Ms. Fahy
2013 Examination
 Understand
the structure of the
examinations.
 Identify
the areas covered in each paper
 Identify
the texts for each of the sections
 Understand
the marking scheme – PCLM = ?
 There
are 2 papers in the English Leaving
Cert Exam.
 Each
paper = 200 marks
 Total
400 marks = 100%
 PAPER
1 – COMPREHENSION & COMPOSITION
 PAPER
2 – ALL STUDIED LITERATURE.
This
paper is divided
into 2 sections:
Comprehension
Composition

In the ‘Comprehending’ section there will be three texts, all of
which will be related to the same theme. The theme could be,
for example, friendship, childhood or war.

Most of the texts will be taken from books or newspapers, but
you could also get some visual material such as a set of
photographs or some book covers. Bear in mind the following
points:
Each text is followed by a question A and a question B. You must
answer question A from one text and question B from a different
text. In other words, you may NOT answer questions A and B from
the same text!
Question A is made up of a number of small questions relating
directly to the text. They are designed to check both that you
understand the text well and that you are able to express your
own response to it. The second part, Question B, requires you to
complete a writing task arising out of the text. You might be
asked, for example, to write in the style of a debate, a letter, a
diary entry, or a news report.



Here you will have to choose one composition
from a set of seven options. You have studied
five different language categories in your
Leaving Cert years – information, argument,
persuasion, narration, and the aesthetic use of
language – and this is where these are tested. All
of the options are linked in some way to the
texts in the comprehension section. Take good
note of the following points:

Make sure you read the instructions very
carefully and do exactly what you are asked to
do. Try as far as possible to write in the language
category which the composition suggests.
 This



paper is divided into 3 Sections
Single Text
Comparative Studies
Poetry
60 marks
70 marks
70 marks
 Single
Text = Macbeth or The Great Gatsby
 Comparative
Studies = How Many Miles to
Babylon , Casablanca &/or 1984.
 Poetry
= 36 prescribed poems.
 Clarity
of Purpose (P) 30%

Coherence of Delivery (C) 30%

Efficiency of Language Use (L)

Accuracy of Mechanics(M) 10%
30%
 “To
display a clear and purposeful
engagement with the set task.” (DES)
????????
This means that all answers must be relevant
to the questions asked.
ARE YOU DOING EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE ASKED
TO DO?
 “To
sustain the response in an appropriate
manner over the entire answer.”
 In
other words – structure! Are you making
sense? A strong PQE core!
 “To
manage and control language
appropriate to the task”
 Are
you using the appropriate language style?
Informative? Argumentative ? Etc…. End is as
clear as the start.
 “To
display levels of accuracy in spelling and
grammar appropriate to the required/chosen
register.”
 Spellings!
 Paper
1 – 2012 Text 1