Exam guide

The exam at a glance

For 2027, the duration of the written examinations does not change. Paper 1 Section I (Comprehending), Paper 1 Section II (Composing), the Single Text section, and Unseen Poetry are confirmed unchanged, while the Comparative Study sets questions across all three prescribed modes and Prescribed Poetry offers a choice of five poets.

Your time plan

Based on the paper durations, Paper 1 allows 0.85 minutes per mark (170 minutes for 200 marks) and Paper 2 allows 1.00 minute per mark (200 minutes for 200 marks); these figures are mathematical calculations rather than official instructions.

On Paper 1, reading the three texts on the examination paper takes time out of your allocation. At an even pace, Question A and Question B take 42.5 minutes each, and Composing takes 85 minutes. If you reserve 10 minutes for checking at the end, your pace becomes 0.8 minutes per mark: 40 minutes each for Question A and Question B, and 80 minutes for Composing. On Paper 2, an even pace allocates one minute per mark across the paper. Reserving 10 minutes for checking gives a pace of 0.95 minutes per mark: 57 minutes for the Single Text, 66.5 minutes for the Comparative Study, 19 minutes for Unseen Poetry, and 47.5 minutes for Prescribed Poetry.

How your work is marked

In the 2026 marking scheme, examiners mark every answer on both papers according to four assessment criteria: Clarity of Purpose (P) worth 30%, Coherence of Delivery (C) worth 30%, Efficiency of Language Use (L) worth 30%, and Accuracy of Mechanics (M) worth 10%. Answers worth 50, 60, 70, and 100 marks are marked under discrete criteria, receiving separate marks for each criterion, while answers worth 40 marks or fewer are marked under combined criteria with a single mark.

In the 2026 grade grid for a 100-mark answer, an H1 requires 90 marks or more, an H2 requires 80 to 89 marks, and an H3 requires 70 to 79 marks. Total marks have changed in past years: in 2022, Paper 1 and Paper 2 were smaller at 140 marks each, with Comprehending worth 40 marks and Paper 2 requiring only two sections worth 70 marks each. Every marking scheme notes that the details of marking can change from year to year without notice, and the marking scheme for 2027 does not exist yet.

What this means for you: In the 2026 marking scheme, the marks awarded for Coherence of Delivery and Efficiency of Language Use cannot exceed the mark awarded for Clarity of Purpose. Because Purpose, Coherence, and Language each make up 30% of the marks, a low Purpose mark caps 90% of the total marks available for your answer. Purpose requires direct engagement with the set task, showing relevance, focus, originality, clear intent, and an understanding of genre.

Rules that win and lose marks

• Purpose caps Coherence and Language: In the 2026 marking scheme, marks for Coherence of Delivery and Efficiency of Language Use cannot be higher than your mark for Clarity of Purpose, capping up to 90% of the marks for the question if your focus wanders.
• Do not answer Question A and Question B on the same text: In the 2026 marking scheme, if you answer both questions on the same comprehending text, both are marked and you lose the lower mark.
• Include a Shakespearean play: If no answer is on Shakespearean Drama in either the Single Text or the Comparative Study, one third of the mark awarded for your comparative answer is deducted (rounded down from a 70-mark total in 2026).
• Do not reuse the Single Text: In the 2026 marking scheme, you cannot answer on your Single Text in the Comparative Study.
• Limit comparative film study to one: In the 2026 marking scheme, you may refer to only one film across your comparative answers.
• Satisfy comparative text counts: In 2027, answering a single 70-mark comparative question requires referencing at least two texts, and referencing two texts is marked on the same criteria as referencing three texts; a two-part comparative question (30 and 40 marks) requires one text in part (a) and two other texts in part (b).
• Follow genre in Question B: In the 2026 marking scheme, Purpose marks require you to adopt the specified genre and register of the task and engage with all aspects of the question.
• Scheme points are not checklists: In the 2026 marking scheme, points listed in the scheme are illustrative examples rather than an exhaustive checklist, and any valid answer is marked on its merits.
• Maintain mechanical accuracy: In the 2026 marking scheme, spelling and grammar (Accuracy of Mechanics) account for exactly 10% of the marks on every task.

The sections of the paper

Paper 1 Section I (Comprehending): This section carries 100 marks and gives three texts on one general theme (in 2026). You choose and answer one Question A (50 marks) and one Question B (50 marks) on two different texts; answering both on the same text is penalised. In 2026, Question A had three parts worth 15, 15, and 20 marks, where the 20-mark part required discussing four features of style, and Question B was a functional writing task. This section is confirmed unchanged for 2027.

Paper 1 Section II (Composing): This section carries 100 marks, representing 25% of the total marks for the subject. You choose and write one composition from seven titles. This section is confirmed unchanged for 2027.

Paper 2 Section I (The Single Text): This section carries 60 marks. You choose and answer one question on your chosen single text. In 2027, answering on Othello in this section satisfies the compulsory Shakespeare requirement. This section is confirmed unchanged for 2027.

Paper 2 Section II (The Comparative Study): This section carries 70 marks. In 2027, the paper sets questions on all three prescribed modes, and you answer on one mode. You can choose a single 70-mark question referencing at least two texts, or a two-part question (30 marks and 40 marks) referencing one text in part (a) and two other texts in part (b). In 2027, the Shakespeare requirement can be met here using Othello or Macbeth. In the 2026 marking scheme, candidates could not answer on their Single Text in the Comparative Study and could refer to only one film.

Paper 2 Section III Part A (Unseen Poetry): This section carries 20 marks. You read an unseen poem and answer either Question 1 or Question 2. This section is confirmed unchanged for 2027.

Paper 2 Section III Part B (Prescribed Poetry): This section carries 50 marks. In 2027, the paper sets questions on five prescribed poets rather than four, and you choose and answer one question.

Using past papers

Past marking schemes show how examiners apply the assessment criteria and provide indicative points, which demonstrate how valid answers are marked on their merits rather than as rigid checklists. Every scheme warns that the details of marking can change from year to year without notice, and the marking scheme for the 2027 examination has not been created yet.

What examiners said

The 2013 Chief Examiner's report is the most recent report available for Leaving Certificate English, and it is over a decade old.

• Manage your examination time: Omitting questions or parts of questions inevitably causes serious damage to your final result.
• Adapt knowledge to the question asked: Develop the skills needed to shape, manipulate, and adapt your knowledge to the specific question asked instead of reproducing a prepared answer.
• Challenging the premise is permitted: You may challenge the terms of a question, disagreeing with some part or the entire premise, provided your answer fully engages with its terms.
• Include standard functional writing rubrics: Attention must be paid to including appropriate format features, such as return address, date, salutation, and closing sign-off when writing letters.
• Control formal language: Candidates across all levels need greater attention to and control over the formal aspects of language.

In the exam hall

The 2027 timetable (dates and session times) has not been checked, and practical instructions printed on the examination papers are not published in this file.