TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Level 5 exemplar 1 Level 5 exemplar 2 Level 4 exemplar 1 Level 4 exemplar 2 Level 3 exemplar 1 Level 3 exemplar 2 Level 2 exemplar 1 Level 2 exemplar 2 Level 1 exemplar 1 Level 1 exemplar 2 INTRODUCTION To enhance understanding of the standards of the HKDSE examination , authentic samples of candidates scripts in the 2021 examination are selected to form this set of exemplars which serve to illustrate the typical performance standards at different levels. There are four papers in this subject. This set of exemplars is selected from candidates scripts of Paper 2 to illustrate the typical performance standards at different levels. It is advisable to read this set of exemplars together with the question papers and the marking schemes in order to understand the requirements of the questions and the marking criteria.

2 The question papers and the marking schemes are published in the 2021 HKDSE Question Papers (with marking schemes and comments on candidates performance). 1 Level 5 exemplar 1 Part A 2 Level 5 exemplar 1 Part A 3 Level 5 exemplar 1 Part B Question 6 4 Level 5 exemplar 1 Part B Question 6 5 Level 5 exemplar 1 Part B Question 6 6 Level 5 exemplar 1 Comments The writer s tone in Part A is very friendly and inviting, keeping the reader s interest engaged. He/she introduces him/herself as the President of the Students Association and shows an awareness of purpose by providing the key information about the event at the start of the announcement.

3 Creativity and imagination are shown through the use of descriptive and vivid adjectives, scrumptious snacks , brand-new 45-minute special , award-winning photography and paintings , student-in-charge game stalls etc. This is not only a way to convey information about the fair but also attract listeners to attend. The announcement also encourages the audience to participate by giving instructions on how to submit game stall ideas and closes with a call to invite family and friends to attend the fair. For Q6, the writer starts with a title, So THANKFUL for this Challenge which is a witty play on taking part in a gratitude challenge. The content is relevant and extensive and sentence structures vary for artistic effect. The writer also makes good use of rhetorical devices. Shorter paragraphs signal the changing thoughts and behaviours over the 21 days and cohesion between sentences and paragraphs is sophisticated.

4 The low register, effortless tone and conversational style of writing are entirely appropriate to the text type. For example, the writer ends his/her blog by addressing his or her readers Good luck and stay awesome! This exemplar demonstrates a mastery of blog writing . 7 Level 5 exemplar 2 Part A 8 Level 5 exemplar 2 Part A 9 Level 5 exemplar 2 Part A 10 Level 5 exemplar 2 Part B Question 5 11 Level 5 exemplar 2 Part B Question 5 12 Level 5 exemplar 2 Part B Question 5 13 Level 5 exemplar 2 Part B Question 5 14 Level 5 exemplar 2 Part B Question 5 15 Level 5 exemplar 2 Comments The content in Q1 is relevant and extensive and includes examples of creativity and humour, comparing a football match between your favourite teachers to watching superstars Ronaldo and Messi.

5 This hyperbolic use of figure of speech is subtle and memorable, and a good example of creativity and imagination. The range of sentence structures in both tasks is wide, accurate and natural. Use of collocations are appropriate, long awaited day , professional footballers and the use of pronouns is also very compelling and persuasive, we need you , I promise this experience, you can grab the chance . Q5 required candidates to discuss whether social media influencers are more trustworthy than traditional media advertisements and the writer orients the reader effectively to the topic and his/her stance in the introductory paragraph. The writer provides examples to strengthen this stance and cohesion between sentences is sophisticated although some paragraphs are rather long. Vocabulary is well chosen and used appropriately and there is a wide range of accurate sentences structures.

6 Register, tone and style are appropriate to the text type. 16 Level 4 exemplar 1 Part A 17 Level 4 exemplar 1 Part A 18 Level 4 exemplar 1 Part B Question 7 19 Level 4 exemplar 1 Part B Question 7 20 Level 4 exemplar 1 Part B Question 7 21 Level 4 exemplar 1 Part B Question 7 22 Level 4 exemplar 1 Comments The content in Q1 is relevant, detailed and presented matter-of-factly but with creativity and imagination. For example, two of the engrossing booths to be featured at the fair is I m a little detective and an arts and crafts booth which teaches you how to build a chair with some wood logs and your bare hands . For the short story about the security guard (Q7), the writer uses a first-person narrator and internal monologue to develop characterisation and plot.

7 Whilst simple sentences and simple tenses are used to reflect the thoughts of the narrator as they occur in real time, they are accurately constructed and grammatical errors only occur in more complex sentences. Vocabulary is also common but accurately and appropriately used and sometimes with literary effect. For example, s/he uses personification in sounds of mosquitos clapping their wings . The structure of the writing is coherent, paragraphing is effective and cohesion between most sentences and paragraphs is successful. 23 Level 4 exemplar 2 Part A 24 Level 4 exemplar 2 Part A 25 Level 4 exemplar 2 Part B Question 2 26 Level 4 exemplar 2 Part B Question 2 27 Level 4 exemplar 2 Part B Question 2 28 Level 4 exemplar 2 Part B Question 2 29 Level 4 exemplar 2 Part B Question 2 30 Level 4 exemplar 2 Comments The content for Q1 and Q2 is relevant, fulfils the requirements of the question, and paragraphing is effectively maintained to achieve overall coherence.

8 Creativity and imagination are developed through the description of annual school fair activities, tactical board games designed by our chess club called the Money Monster and in the arguments presented for why sales of electric vehicles are so low, (buyers) may not be able to keep abreast with the details and benefits of electric cars like the silent motor sound, the fast acceleration and comfortable seats etc. A range of sentence structures is used accurately and appropriately and vocabulary is moderately wide with some good use of more specialised vocabulary limited battery capacity/explosion , accurate navigation . Register, tone and style are appropriate for the text type as is the structure of the writing . 31 Level 3 exemplar 1 Part A 32 Level 3 exemplar 1 Part A 33 Level 3 exemplar 1 Part B Question 9 34 Level 3 exemplar 1 Part B Question 9 35 Level 3 exemplar 1 Part B Question 9 36 Level 3 exemplar 1 Part B Question 9 37 Level 3 exemplar 1 Comments For Q1, the content is relevant and the writer s tone is conveyed through the use of exclamation marks.

9 Simple sentences are generally accurate although the use of formal discourse markers such as hence and At last seem a little too formal for a school announcement. For Q9, the writer addresses his/her letter to the production manager at a TV station and clearly outlines the structure of the letter. He/she then proceeds to briefly introduce the characters, the ethnicity of the grandparents, the contrasting cultural identities of the parents, and the young daughter being most open-minded . The next two paragraphs are about the plot, which provides some relevant and creative ideas but the cohesion in some parts of the paragraphs is not clear. The writer suggests a total of twenty short episodes of 30 minutes as it would be suitable for viewers to enjoy and relax . In summary, the writer addresses the requirements of the question and ideas are mostly relevant.

10 The writer has enough grasp of vocabulary and language structures to convey his/her ideas in simple sentences. Common vocabulary is used appropriately and there is some evidence of register, tone and style appropriate for a school announcement. 38 Level 3 exemplar 2 Part A 39 Level 3 exemplar 2 Part A 40 Level 3 exemplar 2 Part B Question 2 41 Level 3 exemplar 2 Part B Question 2 42 Level 3 exemplar 2 Part B Question 2 43 Level 3 exemplar 2 Comments For Q1, most the content is relevant with some evidence of creativity and imagination, attractive games regarding our school history , master chief directing us to manage food stalls . However, spelling and grammatical errors sometimes affect meaning. Simple sentences are generally accurate but structures tend to be formulaic and therefore the tone comes across slightly flat.