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5 Tips For A Band 6 Visual Arts Essay

May 5, 2017

It is important to note that the theoretical component of Visual arts counts for 50% of your final mark. Therefore it is important to nail the essay writing and unseen plate component of the course as well as your major piece of work. Although there are many different possible case studies which could be used to answer one of the final questions there are some universal tips which may help boost your marks.

1. Know your frames, conceptual framework and artist practice

It is a given that in the exam you will be given a set of questions which come from these three Art frameworks. Therefore it is important to know what each component entails.

A summary of the requirements of each framework:

Subjective Frame : Personal, psychological experience – What are your first impressions?, How does it make you feel?

Postmodern Frame : Ideas that challenge the mainstream – Has the artwork been appropriated? Does it include irony?

Structural Frame : Communication, systems of signs – Describe the visual language, use of line, symbolism and colour etc.

Cultural frame : Cultural and social meanings – What cultural group or race is presented? What ideology is revealed.

Conceptual framework : The relations between the WORLD, AUDIENCE, ARTIST AND ARTWORK

Artist’s Practice: Art Making – What procedures are used? How is meaning given to the Artwork? How are symbols and codes used?

Art History and Art Criticism – How do artists intend others to respond? How have other artists explored this concept? How has this idea within Art been expressed over time.

A tip for being able to quickly recognise which frame the question is coming from and what needs to be included would be to go through past paper questions and practice identifying what needs to be included in order to address the question.

2. Take an interest in certain artists or exhibitions.

Many previous questions in HSC Art exams have asked students to evaluate a single artist’s practice or components of a contemporary exhibition. It is important to stay up to date with relevant case studies and exhibitions so that you can provide interesting and useful information for the markers. If you do not do individual studies of artist’s in class  you could easily complete a case study on an artist that you used as inspiration for your major work. This way you will learn more about the processes of the artist which may help you with your practical component and you could also use this information in the exam room. I would also encourage you to stay up to date with exhibitions and art museums. I was able to complete a case study comparing different art exhibition spaces within Sydney based on the Sydney Biennale. I found that studying art exhibition spaces applied very well to previous HSC questions.

3. Consolidate your knowledge on Artist movements.

Know at least 2 artists and examples of 2 artworks by each artist.

Many schools focus largely on movements such as Modernism and Feminism which is largely applicable to questions given in the HSC. It is great to be able to compare Artists who address similar content in different time periods however it is important that you know your artists well. For example for a case study in Feminism i would compare artists from each of the feminist movements and know at least 2 examples of artworks of theirs that address the topic of feminism. I would also note differences and similarities between each artist as this could be a useful analysis to include in your essay. It would be great if you could include artists who have different artist practices, making it easier to compare and contrast and add depth to your essay.

4. Structure your essay well and provide a direct and succinct Introduction and conclusion.

Because the HSC markers for Visual arts have to mark many different case studies it is important that your ideas are well organised and structured. Your introduction should address the question that you have chosen as well as components of the art framework it involves. If you are including artists you should name them and provide brief context of in relation to how they operate in terms of the question. Your body paragraphs should also be structured and i would encourage splitting them up in terms of artist and artwork in order to provide in depth analysis in terms of each. You should be specific with your dates and examples and utilise detail in reference to artists and their practice. Your conclusion should not be a last minute addition to finalise your essay. Rather, the conclusion should provide a summary of your argument, examples and analysis. It should bring the markers back to understanding how you answered the questions and all the great examples you used to show your understanding.

5. FINAL TIP: Know your case studies! AND Stay up to date

As Major works can take up a lot of your time it is common for theoretical study to take the back seat throughout the HSC. However it is important to build up a bank of essay case studies which can be utilised in your assessments and final exam. These case studies should be up to date and you need to know your stuff. You cannot walk into the exam and attempt to wing the essay without knowing a lot about your artists and artworks. So practice timed responses, create mind maps and EBT’s and INCLUDE CRITICAL QUOTES . Quotes are especially important in elevating your essay, however you need to integrate these quotes and use them to contribute to your argument rather than just adding them in. It is also important to constantly research new information which could be included in your essay. This could include new artworks, new art historian or critic quotes or new exhibitions, this will help keep your essay relevant and fresh.

LITERARY TECHNIQUES

Texts and human experience, module c - the craft of writing, pdf of our planning pad for download, pdf of our mind map pad for download.

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Art Essay- Contemporary Artist- Band 6

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Resource Description

Band 6 essay for art. Many artists and very adaptable to questions.

Exhibitions are carefully constructed and curated in an attempt to convey a certain concept and point of view to its their audiences. Curators have a responsibility to not only create an exhibition of aesthetic value but one that renders thought within its audience creating a personal impact. Thus, within the exhibition titled “Who am I? Who are you? Who are we?”, artworks have been specifically organiszed and selected to convey the notion of identity, exploring ideas of the human condition. The exhibition containing a wide variety of artists such as Barbra Kruger, Ryan Presley, Glen Ligon, Marc Quinn, and Francis Bacon respectively, contains five sub-sections: Feminist identity, Australian identity, African American identity, universal and collective identity, and political and social identity. In this way, the exhibition has been shaped to convey to the audience the diversity of identity and individuality within the collectivity, having a wide variety of artistic forms and subject matter in which the audience can resonate with. Hence, the exhibition invites the audience to reconsider their own identity, regardless of their culture, beliefs, and values, and challenge how society views themself. This correlates to my Major Work series “ The curious case of the curious humans”, exploring humanity’s most frequently asked question and thus addressing the human quality of curiosity, in humanity’s constant questioning of the world around them in an attempt to solidify their identity and understand  humanity as a whole.

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Paper 1 - Section I - 10 Full-Length Reading Tasks

Paper 1 - Section II - 60 Practice Essay Questions

This article contains several sample HSC questions for all modules of the year 12 Advanced English Course.

5 minute read

Last updated 

October 8, 2021

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Six Second Summary

Introduction.

As regular practice is essential to effective study regimes, students should utilise these questions in the lead up to trial and HSC exams. Questions are best practised under timed conditions to best prepare for the exams in an authentic environment.

These questions have been prepared by top state-ranking tutors at Premier Tutors with several years of experience teaching the new syllabus, including three tutors who have placed 1st in NSW for English Advanced.

Common Questions

“Through the language of emotion, texts may provide timeless and universal portraits of humanity.”

To what extent does this statement relate to your own understanding of your prescribed text? In your response, refer to the quotation and your prescribed text.

“Literature always anticipates life. It does not copy it but moulds it to its purpose.” – Oscar Wilde

Assess the effectiveness of your prescribed text in providing an authentic image of reality. In your response, refer to the quotation and your prescribed text.

“It is difficult to maintain individual identity in the face of homogenous collectives.”

To what extent does this statement relate to your own understanding of your prescribed text?

How does your text represent the paradoxical nature of human behaviours and motivations?

Literature’s power comes from its ability to confront the reader’s assumptions by representing new perspectives on the human experience. How does your understanding of your prescribed text reflect this statement?

“One’s identity is a culmination of their individual and collective human experiences.”

To what extent does this statement align with your understanding of your prescribed text? In your response, refer to the quotation and your prescribed text.

How does your text represent the inconsistencies between morality and human behaviours?

“The medium is the message” – Marshall McLuhan

How does the composer of your prescribed text communicate their perspective on the human experience through their form choices? In your response, refer to your prescribed text and the above statement.

“Despite our different behaviours, human motivations are all the same.”

How does your composer respond to their context to represent enduring ideas about the human experience? In your response, make close reference to the given statement and the prescribed text.

Question 10

“If the world were clear, art would not exist.” – Albert Camus

How does your prescribed text use storytelling to clarify the uncertainties and inconsistencies of the human experience? In your response, refer to the given statement and your prescribed text.

Question 11

How does the composer of your prescribed text experiment with form to challenge readers’ perspectives about the human experience?

Question 12

“The only constant within the human experience is change.”

To what extent does this paradoxical statement reflect your understanding of your prescribed text?

Question 13

How does your text use storytelling to deepen the responder’s understanding of the power of human relationships?

Question 14

How does your text develop a strong voice to shape the reader’s perspectives about the nature of individual experiences?

Question 15

“The most powerful and transcendental human experience is love.”

Love can come in many different forms. How does your text represent the impact of this emotion on individual and collective human experiences? In your response, make close reference to the above statement and your prescribed text.

Form Questions

Question 16 - prose fiction.

“The primary purpose of prose to create an authentic representation of the human experience.”

To what extent does the given statement align with your understanding of your prescribed text? In your response, discuss how narrative voice and structure help create this authenticity.

Question 17 - Poetry

“The power of poetry is not so much in the literal meaning of the words, but in the feelings that it evokes through imagery and other creative choices. It is through those feelings that we learn about the human experience.”

To what extent does this statement align with your understanding of your prescribed text?

Question 18 - Drama/ Shakespearean Drama

Analyse your prescribed text’s use of performance devices in representing human emotions.

Question 19 - Nonfiction

Analyse how the narrative voice of your prescribed text deepens your understanding of the individual experience represented.

Question 20 - Film & Media

Analyse how visual techniques work in conjunction with dialogue to accurately portray the interaction between individual and collective human experiences.

The following are all text-specific questions:

All the Light We Cannot See (Doerr, Anthony):

Question 21.

How does Doer represent the impact of adversity on the individual and collective behaviours?

Question 22

“So how, children, does the brain, which lives without a spark of light, build for us a world full of light?”

How has Doer’s representation of hope deepened your understanding of the human experience? In your response, make close reference to the given quotation and your prescribed text.

Question 23

How does Doer’s complicated portrayal of heroes and villains reveal the universality of our underlying humanity?

Vertigo (Lohrey, Amanda):

Question 24.

How does Lohrey represent the importance of connection with place in shaping the individual human experience?

Question 25

“To awaken human emotion is the highest level of art.” – Isadora Duncan

Discuss how Lohrey’s representation of the range of human emotions has enhanced your understanding of the human experience. In your response, make close reference to the given quote and your prescribed text.

Question 26

How does Lohrey represent the impact of loss and grief on individual human experiences?

Nineteen Eighty-Four (Orwell, George):

Question 27.

“Don’t let it happen. It depends on you.” – George Orwell

How does the above quotation resonate with your understanding of Orwell’s authorial intent?

Question 28

How does Orwell represent the power of collective narratives to homogenise individual human experiences?

Question 29

How does Orwell represent the nature of human emotions within a totalitarian regime, and how does this representation help support his authorial purpose?

Past the Shallows (Parrett, Favel):

Question 30.

“No man is an island entire of itself.” – John Donne

Does the above quotation affirm or challenge Parrett’s representation of isolation in Past the Shallows?

Question 31

Analyse how Parrett’s representation of fear shapes your understanding of human behaviours and motivations.

Question 32

How does Parrett represent the influence of setting on individual and collective human experiences?

Rosemary Dobson Collect Poems

‘Young Girl at a Window’, ‘Over the Hill’, ‘Summer’s End’, ‘The Conversation’, ‘Cock Crow’, ‘Amy Caroline’, ‘Canberra Morning’

Question 33

How does Dobson experiment with form to examine the impact of internal conflict on the individual human experience? In your response, refer to AT LEAST TWO of Dobson’s prescribed poems.

Question 34

“His eyes lit windows facing west / to the lemon-coloured light.” - Over the Hill, Rosemary Dobson

How does Dobson’s poetry engage with the different human reactions to change? In your response, refer to the above quotation and TWO OR MORE of Dobson’s prescribed poems.

Question 35

How does Dobson use her poetic form to explore the depth of human emotions? In your response, make clear reference to specific FORM choices made by Dobson in NO MORE THAN TWO of her poems.

Kenneth Slessor Selected Poems

‘Wild Grapes’, ‘Gulliver’, ‘Out of Time’, ‘Vesper-Song of the Reverend Samuel Marsden’, ‘William Street’, ‘Beach Burial’

Question 36

How does Slessor use imagery to evoke confronting emotions and experiences? In your response, refer to AT LEAST TWO of Slessor’s prescribed poems.

Question 37

How does Slessor highlight the paradoxes and anomalies inherent within the human experience? In your response, refer to NO MORE THAN TWO of Slessor’s prescribed poems.

Question 38

How does Slessor’s use of poetic personas allow him to shine light on complex aspects of the human experience? In your response, refer to AT LEAST TWO of Slessor’s prescribed poems.

The Crucible (Miller, Arthur)

Question 39.

“Whilst The Crucible is clearly a response to Miller’s context, it also contains enduring messages about human behaviours and motivations.”

How does the above statement reflect your understanding of the human experience represented in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible?

Question 40

How does Miller represent the power of institutional narratives to overwhelm and shape individual and collective human experiences?

Question 41

“Fear is the primary motivator within the human experience.”

To what extent does this statement reflect your understanding of the human experiences represented in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible?

The Merchant of Venice (Shakespeare, William)

Question 42.

How does Shakespeare represent differing motivations and their impact on human behaviours?

Question 43

“Life itself, my wife and all the world / Are not with me esteemed above thy life.” (Bassiano to Antonio, IV.i.275-276, The Merchant of Venice, William Shakespeare)

How does Shakespeare represent the importance of connection with others in providing value to human experiences?

Question 44

How does Shakespeare in The Merchant of Venice represent the influence of social laws and norms on both individual and collective human experiences?

The Boy Behind the Curtain (Winton, Tim)

Question 45.

How does Winton’s memoir form invite the reader to reflect upon the impact of past experiences in shaping individual identity? In your response, refer to AT LEAST TWO of Winton’s stories prescribed for study.

Question 46

To what extent does Winton engage with the tensions between individual motivations and collective expectations? In your response, refer to NO MORE THAN TWO of Winton’s stories prescribed for study.

Question 47

“For many, certainty has become the new normal, but it’s an illusion…We’ll forever be vulnerable to havoc.” – Havoc, Tim Winton

How does Winton represent the illusions within the human experience? In your response, make specific reference to above quotation and AT LEAST TWO of Winton’s stories prescribed for study.

I Am Malala (Yousafzai, Malala & Lamb)

Question 48.

“We realise the importance of our voices only when we are silenced.” – I am Malala, Malala Yousafzai

How does Yousafzai represent the importance of storytelling to empower individuals and collectives? In your response, make close reference to the above quotation and your prescribed text.

Question 49

How does Yousafzai represent the importance of maintaining individual values in the face of challenging individual and collective human experiences?

Question 50

How does Yousafzai in I am Malala represent the emotions and behaviours associated with experiences of inequality?

Question 51

How does Yousafzai in I am Malala represent our underlying, universal humanity despite our different beliefs and backgrounds?

Billy Elliot (Daldry, Stephen)

Question 52.

“We cannot change who we are, no more than we can change the rising of the sun or the coming of the tides.”

Does the above statement affirm or challenge your understanding of the representation of individual identity in Daldry’s Billy Elliot?

Question 53

How does Billy Elliot use visual techniques to engage with the difficulty of overcoming social expectations?

Question 54

How does Daldry in Billy Elliot represent the importance of acceptance to the human experience?

Go Back to Where You Came From (O’Mahony, Ivan)

Question 55.

How does Go Back to Where You Came From use documentary techniques which confront the viewer’s expectations to reveal the range of human experiences?

Question 56

How does Go Back to Where You Came From represent the power of new experiences to change existing perspectives?

Question 57

How does Go Back to Where You Came From represent our underlying, universal humanity despite our different beliefs and backgrounds?

Waste Land (Walker, Lucy)

Question 58.

“A powerful artistic vision is undeniable.”

Does the above quote affirm or challenge your understanding of Waste Land’s representation of the importance of artistic purpose for individual identity?

Question 59

How has your study of Waste Land enhanced your understanding of the power of creative expression to unite communities?

Question 60

How does Waste Land use visual techniques to shape our understanding of the timelessness and universality of human concerns and challenges?

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20 Paper 1 Practice Essay Questions to Get Ready for the English Adv HSC

Want to prepare for HSC English Advanced Paper 1? Write practice essays with these 20 Common Module: Texts and Human Experiences practice questions!

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Vce english units 3 & 4.

Need help preparing for HSC English Advanced Paper 1? Well, Matrix has your back, again! In this post, we’ve got 20 Common Module practice essay questions for you to get HSC ready with.

20 Paper 1 practice essay questions to get ready for the English Adv HSC | Common Module: Text and Human Experiences

Below are 20 practice questions for the Common Module Paper 1. Some of these questions are general questions and others are specific to form.

We recommend that you use these practice questions to either:

• Write practice essays to gain essay confidence
• Do mock exams to a 40-minute timer (Yes, that’s right, not 45 minutes. Get used to responding in less than the allotted time!)
• Practise scaffolding drills where you plan out an essay in 5 minutes and write a practice introduction and three topic sentences!
• All of the above

Note: Some of these questions asks you to discuss a specific text. Feel free to adapt these to your own prescribed texts!

Remember, it is always a good idea to practice a wide range of questions. You must not rely on a prepared response.

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20 Common Module practice essay questions

Inevitable conflict invites individuals to see the world differently and bring anomalies to light.

Evaluate this statement with close references to your prescribed text.

Evaluate how composers use evocative imagery to represent the power of human desires and their effect on individuals.

In your response, make detailed reference to the text.

Storytelling is simply a metaphor that helps people deal with the harsh truth of the human condition.

How does the text you studied affirm or challenge this statement? In your response, make detailed reference to the text.

Humans need to embrace every aspect of the human experience – including the goods and bads – to undergo pleasantly surprising changes in life.

Critically evaluate this statement with references to at least 2 of Rosemary Dobson’s poems. In your response, make detailed reference to the text.

Composers use features unique to their media and form to offer insightful perspectives on human experiences that forces audiences to self-reflect.

“ Living a good life is like flipping pancakes. If you hesitate, it splatters all over the place .” – Matt Simpson.

Evaluate how George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four  reflects this statement by functioning as a cautionary tale. In your response, make detailed reference to the text.

Composers document their personal experiences in stories to reflect and learn. As such, their personal and wider contexts are usually interwoven in these stories.

Explain how the use of narrative voice in non-fiction texts reflect the above statement. In your response, make detailed reference to the text.

To what extent does Shakespeare’s  Merchant of Venice challenge audiences to reflect on the complexities and tensions of human experiences throughout time.

Texts are known to explore human flaws that are uncomfortable, yet simultaneously, wonderful.

Evaluate how Arthur Miller’s use of representation in  The Crucible  explores the above statement. In your response, make detailed reference to the text.

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Question 10

How does Tim Winton’s innovative representation of the landscape present an insightful vision of the human experience?

In your response, make detailed reference to at least 2 stories from  The Boy Behind the Curtain .

Question 11

Stories often invite audiences to appreciate the power of human interactions and relationships to offer new insights into the world and oneself.

How does your text affirm or challenge the above statement? In your response, make detailed reference to the text.

Question 12

Evaluate how George Orwell uses metaphors to represent the weaknesses and strengths of human qualities within a turbulent political zeitgeist. In your response, make detailed reference to the text.

Question 13

Humans have an innate desire to judge others.

Discuss the effects of stereotypes and judgement on an individual’s sense of self in Ivan O’Mahoney’s  Go Back to Where You Came From . In your response, make detailed reference to the text.

Question 14

Evaluate how composers use evocative imagery to explore the similarities and differences between individual and collective human experiences.

Make close reference to your prescribed text.

Question 15

One’s identity is ultimately shaped by their experiences and interaction with the wider world.

To what extent does your prescribed text explore this statement. In your response, make detailed reference to the text.

Question 16

Human emotions and desires have the power to move mountains.

Discuss how your prescribed text uses its media and form to explore the above statement. In your response, make detailed reference to the text.

Question 17

Society and their perspectives may change over time, but the human condition remains constant.

To what extent does Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb’s  I am Malala  explore the above statement. In your response, make detailed reference to the text.

Question 18

An exploration of the human experience offers new insight on the world and of oneself.

Discuss how the composer of your prescribed text represented different experiences and attitudes to explore the above statement. In your response, make detailed reference to the text.

Question 19

“Don’t bend; don’t water it down; don’t try to make it logical; don’t edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly.” – Franz Kafka

Explore the above statement with close references to your prescribed text.

Question 20

Composers represent relatable experiences to encourage audiences to recognise the connection between themselves and the wider world.

Evaluate the above statement and explore the importance of connections and relationships with detailed references to your prescribed text.

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Year 12 HSC Common Module: Texts and Human Experiences Practice Questions

Can’t find any helpful questions for HSC Module Text and Human Experience? Here are 10 brand new questions for you!

TutorTime would like to help you prepare for the HSC English Common Module (paper 1). 

A great place to start is to understand what you have to demonstrate-you can find it here straight from NESA:

“In this common module students deepen their understanding of how texts represent individual and collective human experiences. They examine how texts represent human qualities and emotions associated with, or arising from, these experiences. Students appreciate, explore, interpret, analyse and evaluate the ways language is used to shape these representations in a range of texts in a variety of forms, modes and media.

Students explore how texts may give insight into the anomalies, paradoxes and inconsistencies in human behaviour and motivations, inviting the responder to see the world differently, to challenge assumptions, ignite new ideas or reflect personally. They may also consider the role of storytelling throughout time to express and reflect particular lives and cultures. By responding to a range of texts they further develop skills and confidence using various literary devices, language concepts, modes and media to formulate a considered response to texts.

Students study one prescribed text and a range of short texts that provide rich opportunities to further explore representations of human experiences illuminated in texts. They make increasingly informed judgements about how aspects of these texts, for example context, purpose, structure, stylistic and grammatical features, and form shape meaning. In addition, students select one related text and draw from personal experience to make connections between themselves, the world of the text and their wider world.

By responding and composing throughout the module students further develop a repertoire of skills in comprehending, interpreting and analysing complex texts. They examine how different modes and media use visual, verbal and/or digital language elements. They communicate ideas using figurative language to express universal themes and evaluative language to make informed judgements about texts. Students further develop skills in using metalanguage, correct grammar and syntax to analyse language and express a personal perspective about a text.”

Read more about the NESA English syllabus here:

https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/wcm/connect/f2ef71a2-ea7c-4b96-92f6-398fe141925c/english-stage-6-prescriptions-2019-2023.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CVID=

Here are some general essay tips:

• Time your essays. You should allow 40 minutes to write the essay and don’t forget to add in the rubric words.
• Hand write your essay, get writing fit, you won’t be able to type your essay in the HSC!
• Don’t forget to answer the question in your introduction.
• Write in clear paragraphs with obvious spacing. 
• Edit your work. 

Some Common Module Questions

1. ‘Representations of historical collective human experiences influences how individuals live their lives today.’

Discuss this statement with reference to the text you have studied.

2. ‘Without love, there can be no hate. Without lies, there can be no truth. Without deceit, there can be no honour.’

How has the text you have studied explored the paradoxical truths of the human experience?

3. ‘Transgressions, lies and deceit form a fundamental part of the human experience. Composers aim to highlight how responding to such tribulations can shape the way individuals view the wider world.’

How has the text you have studied explored this idea?

4. ‘Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely’. 

With reference to the above statement and your prescribed text, to what extent do you believe the individual human experience is defined by one’s struggle with power? 

5. ‘Humans are inconsistent creatures. We love, we envy, we hate. There is no formula to life’. 

To what extent has your understanding of your prescribed text informed your opinion of the above statement? 

6. ‘The one thing that I know for sure is that I don’t know anything for sure’.

How have the paradoxes inherent to the human experience informed your understanding of your prescribed text? Reference the above quote in your answer. 

7. With reference to your prescribed text, to what extent can literature truly capture the inconsistent realities of the human experience? 

8. ‘Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so’.

Evaluate the above statement in line with your understanding of your prescribed text. 

9. To what extent does your prescribed text suggest desperation to be an innate aspect of the human experience?

10. ‘We only reveal our true selves in moments of difficulty’

To what extent is the human experience defined individual suffering? Answer this question with reference to the above statement and your prescribed text.

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HSC English Practice Questions for Standard and Advanced Modules

Looking for some HSC English practice questions to brush up on your essay writing skills with?

Look no further!

In this article, we’ve grouped together all the practice questions you could possibly ever need for HSC English Standard and Advanced , with 20 practice questions for the Common Module and Modules A, B and C.

So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get practising!

Common Module Essay Practice Questions Common Module Short Answer Practice Questions Standard Module A Practice Questions Advanced Module A Practice Questions Standard Module B Practice Questions Advanced Module B Practice Questions Module C Practice Questions

Common Module: Texts and Human Experiences Practice Questions

The HSC Common Module questions will be the same for both Standard and Advanced English !

Make sure you answer questions correctly by understanding the key verbs of each question!

Here’s a few practice questions to get you going:

Through the telling and receiving of stories, we become more aware of ourselves and our shared human experiences. Explore this statement with close reference to your prescribed text.

Storytelling invites us to see the world differently through challenging our assumptions. Discuss this statement in relation to your prescribed text.

In what ways does [YOUR TEXT] offer new insights into the anomalies in human behaviour and motivations? Explore this statement with close reference to your prescribed text

Liked these questions? We’ve created 20 general practice questions for the Common Module which can be applied to any text for you to practice with!

Check out how to ace HSC English Paper 1 for the Common Module here!

Common Module: Texts and Human Experiences Short Answer Questions

As this is a new module created by NESA, you probably haven’t had much luck accessing any short answer practice questions for it.

Luckily, we’ve created two brand new short answer sections with stimulus booklets for Texts and Human Experiences for you to explore!

Need some help finding related texts for HSC English Common Module? Check out our recommendations here .

Standard Module A: Language, Identity, and Culture Practice Questions

‘What we know of the world is captured in the way we talk about it.’ In your answer, refer to your prescribed text and ONE related text.

Has your study of texts focusing on cultural voice affirmed or refuted common stereotypes? How is this idea explored in your Prescribed text and ONE related text.

How have the texts you have studied explored how groups have adapted to change? How is this idea explored in your Prescribed text and ONE related text.

If you’re looking for more practice, you can find the entire list of 20 practice questions for HSC Standard English Module A here!

Advanced Module A: Textual Conversations Practice Questions

To what extent do the texts you have studied demonstrate that the values a text presents are shaped by its context?    How true is this statement of the two texts you studied? Respond to this question in relation to your prescribed text.

‘Context determines the ways in which similar issues are explored across texts.’ Discuss this statement in relation to your prescribed texts.

‘How has your comparative study enhanced your understanding of the ways in which texts are influenced by other text in how they shape meaning? Discuss this statement in relation to your prescribed texts.

You can access all 20 of our practice questions for HSC English Advanced Module A here!

Standard Module B: Close Study of Literature Practice Questions

As this module has a focus on one particular texts, questions will be tailored towards your prescribed text.

Here’s just a few practice questions for some of the prescribed texts:

Feed,  MT Anderson

How does  Feed  confirm or defy audience expectations of its genre? In your response, refer to the novel, Feed by MT Anderson.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time,  Mark Haddon

How does  The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time  use the voice of its protagonist in order to allow insight into his unique perspective? In your response, refer to the novel,  The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time .

Coast Road , Robert Gray

“Amongst these vast grey plastic sheets of heat, shadowy figures who seem engaged in identifying the dead – they are the attendants, in overalls and goggles.” How does Robert Gray use imagery in order to convey ideas about humanity’s relationship with nature? In your response, refer to the quote, Flames and Dangling Wire  and one other poem from  Coast Road .

Frank Hurley: The Man Who Made History

Does  Frank Hurley: The Man Who Made History  present an ultimately positive depiction of its subject, or a negative one? In your response, refer to the film,  Frank Hurley: The Man Who Made History .

If you didn’t find your prescribed text practice questions here or were looking for more, don’t fret!

We’ve created three practice questions for each of the prescribed HSC Standard English texts which you can find here!

Advanced Module B: Critical Study of Literature Practice Questions

Similarly to the Standard Module B, we’ve created practice questions tailored towards each prescribed text as you will be asked to answer questions that are specific to your text.

Here’s just a few of them:

Emma , Jane Austen

How do realisations work to further the narrative of  Emma ? In your answer, refer to the novel,  Emma. 

TS Eliot : Selected Poems ,  TS Eliot

It is through his vivid imagery of the new urban landscape that Eliot’s work captures alienation. To what extent does this statement relate to your own understanding of your prescribed text? In your response, refer to the quotation and your two of the prescribed poems.

King Henry IV Part I , William Shakespeare

Within King Henry IV Part I, for what purposes does Shakespeare use contrast? In your response, refer to your understanding of the play, King Henry IV Part I by William Shakespeare.

If you’re looking for more practice questions on your prescribed text or couldn’t find your prescribed text here, don’t worry!

You can check out our full list of practice questions for HSC English Advanced Module B here!

Module C: The Craft of Writing Practice Questions

The questions for Module C will ask you to write either a discursive, persuasive or imaginative piece that has been inspired by one of your prescribed texts from Modules A, B or C.

It is also possible that in the HSC they may split the question into Part (a) and Part (b), where in the former you are asked to write a creative piece and the latter you are required to write a ‘reflective statement’ which reflects upon creative decisions you have made.

Without further ado, here are some practice questions to get you going!

“No one should be ashamed to admit they are wrong, which is but saying, in other words, that they are wiser today than they were yesterday.” – Alexander Pope Use this quote as a stimulus for a piece of persuasive, discursive or imaginative writing that expresses your perspective about a significant concern or idea that you have engaged with in ONE of your prescribed texts from Module A, B or C.

a) Choose a character, persona or speaker from ONE prescribed text that you have studied in Module C. Express the thoughts and beliefs of this figure, through an alternative perspective to the one presented in your text. (b) Justify the creative decisions that you have made in your writing in part (a).

“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Use this quote as a stimulus for a piece of persuasive, discursive or imaginative writing that expresses your perspective about a significant concern or idea that you have engaged with in ONE of your prescribed texts from Module A, B or C.

If you’re looking for some more practice questions for HSC English Module C, you can check out our full list of 20 practice question here!

And that wraps up out definitive list of practice questions for HSC Standard and Advanced English! Good luck!

Check out this in-depth article on how to score a Band 6 in HSC English Creative Writing!

Looking for some extra help with HSC English?

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We offer tutoring and mentoring for Years K-12 in a variety of subjects, with personalised lessons conducted one-on-one in your home, online or at one of our state of the art campuses in Hornsby or the Hills! For face-to-face support, give our Hills District tutoring team a call.

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Momoko Metham  is a Media and Communications student at the University of Sydney who is currently a writer and creative for the university’s newspaper, Honi Soit. She is always on the hunt for funky pieces to add to her closet or collecting postcards from art galleries to add to her mini art gallery at home. She is also the 2019 General Editor of the ARNA Literary Journal. 

• Topics: ✍️ Learn , ✏️ English

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