First of all, preparation for the exams is essential. Be sure that you read all questions thoroughly and understand the demands of the questions.

Prior to the exams, review any past writing that you have completed in class. Your teacher should have provided you with the mark scheme for the exams. In order to be successful in the exams, you need to understand how the papers are scored and how to improve your scores on past papers you have been provided by your teacher for practice.

Avoid repeating a good essay you have written in the past that has little or nothing to do with the question. A good essay that is off-topic will not earn you high marks.

Avoid lifting passages. That is, write in your own words and write clearly and concisely. As well, pay attention to grammar and handwriting. If your writing has no focus and your handwriting is illegible, how can an examiner score it?

Review literary terms and be sure you understand those terms. As well, be sure you understand the effect of those terms. For example, if you were discussing setting in a work that took place in apartheid South Africa, you would need to understand just how that setting could influence the characters' actions, themes, or any other literary conventions.

Plan and organize essays but keep an eye on the clock. Be sure that you have enough time to execute your plan. Do not waste time on re-writing but write clearly the first time.

Review your response and be sure you have answered the question completely.

Lastly, good luck and prepare!

Reading, writing, and higher order thinking are all elements that you need to be developing. Writing is thinking at a higher level, and this helps make the reading better developed. In addition, make sure you take every opportunity to participate in the class discussion. Ask question and provide your own input. This gives you an opportunity to get response to your thinking processes before the exams.

From what I understand about these exams, you need the basic skills of literary analysis--the ability to read, think, and write.  Use every opportunity your teachers give you to improve on these skills.  Make sure you're reading challenging work and make sure you're writing effectively and taking your teachers' comments and criticisms seriously.  In short, you need to do what anyone who wants to get better at something must do--practice. Wish I had some kind of magic formula to offer, but no such luck.