English FAL Grade 10 Paper 1 November Mock Exam 2 2026 Memo

Mock hlayiso mock exams Practice Series: Grade 10 Exam Preparation WWW.HLAYISO.COM NATIONAL SENIOR CERTIFICATE GRADE 10 ENGLISH FIRST ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE P1 NOVEMBER EXAMINATION 2026 (MOCK) MARKING GUIDELINES MARKS: 80 These marking guidelines consist of 9 pages. Copyright reserved Please turn over

English First Additional Language/P1 2 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines INSTRUCTIONS TO MARKERS 1. Candidates are required to answer ALL the questions. 2. These marking guidelines serve as a guide to markers. Some responses may require the marker’s discretion; accept any other relevant, well-substantiated answers. 3. Assess candidates’ responses as objectively as possible. MARKING THE COMPREHENSION • Because the focus is on understanding, incorrect spelling and language errors in responses should not be penalised unless such errors change the meaning. (Errors must still be indicated.) • If a candidate uses words from a language other than English, disregard those words. If the answer still makes sense, do not penalise. • For open-ended questions, no marks are awarded for YES/NO or I AGREE/I DISAGREE alone. The reason/substantiation is what should be credited. • When one-word answers are required and the candidate gives a whole sentence, mark it correct provided the correct word is underlined/highlighted. • When TWO/THREE facts/points are required and a range is given, mark only the first TWO/THREE. • For multiple-choice questions, accept BOTH the letter corresponding with the correct answer AND/OR the answer written out in full. Copyright reserved Please turn over

English First Additional Language/P1 3 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines SECTION A: COMPREHENSION QUESTION 1 1.1 1.1.1 In a rubbish bin behind the church hall (in Umlazi).✓ (1) 1.1.2 Figurative.✓ A chessboard cannot really be a city or come to life; Ayanda imagined the squares as a city and the pieces as the people who would make it come alive/she saw that the board was full of possibilities, but it needed someone to play on it.✓ NOTE: Do not award a mark for ‘figurative’ if the explanation is incorrect. (2) 1.2 She had to look after her two younger brothers every afternoon (while her mother worked long hours).✓ Her school had no chess club.✓ There was no teacher at her school who could play chess/teach her.✓ She had to study at night by candlelight/she had only a library book to learn from.✓ NOTE: Accept any TWO of the above. (2) 1.3 1.3.1 ‘retired’✓ NOTE: Do not accept a misquotation. (1) 1.3.2 He wanted Ayanda to understand that her schoolwork is more important than chess/that she must not neglect her studies.✓ He wanted to teach her discipline/responsibility/to finish one task before she starts another.✓ He knew that education would give her a better future.✓ NOTE: Accept any TWO relevant points or ONE well-developed point. (2) 1.4 1.4.1 FALSE✓ ‘She lost her first three games’✓ NOTE: Do not award a mark for FALSE if the quotation is incorrect. Accept ‘cried all the way home’ only if it is given together with FALSE. Do not accept ‘I wanted to give up’. (2) 1.4.2 When you lose, you can learn from your mistakes and improve✓; losing once does not mean that you are a failure/a loser for ever.✓ NOTE: The answer must be in the candidate’s OWN words. Do not award marks for a direct quotation. (2) 1.5 1.5.1 B/helped when help was needed.✓ (1) Copyright reserved Please turn over

English First Additional Language/P1 4 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines 1.5.2 Neighbours held car washes.✓ Neighbours held cake sales.✓ The local taxi association donated R5 000.✓ NOTE: Accept any TWO of the above. (2) 1.6 1.6.1 The club cannot afford to buy proper chess sets.✓ (1) 1.6.2 They concentrate better in class.✓ They are more patient with one another.✓ (2) 1.7 The pawn is the smallest/weakest piece, but it can become a queen (the most powerful piece) if it keeps moving forward.✓ In the same way, children from poor communities/humble beginnings like Umlazi can achieve great success if they keep working hard and do not give up.✓ NOTE: Reference to BOTH the pawn and the children is required for 2 marks. (2) 1.8 Open-ended. Accept a suitable answer, e.g. Yes. Chess teaches learners to think ahead, to concentrate and to be patient. TEXT A shows that learners who play chess concentrate better in class. It is also cheap; boards can be made from cardboard and bottle tops. OR No. Not every learner enjoys chess, and the timetable is already full. Chess should rather be offered as an extramural activity for those who are interested. NOTE: Do not award a mark for YES or NO. A candidate can score 1 mark for an answer that is not well-substantiated. Accept a combination answer. (2) 1.9 Open-ended. Accept a suitable answer, e.g. The title is suitable. Ayanda started playing with bottle tops in place of the missing pieces, and she became the provincial junior girls’ champion. The title shows how far she has come from humble beginnings. OR The title is not entirely suitable. It suggests that the story is only about Ayanda becoming a champion, but much of the article is about how she now helps other children through the club. NOTE: A candidate can score 1 mark for an answer that is not well-substantiated. Accept a combination answer. (2) 1.10 Social media✓ (1) 1.11 8 hours✓ (15 − 7) (1) Copyright reserved Please turn over

English First Additional Language/P1 5 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines 1.12 A graph presents the information clearly/at a glance.✓ It is easy to compare the different activities.✓ It is more interesting/eye-catching than a paragraph and saves space/time.✓ NOTE: Accept any TWO of the above. (2) 1.13 Yes. TEXT B shows that the learners spend most of their time on social media (15 hours) and very little time on homework (7 hours) or board games such as chess (1 hour).✓ TEXT A shows that chess helps learners to concentrate better in class and to be more patient, and that it teaches them to plan ahead.✓ NOTE: Information from BOTH texts must be used for 2 marks. Do not award a mark for YES/NO alone. Accept a well-substantiated NO answer. (2) TOTAL SECTION A: 30 Copyright reserved Please turn over

English First Additional Language/P1 6 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines SECTION B: SUMMARY QUESTION 2 The following points form the answer to the question. Accept any SEVEN of the points below. QUOTATIONS FACTS (NOTE: Candidates may phrase the facts differently.) 1. ‘choose one place in your home 1. Study in the same place every day. where you always study’ 2. ‘put your cellphone in another room 2. Keep your phone away while you or switch it off’ study. 3. ‘Draw up a study timetable at the 3. Make a weekly timetable that gives start of every week, and give the more time to difficult subjects. most time to the subjects that you find most difficult’ 4. ‘Work for about forty minutes, and 4. Take regular short breaks. then take a short break’ 5. ‘close the book and write down 5. Test yourself on what you have everything that you can remember’ read. 6. ‘explain what you have learnt to 6. Teach the work to someone else. someone else’ 7. ‘Use past examination papers to 7. Practise past papers under exam practise answering questions’ time limits. 8. ‘go to bed at a reasonable time’ 8. Get enough sleep/avoid late nights. MARKING THE SUMMARY Marking is on the basis of the inclusion of valid material and the exclusion of invalid material. The summary should be marked as follows: • Mark allocation: 7 marks for 7 points (1 mark per main point); 3 marks for language; total marks: 10 • Distribution of language marks when a candidate has NOT quoted verbatim: 1–3 points correct: award 1 mark 4–5 points correct: award 2 marks 6–7 points correct: award 3 marks • Distribution of language marks when a candidate has quoted verbatim: 6–7 quotes: award NO language mark 4–5 quotes: award a maximum of 1 language mark 2–3 quotes: award a maximum of 2 language marks NOTE: Word count: • Markers are required to verify the number of words used. • Do not deduct any marks if the candidate fails to indicate the number of words used, or if the number of words is indicated incorrectly. • If the word limit is exceeded, read up to the last sentence above the stipulated upper limit and ignore the rest of the summary. TOTAL SECTION B: 10 Copyright reserved Please turn over

English First Additional Language/P1 7 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines SECTION C: LANGUAGE • Spelling: One-word answers must be marked correct even if the spelling is incorrect, unless the error changes the meaning of the word. In full-sentence answers, incorrect spelling should be penalised if the error is in the language structure being tested. • Sentence structures must be grammatically correct and given in full sentences/as per the instructions. • For multiple-choice questions, accept BOTH the letter corresponding with the correct answer AND/OR the answer written out in full. QUESTION 3: ANALYSING AN ADVERTISEMENT 3.1 The SmartPrep (study) app.✓ (1) 3.2 (High school) learners/learners in Grades 8–12/parents of learners.✓ NOTE: Accept any ONE of the above. (1) 3.3 The textbooks are heavy (and difficult to carry), but the phone is light/the app puts all the books into a light phone.✓ Learners would like to carry less weight and to have everything they need to study in one convenient place, wherever they are.✓ (2) 3.4 Nothing/R0 – the first seven days are free.✓ (1) 3.5 B/without an internet connection.✓ (1) 3.6 The heavy pile of books (6 kg) next to the light phone shows that all the study material can fit into the phone.✓ The arrow from the books to the phone shows that the app replaces the textbooks/makes studying easier and lighter.✓ The ticks next to the subjects on the screen show that many subjects are covered.✓ NOTE: Accept any TWO of the above. (2) 3.7 Open-ended. Accept a suitable answer, e.g. Yes. I could study anywhere, even in a taxi, without using data. The past papers with memos would help me to prepare for examinations, and I can try it free for seven days. OR No. R39 a month is too expensive for my family, and I do not have a smartphone. I also prefer to study from books. NOTE: Do not award a mark for YES or NO. A candidate can score 1 mark for an answer that is not well-substantiated. Accept a combination answer. (2) [10] Copyright reserved Please turn over

English First Additional Language/P1 8 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines QUESTION 4: ANALYSING A CARTOON 4.1 He is playing soccer (outside) instead of studying.✓ He looks relaxed/carefree.✓ He is smiling.✓ NOTE: Accept any ONE of the above. (1) 4.2 He means that the test will be very easy✓; he believes that he does not need to study for it.✓ (2) 4.3 His eyes are wide open.✓ His mouth is open (in shock).✓ He is holding his head with both hands.✓ Drops of sweat are falling from his head.✓ NOTE: Accept any TWO of the above. (2) 4.4 The question mark shows that he is asking himself what the question means/he does not understand the question, and the exclamation mark shows his shock/panic.✓ NOTE: Accept: to show shock and disbelief. (1) 4.5 B/unimpressed with her son.✓ (1) 4.6 Ma uses Sipho’s own words from FRAME 1 against him✓; the test was not ‘a piece of cake’ (easy) – he got only 23%. She asks about the ‘cake’ sarcastically/as if it were real cake.✓ NOTE: Accept: The humour lies in the pun on ‘cake’: Sipho answers that he ‘burnt it’, as if the test were a real cake that he had ruined. (2) 4.7 Ashamed/embarrassed/guilty/sorry/regretful/sad/upset.✓ NOTE: Accept: disappointed (in himself). Do not accept ‘angry’. (1) [10] Copyright reserved Please turn over

English First Additional Language/P1 9 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines QUESTION 5: LANGUAGE AND EDITING SKILLS 5.1 5.1.1 (a) meet✓ (b) rubbish✓ (c) its✓ (d) swam✓ (4) 5.1.2 Karabo said (that) they✓ were✓ proud of what they had done.✓ NOTE: Award 1 mark for the pronoun change (We/we → they), 1 mark for are → were and 1 mark for have done → had done. ‘that’ is optional and gets no mark. (3) 5.1.3 The learners planted indigenous trees along the banks.✓ (1) 5.1.4 The rubbish bags were supplied by the local municipality.✓ (1) 5.1.5 Learners✓ found tyres✓ in the stream. NOTE: Accept: The learners found tyres in the stream/Some learners found tyres in the stream. Award ONE mark for each underlined change. (2) 5.1.6 They – pronoun✓ in – preposition✓ (2) 5.1.7 isn’t it?✓ NOTE: Accept: is it not? (1) 5.2 5.2.1 will not✓ (1) 5.2.2 grate✓ (1) 5.2.3 She does not make the best vetkoek in Mamelodi.✓ NOTE: Accept: doesn’t make. (1) 5.2.4 boredom✓ (1) 5.2.5 B/will take part in the clean-up.✓ (1) 5.2.6 Mrs Dube, who is our science teacher, makes the best vetkoek in Mamelodi.✓ NOTE: Accept: Mrs Dube is our science teacher who makes the best vetkoek in Mamelodi. (1) [20] TOTAL SECTION C: 40 GRAND TOTAL: 80 Copyright reserved