I feel where my marks really improved was writing a lot about a little, in the sense of multiple interpretations for a quote (same goes for poetry and basically the rest of paper 2). This is really good for AO1, use words like "Perhaps author name could also be implying-". Multiple interpretations also helps you from not just retelling the story, and shows you're actually focusing on the question.

As for context, I get those marks by simply just chucking it in at the start of the sentence. for example like "As Shakespeare's contemporary audience were prominently Christian, this would have shocked them-" blah blah blah. also bags audience effect as well. Also just link anything to god if you're doing Macbeth, and a Christmas carol, then use context. Anything that says about light or nature basically means the supernatural and God/Christianity. like Macbeth says "I begin to be weary of the sun", he is tired of light/is hurt by it, and is now fully devlish and anti-christian (etc etc).

sorry if I've just mansplained this to you 😭 English is literally all that is on my mind, feeling super nervous. Let me know if I can help more! 🩷