English Language HKDSE Exam Assessment Component Weighting Duration

English Language HKDSE Exam

Assessment Component Weighting Duration Public Exam 20% 25% 30% 1½ hours 2 hours About 2 hours 10% About 20 mins Paper 1 Reading Paper 2 Writing Paper 3 Listening & Integrated Skills Paper 4 Speaking School-based Assessment (for school candidates only) 15%

Paper 1 Reading (1½ hours) (20%) • 3 sections, 10% each • Doing Section 1 and choose either Section 2(the easiest) or Section 3, (the most difficult) (Level 1 -5*) • Doing Sections 1 and 2 (Level 1 -4)

Paper 2 Writing (2 hours) (25%) Part A (10%) a short, guided one (about 200 words) Part B (15%) longer and more open-ended (about 400 words) Choose one out of eight questions of the eight modules in the Elective Part

Paper 3 Listening and Integrated Skills (about 2 hours) (30%) • 3 sections in this paper, each worth 15% • must do Section 1 • choose either Section 2 (the easiest) or Section 3 (the most difficult) • Section 1, 2 (Level 1 -4) • Section 1, 3 (Level 1 -5*)

Paper 4 Speaking (10%) • Part A Group Interaction (preparation: 10 minutes; discussion: 8 minutes per group of four candidates) • Part B Individual Response (one minute per candidate)

SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT (SBA) (15%) • PART A (10%) • comprise a reading/viewing programme, read/view four texts over three years • write up some personal reflections, take part in a discussion with classmates, or make an individual presentation and respond to their teacher’s questions,

• Part B (5%) a group interaction or an individual presentation based on the modules in the Elective Part