How to Answer the Essay Question (Cambridge (CIE) AS English General Paper): Revision Note

Paper 1 is the essay paper. You will be given a list of ten essay questions on modern social issues, and you have to choose one on which to respond.

The following guide to how to answer the essay question covers:

• How to choose the best essay question

• Planning your General Paper essay

• How to mindmap and select ideas quickly

• Common mistakes and how to avoid them

How to choose the best essay question

Paper 1 of the General Paper requires you to think critically about contemporary issues and present your thoughts effectively. 

Choosing the right question can make the difference between a confident, focused essay and one that wanders off-task. Therefore, you should:

• Spend 5 minutes reading all ten essay prompts carefully:

  • Don’t rush your choice; read each prompt slowly to make sure you understand what is being asked

• Highlight the command words in each essay prompt:

  • Command words such as ‘discuss’, ‘evaluate’ or ‘to what extent’ determine the kind of response required

• Identify what the prompt is really asking:

  • What is the topic?

  • What is the key issue or debate within that topic?

  • What is the angle or judgement you are being asked to explore?

  • For example, if you are asked to ‘examine’ a point of view, then you should discuss both sides of the issue

• Match the question to your knowledge and examples:

  • Choose a question you can support with specific, relevant examples from your research and preparation

  • If you can think of at least three strong points and examples within 2-3 minutes, this is a good sign that the question suits you

  • Look for a question that allows you to develop a clear argument or line of thought

• Check that you have a clear opinion on the issue:

  • Strong essays show personal engagement and a clear point of view

  • If you do not feel strongly about the issue, you are likely to struggle to maintain a convincing argument

• Beware of ‘trap’ questions:

  • These are questions that might sound easy, but are too general or vague

  • These questions may also use ambiguous wording; make sure you can define what the central issue of the essay is in your introduction

Planning your General Paper essay

It is essential to make a structured plan before you start writing your essay. This will ensure you have enough relevant material (arguments and examples) and that your essay flows logically.

You should prioritise the depth of your arguments over trying to make too many separate points. It is better to make fewer points (4-5) in greater detail than listing a wide range of ideas briefly. To structure your paragraphs, think:

Point → Evidence → Develop/Evaluate

How to mindmap and select ideas quickly

Once you have chosen your question, spend 5-10 minutes mindmapping your ideas before deciding on your essay structure:

1. Write the essay question in the middle

2. Branch out with immediate ideas, keywords or themes relating to the question

3. Use lines to show how they connect:

   • At this stage, write down everything that comes to mind; this encourages creative thinking and ensures you won’t miss any strong points

4. Scan and group your ideas:

   • Look for common themes or particularly strong arguments which you can develop with evidence and examples

5. Highlight or circle your most relevant points:

   • Cross out any weak points or ideas for which you do not have evidence or examples

You should end up with four or five main ideas or arguments to structure your essay.

This method will help you quickly develop a focused, logical essay plan and select your most effective ideas under exam pressure.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Lack of specific focus

Failing to address the precise wording of the question, and instead writing generally about the broad topic, is a common mistake in the Paper 1 essay. For instance, discussing music in general when the question is about live music.

How to avoid

• Follow the tips at the top of this page to choose your question carefully

• Select the question based on its specific angle, not just on the general subject matter

• Ensure your introduction is clearly focused on the issues posed by the question and defines the limits of your response

Arguments that lack depth

Weaker responses try to cover too many points briefly rather than developing a few points in detail, or rely on poor arguments with no credible, developed evidence.

How to avoid

• Write more about less:

  • Focus on developing a few ideas in detail, rather than listing a wide range of brief points

• Use the P-E-D/E structure:

  • Better responses use a clear structure in their paragraphs

• Incorporate specific examples:

  • Use named, developed examples to support your arguments, or use more than one example

• Include evaluation in each paragraph:

  • Do not leave this until your conclusion; demonstrate analytical and evaluative skills throughout your essay

Repetition

Arguments can become repetitive or descriptive if your essay is not properly planned and structured. This means they lack logic and coherence, and failure to include opposing arguments in questions which instruct you to ‘discuss’ or to consider ‘to what extent’ will limit your analysis of the issue.

How to avoid

• Ensure every new point or argument you make genuinely moves your discussion forward in relation to the key words of the question

• For most questions, aim to include a range of points of view in the argument, with some balance where appropriate

• Use cohesive devices to link your paragraphs together

Inappropriate language and register

Your essay should be written using formal, academic language. Examiners often highlight the inappropriate use of contractions (such as ‘can’t’ or ‘don’t’), colloquialisms (such as ‘humongous’) or punctuation like exclamation marks.

How to avoid

• Maintain a formal tone suitable for academic writing:

  • Avoid slang or informal terms

• Use ambitious vocabulary accurately:

  • While the use of ambitious vocabulary accurately is rewarded, errors relating to the misuse of complex or sophisticated words will affect the clarity of your writing

• Avoid mechanical phrases:

  • Rely on smooth transitions between paragraphs and ideas rather than using structural, non-academic phrases such as “In this essay I will…”

Grammar and punctuation mistakes

Frequent, basic errors that severely impede communication (make it difficult to follow your writing) will be highlighted by the examiner and will cost you marks. 

These errors often include:

• subject-verb agreement (such as mixing up ‘has’ and ‘have’)

• run-on sentences (without the use of appropriate punctuation)

• misuse of articles and/or prepositions

• confusion between homophones

• misuse of punctuation (such as using commas instead of full stops)

How to avoid

• Time time to proofread your essay to correct any mistakes you spot:

  • Proofreading should address basic errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar

• Focus specifically on correcting verb and tense agreement errors

• Check your sentence structure, avoiding fragmented or run-on sentences

Finally, be mindful of the length of your essay. You should stick within the 600-700 words advised and know what that length looks like in your own handwriting.

For further guidance on writing your essay, see our guide to Structuring your Paper 1 essay.