Marking a class set of essays on the same play means writing similar comments again and again. Many teachers keep a private list of favorite phrases, but few build one in a way that actually stays useful. A good comment bank is specific to the text, easy to search and written in language students will read.

The danger with generic comments is that students learn to ignore them. A note that says "analyze more" sounds like feedback and does almost nothing. A comment that points to a moment in the play and asks a question gives the student a next step.

An Inspector Calls is a good play for this approach because the same weaknesses show up so often. Once you have written a strong comment for each one, you can reuse it with small edits for years.

Here is how to organize a bank that works.

Sort comments by skill, not by student

The easiest structure is a short list under each skill you assess: argument, evidence, analysis, structure, context and accuracy. Under each heading, write three to five comments at different levels, from a light prompt to a more direct instruction. That way you can match the comment to the student's level without composing it from scratch.

• Argument: "Your opening claim is clear. Where in the play does it get tested by a character who disagrees?"
• Evidence: "This quotation is from early in the play. What does a later one add to the point?"
• Analysis: "You named the technique. What does it make the audience think about Mr. Birling?"
• Context: "You mention 1945. Which line would a 1945 audience have reacted to most?"
• Accuracy: "Check the spelling of Goole and Croft each time; consistency matters here."

Keep it tied to the text

Comments that name a character, a scene or a device stick. "Look at how the Inspector's timing makes Birling's speech ironic" is far more useful than "look at structure." It also shows students that you have read what they wrote rather than pasted a stock phrase.

Avoid comments that repeat the mark scheme. Students already have it, and they rarely connect it to their own paragraph.

Give every comment a next step

A comment should leave the student knowing what to do. Ask them to rewrite a sentence, add a quotation or swap a verb for a more precise one. Small tasks are more likely to be completed than general advice to improve.

Some teachers reserve a slot in the next lesson for students to act on one comment. Even ten minutes is enough to turn feedback into revision.

Where technology fits

A comment bank is a good match for AI-assisted marking. Tools such as GraideMind can draft feedback aligned to your rubric, and you can shape those drafts with the language and tone you already use in your class. The bank becomes a set of standards rather than a chore.

Over time you can compare the AI drafts to your own comments and adjust either side. The result is feedback that feels like yours and takes far less time to produce.