How do I structure my essay to maximise marks and impress the examiner on the essay question?

Firstly, at GCSE it is possible to follow a very rigid structure and receive very high marks. You should write a very brief introduction and about 3 paragraphs with a conclusion that links and prioritises your factors. The paragraphs should follow your standard point, evidence and explain routine, in order to maximise marks be sure to concentrate the most on the analysis and use linking words such as ‘this lead to’ and ‘consequently’. This really shows the examiner that you’ve really grasped the knowledge of the syllabus and are able to apply it to any question.
At A level, the structure should not be as rigid to demonstrate good essay writing skills and show you’re able to make your argument flow. Once again a brief introduction is needed as well as a linking conclusion. However the high marks come from your ability to answer the question, I always had a few tricks to seem like I really knew what I was talking about. Thinking about the long and short term consequences of a factor you are explaining makes you stand out from the other candidates, and to impress them even more, considering the scope of the factor is key too. For example, if you are talking about if the industrial revolution improved living standards you could say ‘The industrial revolution saw a general increase in living standards however it failed to make an impact in the countryside where the population was not exposed to urbanisation and improvements in technology. Making the rise of living standards solely limited to urbanised areas.’ At A level this would be enough to show the examiner that you have thought widely about the question and this will be sure to give you higher marks.