This Guide covers and carefully explains every skill needed to achieve the best possible mark for IEB English Paper I. The Guide is divided by question (Comprehension, Summary, Seen Poetry, Unseen Poetry, Critical and Visual Literacy, and Language) with explanations, examples, past paper revisions...
grade 12 ieb matric english exam study notes guide
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IEB Grade 12 English
IEB Grade 12 English
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NAME
English Home Language
Matric Assessment Preparation
File (2023)
Paper 1
1. Comprehension
2. Summary
3. Seen Poetry
4. Unseen Poetry
5. Visual and Critical Literacy
6. Language
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express permission of its creator.
XANTHIPI THEOPHANOUS 1
,Question 1:
Comprehension
As the title suggests, this section tests your comprehension or understanding of a passage – what the writer
of the passage is communicating to the reader and how the writer has manipulated language to get that
message across.
This section usually counts 25 marks or thereabouts. You should spend about 40 minutes of a 3-hour exam
on this section. Practise this skill.
Address each highlighted concept in your answer.
Quick Tips
Read through the texts in the 10 minutes’ allocated reading time.
Highlight key words in the questions (not everything that looks important, rather key concepts). Highlight
NOUNS rather than verbs to help you see what the question requires. This helps you to break up/
deconstruct/ compartmentalise the question – refer to each part of the question to answer it fully and also
not write unnecessarily.
Remember that it is about the text, the whole text, and nothing but the text. Substantiate
your answers.
If the question is for more than 2 marks, try to link the concepts at the end of your answer – almost like a
mini-conclusion, as if you are writing a micro-essay.
When asked for your opinion, give it freely; when asked for examples, give them; however, it must ALWAYS
have relevance to the text – therefore, once again, substantiate your answers FROM THE TEXT.
Most texts are about power relationships: the balance of power between characters, people, or things in a
text; the balance of power between the reader/ audience/ viewer and the writer/ poet/ creator.
XANTHIPI THEOPHANOUS 2
, Typical questions:
We will use the following (adapted) paragraph to illustrate example questions and answers:
“OK Boomer” has been making the rounds on the web for a few years already, especially among young
people; but it recently became viral when, in November 2019, 25-year-old Chloë Swarbrick, of the New
Zealand Green Party, gave a striking address about climate change in parliament – urging the country to
reduce its increasingly dangerous levels of carbon emissions to zero by 2050 – and was interrupted by the
opposition spokesperson for climate change, Todd Muller, who cut in on her in the middle of her speech.
Swarbrick promptly dismissed his comment by saying: “OK boomer”, sending the expression into social
media viral super-space and offending quite a few Baby Boomers along the Twitter feed.
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2019-12-08-ok-boomer-and-the-great-generational-stand-off/
Writer’s Style: Intention
Analyse the intention/message.
Intention refers to the reason the author wrote this text. What did the writer hope to achieve? Key
words here are: to inform; to educate; to persuade; to entertain; to amuse…
Example:
In this text, the author’s intention is to educate the reader on the difference between generations in politics.
She does this by highlighting the way younger and older people respond to conflict: the older generation rudely
disregards the younger generation’s ideas and viewpoints, while the younger generation uses social media (like
Twitter) and witty catchphrases (like “OK Boomer”) to fight back.
Writer’s Style: Diction
With reference to diction, describe tone.
Diction, as you know, refers to the writer’s choice of words. In such a question, you are required to
quote words that stand out as particularly emotive.
Tone, as you know, refers to the writer’s feelings on the subject that s/he is discussing.
Example:
The writer uses the words “cut in on” to describe Todd Muller’s rudeness when interrupting Chloe Swarbrick.
She employs a critical tone.
The writer uses words like “striking” and “promptly” when describing Swarbrick’s manner of speaking, implying
that she is intelligent and quick-witted as well as a powerful speaker. The writer’s tone is one of admiration/
amusement at her wit.
Discuss how the diction reveals the writer’s attitude towards... Explain what the writer
imply/suggest about…
Attitude is linked to tone. Attitude can be negative or positive or neutral. Remember that any one of these
words in your answer will not be enough. Elaborate or explain – be specific.
Examples:
The writer’s attitude towards Todd Muller is critical. She portrays him as rude by using the words “cut in on” to
describe is interruption. “Cut in” has connotations of disrespect.
The writer uses words like “striking” and “promptly” when describing Swarbrick’s manner of speaking, implying
that she is intelligent and quick-witted as well as a powerful speaker.
XANTHIPI THEOPHANOUS 3
, “OK Boomer” has been making the rounds on the web for a few years already, especially among young
people; but it recently became viral when, in November 2019, 25-year-old Chloë Swarbrick, of the New
Zealand Green Party, gave a striking address about climate change in parliament – urging the country to
reduce its increasingly dangerous levels of carbon emissions to zero by 2050 – and was interrupted by the
opposition spokesperson for climate change, Todd Muller, who cut in on her in the middle of her speech.
Swarbrick promptly dismissed his comment by saying: “OK boomer”, sending the expression into social
media viral super-space and offending quite a few Baby Boomers along the Twitter feed.
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2019-12-08-ok-boomer-and-the-great-generational-stand-off/
What difference would another word with similar meaning (“asking” instead of “urging”)
have made in context?
The choice of words, as you know, refers to the diction in a piece of writing. Remember to analyse both
words and then link it to the context.
Example:
“urging” makes Swarbrick sound as if she realises the urgency of the issue, while “asking” sounds like a polite
request. In the context, using the word “asking” would make the matter seem less urgent and would make
Swarbrick seem to care not as much as the emotive “urging” would suggest.
How is emotive language used? What are the connotations? What is being implied?
Emotive language refers to words that have strong connotations (connotations are the feelings and words
you associate with particular words, e.g. When someone swaggers into a room rather than walks, the
connotations are arrogance/self-confidence) – danger / elation / anger…
This question may also ask you to ‘read between the lines’.
Example:
The phrases (a) “striking address” and (b) “increasingly dangerous” are emotive because they imply (a) a
speech of significance warning us of (b) impending peril. The implication is that the speaker is greatly admired
while we would be stupid to ignore her warning.
Analyse the register.
Register can either be formal or informal.
Formal register is used in situations where the author wants to be taken seriously by the reader and is
usually writing about something of importance.
Informal register is used in situations where the author wants to connect with the reader on some level
and is usually writing about something entertaining.
Often, writers might mix register, in order to achieve both – be taken seriously and to have a more
personal relationship with the reader.
What makes register informal?
Use of the pronouns “I” and “you”.
Contractions, e.g., “could’ve”;
Colloquialisms, e.g., “this guy”;
Conversational tone.
Example:
The register in this paragraph is formal. The writer is not addressing the reader directly, but writing about an
event using diction that cannot be labelled as colloquial (“gave a striking address”; “urging the country”). When
she does use a colloquial expression (“OK Boomer”) she does so when quoting someone else. No contractions
have been used in her writing either.
XANTHIPI THEOPHANOUS 4
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