1. Selection of Topic
Once you reach the descriptive section of the exam, read the given topics. Once you read all the topics, think for a minute and pick the topic of which you have maximum knowledge so that you can add references, examples and impressive content. If you choose the topic without thinking, and in the middle of writing you will struggle to collect information and ideas to put in. So choose your topic wisely.
2. Analyse Previous Papers
Before the exam, you should go through some sample papers of previous year papers to get an idea about the topics that you may come across in the paper. Try to research the related information. For example, you can read about the space programs launched by ISRO, the government initiatives and environmental issue of the contemporary times. Thus, you won't struggle with the ideas while writing your essay.
3. Choose the type
Once you are sure about the topics you have chosen to write, don't start writing instantly. There are various types of essay, some are argumentative, narrative, expository and descriptive, cause & effect, compare & contrast, persuasive essay. Now you need to think about what kind of essay you are going to write. Will you write a story, or write the causes effects and solutions? Are you going to argue about something or going to pursue the already given idea/dictum? Because each type of essay follows a different kind of writing skills. So you should be very clear about the writing strategy.
4. Make Maps
Once you have are sure about the strategy, wait for a minute and create maps. For example, if you are writing for Causes and Solutions of Global Warming divide it into sections as follow
Introduction→ What is global warming?→ Different Causes→ Cause 1→Cause 2→Cause 3 .....→Solutions→Solution 1→Solution2→Solution3 etc.→Conclusion
Using this map you can decide the flow of your essay, you can modify the arrangement of paragraphs and thus the essay will be fluent and impressive.
5. Introduction & Conclusion
To make your first impression good, use an impressive introduction, which can be a related quote or a broad statement. A normal introduction will never fetch good marks. Similarly, the conclusion is also essential in an essay which should conclude or precise your essay in a single paragraph and for that you must know how use precis skills to summarise your essay.
6. The Body
The body of the essay is as important as your introduction and conclusion. It should be aligned or have a flow of course/action. There should not be a random arrangement of paragraphs put together. It should have a fluency of ideas and arrangement of thoughts that must be put together for a purpose. For example: if you are writing about the causes of global warming: the body should be arranged in the following way
Main Cause: Burning of fossil fuels, emission of CO2, CO2 is produced by vehicles, deforestation, burning of coals etc. now you should arrange them logically and when you write solutions, the arrangement should be according to the causes.
7. The Last Stroke
Once you have finished writing the conclusion, finish your essay at a striking note. Add some statement that you read in the newspaper, a quote related to the topic or make your own quote that will give your essay a finishing touch.
8. Revise
After completing your essay, revise and re-read to rectify grammatical errors, spelling errors, and punctuation marks. Some students don't revise their write-ups and thus they end up doing very silly mistakes. So always revise.
9. Must Do
i. Always check your statements
ii. Must follow a logical arrangement of paragraphs
iii. Use good vocabulary but never try to use extra-advance vocabulary that confuses the examiner.
iv. Crosscheck the spelling and conjunctions like if-then, to-too etc.
v. Use adverbs and adjective carefully, their incorrect placement will lead to deduction of marks
10. Never Do
i. Never use abbreviations like don't, didn't, haven't etc.
ii. Never place paragraphs randomly
iii. Never write incorrect facts and statements
iv. Never write irrelevant statements
