Sample Visual Text Answer

The image of the lady passing the soldier (image 3) had the greatest impact on me. I think this woman decided to dress up because she is determined to carry on with her life as usual, despite the presence of soldiers on the streets of her city. Dressing up allows her to feel powerful and important. I particularly noticed her pearls in this image, as they are traditionally a symbol of wealth. Clearly as an unarmed woman in a besieged city, she felt powerless and threatened. Walking the streets of her city dressed up to the nines is an act of defiance against the occupiers – the caption under the photo says that it was taken during the siege of Sarajevo.

It is possible (but unlikely in my opinion) that she is trying to impress the soldier – her look is one of disgust and contempt, not seduction. She is unsmiling, she holds her head up high and swings her free arm as though she hasn’t a care in the world. This has to be an act – the man in the foreground is carrying a heavy machine gun. Judging by the distance between her two feet she is taking quite long confident strides, or at least as long as she can with her tight skirt on! Although the soldiers head is out of shot, from examining her line of vision, I’d say she is looking directly at him, almost as a kind of challenge to his authority. She appears entirely unthreatened & unintimidated by the weapon he is carrying.

The soldier in the left foreground appears quite relaxed, judging by the cigarette perched between two fingers of his right hand. However, he seems prepared to use his weapon as both of his hands are resting on it, ready to spring into action if necessary. By contrast, the woman seems to be going somewhere specific, on a mission. She is doing her best to appear nonchalant as she strides past. The two images create a great contrast because it is so unexpected to see a woman in upmarket fashionable clothes walking casually past a soldier in a war zone. The focus remains firmly on the woman, however because her body is in frame whereas the soldier’s legs and head are cut off, rendering him anonymous, a nameless, faceless, unknown soldier.

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How much to write?

Lots of you wonder how much you should write for each of the sections and most teachers will say it depends on the student, on the question etc..

I’ll give you some general guidelines courtesy of my mate Benny who corrects Leaving Cert Hons English every year.

Paper 1

Comprehension answers:

10 marks = half page

15 marks = three quarters to one page

20 marks = one to one and a half pages

Question B = one and a half to two pages.

Depends on task. Language of information asks to you be direct, succinct and get to the point so a report, set of guidelines, leaflet might be a page or just over. However, a general guideline suggests two pages and don’t include the addresses in a letter. They don’t count as half a page!

Composition = 4 to 6 pages. Quality is more important than quantity. Don’t write so much that the reader gets bored and wishes it was over.

Paper 2

Hamlet = 4 – 5 pages. Beyond 6 and you’re probably just waffling.

Comparative = 5 – 7.  Anything less is flimsy. You do have 3 texts after all.

Unseen poetry = Page and a half maximum.

Studied poetry = 4 pages.

Obviously some people write slow, some fast, some big, some small. The important thing is that the examiner sees you are focused on the question and organised in your approach. Don’t waffle.

Oh and one more thing! Bear in mind that the average number of words per line is 10-12. Now grab a copy, any copy and count your words – how many do you usually have per line?

If it’s 8 or less your writing is very big

so you may need to write a bit more.

If it's more than 15 your writing is very small and it may seem like
you haven't written enough. Start skipping a line between paragraphs!

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Attention all LC’s – read this!

Everything on this site is pretty po-faced but if you really want to impress go for the tongue-in-cheek, ‘it’s all a big pile of stinky-poo Ted’ approach.

(I was going to say ‘big pile of shite’ but like all writers I must be aware of my target audence and I don’t want to injure your delicate sensibilities with my coarse language).

Anyway, check out this article, not just because it’s bloody funny but also because the style of writing is what you should aspire to.

Enjoy: http://www.eoinbutler.com

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Reviews

You may be asked to write a review of a

• book you have read
• CD or iTunes album you have listened to
• concert you’ve attended
  
• theatre performance (play, ballet, stand-up comedy) you’ve attended
• video game you have played
• mobile phone
• mp3 player

So what do you do?

1. Introduce – begin with a dramatic statement. Never begin a review by telling the reader that you are writing a review. They already know that and will think you are very stupid for stating the obvious (“I am writing a review of…”  blah blah blah yawn). Instead try this: “The eagerly anticipated sequel to the best-selling [name of book/CD/film/video game] is finally here and let me tell you it does not disappoint“.  Or this: “Let me offer you fair warning dear readers –  [name of book/CD/film/video game] offers a dark, intense, disturbing glimpse of the human condition“. Or this: “Critics will love [name of book/CD/film/video game] but the public won’t be impressed. Let me tell you why…“
2. Details – but no plot spoilers! don’t tell the entire story or give away every detail of the book/CD/game/performance. If the thing you’re reviewing is any good, you want to make the reader curious enough to buy the book/CD/game or go to the performance to see it for themselves. They won’t still be curious if you tell them everything. The amount of time given to plot/individual songs etc.. varies widely from review to review.  You might mention recurring basic plot outline, themes, use of symbolism, feelings evoked in the audience/reader/listener/gamer.
3. Evaluation – what works, what doesn’t and why! Remember you must give concrete reasons WHY you liked or disliked the book/ CD/ game/ performance. Avoid generalisations like “the story/music/game was very moving“. Instead be more specific “the scene/song where Amos loses the only friend he has left in the world is enough to move even the hardest teenage heart to tears. Thank God the room’s in darkness, eh?“.
4. Recommendation –  who should buy/see this book / CD / game / concert /performance and why? Keep this bit of your review short and sweet. Is this thing worth buying/seeing? (Sum up why). For everyone or just a select target audience?

FILM REVIEW – checklist

Name of film, release date, age rating, director, cast (actors & actresses), screenwriters, running time, plot, characters, dialogue, cinematography, sets/locations, special effects & CGI, genre, soundtrack, favourite scenes, ending (satisfying/shocking/sad? – but don’t give the ending away), background info (other films in this franchise/ by this director/ this film remind you of).

Phrases for film reviews =

Characters: well-developed, believable, likeable, flawed, endearing, unconvincing, one dimensional, protagonist, antagonist, villain, hero, heroine, gangster, psycho, love-interest etc…

Genre:  Fairy-tale romance, action-packed thriller, edge-of-your-seat terror/horror, gross-out comedy, period drama, kids animation with an adult sense of humour, sci-fi adventure, summer blockbuster, monster movie etc…

Plot: laugh out loud funny, full of in your face violence,  suspense, familiar scenes of family life, car chases, gags, engrossing, gripping, emotionally engaging, soppy and melodramatic, pretentious, moves quickly to a breathtaking conclusion, loses its way at times, crams too much into the final half hour, grips from the first second, is convoluted and difficult to follow, is predictable and lacklustre, is slow moving but intense, offers a fantastic psychological roller-coaster of emotions, climax is satisfying/ unexpected/ predictable/ disappointing/ uplifting/ depressing/ shocking/ memorable/ creepy/ terrifying/ charming.

If like me you love movies, check out Mark Kermode’s film reviews on his podcast or go to http://www.empireonline.com/

MUSIC REVIEW – checklist

Number of tracks, sequence of tracks, genre (hip-hop, dance, reggae, jazz etc), pace/speed of songs, other albums by this band, lyrics, themes, emotions, vocals, harmonies, instruments – guitar solos, drumming, orchestral accompaniment, quotes from lead singer, background to the albums release, comparison to other similar bands/singers.

To read music and concert reviews &  get a sense of what is expected look at: http://www.hotpress.com

http://www.nme.com

http://www.qthemusic.com

VIDEO GAME REVIEW -checklist???

I confess to having zero interest in gaming so I might have to get one of my mates to come up with a checklist for what goes into a game review. In the meantime check out Ben Croshaw’s zeropunctuation for some hilariously entertaining reviews.

BOOK REVIEWS – checklist

Author biography, previous books published, genre, plot, characterisation, style of writing, quotes from author interview, nominations for awards, target audience, favourite scenes, ending (satisfying/shocking/sad? – but don’t give the ending away).

Check out the book reviews in The Guardian.

PERFORMANCE REVIEWS – checklist

Acting, blocking (movement on stage), body language/gestures, facial expressions, tone of voice, costume, props, set design & setting, sound effects, music, lighting, plot, themes, emotions, favourite scenes, ending (satisfying/ shocking/ sad? – but don’t give the ending away), quotes from director and actors/actresses.

Check out theatre reviews in the Irish Theatre magazine or in The Guardian.

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Junior Cert English 1

Here’s an overview of the different sections on Paper 1 and links to the relevant sections on this site that you might find useful.

Paper 1

Section 1: Reading Comprehension – HALF AN HOUR – 40 marks

Most of the advice for answering comprehensions is the same as for Leaving Cert but you only have half an hour so the questions are easier and your answers can be shorter and less detailed. They tend to ask one style question.

Section 2: Personal Writing – 1 HOUR – 70 marks – choice of 7 or 8 titles

Most of the advice is the same for essay writing and for specific styles such as short stories, personal essays, speeches, articles, dialogues and diary entries.

However, in the leaving cert they will tell you what style to write in, whereas in the Junior Cert it says at the top of the page “Except where otherwise stated, you are free to write in any form you wish e.g. narrative, descriptive, dramatic, short story” (as if ‘dramatic’ is a style! who sets this paper?)

Section 3: Functional writing – HALF AN HOUR – 30 marks

The range of questions they can ask is huge. Generally speaking you are using formal, informative language but not always. Don’t freak out if you think you couldn’t do some of the tasks below – you always have a choice in the exam.

Questions have included asking you to write a

• magazine report (ie an article)
• talk or speech (giving students advice, welcoming a guest speaker, praising a retiring teacher, nominating student of the year)
• letter (to writer, reference letter from principal, reply to a problem page, offering advice)
• report (on integration in the school community)
• set of guidelines/instructions
• competition entry
• review (of a book/CD/concert/video game/mobile phone/MP3 player/games console/electronic reader)
• interview
• factual description of a photograph

Section 4: Media studies – HALF AN HOUR – 40 marks

Again the range of questions is quite broad. You can be asked to discuss

• an ad (target market/audience, visuals, effectiveness, compare ads)
• a magazine (contents page – layout)
• an editorial
• a review
• posters
• cartoons
• media (radio, television, newspapers, internet) as a force for changing people’s opinions
• talk-radio (type of show that appeals to teenagers / difference between local & national radio)
• television (watershed & classification of programmes, difference between radio & television, advantages & disadvantages)
• newspapers (broadsheets v’s tabloids, layout of front page)
• a news story (newsworthiness)
• news sources – newspapers, radio, television, internet (effectiveness to deliver info and to promote products/services)
• designer labels

Or to write a

• radio ad
• radio commentary (talk)
• article
• brochure

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Junior Cert English 2

Here’s the lowdown on Paper 2:

Section 1 DRAMA – 20 mins for unseen, 25mins for studied.

Unseen drama – there are two drama excerpts but you only need to answer on one.

The first is Shakespearean, and although the language is more difficult, the questions tend to be slightly easier. The second is modern drama.

There are usually three questions (15 marks each) and you need to answer two BUT NOT ALWAYS, sometimes they ask you to answer all three (10 marks each) so read the paper carefully. The type of questions that come up are:

1. Describe a character or the relationship between two characters (see list of personality traits). Pick a character you like & explain why. Write a character sketch.
2. What is the main theme/message in the extract?
3. Describe the mood (dramatic/serious/tense/humorous…)
4. Describe the setting.
5. Imagine you are directing this scene – discuss two or more of the following: acting, blocking (movement on stage), body language/gestures, facial expressions, tone of voice, costume, props, set design & setting, sound effects, music, lighting.
6. Write an ending for the scene / continue the scene / write a dialogue between two of the characters (including stage directions)

Studied drama – there are usually two questions and you answer whichever one you prefer. Sometimes you are asked to write an essay style answer for 30marks, sometimes they ask you to answer two related 15 mark questions. Try to write between one and a half and two pages but don’t go over the time allocated – 25 mins. The type of questions that come up ask you to write / write about

1. A central character (a winner or a loser, lucky or unlucky, your favourite character, hero, heroine, villain)
2. The relationship between two characters (they might specify – a tense/conflicted/loving/close/important relationship)
3. Character profiles & an introduction to the play (focusing on the main theme) for the programme.
4. Discuss the main theme/message of the play (2006 they specified one of these 4 themes: love/death/conflict/harmony) and show how this is relevant to your own life.
5. Discuss the mood of the play (serious or lighthearted) and the impact this had on you.
6. Describe the world of the play & discuss whether you would/would not like to live in this society.
7. Would you recommend this play? (plot, setting, themes, characterisation, style of writing, opening & ending)
8. A scene from the play – one filled with conflict or the most dramatic/memorable/tense/atmospheric/happy/sad/funny/tragic and discuss how this mood/feeling is created.
9. Describe how you would produce a scene from the play you have studied.
10. The opening scene or the final scene(s)  – their impact on the audience & on you personally.

Section 2 Poetry – 20 mins for unseen, 25mins for studied

Unseen poetry  – there are usually three questions (15 marks each) and you need to answer two BUT NOT ALWAYS, sometimes they ask you to answer all three (10 marks each) so read the paper carefully. The type of questions that come up are:

1. Describe the speaker /poet / the poet’s relationship with a person, place, issue or event (see list of personality traits)
2. Describe the mood in the poem / how is this mood created.
3. Identify the theme (explain the central message of the poem in your own words)
4. Discuss the style of writing (imagery /sound effects /structure /rhythm etc…) and explain why these features appeal to you.
5. Do you like the poem (why/why not?)
6. Discuss the title or choose a suitable title for this poem.

Studied poetry – there are usually two questions and you answer whichever one you prefer. Sometimes you are asked to write an essay style answer for 30marks, sometimes they ask you to answer two related 15 mark questions. Try to write between one and a half and two pages but don’t go over the time allocated – 25 mins.The type of questions that come up ask you to discuss a poem

1. which deals with an important issue & the insights it gave you.
2. which made you think.
3. a love poem.
4. which deals with either war or peace.
5. which deals with youth or old age.
6. setting / set in an interesting time or place.
7. An unusual poem (unusual style/subject matter/experience).
8. which celebrates a person, place or thing.
9. with vivid imagery / which offers vivid images of a person.
10. filled with imagination.
11. which describes the poet’s wishes or thoughts.
12. A poem with an interesting title.
13. with interesting sound effects / musical qualities.
14. Your favourite poem (for inclusion in an anthology).
15. A poem with a special personal meaning for you.
16. Compare two poems which deal with a similar theme.
17. Compare the poem you liked best with the poem you liked least.
18. Your favourite poet.

Section 3 – Fiction- 20 mins for unseen, 25mins for studied

Unseen fiction – there are usually three questions (15 marks each) and you need to answer two BUT NOT ALWAYS, sometimes they ask you to answer all three (10 marks each) so read the paper carefully. The type of questions that come up are:

1. Describe a character / the relationship between two characters.
2. Describe the mood and how it is created.
3. Discuss the way the setting is described – does it bring the place to life for you?
4. Discuss the style of writing – do you like the way the piece is written?
5. Does this extract make you want to read on? Why/why not?
6. Discuss the themes / relevance to a teenage audience.
7. Write a dialogue based on the extract.
8. Predict an ending for the extract.

In 2004 they indirectly asked a question about catharsis – tough question! It was phrased like this “We enjoy reading stories because they enable us to explore the outer edges of the unknown, strangeness, things that cannot be explained – without feeling any danger to ourselves”. Do you agree?

On the surface this seems like a really tough question so let me make it simpler for you. Have you ever wondered why you like horror movies? Or violent video games (even though you’re not a violent person in real life)? Or Eastenders (it’s so bloody miserable and depressing all the time)? Or books that make you cry (I’m not a fan of PS I Love You but most of my – female – students love it)?

Some people suggest that we like all of these things because they’re not real. We can experience scary things in a fantasy way without putting our ‘real’ self in danger -the fear/rage/depression/sadness leave us as soon as we switch our brains off from the movie/video game/telly/book.

This process of temporarily experiencing negative emotions and then ‘cleansing’ them is known as catharsis. We enjoy this process because it helps us to lose ourselves in someone else’s life for a while (if our own life sucks) or to appreciate how good we have it (if our own life is better than what we’ve just watched) when the movie/video game/telly/book ends.

Studied fiction – there are usually two questions and you answer whichever one you prefer. Sometimes you are asked to write an essay style answer for 30marks, sometimes they ask you to answer two related 15 mark questions. Try to write between one and a half and two pages but don’t go over the time allocated – 25 mins. The type of questions that come up are:

1. Describe a central character (one you admire, one who experiences change, one who makes an impact on others)
2. The relationship between two characters (they might specify – a conflicted/loving relationship)
3. Describe the setting of your novel / short story and explain how it is important to the plot.
4. Describe the mood or atmosphere of a novel or short story you have studied.
5. Discuss an interesting theme / conflict between good and evil.
6. Discuss a twist / surprise / unexpected development and how this added to your enjoyment of the book / short story.
7. Discuss features of the writer’s style which you found interesting.
8. Rate your novel out of 5 stars and justify your rating OR would you recommend this novel to your peers OR would you nominate it for an award (one year they gave prompts that you might like to discuss – plot, setting, themes, characterisation, style of writing, opening & ending).
9. Choose your favourite section. Describe what happens and say why you enjoyed it/found it memorable.
10. Discuss the opening or ending of a novel / short story you have studied & say whether or not it impressed you.
11. Discuss the appropriateness of the title of the novel.

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Question B advice

You cannot answer QA & QB on the same text.

If you do you lose 25% of the marks for Paper 1.

What can I be asked to write?

Letter / Proposal / Presentation (may be based on the text)

Radio talk / speech

Diary entries (may be based on the text)

Article for a newspaper / magazine / website (blog)

Report / memo

Interview

Dialogue

Election leaflet

Advertisement

How much should I write? 1½ – 2pgs

How long do I have? 45Mins

Do I need to read the text the QB follows?

Often you are asked to base your answer on the information in the text so you will have to read it quickly to get ideas.

The examiners will reward ‘creative modeling’.

This means you can use the ideas in the text BUT you cannot just re-write sentences word-for-word and pretend you’ve come up with them yourself (this is plagiarism.)

You must add your own personality & imagination. Don’t just steal the ideas, challenge them or add something new.

What do I need to think about before I start writing?

Imagine your answer is a SUITCASE – the examiner is looking for certain TAGS.

T = Topic. Stick to the topic. Have plenty of ideas. Identify problems but also offer solutions.

A = Audience. Who are you writing for? What kind of language is appropriate? (formal/informal)

G = Genre. Are you writing a diary/report/speech etc…? What layout is expected?

S = Style. What techniques will you use? Emphatic words, vivid imagery, address audience etc…?

If these elements are there then you should have everything you need in your answer.

Now have a look at the rules for each style of writing.

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Six Rules of Essay Writing

1. Plan x 2 = brainstorm ideas for the topic, organise them, then make a list of techniques you’ll use.
2. Dramatic opening paragraph – it’s really important to grab the reader’s attention. Use a quote, or a series of rhetorical questions, a list, or a vivid description. Say something shocking or provocative. However you do it, make the reader feel eager to read on.
3. Variety of ideas. A good way to come up with ideas when you’re stuck is to ask yourself to apply the idea to ME / EUROPE / WORLD  PAST / PRESENT / FUTURE
4. Variety of techniques. Use your techniques plan. As you use them cross them off. Some people write well naturally & don’t need this but lots of people need reminding that it’s not just what you say that matters, it’s also how you say it!
5. Flow.  Connecting phrases create a flow and transition from one idea to the next.
6. Dramatic final paragraph – it’s really important to leave the reader feeling satisfied. Use a quote, or a series of rhetorical questions, a list, or a vivid description. Say something shocking or provocative. However you do it, make the reader sad that your essay is over. Some writers like to come full circle & begin & end with the same idea.

It’s hard to say exactly how long your essay should be. A brilliant debate 3 pages  long will do better than a boring 7 page article. A guideline is between 3&half & 5 pages but quality is always more important than quantity! Choose your essay title based on the topic but also on the genre – which style of writing suits you best???

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Essay Topics

It is impossible to predict what will appear in the essay section. However, certain topics have come up more than once since the new course began in 2000.

CHANGING THE WORLD / THE FUTURE X 7 (this was the theme in 2010).
TEENAGERS (responsibilities / stress / culture of youth) x 4
EDUCATION X 3
NATIONAL IDENTITY X 3
THE PAST X 2
SCIENCE X 2
HEROES X 2
CELEBRITY X 2
CONSUMERISM X 2
FUN / HAPPINESS X 2
ROMANCE / RELATIONSHIPS X 2
TRUTH / LIES  2

Other topics that have only appeared once include family, sport, music, performance, clothes, books, travel, laws, gossip, community, discrimination, neighbours, smoking ban, mobile phones, technology.
Feelings come up almost every year but they always name a specific one – so far they’ve included: freedom, indecision, daydreams, imagination, hope, wonder and the ones that came up twice listed above (happiness, love, truth).

Some topics that haven’t appeared yet but that MIGHT come up (& I’m just guessing here!) include:
RECESSION
INTERNET / SOCIAL NETWORKING
THE PRESENT (the importance of living in the moment)
INJUSTICE
Some feelings that haven’t appeared yet but that MIGHT come up (& again I’m just guessing here!) include:
FEAR
SADNESS
PRIDE

You could collect ideas for topics without having to write the entire essay. See below!

TOPIC: _________________

LIST:

RHETORICAL QUESTIONS:

QUOTES:

STATISTICS / FACTS:

JOKE:

VIVID IMAGERY: Picture the scene….

ANECDOTE: (don’t forget the hyperbole)

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From word to paragraph…

When you brainstorm you’ll often just have individual words written down but if you want to turn a word into a paragraph of prose how do you do it?

I showed my leaving certs how the other day. I asked them for a word. They came up with ‘sex’ (hormones, hormones, hormones).

Then I wrote a list on the board as follows:

1. Imagery = 5 senses = SIGHT   SOUND   SMELL   TASTE   TOUCH
2. Rhetorical question
3. Repetition
4. Thoughts & Feelings
5. Short snappy sentences
6. Suspense
7. Twist

As we used each technique we crossed it off.

Here’s the paragraph we came up with:

Does he seriously think I’m going to sleep with him? I’m really really drunk and I can smell the stale sweat of his armpits, see the yellow plaque on his teeth. I can taste the puke in my mouth and the thump of a dance tune hammers into my brain. He reaches over and grabs my ass. I’m definitely going to puke again. ‘Get me out of here’ a voice screams in my head. But I can’t leave. You see this is my job. And if I don’t sleep with him my children don’t eat”. 

As a rule I find students need to think less about what they write and more about HOW they write. Having a list of techniques written down forces you to be more stylish in your writing.

Now over to you. Pick a word, any word. Try to write 8 or 10 stylish sentences. As you use each of the techniques above cross them off.

You’ll probably be pleasantly surprised at the result but disheartened at how long it takes.  Practise writing one paragraph every day and you’ll get quicker at it.

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