, an essay if you want. The key part of an essay is its thesis. Its ultimately what makes or breaks your piece, after all, its essentially the first thing the marker reads. First impressions matter. From there, work on making your skeleton essay adaptable to those thesis statements.
As for creatives, make a 'base' character from the ground up. I like to think of it as a 'build a bear workshop.' Think and write down everything about your character, from the way the talk to the colour of their eyes. Be specific- its these small details that enhance a text. Then adapt this character to any story or scenario. Your character is one of the key things that connect the audience to your imaginative world. Here's an excerpt of my work for Extension I English. By no means is it perfect but I think the way I constructed my character is quite deep. (This level is not expected for English Standard, but I hope you can see what I mean by detail in character and setting):
The afternoon sun stretched its golden arms above the mountains in the distance and embraced the grove of cherry blossoms by a small stream, bathing it in warmth as the sunlight danced on the surface of the water. Chaewon stood there for a moment, the golden rays of the sun gently caressing her skin. It was as if the world had come to a standstill, and she was the sole witness to this serene moment in time. With every breath, she inhaled the sweet, fragrant air, letting the scent of cherry blossoms permeate her senses, creating a deep connection between herself and the ethereal garden.
The soft chirping of the birds and the babbling of the stream blended into a symphony of nature, a soothing melody that whispered secrets to only those who truly listened and opened their hearts. She couldn't resist the call of the stream any longer and with each step towards the water's edge, she felt a kinship with the timeless flow of life. The stream’s clear waters rippled gently as she dipped her fingers in, sending small circles of water and colourful fish outward and a rejuvenating touch through her body. As she continued to explore the enchanting grove, Chaewon gazed at the beauty of the velvet lacework. Their petals fluttered like whispers in the breeze, and the tree branches seemed to reach out like old spirits, eager to share their stories and wisdom. Each step on the grassy path was a step deeper into a world where the ordinary became extraordinary, where the heart found solace, and the soul discovered serenity.
Under the warm and welcoming embrace of one of the blushing trees, Chaewon found the perfect spot to stop in time and savour the beauty that enveloped her surroundings. The tree's ancient arms offered a small canopy, and a soft blanket of petals engulfed the ground like a tapestry. With the gentle serenade of the stream in the background, Chaewon reached for her guitar nestled against the tree. As she strummed her guitar to the tune of birds, the sound seemed to resonate with the very soul of the grove. The notes, at once soft and vibrant, filled the air and harmonised with the enchanting surroundings. It was a moment of pure serendipity as her fingers danced along the strings, and her melody became one with the whispering breeze.
3. How to master unseen texts.
Most students struggle with the time limit/pressure during exams, and reading a text for the first time can be time consuming. What I like to do is to trace my finger along the sentences as I read. Your eyes will subconsciously follow your finger, but don't be too fast! You want to ensure that you pick up all the key details to prevent having to go back and forth between writing and reading. Use a highlighter if u must (except during reading time). Go back to what I said in point 2. Having a base/skeleton essay that you've confidently memorised saves a lot of time. Just make sure you are answering the question and using the stimulus as required.
4. Balancing content with skills
You can do both of these at the same time. How? the crucial skills in English are comprehension, writing speed, understanding the text and looking beyond the words on the page- all of which can only be improved through practice. Keep on smashing out those past paper questions to test your memory and application of knowledge. I suggest having a few study sessions where u write ur essay with a quotes sheet next to you. As you get better/as you slowly memorise your quotes, have some sessions without the cheat sheet. Also, English isn't about memorising the content, but
understanding it. The only thing u need to memorise is evidence. If memorising is a problem, do what I did: write your quotes/important facts or context u need to remember on palm cards and read them in bed before u sleep. Read the palm cards out loud and rehearse them. They key to memorisation is repetition.
My key takeaway would be this: Start your preparation early and keep on spamming practice responses whilst getting feedback from your teachers. On that note, once u get the feedback, implement it and resubmit it. Keep on doing so until its perfect.
5. Resources...
Your teacher is your biggest and best resource!!!!
Here are some extra 'general' resources. You can find some english stuff here:
here you can access past papers (Prelim of HSC) including trial papers. One thing I would add is to double check the answers for some papers. I found on some of the math papers that the markers feedback/answers were incorrect. - also keep in mind not all papers have answers attached or you may need to scroll to the bottom of the paper.
THSC Online - HSC Maths Resources
Here you can access notes for any subject. This one has a trading system where to take notes, you need to give some yourself. This site is my personal favourite but I will mention that the information on this site is not always correct... after all, these are just notes from fellow students.
Studocu AU - Free Study Notes for University & High School
HSC Resource survival kit - Notes, videos, textbooks, exercises.
HSC RESOURCE SURVIVAL KIT – Google Drive
Library of HSC Notes, Past Papers, Resources | New Syllabus
Online library of HSC resources. Resources including past trial papers, study notes, past papers, assessments, essays & many more.
HSC Textbook library - free textbooks
HSC Textbook Library – Google Drive
I recommend using these notes more as a source of comparison to see if theres gaps in your own notes or knowledge.
5. How I structured my time.
First of all, using private dashboards can help get u motivated to study! I use this thing called notion.com which is basically my own dashboard/weekly planner/calendar etc. It makes u organised.
I recommend giving English at least 45mins-1hr a day. At least. Do that everyday until say about 2 weeks before the exam. This is what I call the 'intensive period' where I lock in for all my subjects. I'd spend around 1-2hours a day just revising all the content, creating summary notes, and memorising my base essays and evidence- Use my palm card method if your lost.
Sticking to a strict routine like this might sound quite hard, but trust me, once u commit to it for a week or two, it'll come naturally.
Sorry if this reply is a bit long but I hope you can get something out of it. If you have any other questions, I'll be happy to help.
