Why Some Exams Feel Like a Maze (Especially Those Dreaded English Ones)

The English Maze

Exams are supposed to be a fair test of your skills and knowledge, but sometimes they feel more like a cruel game with the rules written in a language you don’t speak. English GCSE language, for example, seems deliberately designed to trip you up. The questions feel like riddles wrapped up in a mystery, and buried in an enigma. They ask for one thing but seem to demand another. They won’t tell you how much to write, but you get penalised for writing the incorrect amount (did you know you can write too much?). You’re told, “There’s no right answer,” yet somehow there is a wrong one. You’re expected to analyse texts and think critically, but when you do, you’re told you’ve “missed the point.” It’s like trying to reason with the Queen of Hearts in Wonderland.

And then there’s the content of these exams. The texts often seem to be plucked from some unrelatable moment in history—like surfing in the 1950s or visiting the cinema as a child in the 1950s. (Were all examiners born in the 1950s? Is this a niche club we’re not part of?) It’s hard enough to interpret a text without feeling like you’re reading a diary entry from a time warp.

It’s such a contrast that subjects like maths or science. There, you know exactly what’s expected: you learn the formula, apply it, show your work, and earn the points. No cryptic questions, no room for “interpretation” – just straightforward problem-solving. It’s satisfying in a way English exams rarely are.

But here’s the thing: while English exams might feel like an impossible maze, it is possible to learn your way through it. You just need a guide who knows the path—someone who can see over the hedges and point you in the right direction. The trick isn’t just understanding the texts but understanding the examiner. What are they really looking for? What kinds of answers get the marks? Once you unlock that, the maze becomes less daunting.

It’s not fair, of course, that some exams feel like a test of survival rather than knowledge. But with the right approach (and perhaps a seasoned guide), even the trickiest challenges can be tackled.

So if you’re staring at a past paper wondering how on earth anyone gets through this, take heart. The maze has an exit—you just need to find the right map.