VCE English Question Thread

[MandhreeE]

Hi Lauren,

Thank you so much for your prompt reply!! I hope you don't mind me asking but i'm also getting mixed marks for my context pieces. I know this is a huge ask but i was wondering if i could perhaps send you one of my context pieces for you to mark. it's totally fine if you can't i know that this time of year you are super busy.

Thank you once again.

[BLTCC]

Thank you so much Lauren for your help really appreciate it!!!!!

[blacksanta62]

Hey guys, if writing a context piece (expository and I&B) and I can only weed out 2 main ideas that I want to explore can I still get a 7-8/10?
So in total that would be an introduction, 2 body paragraphs and a conclusion. Or is it really recommended that the 3 paragraphs minimum rule be followed?
Thank you

[Koipond11111111111]

How would you structure an essay on this Medea practice exam prompt "How does Medea deceive other characters in the play?"
Do we incorporate a discussion on themes into essay or is it strictly about how the text was constructed?

Do you think VCAA will put more than two different written pieces for LA like in your practice exams? I am having trouble analyzing  the comments in these pieces (e.g. The 3 comments on the blog in Exam 4) in LA, should I put the contention of every comment in the introduction?

[literally lauren]

Hi Lauren,

Thank you so much for your prompt reply!! I hope you don't mind me asking but i'm also getting mixed marks for my context pieces. I know this is a huge ask but i was wondering if i could perhaps send you one of my context pieces for you to mark. it's totally fine if you can't i know that this time of year you are super busy.

Thank you once again.

No worries Feel free to chuck your piece up on the Submissions Board if you want really detailed feedback; otherwise, you can PM me and I'll give you some general advice

Hey guys, if writing a context piece (expository and I&B) and I can only weed out 2 main ideas that I want to explore can I still get a 7-8/10?
So in total that would be an introduction, 2 body paragraphs and a conclusion. Or is it really recommended that the 3 paragraphs minimum rule be followed?
Thank you

"2 ideas" doesn't necessarily have to be two body paragraphs though. Even if you can only extract two main concepts from the prompt, you could still break them up into three or more paragraphs.

Three paragraphs would be the ideal minimum, though the rules are more flexible for Context, so if you only had two paras but your discussion was excellent, you could easily score in the 7-8 region, though it might be hard to bump it to a 9-10.

How would you structure an essay on this Medea practice exam prompt "How does Medea deceive other characters in the play?"
Do we incorporate a discussion on themes into essay or is it strictly about how the text was constructed?

Do you think VCAA will put more than two different written pieces for LA like in your practice exams? I am having trouble analyzing  the comments in these pieces (e.g. The 3 comments on the blog in Exam 4) in LA, should I put the contention of every comment in the introduction?

Basically, your body paragraphs should always be structured around themes (if possible... otherwise just go for a character breakdown as a last resort if you need to) and then within those paragraphs, you can delve into the construction of the text for 'How...' prompts.

I think a comparative exam is likely this year, but I reckon there's also a high chance of them giving you something weird like an interview or a transcript of some description, which is why I tend to make the practice exams comparative out of habit. Maybe they'll be nice and just give you a single, straightforward piece this year, but I think they'll be looking to challenge you In the even you get given a bunch of different bits and pieces, you wouldn't have to go through them all in the intro. For instance, for Exam 3, I'd just have 2-3 sentences at the start talking about how the newsletter published pieces from a variety of teachers about the different language options (rather than running through all four pieces.) For Exam 4, on the other hand, your intro should contain the contention of the main piece since that's taking up around 3/4 of the material. The comments are more optional though, and it'd be more efficient to just leave them for your body paragraphs where you can delve into them properly. If you want, you can just have a quick sentence at the end of your intro like 'The piece was also accompanied by a variety of comments spanning different views from members of the forum community' and leave it at that

[blacksanta62]

"2 ideas" doesn't necessarily have to be two body paragraphs though. Even if you can only extract two main concepts from the prompt, you could still break them up into three or more paragraphs.

Three paragraphs would be the ideal minimum, though the rules are more flexible for Context, so if you only had two paras but your discussion was excellent, you could easily score in the 7-8 region, though it might be hard to bump it to a 9-10.

How would I do that?
And this doesn't happen with VCAA prompts only with prompts from company papers which are worded difficulty.

Also, when doing a LA, does the audience have to be mentioned in the introduction?

Thank you

[Hydraulix]

For those prompts that are like: This Text is about something

like 2014 VCAA prompt for This Boy's Life
This Boy's Life is not only about hardship; it is also about determination and resourcefulness.

How do you go about your paragraphs. To me it sounds bad to just say yeah it is about that because of [example]. What is the good way to approach one of these prompts?

Thank youu!

[HasibA]

quick q
with the time remaining, would it be pragmatic to do the VCAA lang analyses and look through there prompts, or should i look through Lauren's exams? leaning over to lauren's bc VCAA probs wont repeat themselves, and its better to expose myself to new content, but still, not sure
thanks

[FallingStar]

How would I do that?
And this doesn't happen with VCAA prompts only with prompts from company papers which are worded difficulty.

Also, when doing a LA, does the audience have to be mentioned in the introduction?

Thank you

Method 1: Say you can only do two ideas from a prompt, which are apples and bananas. But the text may say two different things about Apples and two different things about oranges. Write a paragraph about what the text both the different things said about Apples, and then 2 different things about what the text says oranges. You now have 4 paragraphs.

Method 2: You have a prompt, which you only have 2 ideas for. Each of these two ideas can be split into categories. Back to the apples and oranges analogy, your apple idea has green apple and red apple.  Your oranges idea has navel orange and blood oranges. Now write about green apple, red apple, navel oranges and blood oranges. You now have 4 paragraphs.

And yes, you do have to mention the audience. And you should do it in your introduction. Note: The audience has to be specific and never "the general public."

For those prompts that are like: This Text is about something

like 2014 VCAA prompt for This Boy's Life
This Boy's Life is not only about hardship; it is also about determination and resourcefulness.

How do you go about your paragraphs. To me it sounds bad to just say yeah it is about that because of [example]. What is the good way to approach one of these prompts?

Thank youu!

Don't. If you want to give a mostly yes answer, talk about what it means for the author, and why the author argues that. For example, (using All About Eve) If a prompt say that "All About Eve is All About Ambition in the theatre," then I could use an all yes answer, then talk about what the text actually says about ambition. Eg. I could say in one paragraph that the film criticises ambition for being destructive.

For your particular prompt: you have three key words. It is very common that a students like us would fall in the trap of only talking about one or two without talking about the third. May sure you address all of the words. And since they are grouped together, you will also need to talk about the link between the themes in the text. Like how they interconnect.

quick q
with the time remaining, would it be pragmatic to do the VCAA lang analyses and look through there prompts, or should i look through Lauren's exams? leaning over to lauren's bc VCAA probs wont repeat themselves, and its better to expose myself to new content, but still, not sure
thanks

Do the VCAA ones to get used to their style of them. Although I doubt they will repeat themselves, they do have a general pattern or style in which they run. And it's not like those commercial papers are going to be able to predict what VCAA would give you either, so I think its best to do a range of language analysis stuff. On the other hand, Lauren knows what she's on about but her exams (if you've seen them) are really tough (they're meant to be). In fact, some high range students in my school found them hard so you may find them really hard. But they are worth doing if you have the time.

I hope these help you all. (sorry that I'm not Lauren  )

[Koipond11111111111]

Can I write a context piece for a text that we did not study in school but is still a VCAA text for Whose reality?

[FallingStar]

Can I write a context piece for a text that we did not study in school but is still a VCAA text for Whose reality?

Technically, you can. Examiner don't know what text you're doing in school. However, they will not count as external resources and you do need external resources. However I don't know if that's a good idea unless you can twist your text into any prompt.

[HasibA]

with last yrs prompt for MABO, what other ideas could i generate? 
‘Eddie Mabo is not the only hero of this fi lm.’
 Do you agree?
1) obviously, i could talk about bonita, but the rest of my ideas seem either shallow as hell, or irrelevant.
2) i was thinking the whole murray community is, for dealing with the oppression and the very ignorant views and values in the 1900s
3) Mabos lawyers that assisted him in his case, as well as the relatively unbiased HIgh Court judges?
and then i had some deep thought, and was contemplating ideas like
-maybe MABO is the only true hero, and what it means to be a hero etc.

any help will be lovely, <3

[Sine]

Do essays get remarked if one examiner gives you for example a 7 and the other gives your a 9? (difference of 2)

EDIT: mistakenly quoted 

[Koipond11111111111]

Technically, you can. Examiner don't know what text you're doing in school. However, they will not count as external resources and you do need external resources. However I don't know if that's a good idea unless you can twist your text into any prompt.

So if I have a really good piece on the American dream related to The Death of A Salesman but we studied Wag the Dog and Foe can I still write it and not get penalized?

Do essays get remarked if one examiner gives you for example a 7 and the other gives your a 9? (difference of 2)

EDIT: mistakenly quoted 

Check this out: Re: English Q&A

[Hydraulix]

Hiiii

I want to use quotes from my text for my context piece but I do not ever explicitly mention my text. Should I put quotation marks: "like this" when I quote so it is clear that it came from my text? Will the exam markers be cool with it?

Thank youuu