1. National 5 Critical Essay - English
One essay
Part of Paper 2 Critical Reading
Scottish Text
Critical Essay
Critical Essay is worth 20 marks. 1/5 of your mark.

2. SQA Requirements One essay Unseen question No text or notes allowed
Different Genre from Scottish Text
Approximately 45 minutes. Critical Reading Paper comes in two parts and you have to control your own timing between the two sections.

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Help you understand how to write effectively in the exam

7. Critical Essay – Questions and Answers
How long does an essay need to be? How many words?
There is no set word limit. The time limit is 45 minutes An essay will get more marks if it makes a greater number of high quality points
Just being “long” doesn’t mean an essay attains a good mark- some long essays just tell the story
Really short essays don’t pass- they have been written by someone who doesn’t have much to say about their text
Don’t write furiously and scribble. This leads to poor expression and weakens the technical accuracy and line of thought
Everyone has the same time limit. The SQA can’t expect you to say everything about a text in such a short time. Remain focussed on the question and aim to show extensive knowledge of the text.

8. Critical Essay – Questions and Answers
How many quotations should I have?
An effective Critical Essay will have “a range of well-chosen references and or quotations”. There is no set number. Consider the following:
Quotations that don’t address the question look as if you have just learned some quotations and will use them regardless
“Reference” does not mean quotation. It can be explaining a key moment or a character’s attitude. Some features (like structure) can’t be quoted but can be referred to in detail
Have a varied range: short quotations integrated into your own sentences; and longer quotations which you analyse in depth.

9. Critical Essay – Questions and Answers
How many points should I make?
There is no set number of points or paragraphs. Sometimes Point-Evidence-Explanation paragraphs are short and some paragraphs can explore a key scene in great analytical depth. Depth of analysis is as important as covering lots of points but at a superficial level.

10. Critical Essay – Questions and Answers
Do I need to cover the whole text?
Most questions will ask you to think of the text as whole. The best essays choose the parts of the text that answer the question. The ending of a text is usually important and you should think about saying something about it.

11. Critical Essay – Questions and Answers
What does it mean by analysis?
Use the box of terms above the exam question and use these terms to analyse how the text is written effectively. For longer texts, don’t micro-analyse (word choice) and think of the whole text and comment on things like plot structure and character development.

12. Critical Essay – Questions and Answers
Will I lose marks for spelling, grammar and handwriting?
Spelling and grammar: The examiners realise the impact of the pressure of exam time and will forgive occasional lapses. This is something that you should work on though in the normal process of checking your work before you hand it in. You would like to use sophisticated words in your own writing so practise this and prepare thoroughly. You should not be guessing how to spell words in a final exam. If you make too many mistakes, it will have an impact on your mark.
Handwriting has to be legible. If the examiners can’t read it, they can’t mark it. Practise taking care with your presentation.
In the English essay exam, you don’t actually “lose” marks. Your essays are marked as a whole and this includes “technical accuracy”.

13. Critical Essay – Questions and Answers
Can I just learn an essay or some essays?
No.
You have to answer the question set on the day. Learning essays won’t let you do this. Learn your text and learn how to write essays in response to any question. Don’t try to guess the exam. If you have the ability to memorise an essay, you have the ability to learn your text and do it properly.

15. “Gateway” type sentence. Specific question – can have two parts
Breaking the question down
“Gateway” type sentence.
Specific question – can have two parts

16. Drama
Characterisation the way in which writers portray their characters
Climax tension or conflict in a text is at its highest point
Conflict disagreement between characters, or within a character (internal conflict)
Key scene(s) important scenes which move the plot on, build to a climax, or are important in developing our understanding of character and/or theme
Plot what happens in the text in chronological order
Setting this is where and when the event(s) takes place
Structure the way in which a text's plot is put together
Theme the bigger idea that is explored in a text; the overall message created

17. Prose
Characterisation the way in which writers portray their characters
Description an account of a character's physical appearance, or the setting, or of an incident
Ideas the main concerns, issues or thoughts explored in the text; the main themes and points raised by the writer
Key incident(s) important episodes which move the plot on, build to a climax, or are important in developing our understanding of character and/or theme
Language words and rhetoric used by the author to create characters and description
Narrative technique the way in which the story of the text is told (1st/3rd person narrative)
Setting this is where and when the event(s) takes place
Turning point when a significant change takes place regarding the plot or character development

18. Poetry Content what is included in a text
Ideas the main concerns, issues or thoughts explored in the text; the main themes and points raised by the writer
Imagery literary devices used by a writer to create pictures and images in the reader/audience's mind
Rhyme when two words sound similar
Rhythm the pattern of syllables in each line of a poem
Sound devices used in poetry to create particular oral effects (alliteration/assonance/onomatopoeia)
Structure the way in which a text's plot is put together
Theme the bigger idea that is explored in a text; the overall message created
Tone relates to the way in which a line would sound if it was read aloud, often revealing the attitude of the writer towards the subject matter; it is a way we can gauge a writer's thoughts and opinions
Word choice words are chosen to emphasise particular ideas or evoke certain emotions in the reader

19. Media
Characterisation the way in which writers portray their characters
Dialogue words spoken by characters in a text
Editing how scenes and/or camera shots are spliced together to create effect
Key sequence important series of shots or scenes in a film or TV text
Mise-en-scène props and scenery to create shots and background for a film and TV text
Sound effects background noises used to create effects in drama, film and TV
Plot what happens in the text in chronological order
Special effects additional effects added to a scene in a film or TV text
Setting this is where and when the event(s) takes place
Use of camera different camera shots used to create effects in film and TV texts

20. Type of Quotation
Usefulness
Plot based quotations
You need to be careful that you don’t just use these to tell the story
Quotations which give us a character’s feelings and attitudes at a particular moment
These could help you show how the writer builds character or talk about feelings in a key scene
Quotations which sum up a character
These will help you analyse characterisation
Quotations which help us see the mood of a particular scene
These will help you write about key scene
Quotations which sum up the theme
These will help you analyse the theme directly
Quotations which make a comment “outside” of the text
These will help you write about themes and genre

29. Kipps experiences a dramatic sense of isolation when left alone at Eel Marsh House. It impacts strongly on his mindset:
“I fell into a brooding, philosophical frame of mind, struck by
the absolute indifference of water and sky to my presence.”
This deep sense of contemplation not only adds to the theme of alienation but we observe a subtle influence on the character of Kipps. By the end of the chapter, after he has experienced the spectral re-enactment of the pony and trap episode, he is convinced of the existence of supernatural forces in this desolate location and the reader is drawn into the supernatural genre with him .

31. In the chapter “Whistle and I’ll Come to You” there is a contrast between security and danger. Inside the house, despite the storm, Kipps feels a sense of great safety in a building that had stood “steady as a lighthouse” for many years. From this point of security he rests in a “trance-like state”. In contrast, when he is forced outside to rescue Spider, he feels a sense of “despair” and “panic” that the house was the “only solid things for miles around”. Therefore, this chapter reflects the constant tension between security and danger in the whole text – but particularly in the setting of Eel Marsh House- and the incident in the chapter develops the tension because it places Kipps in real danger for the first time.

32. Accumulation
Also, and, as well, furthermore, in addition, moreover, plus, too
Chronology
Afterwards, finally, firstly, initially, later, next, now, soon, subsequently, then, ultimately
Comparison
Equally, just as, likewise, similarly
Consequence
Accordingly, as a result, because, consequently, hence, since, so, therefore, thus
Contrast
Although, and yet, but, conversely, despite, except, however, instead, nevertheless, on the contrary, on the other hand, though, whereas

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