English First Additional Language: How to Improve Your Mark

English First Additional Language (FAL) is written by hundreds of thousands of matric students across South Africa every year. It is a compulsory language subject for most students who do not have English as their home language, and it covers three separate papers. Many students treat it as a lower priority compared to Mathematics or Sciences, which is a mistake — your English FAL mark contributes significantly to your overall matric performance.

The Three Papers and What They Test

Paper 1 (Comprehension and Language in Context): Reading comprehension passages with questions, summarising, and language structure questions (grammar, vocabulary, sentence reconstruction). 70 marks.

Paper 2 (Literature): Questions on set works — usually a novel, play, poetry anthology, and short stories. Requires close reading, analysis, and extended written responses. 70 marks.

Paper 3 (Writing): Transactional writing (letters, reports, speeches) and creative/argumentative writing. 100 marks.

Paper 3 carries the most marks and is the paper where deliberate preparation makes the biggest difference.

Comprehension: Reading With Purpose

Most students approach comprehension passively — they read the passage and then answer questions. A better approach:

1. Skim the questions first. Before reading the passage, read the questions quickly. This primes your attention — you know what to look for.
2. Read the passage actively. Underline key ideas, unusual words, and potential answer locations.
3. Answer in full sentences unless the question specifies otherwise. Single-word answers lose marks even when technically correct.
4. Quote from the passage when asked to support your answer. The phrase "refer to the text" in a question means you must include a quote.

Summary questions require you to find a specific number of facts or points in the passage and condense them. Do not add interpretation — stick to information explicitly stated in the source.

Literature: Know Your Set Works

Paper 2 is only manageable if you have actually read and understood your set works. Many students try to answer literature questions from a surface level knowledge and lose marks on analysis questions.

For each set work, you need to know:

• Characters and their development across the work
• Key themes (with evidence from the text)
• Important quotations (at least 5–8 per set work)
• The author's use of language and literary devices (imagery, symbolism, tone)

Quote memorisation is important in Literature. An analysis answer that includes a relevant quotation will always score better than the same argument without textual evidence.

Writing: Format and Language Quality

In Paper 3, format marks are free marks — you earn them before writing a word of content. Know the format for:

• Formal and informal letters (address layout, date, salutation, sign-off)
• Reports (heading, purpose, body, recommendations)
• Speeches (direct address, clear structure, persuasive language)

For longer writing tasks, plan before you write. A 5-minute plan for a 30-mark essay produces a more structured, higher-scoring response than diving in without direction.

Language quality matters significantly in FAL. Work on:

• Vocabulary variety — use synonyms rather than repeating the same words
• Sentence variety — mix simple and complex sentences
• Paragraphing — one main idea per paragraph, clearly signposted

Building English Skills Over Time

FAL improvement is cumulative. Reading English regularly — even simple novels, newspapers, or quality websites — builds vocabulary and sentence sense in ways that textbook study alone cannot. Fifteen minutes of English reading per day over six months produces a measurable difference in your writing quality.

If comprehension or essay writing is a significant weakness, consider targeted tutoring support in English FAL. A skilled tutor can identify your specific gaps quickly and give you focused practice that classroom teaching cannot always provide individually.