For AO1 you should be writing about how the themes and big ideas of the text relate to the storyline and the development of characters. AO1 isn't to do with language or similes or metaphors; you don't write about verbs or nouns. Here you should be writing about how the big ideas and themes relate to:

Key moments of plot: for example - "The bit where Scrooge snuffs out the Ghost of Christmas Past suggests..." or "The fact that it is Macduff who kills Macbeth symbolises..." or "Gerald's treatment of Eva shows him to be..."

Key moments of Character: for example - "Scrooge's response to seeing Belle with her family shows him to be..." or "Macbeth's behaviour throughout Act 1 Scene 7 implies..." or "Mr Birling's behaviour throughout the opening of Act 1 shows him to be..."

Comparisons across the text: for example - "Comparing Scrooge's behaviour after he wakes up on Christmas morning with his behaviour during the opening of the novel shows that..." or "The fact that Macbeth order the death of Banquo shows that he has changed..." or "Sheila's behaviour here shows just how much she has grown since the opening of the play..."

For AO1 you are encouraged to use embedded quotes where you can, though where you can't remember the quote just make sure you reference the text as specifically as you can.

For AO2 you should be focusing on the specific language being used. This is where the quotes come in. For this you should zoom in on specific words and phrases and make sure you show and explore meaning. A good guide to succeed here might be to think about the following:

Show you've understood the quote by embedding it - DON'T just say "At one point Macbeth says "We shall proceed no further in this business."" Instead, say "After a long speech exploring his reasons for not wanting to murder Duncan, Macbeth makes his feelings clear when he says to his wife "We shall proceed no further in this business."" Here, the second example shows I've understood where the quote comes in the play and shows I've really understood its meaning.

Zoom in on specific language to explore understanding - for example: "Here, the noun "business" suggests that Macbeth sees death almost as a part of his job - it's what Duncan paid him for, after all. Also the collective pronoun "we" makes it clear that Macbeth feels that he is speaking for the pair of them - they are embarking on this together and if one of them isn't doing it, neither of them should."

Talk about how the quote affects the characters, both the person who said it and anyone else who is relevant - for example: "Macbeth's refusal continue with Lady Macbeth's plan to murder Duncan shows how deep his doubts were - he wanted out. However, his attempts to control the situation would have angered his wife who, it seems, was quite used to having things her own way."

Understanding context means understanding that although literature should entertain, it also has a role in shaping the world we live in. Writers don't just write to make people happy, they also write to quell a burning desire for real social change. Dickens didn't write A Christmas Carol just for fun, he wrote it from a burning desire to make his world see how the obsessive pursuit of wealth was damaging society by punishing the poor - the same reason J.B. Priestley wrote An Inspector Calls really. Shakespeare wrote Macbeth to impress King James.

HOWEVER - Context is also about the modern world. Both A Christmas Carol and An Inspector Calls are both as relevant (or even more relevant) today than they were when they were written. Macbeth's message to "stay in your God given role" might be a little dated in a world where people are encouraged to work hard and achieve as much success as they can, though the warning against people who seek power for power's sake (Trump) is still very relevant.

Also it's worth saying that all the literature texts have themes that haven't aged as well - some people regard Macbeth as being a little misogynistic, while An Inspector Calls would have probably dealt with Eric or Gerald's behaviour differently post #MeToo. You are encouraged to challenge these ideas where you see fit, but don't harp on about this. All these texts were written by masters of their art, with good intentions so focus on the positives.

How to Include Context:
You can include references to context in either a conclusion or an introduction. However, you're much better off to remember to regularly talk about the writer's relationship with their audience - talk about how the writer's message would have come across - and use phrases like "to an audience in Jacobean times this would have seemed... However, a modern audience might feel that..." This is far more sophisticated and examiners are more likely to reward it more generously.

Macbeth offers an extra 4 marks for spelling, grammar and the use of advanced vocabulary. However, you are always encouraged to use correct SPAG and to push your vocabulary.

Fancy words exist for a reason, and using them wisely will ALWAYS help your grade.