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English

Exam Guidance: English

ABOUT THE EXAM

The exam consists of 2 sections; both are weighted equally. It is recommended that students spend 10 minutes on reading the passage.
Section A: reading comprehension passage of approximately 700 words with follow-up questions.
Section B: a writing section

Students will have a choice of 2 essay topics and are expected to write about 250-300 words.
Exam duration: 1 hour and 40 minutes (including 10 minutes for reading)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How long is the comprehension passage usually?
The passage in Section A is approximately 700 words and students are advised to read it carefully in the 10 minutes reading time that is allocated.

Can I answer questions in short?
Students are advised to answer the questions in full sentences.

How do I know how long my answer should be?
Some questions expect paragraph answers and students can judge on the expected length of an answer by the space provided to answer the question and the marks allocated to each question.

Which questions usually require longer answers?
Longer questions could be about the feelings of a character or what we learn about a character.

What do you mean by giving evidence?
If the question requires students to give evidence, they are expected to refer to the passage to support their answer.

For Section B, how many topics can I choose from?
A choice of 2 essay titles is given.

How long should my essay be?
Students are expected to write about 250-300 words.

What kind of essay titles might appear on Section B?
Titles might ask students to write a description on something or someone, or write about a story; the title/subject is usually given to guide the student. Students might also be asked to write about a time they did something or something happened.

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