What is the DSE English writing exam?
At the end of each student’s six years of junior and senior education, they will take The Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE). HKDSE is a cumulative exam that covers each of the subjects students were required to take during their junior and senior education. Students were required to take mathematics, Chinese language, liberal studies and English language.
There are separate portions of the HKDSE that cover each of these subjects that assess how much they have learned. The DSE English has four papers that students must complete that cover different aspects of the language. This cumulative test includes papers that test on reading, speaking, listening and writing. The DSE English writing exam is a portion that tests a student’s ability to write in English from different perspectives and analyses their understanding and use of the language.
DSE English writing tips
Preparing for the DSE English writing exam can be done in multiple ways. It is always helpful for students to know what to expect before they walk in on exam day and for them to feel confident in their answers. This can be done by students using past papers, studying each portion of the exam, and finding other ways to test themselves at home before the exam.
Use DSE English writing samples
The writing portion of the DSE can be daunting because the answers solely depend on what the student has to say for each question. Past papers of the HKDSE can help students prepare. There are resources online with past papers of the HKDSE. This sample paper includes written answers, with an analysis of how each answer was graded. This shows students what high-scoring answers look like.
These writing samples can help students understand what is expected of their answers, and how their writing will be assessed. Students can also use these sample papers as practice tests, where they can time themselves and see how they perform under pressure when answering the DSE questions. The past writing papers are also usually found with other sections in the writing exam. Studying each of the past papers can help students improve their overall English skills and can increase their scores on the actual HKDSE.
Study each paper
There are four sections to the English DSE: Reading, writing, listening and speaking. It is important to study each of these sections individually, but each aspect of these sections can also help improve students' writing skills as they study.
Paper 1, reading: Tests on context and comprehension. If there is a vocabulary word that a student doesn’t understand, it’s recommended to analyse the context around the unknown word.
Paper 3, listening: A common mistake during this paper is students miswriting the correct tenses. Students should listen to the key factors in each question and study their tense use.
Paper 4, speaking: students are encouraged to be specific about their opinions during discussions and pull from their own experiences during their assessments.
As a student studies each of these sections, they practise looking at context clues, paying close attention to the question to answer correctly, and remaining specific and authentic under pressure. The writing portion of the English DSE used to be a portion where students could find past papers and almost memorise their answers. The HKDSE has since changed its papers, and it is more difficult to memorise the answers. The questions often ask students to write from another person’s perspective and include detail. Looking at past papers of the writing portion can be an amazing help so students know what to expect and can metally prepare their answers. Each of the skills learned for these papers can also help students apply them to their writing abilities.
Continuous practise at home
Using the past papers can be a great way to practise a student’s skills at home. A student can practise their speed and answers as many times as they want before the exam. The DSE paper 2 places a high priority on answers with authentic writing. In their courses, students may be used to writing out a planned essay, though paper 2 isn’t necessarily testing how well they write an essay. The DSE writing paper answers should demonstrate how students use their writing skills in a variety of situations.
Finding a sample test is perfect for students to know what the test looks like, and looking at multiple tests from different years can help students practice their authentic writing skills. Answering different types of questions will prevent students' writing from sounding rehearsed.
There are apps available that prepare a student for the HKDSE by testing their English language skills. As students continuously practise at home, their strengths and weaknesses will become more apparent. This information can help students focus more on their weak points so that their performance can improve for each aspect of the test!
Tips during the test
When the day comes for the writing exam, and students have done all they can to prepare at home by using practice tests and studying their course materials, it comes down to their performance during the test. Hopefully, with their preparation, students have gained confidence in their skills and have some clear expectations for the test.
When the timer starts for their exam, students should take the time to read the questions three or four times over. This will help them fully understand what they should answer, and help them plan what they should write. Even though the clock is ticking, students should take a few minutes to plan out their answers and make sure it is concise. The structure used for each question can vary, as the questions ask for students to write in different contexts and perspectives. This planning time should also be used to think of a variety of points and details to add. Answers are given higher grades when they include a wide range of ideas, grammar and vocabulary.
Paper 2 also includes a story writing task. Past writing samples will hopefully prepare students for what the story writing task includes, but it is important that students remain authentic in their stories and don’t fall into habits that exclude variety. In these sections, the best answers include descriptive scenes, side plots, rising and falling action, dialogue, foreshadowing and they are well-paced.
As students study for their DSE writing exam, their stress will hopefully reduce and the length of the exam will not be as daunting. They can know what to expect, have an understanding of their abilities, and this preparedness can show through on their written answers.
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