ENGLISH HOME LANGUAGE
PAPER 3
GRADE 12
NSC PAST PAPERS AND MEMOS
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018
INFORMATION FOR THE MARKER
In assessing a candidate's work, the following aspects, among others, drawn from the assessment rubric, must be borne in mind:
- The overall effect of planning, drafting, proofreading and editing of the work on the final text produced.
- Awareness of writing for a specific purpose, audience and context – as well as register, style and tone – especially in SECTION B.
- Grammar, spelling and punctuation.
- Language structures, including an awareness of critical language.
- Choice of words and idiomatic language.
- Sentence construction.
- Paragraphing.
- Interpretation of the topic that will be reflected in the overall content: the introduction, the development of ideas and the conclusion.
MEMORANDUM
SUGGESTED APPROACH TO MARKING
SECTION A: ESSAY
Refer to SECTION A: Rubric for Assessing an Essay found on pages 6 and 7 of these marking guidelines.
CRITERIA USED FOR ASSESSMENT |
CRITERIA | MARKS |
CONTENT AND PLANNING (60%) | 30 |
LANGUAGE, STYLE AND EDITING (30%) | 15 |
STRUCTURE (10%) | 5 |
TOTAL | 50 |
- Read the whole piece and decide on a category for CONTENT AND PLANNING.
- Re-read the piece and select the appropriate category for LANGUAGE, STYLE AND EDITING.
- Re-read the piece and select the appropriate category for STRUCTURE.
SECTION B: TRANSACTIONAL TEXTS
Refer to SECTION B: Rubric for Assessing Transactional Texts found on page 8 of these marking guidelines.
CRITERIA USED FOR ASSESSMENT |
CRITERIA | MARKS |
CONTENT, PLANNING AND FORMAT (60%) | 15 |
LANGUAGE, STYLE AND EDITING (40%) | 10 |
TOTAL | 25 |
- Read the whole piece and decide on a category for CONTENT, PLANNING AND FORMAT.
- Re-read the piece and select the appropriate category for LANGUAGE, STYLE AND EDITING.
NOTE:
- Various formats of transactional/referential/informational texts have been taught/ are in current practice. This has to be considered when assessing the format.
- Give credit for appropriateness of format.
- Look for a logical approach in all writing.
NOTE: - The points given below each topic in these marking guidelines serve only as a guide to markers.
- Allowance must be made for a candidate's own interpretation of the topic, even if it differs from the given points or a marker's own views or interpretations
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SECTION A: ESSAY
QUESTION 1
Candidates are required to write ONE essay of 400–450 words (2–2½ pages) on ONE of the given topics. Candidates may write in any genre: narrative, descriptive, reflective, discursive, argumentative, or any combination of these.
1.1 'Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.' (The Dalai Lama)
- Responses should focus on the benefits of adversity.
- Credit opposing views. [50] 1.2 Peaceful protests – the only option
- Candidates may argue for or against the assertion.
- Peaceful protests should be juxtaposed, even if quite briefly, with violent protest action. [50]
1.3 The final hours …
- Credit literal/figurative/mixed responses. [50]
1.4 'I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.' (William Butler Yeats)
- Responses could focus on the vulnerability of dreams and respect for the feelings of others.
- Credit literal/figurative/mixed responses. [50]
1.5 They learned about the brutality and the beauty of life.
- Responses should deal with contrasting experiences of life. [50]
1.6 NOTE: There must be a clear link between the essay and the picture chosen.
1.6.1 Stepping-stones
- Credit literal, figurative and mixed responses. [50]
1.6.2 Divided house
- Credit literal, figurative and mixed responses. [50]
1.6.3 Girl with the kite
- Credit literal, figurative and mixed responses. [50]
TOTAL SECTION A: 50
SECTION B: TRANSACTIONAL TEXTS
QUESTION 2
Candidates are required to respond to TWO of the topics set. The body of each response should be 180–200 words (20–25 lines) in length. The language, register, style and tone must be appropriate to the context.
2.1 FORMAL LETTER
- The letter should request financial and/or material support.
- A convincing motivation should be included.
- Format: own address, date, addressee, subject line, salutation, signing off [25]
2.2 DIALOGUE
- The conversation should take place between the person whose reputation has been compromised and a counsellor/parent/authority figure etc.
- Use valid dialogue format. [25]
2.3 INFORMAL LETTER
- The letter should elaborate on the writer's response to the text message.
- Format: own address, date, salutation, signing-off [25]
2.4 MAGAZINE ARTICLE
- The article should focus on the writer's view(s) on a particular music genre.
- The candidate should defend his/her preferred genre.
- Format: headline; by-line (optional) [25]
2.5 COVERING LETTER AND CURRICULUM VITAE
- The covering letter should be a brief outline and motivation.
- The curriculum vitae should include essential and relevant information, as stipulated in the advertisement.
- All formats of the CV should be accepted.
- The covering letter and CV should be marked as a holistic component. [25]
2.6 MINUTES OF A MEETING
- Minutes should reflect the items on the Agenda.
- Resolutions taken should reflect the matter under discussion viz. the vandalism of the library.
- Format: suitable headings and sub-headings [25]
TOTAL SECTION B: 50
GRAND TOTAL: 100
NOTE:
- Always use the rubric when marking the creative essay (Paper 3, SECTION A).
- Marks from 0–50 have been divided into FIVE major level descriptors.
- In the Content, Language and Style criteria, each of the five level descriptors is divided into an upper-level and a lower-level subcategory with the applicable mark range and descriptors.
- Structure is not affected by the upper-level and lower-level division.
ASSESSMENT RUBRIC FOR ESSAY – HOME LANGUAGE[50 MARKS]
| Criteria | | Exceptional | Skilful | Moderate | Elementary | Inadequate |
CONTENT & PLANNING
(Response and ideas)
Organisation of ideas for planning;
Awareness of purpose, audience and context
30 MARKS | Upper level | 28–30 | 22–24 | 16–18 | 10–12 | 4–6 |
- Outstanding/Striking response beyond normal expectations
- Intelligent, thought-provoking and mature ideas
- Exceptionally well organised and coherent, including introduction, body and conclusion
| - Very well-crafted response
- Fully relevant and interesting ideas with evidence of maturity
- Very well organised and coherent, including
introduction, body and conclusion | - Satisfactory response -Ideas are reasonably coherent and convincing
- Reasonably organised and coherent, including introduction, body and conclusion
| - Inconsistently coherent response
- Unclear ideas and unoriginal
- Little evidence of organisation and coherence
| - Totally irrelevant response
- Confused and unfocused ideas
- Vague and repetitive
- Unorganised and incoherent
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| Lower level | 25–27 | 19–21 | 13–15 | 7–9 | 0–3 |
- Excellent response but lacks the exceptionally striking qualities of the outstanding essay
- Mature and intelligent ideas
- Skilfully organised and coherent, including introduction, body and conclusion
| - Well-crafted response
- Relevant and interesting ideas
- Well organised and coherent, including
introduction, body and conclusion | - Satisfactory response but some lapses in clarity
- Ideas are fairly coherent and convincing
- Some degree of organisation and coherence, including introduction, body and conclusion
| - Largely irrelevant response
- Ideas tend to be disconnected and confusing
- Hardly any evidence of organisation and coherence
| - No attempt to respond to the topicCompletely irrelevant and inappropriate
- Unfocused and muddled
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LANGUAGE, STYLE & EDITING
Tone, register, style, vocabulary appropriate to purpose/effect and context;
Word choice;
Language use and conventions, punctuation, grammar, spelling
15 MARKS | Upper level | 14–15 | 11–12 | 8–9 | 5–6 | 0-3 |
- Tone, register, style and vocabulary highly appropriate to purpose, audience and context
- Exceptionally impressive use of language,
- Compelling and rhetorically effective in tone
- Virtually error-free in grammar and spelling
- Very skilfully crafted
| - Tone, register, style and vocabulary very appropriate to purpose, audience and context
- Language is effective and a consistently appropriate tone is used
- Largely error-free in grammar and spelling
- Very well crafted
| - Tone, register, style and vocabulary appropriate to purpose, audience and context
- Appropriate use of language to convey meaning
- Rhetorical devices used to enhance content
| - Tone, register, style and vocabulary less appropriate to purpose, audience and context
- Very basic use of language
- Diction is inappropriate
- Very limited vocabulary
| - Language incomprehensible
- Tone, register, style and vocabulary not appropriate to purpose, audience and context
- Vocabulary limitations so extreme as to make comprehension impossible
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| Lower level | 13 | 10 | 7 | 4 | |
- Language excellent and rhetorically effective in tone
- Virtually error-free in grammar and spelling
- Skilfully crafted
| - Language engaging and generally effective
- Appropriate and effective tone
- Few errors in grammar and spelling
- Well-crafted
| - Adequate use of language with some inconsistencies
- Tone generally appropriate and limited use of rhetorical devices
| - Inadequate use of language
- Little or no variety in sentences
- Exceptionally limited vocabulary
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STRUCTURE
Features of text;
Paragraph development and sentence
construction
5 MARKS | | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0-1 |
- Excellent development of topic
- Exceptional detail
- Sentences, paragraphs exceptionally well-constructed
| - Logical development of details
- Coherent
- Sentences, paragraphs logical, varied
| - Relevant details developed
- Sentences, paragraphs well-constructed
- Essay still makes sense
| - Some valid points
- Sentences and paragraphs faulty
- Essay still makes some sense
| - Necessary point lacking
- Sentences an paragraphs faulty
- Essay lacks sense
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ASSESSMENT RUBRIC FOR TRANSACTIONAL TEXT – HOME LANGUAGE [25 MARKS]
| Criteria | Exceptional | Skilful | Moderate | Elementary | Inadequate |
CONTENT, PLANNING & FORMAT
Response and ideas;
Organisation of ideas for planning;
Purpose, audience, features/conventions and context
15MARKS | 13–15 | 10–12 | 7–9 | 4–6 | 0–3 |
- Outstanding response beyond normal expectations
- Intelligent and mature ideas
- Extensive knowledge of features of the type of text
- Writing maintains focus
- Coherence in content and ideas
- Highly elaborated and all details support the topic
- Appropriate and accurate format
| - Very good response demonstrating good knowledge of features of the type of text
- Maintains focus – no digressions
- Coherent in content and ideas, very well elaborated and details support topic
- Appropriate format with minor inaccuracies
| - Adequate response demonstrating knowledge of features of the type of text
- Not completely focused – some digressions
- Reasonably coherent in content and ideas
- Some details support the topic
- Generally appropriate format but with some inaccuracies
| - Basic response demonstrating some knowledge of features of the type of text
- Some focus but writing digresses
- Not always coherent in content and ideas Few details support the topic
- Has vaguely applied necessary rules of format
- Some critical oversights
| - Response reveals no knowledge of features of the type of text
- Meaning is obscure with major digressions
- Not coherent in content and ideas
- Very few details support the topic
- Has not applied necessary rules of format
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LANGUAGE, STYLE & EDITING
Tone, register, style, purpose/effect, audience and context;
Language use and conventions;
Word choice;
Punctuation and spelling
10 MARKS | 9–10 | 7–8 | 5–6 | 3–4 | 0–2 |
- Tone, register, style and vocabulary highly appropriate to purpose, audience and context
- Grammatically accurate and well-constructed
- Virtually error-free
| - Tone, register, style and vocabulary very appropriate to purpose, audience and context
- Generally grammatically accurate and well-constructed
- Very good vocabulary
- Mostly free of errors
| - Tone, register, style and vocabulary appropriate to purpose, audience and context
- Some grammatical errors
- Adequate vocabulary
- Errors do not impede meaning
| - Tone, register, style and vocabulary less appropriate to purpose, audience and context
- Inaccurate grammar with numerous errors
- Limited vocabulary
- Meaning obscured
| - Tone, register, style and vocabulary do not correspond to purpose, audience and context
- Error-ridden and confused
- Vocabulary not suitable for purpose
- Meaning seriously impaired
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