I used to have an excellent Eng Lit teacher in my high school back then, she's really good, and about 50 of us in my school took it as it was compulsory for the top 2 classes to do it back in my time.

I don't know whether are the syllabus still the same, or the exam format may have changed drastically, but here's a bit of tip in which it will be helpful if the format is still the same.

Here's her recipe of writing a 8 marks essay question well.

Introduction or Sugar coating. Start with something interesting, just like a when you're eating a chocolate cake, it would taste a hell lot better if your first bite is the thick and rich layer of chocolate.

You will generally need 2 points only. For each point, elaborate well, support with excerpts and quotes from the passage or based on your knowledge, you really have to know your stuffs thoroughly.

For 12marks questions, the above applies, but with a final conclusion or known as personalization.

Express your opinion, tell the examiner what you feel, for example if it's a poem, you can put in words on how that moral value instilled a sense of appreciation to you, bla bla bla and stuffs like that. Connect your answers with the question, and try to interact with the examiner with your words.

I guess here's briefly what it is, if my memory recalls well.