JUNIOR CERTIFICATE Essay Writing

Marking Scheme – Ordinary Level C – Content 18 Marks: Ideas, Original, Relevance, Depth S – Structure 18 Marks: How Clear, Word Choice, Flowing E – Expression 12 Marks: Paragraphs, Sentence Structure, Linking M – Mechanics 12 Marks: Grammar, Spelling, Punctuation

Marking Scheme – Ordinary Level 60 Marks Overall out of 360 (144 for Grade D) 45 Minutes time allowed Do NOT go over the time Come back later on to Finish if needs be

Marking Scheme – Higher Level C – Content 20 Marks: Ideas, Original, Relevance, Depth S – Structure 15 Marks: How Clear, Word Choice, Flowing E – Expression 30 Marks: Paragraphs, Sentence Structure, Linking M – Mechanics 5 Marks: Grammar, Spelling, Punctuation

Marking Scheme – Higher Level 70 Marks Overall out of 360 (144 for Grade D) 1 Hour time allowed Do NOT go over the time Come back later on to Finish if needs be

ONCE UPON A TIME… The Introduction

Introduction Personal Writing (Section 2) – Writing about Personal Experiences – Does not have to be True Start – Think about the “Story” Look at the Essay Plan Write about feelings before the “incident” Who will tell the “Story”? I / He / She / First-Person or Third-Person

Introduction Getting the reader hooked Don’t just say “We went to the train station” Try: “We went to the train station and the ground began to shake violently” Opening Line is VERY important

Introduction Leave out the dull stuff! It’s not necessary to know how you got to the train station, what time you arrived, what you ate Unless you got there by hot air balloon, you ate a monkey and it was 1921 when you arrived! Write about: sights, sounds, smells, people you met, things you did (exciting) – REMEMBER we have not been there! Tell us about YOUR feelings, reactions, thoughts.

Homework! Write a lively account: (a). A visit to a Friend (b). The Concert (c). Alone at Home Think about Your Life: What occasion stands out? The most exciting and memorable trip you have ever been on? My Hiding Place Write about a place you visit to get away from life

BILLY…YOU’RE SOME CHARACTER! The Characters

Characters The Central Character – Identify with: Interested in, care about, sympathise with We want to know: What happens to the CC, what they are thinking and feeling If they are in the danger – we want them to be saved, if they are afraid, we feel fear too!

Characters Other Characters – one or two significant Characters are needed, descriptions of these are important. While it is an advantage to describe how they look and what they wear, it is also important to describe how they think, how they feel – do we like them or not? Some characters we like (Josh), others we don’t

Characters Do not say everything there is to know about a Character the moment pen touches paper Let the reader guess, and build up the Character gradually – a reaction he/she has to something later in the story can tell the reader a lot Characters don’t have to be human! Don’t put unnecessary characters into the story

Homework! List out 10 books/films – who was the Central Character? Was there more than one main character? Think about two stories: One with a villain One with a hero Imagine the characters as REAL See them. Hear them. How do you feel about them?

POSSIBLY THE EASIEST ESSAY TO WRITE! The Short Story

Narrating the Short Story Two Choices: 1. The Character 2. The Narrator 1. “When I was young, I used to be very afraid of the dark… 2. “Josh was unusual, but cool at the same time. I liked him, but something happened to him when he was young…” 1 – The Narrator is the hero and the Narrator 2 – Josh is the hero but the Narrator is a different person

Narrating the Short Story Third-Person Narrative: The Narrator is an unseen voice 3. “Josh lay awake in his bed that night scared to death…” 1 and 2 are the First-Person Narrative 3 is the Third-Person Narrative

Homework! Continue each story for 2 paragraphs Ensure that your writing fits the style of each story Write the opening paragraph (introduction) of each story, but change the Narrative (First-Person becomes Third…)

IN A LAND FAR, FAR AWAY The Setting

The Setting Your Story is set in a particular time and place, or series of times and places See these aspects in your mind, you do not necessarily have to write describe them Imagine the Josh stories: 1. Josh is trapped in a mineshaft in England 2. Set in School 3. Set in a room above a Pub

The Setting Ingredients of the Setting and Atmosphere Senses – Sight, Sound, Smell, Touch, Taste The Weather, Lighting, Time of Day, Indoors or Outdoors

Homework! “Tom sat down, panting, beside the little stream. After a while he began to relax.” Continue the story – think about the grass, the water, the sun, the weather, the sounds Mr. Murphy led the way down the steps, shining his torch into dusty corners of the cellar as he went” Continue the story – think about the lighting, the sound, the smells, the feel of the dark, cold walls

“HI BILL”, JAMES SAID Dialogue

Dialogue Characters need to speak to each other to live! This is a technique used to tell parts of the story Character (what the person is like) is also revealed through dialogue Make it real – would a person actually say what you are writing?

Dialogue Who is speaking? Does this fit with the kind of person the character is? John is a very angry man because his neighbour ran over his dog. John also has some issues with bullies that goes back to his childhood. “Peter, you jerk – you killed my dog!”, John said as he picked up the shovel that lay on the grass…”

Dialogue If a character is bad-tempered, his speech should sound the same If a character is gentle, his speech should be gentle An old woman will sound differently from a young boy Dialogue can be dramatic – in a scene with a fight, threats or terror. Don’t put in unnecessary dialogue: “Goodbye, etc.” Remember PUNCTUATION

Homework! Write a dialogue between two people fighting – build it up into a blazing row Write a dialogue where one person is in control and the other is making excuses, nervous and afraid Write a dialogue where one person is upset and the other is trying to comfort him or her

JOHN BOUGHT A LOLLYPOP JOHN ATE THE LOLLYPOP Plot

Plot Something has to happen! Short Story plots are very simple: “Boy finds treasure, Boy loses treasure, Boy wins treasure back in the end” “Lonely and Angry old man meets two children, they try to befriend him, he refuses at first but they become friends after a while – in the end he rescues the children”

Plot Always around Conflict Fight, Loss, Threat, Danger, Enemy – Something Goes Wrong How does it go wrong, and how is it put right? Put the Character in a difficulty: Enemy, Danger, Disappointment Character+Setting+Plot = Story

INTRODUCTION DEVELOPMENT CLIMAX RESOLUTION The 4 Stages

4 Stages Introduction: Characters and Situation Development: Building up to the Conflict Climax: The High Point of the Story – Dramatic Resolution: How does the Hero get out of the Difficulty

4 Stages Tragic? – Hero’s Defeat/Death Happy? Jack and Jill went up the Hill (Intro) To fetch a pail of water (Development) Jack fell down and broke his crown (Climax) And Jill came tumbling after (Resolution)

AND THEY LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER The End!

The End The ending is often the best part Don’t rush it, the Ending needs more attention A Twist? End with a surprise A Question or Statement? “Would I ever get home again?” Leave it Open? “When I looked back, she was still there, waiting.” End with a Flourish? “Well,” he thought, “That’s it!”

Homework! Think about some Stories, or even Films What is the main Conflict? How does the story lead to this? Where is the Climax? What is the Resolution? Plan some Stories with a different setting and a different ending (good and bad) Write the Ending