DSE 2024: To do well on English Paper 2, ensure your tone and style are consistent throughout

Chan shared: “It’s more than just informal or formal tone. You have to consider the audience, the nature of the topic, the occasion, and the writing format required. For example, writing an article for a school newspaper is not the same as writing an article for a local newspaper. Also, ensure the tone and style are consistent throughout the whole [piece].”

School newspapers primarily target students and can be more informal and engaging, using a conversational style that resonates with pupils. Sources may include interviews with students and teachers.

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On the other hand, a local newspaper targets a broader audience within the local community, and the writing should consider the demographics and interests of the local population. In this case, sources can include interviews with experts and officials.

The tutor added that since the exam authority has only given one or two short prompts for each question in Part B in recent years, candidates must organise their writing themselves. They can consider using a mind map to do so. “After creating a mind map of your main idea and key points, prioritise them. Rank your points in order of importance, placing the most general one first. This allows you to elaborate on it in more detail.”

Lee and Chan also offered some tips for writing clearly, such as always including a topic sentence at the beginning of each paragraph and using transitional sentences when switching between ideas or points related to different writing prompts.

“Transitional sentences are like bridges in your writing. They help connect different ideas or paragraphs smoothly. For example, when switching from the cons of an idea, do not just use a single word like ‘however’. You need to add more details to let the reader know what you are going to talk about,” Chan said.

The tutor said it is worth arranging the sequence of paragraphs and points according to importance. Less crucial information should be presented earlier, progressively revealing the most important points to get the reader’s attention.

Lee added that effective persuasion is essential to acing the writing paper. “This means being specific when citing examples. You can also add sensory details to help paint a clear picture in the reader’s mind and provide well-illustrated anecdotes and examples to support your ideas,” she explained.

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Chan pointed out some keywords that candidates are likely to overlook or misinterpret. These include “justify”, “outline”, and “summarise”.

“Some students may write too much for questions that ask them to summarise or outline an idea. On the other hand, I have seen others write too little for a question requiring them to discuss an idea,” he said.

He asked students to pay attention to the writing format, target audience, and the provided prompts, as these elements offer clues about the direction of the writing and what the examiners are looking for.

Chan said students should review the following topics: AI technology; eco-friendliness; Hong Kong’s cultural heritage preservation; Hong Kong’s film and entertainment industry; scams and cyberbullying; town planning and development in Hong Kong; northbound travel for locals; holding major sports events in Hong Kong; overseas or mainland student exchange programmes, and Hong Kong’s service industry, including catering and tourism.

Besides essays and articles, candidates can also benefit from preparing for letters to the editor, reports, proposals, speeches or scripts, blogs or internet posts.

“It is a good idea to attempt [the exam authority’s] latest writing exam sample. Based on this, you can see there will not be any short stories this year. Also, don’t choose the question based on your preference for the topic. Pick the one which will let you gain the highest marks,” he emphasised.

“While you are at it, practise writing skills such as explaining reasons, arguing for and against an idea, giving detailed suggestions, and analysing the pros and cons of an idea.”

Lee said students sometimes go off-topic when writing under pressure. As such, they need to develop their ideas logically during the planning stage. She added: “A logical paragraph is one that makes sense and follows a clear order. Also, there is a connection between the different sentences. It’s not just random thoughts thrown together.”

Here is an example of a logical and illogical idea related to the 2023 DSE exam and a question about running a restaurant during Covid-19.

Logical idea: Owner was depressed because - Covid 19 - lockdown - no customers - no business - difficult to survive - find ways to continue business - post ads on food delivery apps and lay off employees

Illogical idea: Owner was depressed - Covid 19 - no business - lay off employees - cut costs - find ways to survive

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Chan recommended that students allocate 40 to 50 minutes for Part A and 70 to 80 minutes for Part B. For each part, they can spend about five minutes planning and set aside 10 minutes to proofread their writing.

“Time allocation can be flexible as students have varying strengths and weaknesses. However, a common mistake is rushing through the conclusion. Ensure you dedicate enough time for a well-developed ending.”