English FAL Grade 10 Paper 3 November Mock 2026 Memo

hlayiso mock exams Practice Series: Grade 10 Exam Preparation WWW.HLAYISO.COM NATIONAL SENIOR CERTIFICATE GRADE 10 ENGLISH FIRST ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE P3 NOVEMBER EXAMINATION 2026 (MOCK) MARKING GUIDELINES MARKS: 100 These marking guidelines consist of 11 pages. Copyright reserved Please turn over

English First Additional Language/P3 2 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines INSTRUCTIONS AND INFORMATION This marking guideline must be used together with the assessment rubrics for SECTIONS A, B and C at the end of this document. NOTE: All pieces of writing should be read at least TWICE during assessment: once for content and once for language. Errors must be indicated during the second reading. SECTION A: ESSAY QUESTION 1 INSTRUCTIONS TO MARKERS: • Candidates are required to write on ONE topic only. • The ideas listed below the topics are only some of the ways in which the topics can be interpreted. Full credit must be given for the candidate’s own interpretation. • Marking must be objective. Give credit for relevant ideas. • Use the 50-mark rubric to mark the essays. The essays must be assessed according to the following criteria: – Content and planning (30 marks) – Language, style and editing (15 marks) – Structure (5 marks) NOTE: Adhere to the length of 150–200 words as prescribed by CAPS. Should the maximum word count be exceeded, read up to the end of the sentence in which the limit is reached. No additional penalties may be imposed, as the rubric itself imposes penalties. 1.1 The best day of my life [50] Narrative/Descriptive/Reflective essay • If narrative, a clear storyline must be evident: the candidate tells the story of a special day (e.g. a birthday, a victory, a reunion, a surprise). There must be a logical sequence of events and tenses, and a clear ending. • If descriptive, the candidate must use the senses to describe the day vividly so that the reader shares the excitement. • If reflective, the candidate must explain why the day was so important and what it meant to him/her. NOTE: A candidate may write an essay which contains elements of more than one type of essay. Copyright reserved Please turn over

English First Additional Language/P3 3 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines 1.2 The place where I grew up [50] Descriptive/Reflective/Narrative essay • If descriptive, the candidate must create a vivid picture of the place (a village, township, farm, suburb or city), using sensory details: sights, sounds, smells, people and activities. • If reflective, the candidate may reflect on how the place shaped him/her and on his/her feelings about it. • If narrative, memorable events that happened in the place must be told in a logical sequence. NOTE: A candidate may write an essay which contains elements of more than one type of essay. 1.3 All learners should be allowed to bring cellphones to school. [50] Argumentative/Discursive essay • If argumentative, the candidate must take a clear stand for OR against the statement and support it with convincing arguments (e.g. safety, contact with parents, research and learning apps versus distraction, cheating, theft, cyberbullying). • If discursive, the arguments for and against must be well balanced; the candidate may give his/her own view in the conclusion. NOTE: A candidate may write an essay which contains elements of more than one type of essay. 1.4 The knock at the door [50] Narrative/Descriptive essay • If narrative, a storyline must be evident, with a clear beginning, development and ending. The knock may lead to good news, bad news, a surprise visitor, danger or a mystery. Suspense should be created. • If descriptive, the candidate must describe the moment and the feelings it caused vividly, using the senses. • The topic may also be interpreted figuratively, e.g. opportunity knocking at the door. NOTE: A candidate may write an essay which contains elements of more than one type of essay. Copyright reserved Please turn over

English First Additional Language/P3 4 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines 1.5 ‘A friend in need is a friend indeed.’ [50] Narrative/Reflective/Discursive essay • The candidate should show an understanding of the proverb: a true friend is someone who helps you when you are in trouble. • If narrative, the story must illustrate the proverb, e.g. a friend who stood by the writer during a difficult time. • If reflective, the candidate may reflect on the meaning of true friendship and on his/her own experiences. • If discursive, the candidate may discuss what makes a true friend. NOTE: A candidate may write an essay which contains elements of more than one type of essay. 1.6 My hero [50] Descriptive/Reflective/Narrative essay • The hero may be a family member, a teacher, a community member, a sportsperson or a historical figure. • If descriptive, the candidate must describe the person’s appearance, character and actions. • If reflective, the candidate must explain why this person is a hero to him/her and what he/she has learnt from the person. • If narrative, an incident that shows the person’s heroism may be told. NOTE: A candidate may write an essay which contains elements of more than one type of essay. INTERPRETATION OF PICTURES • The candidate may interpret the picture in any way and write any type of essay. • The interpretation must be clearly linked to the picture. • The candidate should give the essay a suitable title. 1.7 Picture: A large old key in front of a locked wooden door [50] • Literal interpretations: a locked house or room, a mystery, finding a key, a secret room, an old house, coming home. • Figurative interpretations: the key to success (e.g. education, hard work), opportunity, new beginnings, unlocking one’s potential, secrets, a fresh start. 1.8 Picture: A person with a flag on the top of a mountain at sunrise [50] • Literal interpretations: hiking, mountain climbing, an adventure, a school tour, nature. • Figurative interpretations: achieving a goal, success, overcoming obstacles, determination, a new day/new beginning, victory, reaching the top. TOTAL SECTION A: 50 Copyright reserved Please turn over

English First Additional Language/P3 5 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines SECTION B: LONGER TRANSACTIONAL TEXT QUESTION 2 INSTRUCTIONS TO MARKERS: • Candidates are required to answer ONE question. • Marking must be objective. Give credit for relevant ideas. • Use the 30-mark rubric to mark the responses. The texts must be assessed according to the following criteria: – Content, planning and format (18 marks) – Language, style and editing (12 marks) NOTE: Adhere to the length of 120–150 words as prescribed by CAPS. Should the maximum word count be reached in the middle of a sentence, read to the end of that sentence. No additional penalties may be imposed, as the rubric itself imposes penalties. 2.1 FRIENDLY LETTER [30] A letter to a cousin accepting a holiday invitation • The following aspects of format must be included: sender’s address, date, informal salutation (e.g. Dear Sipho), suitable informal ending (e.g. Your loving cousin), name. • The tone and register must be informal, warm and excited. • The content must accept the invitation, thank the cousin/family and share plans for the holiday (e.g. travel arrangements, places to visit, activities to do together, gifts to bring). 2.2 FORMAL LETTER [30] A letter to the principal requesting permission to start a reading club • The following aspects of format must be included: – Sender’s address and date – Recipient’s designation and address (The Principal, name and address of the school) – Formal salutation (e.g. Dear Sir/Madam) – Subject line (e.g. REQUEST TO START A READING CLUB) – Formal ending (e.g. Yours faithfully), signature and name • The tone must be formal, polite and respectful. • The body must state the request clearly, explain how the club will work (e.g. when and where it will meet, who may join, where the books will come from, supervision by a teacher) and how it will benefit learners (e.g. better reading and language skills, better marks, a love of reading). Copyright reserved Please turn over

English First Additional Language/P3 6 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines 2.3 DIALOGUE [30] A conversation between the candidate and his/her parent/guardian about a part-time job • A brief context/scene must be given at the beginning. • The following aspects of dialogue format must be used: names of speakers on the left followed by a colon; a new line for each new speaker; stage directions/actions in brackets (if used). • The register must suit the relationship: respectful, but it may be informal. • The candidate must try to convince the parent/guardian (e.g. earning money for school needs, gaining experience, learning responsibility, a promise to keep up with schoolwork). The parent/guardian’s concerns must be addressed, and the conversation must reach a conclusion. 2.4 MAGAZINE ARTICLE [30] An article with advice for new Grade 8 learners • The article must have a catchy heading and may include the writer’s name (by-line). • The article must be written in paragraphs, with an introduction, a body and a conclusion. • The tone may be friendly and lively, but the language must be correct. The writer may address the readers directly (‘you’). • The content must give practical advice (e.g. get to know your timetable, make new friends, ask teachers for help, join clubs and sports, do homework every day, avoid bullies and peer pressure). TOTAL SECTION B: 30 Copyright reserved Please turn over

English First Additional Language/P3 7 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines SECTION C: SHORTER TRANSACTIONAL TEXT QUESTION 3 INSTRUCTIONS TO MARKERS: • Candidates are required to answer ONE question. • Marking must be objective. Give credit for relevant ideas. • Use the 20-mark rubric to mark the responses. The texts must be assessed according to the following criteria: – Content, planning and format (12 marks) – Language, style and editing (8 marks) NOTE: Adhere to the length of 80–100 words as prescribed by CAPS. Should the maximum word count be reached in the middle of a sentence, read to the end of that sentence. No additional penalties may be imposed, as the rubric itself imposes penalties. 3.1 INVITATION CARD [20] An invitation to a farewell function for a retiring teacher • The invitation must include: who is inviting (the Grade 10 class), whom it is for, the occasion (farewell for the retiring teacher), the date, time and venue, the dress code (if any) and RSVP details (name, contact number and date). • The function is a surprise: the invitation should ask guests not to tell the teacher. • The language should be polite and concise; full sentences are not necessary. No marks are awarded for drawings or illustrations. 3.2 POSTCARD [20] A postcard to grandparents about a school tour • The postcard must include a date, a short informal salutation (e.g. Dear Gogo and Mkhulu), the message, an informal ending and the writer’s name. The grandparents’ address may be written on the right-hand side. • The message must be brief and must describe the place visited and the writer’s experiences and feelings. • The register must be informal and warm. Copyright reserved Please turn over

English First Additional Language/P3 8 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines 3.3 INSTRUCTIONS [20] Instructions to a neighbour on how to look after a dog • The instructions must have a heading and should be numbered or written in a logical sequence. • The instructions must be clear and specific (e.g. when and how much to feed the dog, fresh water, walks, where to find the food and lead, the gate must be kept closed, what to do in an emergency, the vet’s telephone number). • Commands/imperatives should be used (e.g. Feed Bobo twice a day). Full sentences are not always necessary. TOTAL SECTION C: 20 GRAND TOTAL: 100 Copyright reserved Please turn over

English First Additional Language/P3 9 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines SECTION A: ASSESSMENT RUBRIC FOR ESSAY – FIRST ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE [50 MARKS] • Use this rubric to mark the essay (SECTION A). • The marks from 0–50 are divided into five major level descriptors. • For Content and planning and for Language, style and editing, each level is divided into an upper and a lower sub-level, each with its own mark range. Structure is not divided into sub-levels. Criteria Exceptional Skilful Moderate Elementary Inadequate CONTENT AND 28–30 22–24 16–18 10–12 4–6 PLANNING (Response and – Outstanding – Very well-crafted – Satisfactory – Inconsistently – Totally irrelevant ideas; organisation of response beyond response response coherent response response ideas for planning; normal expectations – Fully relevant and – Ideas are – Unclear ideas and – Confused and awareness of – Intelligent, interesting ideas with reasonably coherent unoriginal unfocused ideas purpose, audience thought-provoking evidence of maturity and convincing – Little evidence of – Vague and and context) and mature ideas – Very well organised – Reasonably organisation and repetitive 30 MARKS – Exceptionally well and coherent, organised and coherence – Unorganised and Upper level organised and including coherent, including incoherent coherent, including introduction, body introduction, body introduction, body and conclusion and conclusion and conclusion 25–27 19–21 13–15 7–9 0–3 Lower level – Excellent response – Well-crafted – Satisfactory – Largely irrelevant – No attempt to but lacks the response response but some response respond to the topic exceptionally striking – Relevant and lapses in clarity – Ideas tend to be – Completely qualities of the interesting ideas – Ideas are fairly disconnected and irrelevant and outstanding essay – Well organised and coherent and confusing inappropriate – Mature and coherent, including convincing – Hardly any – Unfocused and intelligent ideas introduction, body – Some degree of evidence of muddled – Skilfully organised and conclusion organisation and organisation and and coherent coherence coherence LANGUAGE, STYLE 14–15 11–12 8–9 5–6 0–3 AND EDITING (Tone, register, style – Tone, register, style – Tone, register, style – Tone, register, style – Tone, register, style – Language and vocabulary and vocabulary and vocabulary very and vocabulary and vocabulary not incomprehensible appropriate to highly appropriate to appropriate appropriate appropriate – Tone, register, style purpose and context; purpose, audience – Language – Appropriate use of – Very basic use of and vocabulary less word choice; and context effective; consistently language to convey language appropriate language use and – Language appropriate tone meaning – Very limited – Vocabulary conventions: confident and – Largely error-free – Some use of vocabulary limitations so punctuation, exceptionally in grammar and rhetorical devices extreme that grammar, spelling) impressive spelling comprehension is 15 MARKS – Virtually error-free impossible Upper level in grammar and spelling 13 10 7 4 Lower level – Language excellent – Language – Adequate use of – Inadequate use of and rhetorically engaging and language with some language effective in tone generally effective inconsistencies – Little or no variety – Virtually error-free – Appropriate and – Tone generally in sentences – Skilfully crafted effective tone appropriate; limited – Exceptionally – Few errors in use of rhetorical limited vocabulary grammar and devices spelling STRUCTURE 5 4 3 2 0–1 (Features of text; – Excellent – Logical – Relevant details – Some valid points – Necessary points paragraph development of topic development of developed – Sentences and lacking development and – Exceptional detail details – Sentences and paragraphs faulty – Sentences and sentence – Sentences and – Coherent paragraphs well – Essay still makes paragraphs faulty construction) paragraphs – Sentences and constructed sense despite flaws 5 MARKS exceptionally well paragraphs logical – Essay still makes constructed and varied some sense MARK RANGE 40–50 30–39 20–29 10–19 0–9 Copyright reserved Please turn over

English First Additional Language/P3 10 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines SECTION B: ASSESSMENT RUBRIC FOR LONGER TRANSACTIONAL TEXT – FIRST ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE [30 MARKS] Criteria Exceptional Skilful Moderate Elementary Inadequate CONTENT, 15–18 11–14 8–10 5–7 0–4 PLANNING AND FORMAT (Response and – Outstanding – Very good – Adequate response – Basic response – Response reveals ideas; organisation of response beyond response demonstrating demonstrating some no knowledge of ideas for planning; normal expectations demonstrating good knowledge of knowledge of features of the type purpose, audience, – Intelligent and knowledge of features of the type features of the type of text features/conventions mature ideas features of the type of text of text – Meaning is obscure and context) – Extensive of text – Not completely – Some focus but with major 18 MARKS knowledge of – Maintains focus; no focused; some writing digresses digressions features of the type digressions digressions – Not always – Not coherent in of text – Coherent in content – Reasonably coherent in content content and ideas – Writing maintains and ideas; very well coherent in content and ideas – Very few details focus; coherent in elaborated; details and ideas – Few details support support the topic content and ideas support the topic – Some details the topic – Has not applied – Highly elaborated; – Appropriate format support the topic – Has vaguely necessary rules of all details support the with minor – Generally applied necessary format topic inaccuracies appropriate format rules of format; some – Appropriate and but with some critical oversights accurate format inaccuracies LANGUAGE, STYLE 10–12 8–9 6–7 4–5 0–3 AND EDITING (Tone, register, style, – Tone, register, style – Tone, register, style – Tone, register, style – Tone, register, style – Tone, register, style purpose/effect, and vocabulary and vocabulary very and vocabulary and vocabulary less and vocabulary do audience and highly appropriate to appropriate appropriate appropriate not correspond to context; language purpose, audience – Generally – Some grammatical – Inaccurate purpose, audience use and conventions; and context grammatically errors grammar with and context word choice; – Grammatically accurate and well – Adequate numerous errors – Error-ridden and punctuation and accurate and well constructed vocabulary – Limited vocabulary confused spelling) constructed – Very good – Errors do not – Meaning is – Vocabulary not 12 MARKS – Virtually error-free vocabulary impede meaning obscured suitable for purpose – Mostly free of – Meaning seriously errors impaired MARK RANGE 25–30 19–23 14–17 9–12 0–7 Copyright reserved Please turn over

English First Additional Language/P3 11 Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NSC – Marking Guidelines SECTION C: ASSESSMENT RUBRIC FOR SHORTER TRANSACTIONAL TEXT – FIRST ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE [20 MARKS] Criteria Exceptional Skilful Moderate Elementary Inadequate CONTENT, 10–12 8–9 6–7 4–5 0–3 PLANNING AND FORMAT (Response and – Outstanding – Very good – Adequate response – Basic response; – No knowledge of ideas; organisation of response beyond response demonstrating some knowledge of features of the type ideas for planning; normal expectations demonstrating good knowledge of features of the type of text purpose, audience, – Intelligent and knowledge of features of the type of text – Meaning obscure; features/conventions mature ideas features of the type of text – Writing digresses major digressions and context) – Extensive of text – Some digressions – Few details support – Has not applied 12 MARKS knowledge of – Maintains focus; no – Some details the topic necessary rules of features of the type digressions support the topic – Some critical format of text – Details support the – Generally oversights in format – Writing maintains topic appropriate format focus; coherent – Appropriate format with some – Appropriate and with minor inaccuracies accurate format inaccuracies LANGUAGE, STYLE 7–8 5–6 4 3 0–2 AND EDITING (Tone, register, style, – Tone, register, style – Tone, register, style – Tone, register, style – Tone, register, style – Tone, register, style purpose/effect, and vocabulary and vocabulary very and vocabulary and vocabulary less and vocabulary do audience and highly appropriate appropriate appropriate appropriate not correspond to context; language – Grammatically – Generally – Some grammatical – Numerous errors; purpose use and conventions; accurate and well grammatically errors limited vocabulary – Error-ridden and word choice; constructed accurate – Errors do not – Meaning is confused punctuation and – Virtually error-free – Very good impede meaning obscured – Meaning seriously spelling) vocabulary; mostly impaired 8 MARKS free of errors MARK RANGE 17–20 13–15 10–11 7–8 0–5 Copyright reserved