Most GCSE English students lose easy marks and don’t even realise why.
It’s not your writing.
It’s not your ideas.
It’s this one hidden mistake; explained in less than 30 seconds...
Big statements mean nothing if you cannot back them up. Examiners see it all the time: bold claims with zero proof behind them.
When you give an opinion without a quote, it feels like guesswork, not analysis.
The strongest answers tie every idea to a specific moment in the text. One sharp quote can turn a vague point into a grounded, convincing argument. It shows you are basing your ideas on the writer's actual choices, not on vibes.
Evidence is your anchor. Without it, your paragraph floats away.
The mistake: making a big claim without backing it up with a quote or a specific example.
Example: "Romeo is really passionate."
Okay, but where is your evidence?
Examiners want proof. Every claim needs a specific quote or example. Otherwise, your argument falls flat.