Break down the question, find what the question is asking you.
- Are there any points of reference you must make to a text? (ie, explore ____ in ONE text studied in class),
- Understand the verb and what it’s asking of you (ie, ASSESS -> make a judgement, EXPLAIN -> cause and effect).,
- What are the key words in the question?
Also writing a plan before you start will always be helpful. Even if you don’t finish, writing a plan will also help your marker understand the points you were planning to discuss.
Past papers are good for helping build those skills to answer questions. Once you understand a text and it’s content, practicing past papers can help you morph an essay to fit any question