This resource is for both teachers and students alike and offers a concise yet straight forward method of answering the 5 Mark question at the end of the Higher RUAE paper.

This is an A-grade critical essay at NAT 5 English that examines Wilfred Owen’s poem ‘Dulce Et Decorum Est’ in relation to the following question: *Choose a poem which made a deep impression on you. By referring to poetic techniques, show how the poet made this deep impression. * This poem examines the key themes of war, and should be used as a benchmark for teaching National 5 or Higher English. Evidence from the poem has been highlighted in light blue for easier use.

This is a National 5 English A-standard example critical essay on Simon Armitage’s ‘The Manhunt’, marked 18/20. This NAT 5 essay focuses upon critical analysis of the poem in relation to the following question: Choose a poem which explores an aspect of human experience. By referring to poetic techniques, explain how this aspect of human experience is explored. This should be used in conjunction with critical study of the poem.

This is a Higher English A-grade critical essay which examines Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible in relation to the following question: Choose a play which explores an important issue or issues within society. Briefly explain the nature of the issue(s) and discuss how the dramatist’s presentation of the issue(s) contributed to your appreciation of the play as a whole. Evidence from the play has been highlighted in light blue for easier use.

This is a Higher English A-grade critical essay which examines Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible in relation to the following question: *Choose a play in which the main character is in conflict with his or her surroundings. Briefly explain the nature of this conflict and discuss how the dramatist’s presentation of this feature helps you enhance your understanding of the play as a whole. * The essay has been colour coded to show the different types of sections to an essay. A non-colour coded version is also attached beneath.

This is a Higher English A-grade critical essay which examines Tennessee Williams’ play A Streetcar Named Desire in relation to the following question: Choose a play in which a central character’s behaviour is at times irrational or unstable or obsessive. Describe the nature of character’s behaviour and discuss, with reference to appropriate techniques, how this behaviour affects your understanding of the character in the play as a whole. Evidence from the play has been highlighted in light blue for easier use.

This is a National 5 English A-grade critical essay that examines Bernard MacLavery’s short story ‘A Time To Dance’ in relation to the following question: Choose a novel or short story or work of non-fiction which explores a theme that interests you. By referring to appropriate techniques, explain how the writer makes this theme interesting. This NAT 5 essay examines the thematic loss of innocence and povery that the central character Nelson experiences. Quotations have been highlighted in blue for ease.

This is a National 5 English A-grade critical essay that examines Bernard MacLavery’s short story ‘A Time To Dance’ in relation to the following question: Choose a novel or short story or work of non-fiction in which there is a character for whom you feel sympathy. By referring to appropriate techniques, explain how the writer makes you feel this way. This NAT 5 essay examines the thematic loss of innocence and neglect that the central character Nelson experiences at the hands of his mother Mrs Skelly. Quotations have been highlighted in blue for ease.

This is a Higher English B-grade critical essay which examines Tennessee Williams’ play A Streetcar Named Desire in relation to the following question: Choose a play in which a major character behaves in an impulsive or calculating or emotional manner. With reference to appropriate techniques, briefly explain the circumstances surrounding this behaviour and discuss how this behaviour adds to your understanding of the play as a whole. Evidence from the play has been highlighted in light blue for easier use.

This is a National 5 English A-grade critical essay that examines Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible in relation to the following question: *Choose a play which explores an important relationship, for example, husband and wife, leader and follower, parent and child, or any other relationship. Describe this relationship and then, by referring to appropriate techniques, explain how the relationship develops. * This NAT 5 essay can be used for Higher English as well, and examines John and Elizabeth Proctor’s relationship. Quotations have been highlighted in blue for ease.

This is a National 5 English A-grade critical essay that examines Bernard MacLavery’s short story ‘A Time To Dance’ in relation to the following question: Choose a novel or a short story in which two characters are in conflict with one another. Describe this conflict and, by referring to appropriate techniques, explain how it is important to your understanding of the text as a whole. This NAT 5 essay examines the conflict between the central characters Mrs Skelly and Nelson, where the main themes of neglect and loss of innocence are discussed. Quotations have been highlighted in blue for ease.

This is a National 5 English B-grade critical essay that examines Bernard MacLavery’s short story ‘A Time To Dance’ in relation to the following question: Choose a novel or a short story or a work of non-fiction that makes the reader think about an important theme or idea. By referring appropriate techniques, show how the writer makes the reader think about this theme or idea. This NAT 5 essay examines the thematic loss of innocence and neglect that the central character Nelson experiences at the hands of his mother Mrs Skelly. Quotations have been highlighted in blue for ease.

This is a National 5 English B-standard example critical essay on Simon Armitage’s ‘The Manhunt’, marked 13/20. This NAT 5 essay focuses upon critical analysis of the poem in relation to the following question: Choose a poem which makes you think more deeply about an aspect of life. By referring to poetic techniques, show how the poet explores this aspect of life. This should be used in conjunction with critical study of the poem.

This is a National 5 English B-standard example critical essay on Simon Armitage’s ‘The Manhunt’, marked 13/20. This NAT 5 essay focuses upon critical analysis of the poem in relation to the following question: Choose a poem which describes a person or a place or an event in a memorable way. By referring to poetic techniques, explain how the poet makes this poem so memorable This should be used in conjunction with critical study of the poem.

This is a National 5 English A-grade critical essay which examines Arthur Miller’s play All My Sons in relation to the following question: Choose a play which explores an issue or theme which interests you. By referring to appropriate techniques, explain how this issue or theme is explored. This essay discusses the failure of the American Dream through a multi-layered approach: the physical setting, the conflict between George Deever and Chris Keller, and Joe Keller’s avarice in putting profit before human lives.

This is a National 5 English B-grade critical essay that examines Bernard MacLavery’s short story ‘A Time To Dance’ in relation to the following question: Choose a novel or short story or work of non-fiction which has a key moment. Give a brief account of the key moment and, by referring to appropriate techniques, show how it is significant to the text as a whole Quotations have been highlighted in blue for ease.

This is a Higher English A-grade critical essay which examines Reginald Rose’s play 12 Angry Men in relation to the following question: Choose a play which explores an important issue or issues within society. Briefly explain the nature of the issue(s) and discuss how the dramatist’s presentation of the issue(s) contributed to your appreciation of the play as a whole. Evidence from the play has been highlighted in light blue for easier use.

This booklet provides an in-depth analysis of 5 Jackie Kay poems likely to be studied at National 5 English for the Scottish Text section: ‘Old Tongue’ ‘Bed’ ‘Lucozade’ ‘Whilst Leila Sleeps’ ‘Divorce’ In addition to providing a detailed analysis of these poems, this booklet also offers two example 8-markers, along with a full past paper example on how to answer the Scottish Text section. This resource is useful for teachers and students alike, breaking down large and small quotes into easily understood analysis along with providing necessary examples on how to answer 8-marker questions.

This is a Higher A-grade critical essay which examines Reginald Rose’s play Twelve Angry Men in relation to the following question: Choose a play which has an effective opening scene or concluding scene. By briefly referring to details of the scene, explain how the dramatist made it effective and discuss how it contributes to your appreciation of the text as a whole.

This is a Higher English A-grade critical essay which examines Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible in relation to the following question: Choose a play in which the opening scene establishes important elements of theme and/or character. Explain, with reference to appropriate techniques, how these elements are established in the opening scene and go on to discuss how this contributes to your understanding of the central concern(s) of the play as a whole. This essay discusses the impact of reverend Parris and Abigail at the beginning of the play.