How do I sit an exam on a Shakespeare play that I don't even understand?

First of all - Shakespeare is written in old English, and there are some words he uses that no one understands - even the experts! So don't be too hard on yourself. But often what makes Shakespeare so hard is the idea that it's hard - and it's not! You probably know a lot of the stories and lines already, without even realising it.What you can do is familiarise yourself with the story. Learn who the characters are and what they're like, start thinking about the way they act, and their motivations. Then we can start analysing language, looking at how some of those images and metaphors make the story richer. You don't need to memorise the whole play; you don't need to understand every word; and you don't even have to like the story! As long as you have a good understanding of what is going on and how Shakespeare uses language to portray that, you will be okay. Try doing a practice paper question with your notes to help you, and you'll see that it really can be done! If you've read and thought about the play, you'll have something to say. And next time you try a practice paper, do it without your notes, and see how you've improved - I'm sure you'll surprise yourself!