How do I cut out the waffle?

One of the main criticism when writing an answer to an English question is do not write necessary waffle! You want to get to your answer in the most efficient way possible. The best way to do this is to plan out your answer before you write, that way you know exactly what your argument is. This stops you going off on a tangent and attempting to explain something you are slightly unsure about. If you plan in advance you will think about what the question is asking of you, instead of waffling around it!Secondly, you should always refer back to the question to make sure that you are addressing what they are asking and making relevant points.