Top 9 Tips for Excelling in the National High School Literature Exam

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Ngày cập nhật gần nhất: 15/3/2026

Content

1. Master the Core Knowledge

2. Practice Exams Before the Test

3. Cultivate Writing Skills

4. Clear and Beautiful Presentation, Spacious

5. Don't Forget the Importance of Starting

6. Introduce Fresh and Representative Evidence

7. Allocate Time Reasonably

8. Mastering Every Point in the Reading Comprehension Section

9. Creating Distinction

1. Master the Core Knowledge

Every subject has its crucial focal points, the foundation for students to progress in their preparation. Specifically for Literature, students need to invest time in mastering specific core knowledge, such as: Each literary period, including the Middle Ages, Pre and Post-August Revolution,...; Notable works of each author, their biography, and writing style; Memorizing all poems, key details, and grasping the artistic content of each piece;... This is the essential framework that helps students orient themselves well in reviewing and developing ideas when writing.

Students should allocate time to compile all the essential knowledge that needs to be thoroughly understood and memorized. Some students may think Literature doesn't require memorization, but important knowledge cannot be fully remembered by just skimming through. However, the critical issue is to categorize and study according to diagrams to have a systematically understood knowledge for comprehensive synthesis questions with various works. Especially when compiling knowledge in this way, at least students will remember 30% of the content.

Additionally, while reading sample essays, especially those with in-depth analyses or emotionally expressive passages, students should try to read multiple times to memorize the writing style. If necessary, memorizing certain passages can be beneficial to adapt and enhance the value of the exam. Essays that analyze and critique often published in the monthly Education magazine by educational publishers are usually profound and high-quality, mainly analyzing difficult and excellent topics used in university entrance exams. Students can purchase these magazines to increase the value of their reference materials.

Master the Core Knowledge

2. Practice Exams Before the Test

Once mastering the core knowledge, challenge yourselves as candidates by simulating exam conditions at home. Close the door, self-assess your test-taking skills with past exam papers and official answers from previous years provided by the Ministry of Education and Training. Consulting exam papers, answers, official grading, and practicing previous years' exams will give students a clearer direction in revising and taking the actual test.

Students can ask teachers to grade their papers and provide feedback on their shortcomings. Only through this learning process can they improve their test-taking skills and supplement any missing knowledge. This training process will be a crucial weapon, providing students with essential experience when entering the actual exam.

Learn how to answer questions, master knowledge, how to open and conclude essays, develop ideas, transition between ideas, present, express... through high-scoring essays in previous university entrance exams. Compare these essays with the official answers and grading from the Ministry, identifying missing ideas, discovering new ideas, and understanding why they received high scores.

Hone Essay Writing Skills

3. Cultivate Writing Skills

To enhance your essay writing, make it smoother and more fluent, you can apply the following tips:

Use metaphors to create focal points

Discussing the two fates of the character Mi in Tô Hoài's work, Wife and Husband A Phủ, can be expressed as follows:

Within the grasp of evil, there were moments when Mi had a glimpse of a blue sky, even if they were just memories. Mi still dreams, although not explicitly stated as dreaming. However, sadly, the desire for life collided with two opposing forces of divine authority and political power, leading to a state of duality. There were times when Mi felt like a bird with broken wings. There were times when she felt free, even though the concept of 'freedom' is understood within the prison walls.

Apply rhetorical questions:

When writing, for a smoother flow, you can use phrases such as: Is it possible that, I wonder, if... then? Does anyone see that? Do we recognize...? Example: When discussing courage, you can write:

What is courage? Children think courage is sacrificing like a lead soldier. Adults think courage is achieving exploits, being recorded in history. But sometimes, courage is simply daring to speak up.

Use sentence structures with comparison, contrast, progression

You can use phrases such as: If... then; Not only... but also, Not just because... but also..., While... yet... Example: Still discussing the issue of courage, you can write:

The true warrior asks: What if I don't accept this risk? The ordinary person asks: What if I fail? (Ronal Reagan). Humans are not born with courage, but surely have the potential from birth. To win, we need to have a Danko heart, courageously charging forward.

Flexibility in using various sentence types

Arrange and transform long, medium, and short sentences in a paragraph. Short sentences create a sense of speed, urgency, and strength. Long sentences demonstrate details and depth (provided they are written correctly). Medium sentences act as a transition between short and long sentences to add rhythm to the piece.

Diversify these three sentence types and arrange them in the order you prefer. For example, in a paragraph of 4 sentences: short - short - long - medium or medium - medium - long - short. Many writers have cleverly used rhythm to captivate readers in a seemingly unexciting story.

Cultivate Writing Skills

Hone Essay Writing Skills

4. Clear and Beautiful Presentation, Spacious

This is also an important strategy. For the Literature exam, students need to elaborate enough to highlight the content that needs analysis. However, strive to write clearly, the neater the handwriting, the better, and write as much as possible. For the Literature exam with a duration of 120 minutes, candidates should write at least 10 pages of paper. This will make an initial impression on the examiners because 'the first impression is crucial.' Remember: Writing long doesn't mean writing loosely; avoid repetition of ideas as it can be confusing and lead to point deductions.

For presentation, pay attention to the formal principles of a paragraph and an essay. For a paragraph, indentation is not allowed, there should be an opening and closing sentence, and it should be written following the deductive error to clearly express personal opinions. As for an essay, ensure the correct structure of introduction, body, and conclusion. Remember that in the scoring rubric, there is certainly a point for the correct presentation of structure!

You can draw/fold margins from 1.5-2cm from the left edge of the exam paper (use a 30cm ruler). This will give the examiner space to write comments alongside and also make the writing more airy and clear. Moreover, drawing margins helps you gain a little extra space on the exam paper, making it easier to write on the second and third sheets. However, absolutely do not overuse margins, as this can also lead to a deduction in presentation points. Also, do not draw margins with a pen; it is recommended to use your fingernail, as it will limit the creation of personal marks in the exam, which is not good for you at all.

Apply the rule 'two lines between two sentences, one line between two ideas.' For example: When you finish question 1 on social discussion after reading comprehension, you should leave 2 lines to start question 2. Similarly, when you finish idea 1, leave 1 line to proceed to idea 2. This will make the writing more spacious, without cramping between sections, especially in the last minutes when you suddenly remember something to add; these blank lines will be a lifesaver for your presentation points!

Finally, to score high in writing, you also need to create a positive impression by minimizing the use of erasures and spelling mistakes. Your handwriting may not be perfect, but it must be readable.

Present Neatly - Beautifully, Spaciously

5. Don't Forget the Importance of Starting

This is the secret that many candidates always apply because of the pressure on the quality of the essay, we need to save time absolutely. On the other hand, when you read the prompt and start well in a short time, it will be a very good 'launching pad' to effectively continue the body of the essay without thinking too much about the introduction. Starting well, a good first impression will be very helpful for later perceptions. Writing an essay really needs a good introduction that will make the reader feel comfortable and want to read more.

A small tip for writing a high-scoring essay is that you should write the introduction first while reviewing specific texts, then based on that pre-written introduction, adapt it according to the requirements of the prompt, avoiding spending too much time on the opening part.

After opening, the student has already grasped the pulse of the essay to continue the following parts. The way of opening is always associated with the literary period and the author is the easiest general approach to apply. Students should emphasize the special features of the analyzed work, then complete the introduction quickly and efficiently.

Don't Forget the Importance of a Good Opening

6. Introduce Fresh and Representative Evidence

High-scoring essays not only need sufficient ideas with well-constructed and eloquently expressed paragraphs but also require evidence that is accurately quoted, representative, selectively chosen, persuasive, and contributes to elucidating and highlighting the essay's central ideas.

The evidence students use when writing essays must be specific, authentic, and especially representative. When presenting evidence, students also need to rely on it for further analysis. Remember not to include too much evidence in the essay. In the essay, use only 1-3 representative pieces of evidence. Students should minimize the inclusion of literary essay evidence in social essays.

To use evidence effectively, students should understand the purpose of each question and apply it appropriately. For essays (400-600 words), students should mainly include evidence in the body paragraphs. Each viewpoint requires appropriate and most representative evidence. When writing a paragraph (200 words) for the National High School Graduation Exam, students only need to include 1-2 suitable pieces of evidence to ensure the logical coherence of the essay. Evidence is usually included in the argumentative paragraph to enhance persuasiveness. Apply the process of presenting evidence as follows:

Step 1: Identify the issue related to which topic area.
Step 2: Identify the topic area directly related.
Step 3: Think of the most typical evidence
Step 4: Present and analyze the evidence, delving deep into the central issue.

During the preparation and practice for the upcoming exam, a tip to help students quickly incorporate evidence into their essays on various topics is to watch TV shows (Chuyen dong 24h, Cap la yeu thuong,...), read newspapers, social media, or update Mytour for the latest current evidence. With the same evidence, students can use it for many different essay topics, just know how to flexibly present that evidence to succeed.

Introduce Fresh and Representative Evidence

Present Fresh and Representative Evidence

7. Allocate Time Reasonably

According to the structure of the high school graduation exam in Literature, it is the subject with the longest duration, yet the exam is also the longest, requiring time for students to have emotional flow for smooth writing. In the exam, students must answer questions in the Reading - Understanding the text section at the level of recognition, reproduction, and comprehension, while writing two small argumentative paragraphs.

During the exam, students should pay attention to the scores of each question recorded in the exam to proactively allocate time for each question reasonably. It is not advisable to draft a paragraph and then copy it because that will not be enough time. Students should only underline the main ideas through bullet points, through branches, then choose the forms of expression and write them directly into the exam paper. It is advisable to spend about 4-5 minutes at the end of the exam to reread the essay, review errors related to spelling, punctuation, grammar, etc.

Optimal Time Management

8. Mastering Every Point in the Reading Comprehension Section

In the national high school exam, there is a section that holds great importance. While the scores may not be exceptionally high, it is relatively easy to earn full marks. To perform well in this section, students need to read the text sequentially. First, read the entire text and the questions. Then, read it again, focusing on answering the questions. You can use a pen to mark the answers in the test paper or jot them down on a draft paper before officially writing them on the answer sheet. Pay attention to information related to the text, such as the title, author, source (usually located at the end of the text). Often, this is the foundation upon which you can base your answers. Pay attention to the number of questions and clauses in each question. The four questions are usually arranged from easy to difficult, corresponding to the scoring scale of 0.5 - 0.5 - 1 - 1 point. Therefore, it is essential to balance the requirements of reading comprehension knowledge and maintain a logical correlation between them.

Focus on the title, author, and the source of the text (where it is quoted from) to grasp the main content, accurately determine the genre, language style, and the primary expression method. Answer concisely, clearly, and focus on the question's main requirement. You should only spend about 10 minutes on the reading comprehension section, as the total exam time is 120 minutes, and there are other challenging and longer questions ahead.

If a question has multiple clauses, it is advisable not to write it as a paragraph but to answer with bulleted points. For questions like 'according to the text/according to the author,' you must closely adhere to the text to answer. If the question requires 'providing additional solutions/your own opinions,' it is best to present as many ideas as possible, avoiding duplication with the ideas in the text.

Reality shows that if two candidates have the same reading comprehension knowledge, the difference in scores lies in the carefulness of the answers. For example, in presentation, the answer includes a recap of the question, and there is a clear gap between each answer. It is recommended to have a safe distance between answers (about 3, 4 lines) for ease of correction and readability for examiners. When answering recognition questions (language style, reasoning operations, etc.), provide an explanation of why. Additionally, pay attention to aspects such as margins, lines, presentation of bullet points, paragraph presentation, and spelling...

Comprehensive Excellence in Reading Comprehension Section

9. Creating Distinction

When tackling the literature exam to secure a high score, students must go beyond the ordinary and strive to create distinction in their essays. It's akin to adding special dishes to a common meal. The common dishes are like points derived from textbooks or standard answers—accessible and general. On the other hand, the special dishes refer to exploring profound, novel, and creative ideas in the essay.

Achieving this demands effort, time, intellectual engagement, and soul: thorough and deep reading of literary texts, extensive exploration of works on the same topic, theme, historical period, consulting analyses, research, and critiques by scholars and teachers, as well as articles from peers. Accumulating a rich life experience, cultural background, observational skills, critical thinking, and enhancing expressive abilities contribute to your intellectual wealth. This is undoubtedly a challenging task, but if you genuinely love the subject and invest attention into it, you will succeed and be duly rewarded. A small tip to consider is exploring sample essays on Mytour.vn, which can serve as a valuable reference. By studying these articles, you can grasp the content and writing style, helping you infuse your own creativity into your compositions.

Creating Distinction

Crafting Distinction

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the core knowledge areas that literature students must master?

Literature students must focus on essential knowledge such as literary periods, notable authors' works and biographies, and key artistic details. This foundational understanding aids in effective reviewing and idea development for writing.

How can students effectively practice exams before the test day?

Students can simulate exam conditions by using past papers from the Ministry of Education. This helps in self-assessment, identifies gaps in knowledge, and enhances test-taking skills, leading to better preparation.

What writing techniques can improve the quality of essays in literature?

To enhance essay quality, students should use metaphors, rhetorical questions, and varied sentence structures. These techniques foster smoother transitions, engage readers, and enrich overall writing fluency.

What are the key elements of a neat and effective essay presentation?

For a high-scoring essay, clarity, neat handwriting, and proper structure are essential. Students should avoid erasures and ensure their writing is spacious, allowing examiners to comment easily.

Why is a strong introduction important in an essay?

A compelling introduction captures the reader's interest and sets the tone for the essay. It serves as a 'launching pad' that guides the subsequent content and maintains engagement throughout.

How should students incorporate evidence into their literature essays?

Students should select specific, representative evidence that supports their central ideas. It's crucial to limit the number of pieces to 1-3 in each essay, ensuring clarity and persuasiveness.

What strategies can help students manage their time effectively during exams?

To manage exam time, students should allocate specific minutes to each question, avoiding excessive drafting. They should also leave time at the end for reviewing their work for errors.

What steps can students take to excel in the reading comprehension section?

To excel in reading comprehension, students should read the text thoroughly, note key details, and answer questions concisely. Paying attention to the source and maintaining clarity in answers is vital.

How can students create distinction in their literature essays?

Students can create distinction by incorporating unique insights and in-depth analysis. Engaging with various sources and developing personal interpretations enrich the essay, making it stand out.

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