CCHY_2022_EL-1128_Essay-Cheat-Sheet

1 ENGLISH LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT Paper 1: Essay Writing Cheat Sheet Secondary 4 Express / Secondary 5 Normal (Academic) NAME: ______________________( ) DATE: ______________ CLASS: _______ From the O Level English Syllabus Document (www.seab.gov.sg) Question Types: In general, O Level essays fall into these broad categories: 1. Personal Recount / Narrative 2. Descriptive-Reflective 3. Personal-Reflective 4. Discursive / Expository 5. Argumentative *Note: Increasingly, hybrid/unusual questions are being tested. For these novel question types, analyse the question extra carefully to understand what you are being asked to do and plan your essay before writing. Rubrics:  Highly accurate, apart from very occasional slips  Sentence structures varied for particular effects  Verbs forms largely correct and appropriate tenses consistently used  Vocabulary wide and precise  Punctuation accurate and helpful  Spelling accurate, apart from very occasional slips  Paragraphs have unity, are linked, and show evidence of planning  Consistently relevant; interest aroused and sustained  Tone and register entirely appropriate

2 Past-Year Essay Questions 1. Personal Recount / Narrative 1. Write about a time when you caused great disappointment to another person. What did you do about the situation? (2017) 2. ‘I had never seen my friend laugh so much!’ Write about a time when this happened. (2018) 3. ‘It was my proudest moment.’ Write about a time when you felt like this. (2019) 4. Write about a time when you did something just to impress someone which you later regretted. (2020) 2. Descriptive/ Reflective 1. Describe some of your experiences in food courts and hawker centres. How important are these places in your life as a teenager in Singapore? (2013) 2. Describe how you celebrated an important family occasion. Why will this event always remain in your memory? (2014) 3. Describe the possession that matters most to you and explain why you would never be prepared to part with it. (2015) 4. Describe a toy, or a game you played, which still means a great deal to you. Why is it so important? (2016) 5. Describe a place which means a great deal to you. Why is it so important? (2017) 6. Describe an event that you looked forward to which turned out to be disappointing. Explain why you were excited about it and why it didn’t live up to your expectations. (2018) 7. Which person has had the most impact on your life? Describe this individual’s personality and in what ways he or she has influenced you. (2019) 8. Describe the things that you do to relax after you have been very busy. Explain why you find them enjoyable. (2020) 3. Personal Reflective 1. What do you consider to be your greatest achievement? Why does it mean so much to you? (2013) 2. Which person has the greatest influence on your life at this present time, and why?