Essay Writing is one of 9 topics in the Grade 11 English First Additional Language CAPS syllabus, covered across 3 lessons on Study Vault. Below are real practice questions from this topic with full worked answers.
Sample practice questions
Easy
1. What are the three main structural parts of a narrative essay?
Beginning, middle and end
Introduction, conclusion and appendix
Title, author and date
Heading, body and footer
Answer: Beginning, middle and end — A narrative essay is structured with a clear beginning (orientation), middle (developing events/complication), and end (resolution).
Easy
2. Which sentence uses a consistent third-person point of view?
She hesitated at the doorway, her hands cold.
I hesitated at the doorway, her hands cold.
She hesitated at the doorway, my hands cold.
They hesitated at the doorway, my hands cold.
Answer: She hesitated at the doorway, her hands cold. — Third-person point of view consistently uses pronouns like "she" and "her", unlike a sentence that mixes in first-person pronouns such as "I" or "my".
Medium
3. What is the central problem a character must deal with in the middle of a narrative essay commonly called?
Answer: Complication — The middle of a narrative essay builds towards a complication -- the central problem or tension the character must deal with.
