MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

FIJI YEAR 13 CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION

2019

ENGLISH

COPYRIGHT: MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, FIJI, 2019.

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MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

FIJI YEAR 13 EXAMINATION – 2019

EXAMINER’S REPORT

ENGLISH

INTRODUCTION

A total of 7,902 candidates appeared for the 2019 FY13CE English Examination in 2019 which was
tested the first year of the implementation of the Year 13 English Syllabus from the prescription in the
previous years.

It is an honour to compile this report on behalf of the markers for the English Language of the public
examination. Evident improvements were in questions dealing with Writing, Comprehension,
Summary, Varieties of English and Literature, in particular, the Poetry and Short Story questions.
However, the overall performance can be further improved.

Undeniably, those candidates who performed very well have been products of those teachers who have
left no stones unturned in the genuine commitment and appropriate guidance throughout the year(s)
with and for their students. This serves as a platform for the rest for the coming years to serve and
deliver even better, all for the sake of our students whose selection for higher studies depends so much
on this examination’s performance.

The persistence and commitment of English Teachers therefore are duly appreciated.

GENERAL COMMENTS

(i) QUESTION 1 EXPOSITORY ESSAY

Notable improvements were made from 2018. It was at the same time also evident that some
students could not confirm to the formal writing conventions or complete this question.
 Students require exposure to current national, international and regional issues that have
relevance.
 The structure displayed included an introduction (general topic/topic statement, explanation
and summary of key points) body/development (five ideas- well discussed and developed)
and conclusion (summarises the points discussed, reiterates the topic statement and finishes
off by tying any lose ends). A handful of students failed to adhere to this, thus lost marks.
 Further practice could be carried out during the school year(s) on how to construct topic
sentences and planning, culminating into even better essays.
 Thoroughly knowing the basic rules of grammar will result in the construction of accurate
and correct sentences.
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 STRENGTHS
 Candidates who scored exceptionally well clearly reflect exposure and practice of current
issues in the classrooms.
 Valid arguments were illustrated and justified.
 Fluency of writing and good choice of vocabulary was clearly evident.
 TEXC Model used by candidates allowed for appropriate cohesion and paragraphing.
 A variety of sentence patterns and vocabulary featured in many brilliant answers which
were also error-free.
 Appropriate tone and styles of writing were used which also reflected the emphasis placed
on these by teachers.
 Correct use of the passive voice was evident which contributed to the overall formal tone
of this style of writing.
 There was effective use of in- depth ideas and facts.
 There was evidence of a logical flow of ideas apart from being well presented.

 WEAKNESSES
For those candidates who either didn’t attempt this section well or fully, the following were
evident:
 Inadequate responses in scope, depth and substance in content.
 Partial knowledge in topical issues where examples were not provided or arguments lacked
justification.
 The flow of ideas of ideas within essays was not in order.
 The use of personal pronouns was still common which affected the tone.
 Verbosity and redundancy resulted in off-topic content.
 Common errors found were spelling, agreement, punctuation and tense.
 Scripts which were written with fading ink and illegible handwriting proved to be a
struggle to read and may have caused unnecessary loss of marks in some extreme cases.

 ANALYSIS

(a) The world is becoming a safer place to live

 A few candidates attempted this option but did it well.
 The use of vocabulary and understanding of the topic was reflected in the good mark
obtained.

(b) There are great benefits of participating in sports

This was the most popular choice and most that attempted this option did extremely well.
Examples used were factual and realistic. Students could also relate to the content and
wrote in-depth as such as a result of their experience, knowledge and the fact that Fiji has
been a trend setter globally in Rugby Sevens.

(c) Genetically Modified Foods and its effects on the consumer

 A few candidates attempted this option but did it well.
 The use of vocabulary and understanding of the topic was reflected in the good mark
obtained.

(d) Television is an effective tool in building the minds of students

 The second most popular question but not all scored well in this section.
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 Some students did not in detail explain how the minds were benefitting from the
multiplier effects of being exposed to television use - instead they discussed the
advantages of television only.

(e) Access to the internet improves the quality of education in many ways
 The third most popular topic but discussions were limited as a result of lacking facts to
add worth to the essay.
 Candidates wrote well on internet, its usefulness and advantages but did not develop the
second part of the stem, that is, improve the quality of education in many ways.

 RECOMMENDATION
Carry out writing of the parts of the expository; that is the Introduction, then then the Content
and the Conclusion before asking students to attempt the full essay for the benefit of moving all
students together from the beginning of the year. When carrying it out, the teacher could have a
checklist to monitor/facilitate the writing such as:

Is the expository writing:

▶ introducing the main idea and developing it with facts and supporting details?
▶ giving important information about a specific topic?
▶ summarising research from some sources if not a variety?
▶ using transition words to connect ideas?
▶ drawing a conclusion based on the facts and information presented?

 When students have fully grasped the ability to write a full essay well perhaps by the end of the
first term , they could refer to a:

Self-Check-Expository Writing
❑ Who was my audience? Did I give them enough information
about my topic?
❑ What was my main topic? Did I include enough facts and
details to support it?
❑ Did I begin in a clear and interesting way? Did I summarize
my ideas at the end?
❑ Did I present my information in the best order? Did I use the
right transition words to connect my ideas?
❑ Did I combine sentences? Do my sentences flow together?
❑ Are my paragraphs fully developed with important information?
Do I have a clear introduction, body, and conclusion?
❑ Did I proofread and correct all errors?

 Consistently carrying out a similar trend throughout the year will definitely result in some
improvement to finally what is required.
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(ii) QUESTION 2 OTHER STYLES OF WRITING

The most popular options attempted by candidates were the options on narrative essay, formal letter
of invitation and the attempt on any style based on the photograph. Some candidates came up with a
poem for based on the picture and scored very well. It was very encouraging to see their attempt taken
to another level. The other options on Curriculum Vitae(C V) and email were neither popular nor
attempted well. The topics were student- friendly but some candidates found difficulty, evident in the
lacking in-depth ideas and as a result lost marks in the content.

The different styles of writing in this section can be incorporated when teaching Varieties of English,
Comprehension, Language and Literature. This will enable students to understand the mechanics better
and also make learning more interesting. More exposure to print materials such as letters to the editor,
magazine articles, speeches, advertisements, journals and diary entries is needed. The use of the
following common practices despite being highlighted in the 2018 report was still present:
 Text messaging language
 Vernacular

STRENGTHS
 A good understanding of the topic.
 Maturity of ideas, clear insight, interesting viewpoints and imaginative ideas.
 Correct format for the different registers chosen.
 Suitable language and vocabulary usage.
 Very good answers are a reflection of students’ exposure to the media and wide reading.

WEAKNESSES
 Grammatical lapses were still emerging, impeding fluency.
 Some inconsistencies were evident in the style used especially in the Formal Letter and email.
 A few candidates still used an expository style which meant that marks were deducted from style.
 Sentence structure in terms of agreement needed improvement.
 Illegible hand writing must be nipped in the bud at the school level.

ANALYSIS
a) Curriculum Vitae
Those attempted this option embedded the details in the form of a formal letter
and failed to answer the question where they had to apply for a scholarship. Yet others also filled
it with unwanted details.

b) Email
This was also not quite a popular choice and some who also wrote a formal letter but with the
relevant details.

c) Narrative Essay
Quite well done evident from the realistic experiences faced, examples from motion pictures and
stylistic writing possibly because the option seemed familiar to the issues teenagers come across in
society.
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d) Formal Letter
Those who attempted this scored well. Its content was fairly done but the style used needed
improvements such as using the block style without the use of punctuation, leaving lines between
the parts of the address and using faithfully in place of Faithfully in the close. Further practice is
still needed in this style of writing as well even if it seems that candidates will know about it.

e) Photograph (Any Other Style)

Students’ interpretation and discussions of the photograph were quite impressive. The subject of
the content was not limited to the game of Rugby Sevens. This was the most popular choice and
the style chosen varied according to preferences such as:
 Narrative Essay
 Letter to a friend
 Conversation
 Diary Entry
 Descriptive Essay
 Letter to the Editor.
 Poem

 RECOMMENDATION

Writing Strategies
Those who need yet more practice:
 regular, meaningful opportunities to practice writing in contexts
 teachers who model the writing process and demonstrate its usefulness
 opportunities to talk about their writing
 prior knowledge about language, subject content, and the world
 knowledge of different writing forms and their characteristics
 expanded sight vocabularies for subject-specific writing
strategies to become independent writers in any context

(iii) QUESTION 3 COMPREHENSION

This section was done well and it proved itself to be one of the most scoring sections. Answers were
extracted from the given passage but it appeared that they were carefully crafted so as to have minimal
lifting. While, the comprehension was internationally based, it was very encouraging to find that
candidates could extract answers from the given passage without much difficulty in most cases. A
handful did show that they used their own knowledge to answer the questions but this should not have
eventuated as it was also highlighted in the 2018 report. A timely reminder that candidates need is that
the nature of the question should be carefully read and interpreted so that the maximum mark allocated
can be attained for each question.

STRENGTHS
 A very good understanding of the given passage displayed by almost everyone passing this
section.
 Ability to use their own words when writing their answers.
 Almost all the candidates completed this question.
 One of the passing sections for all candidates.
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WEAKNESSES
 Grammatical lapses which hindered the meaning of the intended answer.
 Direct lifting of answers from the passage for weaker candidates, in particular.
 Sentence structure needed improvement because writing the answer went beyond the space
provided but still did not satisfy the conditions of the correct answer.
 Incomplete answers
 Illegible hand writing.

(iv) QUESTION 4 SUMMARY WRITING

Summary writing is a skill that students should be able to master if they are given more practice
throughout the academic year. This section which presented a passage to summarise Gross National
Happiness, was also done quite well. Points were easily identified. The common mistakes that have
been mentioned in previous years’ reports were that of direct lifting therefore affected the language
and cohesion marks of the candidates. We are to be mindful also of the fact that repetition of the same
errors has a bearing on the teaching and how students have been exposed through an integrated
approach. It is envisaged that there will be an enhanced attempt hereafter especially when it is a
scoring section. This ability has a multiplier effect for many other sections of spoken and written
English.
STRENGTHS
 A very good understanding of the passage evident from in the fact that points were identified.
 Suitable language and vocabulary usage by those who did well.
WEAKNESSES
 Grammatical lapses still emerging impeding fluency.
 Some inconsistencies in layout/format, some were still writing a two paragraph summary.
 Sentence structure needs improvement.
 Some cases of direct lifting of points
 Overuse of transitional phrases.
 Illegible hand writing.
 RECOMMENDATION
Teachers should emphasise that transitional phrases are not necessary for joining sentences in a
paragraph as these are used to join paragraphs for cohesion purposes in formal writing
specifically for expository essay. The general rules of
summary writing should be highlighted with the breakdown of the allocated marks for this
question.

(v) QUESTION 5 VARIETIES OF ENGLISH

Tested in this section are the basics which should be at its best at this level. It can be a cause of worry
if students reach this level and are still unsure of basic concepts which are now also covered in detail
in English Communications Year 9. Basics of grammar must be continuously revisited in the class
since English is a second language for the majority students in our Fiji classrooms. Since reading is
becoming dormant with the advent of technology, it is vital that teachers continue to be innovative by
using technology to teach aspects of the Year 13 English Curriculum. It is suggested that the basics of
grammar and language usage are taught through the integrated approach which will greatly assist the
students to acquire the skills.
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PART I LANGUAGE USAGE

a. Match Up
 More activities should be given on Vocabulary so that students are familiar with the level
required.
 Senior Language is a good resource.

b. Agreement
 Done quite well.
 More activities should capitalize on their strength (Use the Senior Language and Target
7 text)

c. Preposition
 Done well.
 Rules of using various prepositions should be stressed in English Classes despite being in
Year 13.
 Its appropriate use adds clarity in writing.

d. Rewriting Or Idiom
 While most could not attain full marks here, the rewriting question was done quite well;
telling the difference in meaning in sentences when one word shifts order/position(syntax)
 More practice in Idiom interpretation is needed especially when it adds to the style
criterion of writing in both spoken and written English.

PART II REGISTER STUDY

 The most popular pairs were: Question 6, Language of Literary Criticism and Question 9-Language
of Religion.
 Q7- Language of Public Speaking and Q8- Language of Legalese were not quite popular a choice
yet those who did scored very well.
 Teachers must note that prepositions and conjunctions are not typical features as they are
common in all registers. This has been reiterated in previous exam reports which the Head of
Language must ensure that all teachers have access to and perhaps have a Professional
Development Session on that.

STRENGTHS
 Being able to correctly identify the tone of register given in the excerpts.
 Ability to differentiate Linguistic from non-linguistic features.
 Less incidences of repetition of answers was evident this year - which reflects effort put in at the
school level!

WEAKNESSES
 Failure to provide examples for some features.
 Writing in Complete Sentences is also mandatory here- again already documented in previous
years’ examiners’ report.
 Illegible hand writing.
 Inability to differentiate features from typical features of a register.
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 RECOMMENDATION
 Involve students in group work here when beginning to teach this section of the
course.
 Allow them a lot of hands- on experience to diagnose the known from the unknown.
 Then introduce individual work to gauge competence.

Websites to Help Improve Your English Grammar:

1. The Writing Forward blog
2. What 5 Minute English
3. Daily Grammar
4. English Grammar 101

(vi) LITERATURE

This section was very well answered by the majority of the candidates especially in the Year 13
recommended poems and texts for short stories. Candidates were able to select the correct and most
appropriate text/poems for the questions they attempted. However, introduction to most literature
essays merely regurgitated the question or given statements. Improvement is definitely needed there.

Using an integrated approach to teach the genres will help teachers solve part of the grammar and
language usage problems.

Teachers are (as per Circular 2 of 2020) required to teach all genres in place of what is feasible in
their school or their personal preference. It is worrying to see students losing interest in drama because
this is a scoring section regardless of the use of old English in the text. This also reflects the lack of
exposure to this genre from Year 9. Heads of Language Departments and senior teachers of English
should encourage department members to be innovative, resourceful and dynamic by moving out of
their comfort zone in teaching literature creatively. It is then mandatory for teachers to teach all
four genres while the students are to make their choice for examination purposes.

Teachers should note that background information about authors/writers/poets/playwright in

the study of literature helps students understand the motive/situation/experiences of the
authors/writers/poets/playwright in the production of the text of study. There is a need to
reinforce through literature lessons, the structure of essay writing especially with introductory
paragraphs. Do not give them samples of introductions but show them how to write
introductions effectively.

a) Prose
Questions 11 and 13 were the most popular choices followed by Question 12. Question 10 was
attempted by a handful of students and it was unfortunate that they did not answer how
studying the ideas in literary works is what mattered most.

STRENGTHS
 Titles and authors of works were correctly identified.
 Appropriate quotes where necessary were cited
 Sound knowledge of works under study was evident.
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WEAKNESSES
 Failure to correctly spell the names of Rosemary Timperley and Ellen Conford (Cornford)
 Failure to indicate the titles of work using quotation marks or by underlining in the content
of the essay.
 Inability by some candidates to relate the two parts of a given question.

b) Drama
Drama continues to be the not-so-popular choice over the years recently, although the nature of
the questions for this genre was quite simple and straightforward. From the those who
attempted this genre, Questions 15 and 17 were the popular choices while very few attempted
Questions 14 and 17.

STRENGTHS
 Correct identification of playwright and play.
 Selection of correct character.
 Knowing the series of events as evidence of their statements.
 Well-explained answers on themes.

WEAKNESSES
 Wrong identification of the Act and Scene in Question 16.
 Insufficient quotes for reference.
 Failure to explain the significance of important scenes in answers.

c) Poetry
Almost 90% of the candidates attempted this genre and Question 18 was the most popular
choice. Question 19 which was the easiest option was the second popular choice followed
by Questions 21 and 20.

STRENGTHS
 Appropriate use of quotes from the works cited.
 Sound knowledge of the works under study, especially the styles and themes.
 Most were able to interpret stereotype correctly.

WEAKNESSES
 Full quotes in some cases were lacking.
 Some students still failed to explain the styles used in the poems.

 RECOMMENDATION
Teachers are to teach literature classes in a manner that students realise:
 They can also learn the context and meaning of famous quotes and phrases.
 Improve not only language such as vocabulary, but also the language that can be used for
specific purposes.
 It provides them with a fresh and creative angle with which they can approach their studies
in particular and their lives in general.
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 It makes students learn about their creativity and imagination, interacting with the text
themselves, and playing different literary roles.
 It is presented to them as an authentic task, so that they can get through the texts
discovering their different learning styles.
 They can live literature not only read it; drama can be represented so that students can be
immersed in a different time and into a different person.
 Reading new words and new phrases can increase not just theirs but any one’s lexicon.
 The study of literature offers many ways to improve literacy: it gives access to language,
reading, writing a shared culture and one’s own self.

CONCLUSION

Nothing would be more rewarding than reading the contents of this report thoroughly so that all
observations and trends extracted from the year’s exam are taken critically in order to further improve
the quality of your teaching and passes in English for your students of Year 13 in 2020 and beyond.

From the common and recurring mistakes evident in candidates’ answers, it is apparent that quite a
number of Year 13 Teachers of English highly need to take serious heed of the Examiners’ Reports
evident from the yearly recurrent mistakes affecting marked improvement in the overall performance
of students. As English Teachers, you are mindful to the notion that English creates opportunities
otherwise impossible. English is the specialty of English Teachers; who else will students look up to?
This is all the more reason that its teaching needs also to be taken seriously in all schools because
every other subject is taught in the English language (except for Vernacular). Therefore, these other
subjects will definitely be affected in one way or another.

If and when we realise for our students that teaching English well will unlock immeasurable and
limitless opportunities for our students beyond school life, we have already accomplished half our
mission. The rest of our school journey will ensure that we embark on the notion that English impacts
countless lives, ultimately achieving excellent teachers and students with quality passes.

THE END