DSE 2023: For top marks on English exam, study figurative language and prioritise clarity

On Paper 1, Lau said that candidates struggle the most with figurative expressions and inferences.

“Figurative expressions, such as similes and metaphors, are tested almost every year ... but questions on metaphors are not necessarily difficult, especially when candidates are asked to identify them in the passage,” he said, noting that similes compare two things using “as”, “as ... as”, or “like”. In contrast, metaphors directly equate two things without using any comparison words.

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For example, on Question 17 in 2020, candidates were asked to identify the metaphor of “a fresh start” in the text, which was “a new chapter”. Similarly, Question 54 asked for the metaphor of “a very easy task,” with the answer being “all plain sailing”. Lau said it is essential for candidates to learn synonyms and identify the corresponding noun or gerund phrase in such questions.

In some questions, students may be asked to interpret the meaning of a term based on an analogy. For instance, on Question 37 in 2019, candidates were asked to identify the “nightly adventures” mentioned in the text. “Students must understand that ‘adventures’ should indicate an action, and ‘nightly’ should refer to something done at night. So the answer would be ‘bedtime reading’,” he explained.

He added that similar questions included Question 3 from 2014, in which “pieces of the terra-cotta army” represent “an ancient jigsaw puzzle”.

Look for context clues

While many candidates find complex vocabulary intimidating, Lau said the reading paper is all about looking for context clues.

“It is almost impossible for candidates, even the more capable ones, to comprehend every single word in the passage. Students should instead learn to guess the meaning of words by reading back and forth,” he noted.

Before diving into the questions, Lau advised students to get an idea of the text by reading the title, subheadings, first and last paragraph, and the topic sentence of each paragraph.

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Inference questions require candidates to read between the lines, using hints from the text and their knowledge to draw a logical conclusion.

The tutor advised students to make an educated guess by getting hints from the positive and negative connotations, the prefixes and suffixes, and the examples before or after the expression in the question.

For those who aim for a passing grade

Lau emphasised that students aiming for a passing grade should focus on revising essential vocabulary, phrases that signify the writer’s tone and attitude, and prefixes and suffixes, which will help them decipher complex words.

Lau said some questions ask students to identify words with similar meanings. For instance, they may be asked to find a word in the text that means “not colourful,” with the correct answer being “monochrome.”

“Students should understand that the prefix ‘mono-‘ means ‘one’, which is also present in words like ‘monotonous’, ‘monopoly’ and ‘monotone’,” he explained.

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Prioritise clarity

Lau explained that difficult vocabulary is “not a must, even in a 5** essay” – correct word usage, collocations, and the appropriateness of the essay are more important. However, since the HKEAA does expect candidates to demonstrate a wide range of vocabulary, Lau suggested that students focus on studying synonyms to improve their writing.

While clarity and organisation are key, candidates should start with an introductory paragraph that provides background information and states the essay’s purpose. If a stance is required, it should be clearly stated. Each paragraph should have a topic sentence and a concluding statement that indicates the main point.

A lead-in sentence, such as “The proposal has three main benefits” or “The policy has several impacts on society,” can help exam markers understand the passage better. A brief transitional paragraph could also be helpful, such as “Despite the policy’s advantages, it also has several drawbacks.”

In addition to summarising the main points discussed in the last paragraph, students can end their essays by offering suggestions, appeals, warnings, or even predictions to strengthen their arguments further.

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This year’s hot topics

Topics that might appear on this year’s exam include artificial intelligence, education, Hong Kong’s housing problem, the revival of Cantopop, and social changes caused by the pandemic, such as an increase in people working from home, online classes, and the rise of food delivery services.

Common mistakes

Lau warned candidates to pay attention to the wording of the exam questions to avoid going off-topic.

“In a previous question, students were asked to write a debate speech arguing [in favour of the idea] that ‘watching TV makes us smarter,’ but some misunderstood the instructions and wrote arguments against the statement instead,” he said.

When writing in a specific role, such as a boss responding to employee complaints about after-hours messages, students must carefully consider how that role might impact the tone and content of their writing, Lau said.

Time management

Students should spend at least 15 minutes brainstorming and organising their ideas for each paragraph. This includes identifying the main argument, elaboration, examples, and supporting evidence such as studies, statistics, or personal experiences. By structuring their writing this way, students can more effectively communicate their ideas and ensure that their points are well-supported.