How to Approach the Critical Essay Question (SQA National 5 English): Revision Note
Exam code: X824 75
In Section 2 of your Critical Reading Paper, you will write a 20-mark essay based on a text you have previously studied. You can approach the Critical Essay with confidence by learning more about the exam question:
Section 2: Critical Essay overview
Understanding the exam question
Top tips for a Grade A
Section 2: Critical Essay overview
In Section 2 of the exam, you’ll be given a choice of questions to answer. These questions are divided into five genres: drama, prose, poetry, film/television drama or language. Each genre has two questions to choose from. The questions do not mention specific texts and therefore they are intentionally broad and open-ended. This enables you to apply them to the text you’ve studied in that genre, so choose the question you feel most confident with.
Understanding the exam question
Critical essay questions are written to be broad enough for all students to use with different texts in the same genre. This means you can apply your own ideas and examples from your own text, as long as you clearly focus on what the question is asking you about.
The questions will usually focus on the following aspects:
characterisation
themes
settings and how they contribute to the overall effect
a scene or sequence (of a play or TV drama)
language use
All Critical Essay questions follow the same structure and are presented in two parts.
Choose a play which explores an important theme or issue. By referring to appropriate techniques, explain how the writer explores this theme or issue. [20 marks] |
The first part of the question will present the main focus for your response:
The question will be deliberately broad:
For example, this question allows you to select your own “theme or issue”
The second part of the question will refer to “appropriate techniques”:
This means you must analyse and evaluate the techniques the writer has used to convey meaning
The second part of the question will also give the main command word of the question:
For this question it will always be “explain” which means you need to show how or why something is effective
“Appropriate techniques” can mean different things depending on which genre you have studied. You might comment on the following different techniques for each genre:
Drama | Prose | Poetry | Film/TV drama | Language |
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Here are some recent examples of exam questions from the SQA National 5 English course. Look at the wording of the questions and the question structure and themes.
Can you identify any exam questions that would be challenging for you to answer based on the text you are studying?
Drama | Prose | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Choose a play which contains an interesting character. By referring to appropriate techniques, explain how the writer makes this character interesting | Choose a play which explores an important theme or issue. By referring to appropriate techniques, explain how the writer explores this theme or issue. | Choose a novel or short story or work of non-fiction which explores a theme that interests you. By referring to appropriate techniques, explain how this theme is explored. | Choose a novel or short story or work of non-fiction in which there is a memorable character. By referring to appropriate techniques, explain how the writer makes this character memorable. |
Poetry | Film and TV Drama | ||
Choose a poem which contains a memorable mood or atmosphere. By referring to appropriate techniques, explain how the poet creates this memorable mood or atmosphere. | Choose a poem which explores an interesting experience. By referring to appropriate techniques, explain how this interesting experience is explored. | Choose a scene or sequence from a film or TV drama* which is funny or powerful or contains suspense. By referring to appropriate techniques, explain how this effect is created. | Choose a film or TV drama* which involves conflict. By referring to appropriate techniques, explain how this conflict is explored. |
Language | |||
Choose an example of language which aims to persuade you to buy something or change your point of view. By referring to specific examples, explain how persuasive language is used effectively. | Choose an example of language used by a group of people from the same place, or with the same job, or who are of the same age. By referring to specific examples, explain the features of this language. | ||
Examiner Tips and Tricks
You can significantly improve your exam performance by paying close attention to the question and understanding it thoroughly.
Top tips for a Grade A
Stay focused on the question, showing how the writer’s ideas and techniques support your argument
Plan before you write:
Choose five or six key points to include in your essay
Keep each paragraph tied to the question:
Include its wording throughout so you remain focused on the task
Provide a range of examples from your chosen text:
Remember this is a closed book examination so examples can be specific references to episodes or events, or paraphrased quotations
Ensure you demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the whole text
Write in a clear and structured way, using accurate spelling, punctuation and grammar:
Some errors are acceptable as long as they don’t affect the meaning or fluency of your writing
Ensure the question you choose is not on the same genre as your Scottish texts option in Section 1
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