# English HL Grade 10 P2 November Mock Exam 2 2026 Memo (English) > Grade 10 English HL Paper 2 memorandum from the November Mock Exam 2 2026 (English), 16 pages. Read online or get the free PDF download, question paper linked when available. - Page: https://www.hlayiso.com/library/grade-10-english-hl-2026-november-mock-exam-2-memorandum-paper-2-english/c6e1ed56-68ab-462f-b90a-841ad70df6b9 - Updated: 2026-10-22 - Subject: English HL - Grade: Grade 10 - Language: English - Document type: Memorandum - Year: 2026 - Exam period: November Mock Exam 2 - Paper: 2 - Publisher: Hlayiso - Curriculum: CAPS - Pages: 16 Breadcrumbs: [Home](https://www.hlayiso.com/) › [Library](https://www.hlayiso.com/library) › [Grade 10](https://www.hlayiso.com/library/grade-10) › [English HL](https://www.hlayiso.com/library/grade-10/english-hl) › [English HL Grade 10 P2 November Mock Exam 2 2026 Memo (English)](https://www.hlayiso.com/library/grade-10-english-hl-2026-november-mock-exam-2-memorandum-paper-2-english/c6e1ed56-68ab-462f-b90a-841ad70df6b9) ## About this document English HL · Grade 10 · November Mock Exam 2 · 2026. Memorandum, 16 pages. 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Layout, diagrams and tables may not survive extraction. ### Page 1 Copyright reserved Please turn over Mock hlayiso mock exams Practice Series: Grade 10 Exam Preparation WWW.HLAYISO.COM NATIONAL SENIOR CERTIFICATE GRADE 10 ENGLISH HOME LANGUAGE P2 NOVEMBER EXAMINATION 2026 (MOCK) MARKING GUIDELINES MARKS: 80 These marking guidelines consist of 16 pages. ### Page 2 English Home Language/P2 2 NSC – Marking Guidelines Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NOTE TO MARKERS • These marking guidelines are intended as a guide for markers. • The marking guidelines will be discussed with the marking panel before marking commences. • Candidates' responses must be considered on their merits. INSTRUCTIONS 1. Wherever a candidate has answered more than the required number of questions, mark only the first answer/response. (The candidate may NOT answer the essay and the contextual question on the same genre.) 2. If a candidate has answered all four questions in SECTION A (prescribed poems), mark only the first two. 3. If a candidate has answered two contextual or two essay questions in SECTIONS B and C, mark the first one and ignore the second. If a candidate has answered all four questions (novel) and/or all four questions (drama), mark only the first answer in each section, provided that one contextual and one essay have been answered. 4. If a candidate gives two answers where the first is wrong and the next one correct, mark the first answer and ignore the next. 5. If answers are incorrectly numbered, mark according to the marking guidelines. 6. If a spelling error affects the meaning, mark incorrect. If it does not affect the meaning, mark correct. 7. Essay questions: If the essay is shorter than the required word count, do not penalise, because the candidate has already penalised himself/herself. If the essay is too long, assess on merit and discuss with senior markers. 8. Contextual questions: If the candidate does not use inverted commas when asked to quote, do not penalise. 9. For open-ended questions, no marks should be awarded for YES/NO or I AGREE/ DISAGREE. The reason/substantiation/motivation/justification is what should be considered. 10. No marks should be awarded for TRUE/FALSE or FACT/OPINION. The reason/ substantiation/motivation/justification is what should be marked. 11. Answers to contextual questions must be assessed holistically in the light of the discussion during the standardisation of the marking guidelines. Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 3 English Home Language/P2 3 NSC – Marking Guidelines Hlayiso/Mock 2026 SECTION A: POETRY PRESCRIBED POETRY QUESTION 1: POETRY – ESSAY QUESTION 'HE WISHES FOR THE CLOTHS OF HEAVEN' – W.B. Yeats • Use the following points, among others, as a guideline to marking this question. Responses might differ, depending on the candidate's sensitivity to and understanding of the text. • Refer to page 15 for the rubric to assess this question. • Imagery: the speaker imagines the 'heavens' embroidered cloths' – the sky at different times of day ('golden and silver light', 'the blue and the dim and the dark', 'night and light and the half-light'). The heavens are presented as rich, beautiful fabrics, the most precious gift imaginable; the image suggests that his love is so great that only the whole sky would be a worthy gift. • The conditional opening ('Had I …') and 'I would spread' show that this is only a wish: he does not own such riches. The gesture of spreading cloths under someone's feet suggests honour, worship and devotion (as for royalty). • The turn in line 6 ('But I, being poor, have only my dreams') is a contrast between the imagined riches of the heavens and the speaker's real poverty. His only possession is his dreams (hopes, love, imagination) – and he gives them completely: 'I have spread my dreams under your feet'. The change from 'would' (wish) to 'have' (action) shows that the gift has already been made. • He is vulnerable because dreams are fragile and can easily be crushed; by placing them where the beloved will walk, he gives her the power to hurt him. 'Tread softly' is a gentle plea that she should be careful with his feelings. • Diction: simple, mostly one-syllable words; the repetition of 'cloths', 'light', 'feet' and 'dreams' at the ends of lines creates a gentle, incantatory rhythm; 'enwrought', 'embroidered' suggest richness and care; 'poor' and 'only' stress his humility; 'softly' is tender. • Tone: wistful/longing and adoring in lines 1–5; humble, tender, pleading and vulnerable in lines 6–8. • Candidates may agree fully or partially (e.g. the speaker is also proud of the value of his dreams). [Credit valid alternative responses.] [10] QUESTION 2: POETRY – CONTEXTUAL QUESTION 'SONNET 116' – William Shakespeare 2.1 The speaker says that he will not accept/allow that there can be any obstacles (reasons) to stop two people who truly love each other ('true minds') from being united. (1) Nothing should be allowed to come between them; true love is a union of minds/spirits, not only of bodies. (1) [Accept reference to the marriage service, in which people are asked to declare any 'impediments' to a marriage.] (2) Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 4 English Home Language/P2 4 NSC – Marking Guidelines Hlayiso/Mock 2026 2.2 The repetition (wordplay/polyptoton) shows that love that 'alters' when the other person changes, or that leaves ('removes') when the other person leaves, is not real love. (1) The echoing words emphasise that true love remains constant/ unchanging, whatever the other person does or whatever circumstances bring. (1) (2) 2.3 True love is compared to a fixed landmark/beacon/lighthouse that 'looks on tempests and is never shaken': it stands firm through the storms (troubles/ conflicts) of life. (1) It is also like the (North/Pole) star by which lost ships ('every wandering bark') navigate: love guides people who are lost or uncertain. (1) The images are effective because both are permanent, reliable and guiding; the star's 'worth's unknown' suggests that love's true value is beyond measure, even though its 'height' (position) can be measured. (1) (3) 2.4 Time is personified as the Grim Reaper with a 'bending sickle' that cuts down physical beauty ('rosy lips and cheeks'); youth and beauty fade. (1) But love is 'not Time's fool': it is not controlled or mocked by Time; it does not change with Time's 'brief hours and weeks' and lasts 'even to the edge of doom' (the end of the world). (1) The couplet's tone is confident/certain/assertive/challenging: the speaker stakes everything on his claim – if he is proved wrong, then he has never written and no man has ever loved, which is clearly impossible. This makes his argument appear unquestionable. (1) [Award 3 marks only if both the personification and the tone of the couplet are discussed.] (3) [10] QUESTION 3: POETRY – CONTEXTUAL QUESTION 'REMEMBER' – Christina Rossetti 3.1 'The silent land' refers to death/the grave/the afterlife. (1) It is described as silent because the dead can no longer speak or communicate with the living; the euphemism softens the harsh reality of death and creates a calm, gentle tone. (1) (2) 3.2 The relationship is close/loving/intimate: they hold hands, and she cannot bear to leave him. (1) She turns to go but then stays, which shows her reluctance to part from him/the strength of their bond; death will end this closeness. (1) (2) 3.3 'Yet' marks the volta (turning point) of this Petrarchan sonnet, where the octave ends and the sestet begins. (1) In the octave, the speaker repeatedly asks the beloved to 'Remember me' (an almost demanding plea). (1) In the sestet, she changes her request: if he forgets her for a while and later remembers, he must not 'grieve'. Her concern shifts from being remembered to his happiness. (1) (3) 3.4 The tone is selfless/gentle/tender/accepting/reassuring (and perhaps slightly sad/resigned). (1) The speaker would rather the beloved forget her and be happy ('forget and smile') than remember her and be sad. (1) This shows that her love is unselfish: she places his well-being above her own wish to be remembered; true love wants the best for the other person. (1) (3) [10] Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 5 English Home Language/P2 5 NSC – Marking Guidelines Hlayiso/Mock 2026 QUESTION 4: POETRY – CONTEXTUAL QUESTION 'STOPPING BY WOODS ON A SNOWY EVENING' – Robert Frost 4.1 The owner lives in the village, so he will not see the speaker. (1) The speaker wants to enjoy the beauty of the snowy woods privately/without being judged; he may feel that stopping to stare at the woods is unusual/impractical or slightly embarrassing, as he is on someone else's property. (1) (2) 4.2 The horse (personified) thinks it is 'queer' (strange) to stop where there is no farmhouse on 'The darkest evening of the year'; it shakes its bells as if asking whether there is 'some mistake'. (1) The horse represents the practical, ordinary view, whereas the speaker is drawn to the beauty/mystery of the woods and wants to linger. (1) (2) 4.3 Sound device named and quoted from lines 11–12: sibilance/alliteration ('sound's the sweep'), soft consonants and long vowels ('sweep', 'easy', 'downy'). (1) Effect: the sounds are soft, gentle and muted; the gentle wind and the falling snow are 'the only other sound'. (1) Mood: hushed/quiet/peaceful/ calm/dreamlike (almost hypnotic). (1) [Accept also: the contrast with the sharper sound of the harness bells in lines 9–10, as part of the effect mark.] (3) 4.4 In this stanza the speaker is tempted by the woods, which are 'lovely, dark and deep' (rest, peace, escape – possibly death), but he remembers that he has 'promises to keep' (responsibilities/obligations to others). (1) The repetition of 'And miles to go before I sleep' emphasises how far he still has to travel and how tired he is; it has a slow, heavy rhythm. (1) The second line takes on a deeper meaning: 'miles' suggests the years of life ahead and 'sleep' suggests death; the repetition shows his resolve to continue living and fulfil his duties, rather than give in to the temptation to rest. (1) [Credit valid alternative interpretations.] (3) [10] Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 6 English Home Language/P2 6 NSC – Marking Guidelines Hlayiso/Mock 2026 UNSEEN POETRY (COMPULSORY) QUESTION 5: POETRY – CONTEXTUAL QUESTION '"HOPE" IS THE THING WITH FEATHERS' – Emily Dickinson 5.1 Metaphor (Accept: extended metaphor.) (1) Hope is compared to a small bird that 'perches' in the soul: like a bird, hope is light, delicate and lifts the spirit (it can 'fly'); it lives quietly inside us and sings to comfort us. (1) (2) 5.2 B (Hope comforts us even when we cannot put it into words.) [2 marks for B only; no part marks.] (2) 5.3 The 'gale' and the 'storm' represent the great hardships/difficulties/suffering of life, (1) while the 'little bird' is small and seems fragile. (1) Yet hope's song is 'sweetest' in the gale, and only a very severe ('sore') storm could silence ('abash') it; the bird has kept 'so many warm' (comforted many people). The contrast shows that hope is stronger than it looks and is most valuable in times of trouble. (1) (3) 5.4 Even in the worst circumstances ('extremity'), hope has never asked for anything in return – not even a 'crumb'. (1) Hope is a free/unselfish/generous gift that sustains us without demanding anything from us. (1) The tone is grateful/ appreciative/admiring/affectionate (calm, quietly confident), emphasised by the commas that isolate and stress 'never'. (1) (3) [10] TOTAL SECTION A: 30 Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 7 English Home Language/P2 7 NSC – Marking Guidelines Hlayiso/Mock 2026 SECTION B: NOVEL QUESTION 6: A CHRISTMAS CAROL – ESSAY QUESTION • Use the following points, among others, as a guideline to marking this question. Responses might differ, depending on the candidate's sensitivity to and understanding of the text. • Refer to page 16 for the rubric to assess this question. • At the start, Scrooge is very rich but cold, mean and isolated: 'solitary as an oyster'. He lives alone in dark rooms, eats gruel and keeps his clerk's fire tiny. His wealth brings him no joy, friendship or love. • Marley's Ghost, who was equally rich and mean, is weighed down by the chain he forged in life from cash-boxes, keys and ledgers; he regrets that he never helped others ('Mankind was my business'). His wealth has made him poorer in death. • The Ghost of Christmas Past shows how Scrooge's love of money ('Gain') replaced Belle and his capacity for love; Belle's later happy family, which he could have shared, shows what he lost. • The Cratchits are poor, yet their Christmas is full of love, gratitude and joy (the small goose and pudding, the toast to Mr Scrooge); Fezziwig, by contrast, uses his money to make others happy. Fred is not wealthy but is cheerful and generous. • Scrooge's unmourned death in Stave 4: people joke about his funeral, steal and sell his belongings and are relieved; his grave is neglected. In contrast, Tiny Tim is lovingly mourned. • After his change, Scrooge uses his wealth with kindness: the prize turkey, the large donation, Bob's raise, becoming a second father to Tiny Tim. He becomes 'rich' in friendship and joy. • Candidates may argue that poverty also causes real suffering (Ignorance and Want; Tiny Tim's illness) and that money used kindly is valuable. [Credit valid alternative/mixed responses.] [25] QUESTION 7: A CHRISTMAS CAROL – CONTEXTUAL QUESTION 7.1 The Ghost of Christmas Past is showing Scrooge scenes from his past. (1) It has already shown him his lonely boyhood at school, his sister Fan coming to take him home, and Fezziwig's joyful Christmas ball, when he was an apprentice. (1) Now it shows him, as a young man, with Belle (the young woman he was engaged to), who is breaking off their engagement. (1) (3) 7.2 Belle means that she has been replaced in Scrooge's affections: something else now has her place in his heart. (1) 'Idol' suggests that he worships this thing like a false god. (1) 'Golden' is appropriate because his new 'idol' is money/gold/ wealth. (1) (3) 7.3 Scrooge is defensive/resentful/bitter/impatient. (1) He complains that the world is unfair: it is hard on the poor, yet it condemns those who try to become rich. (1) He believes that wealth is the only protection against the harshness of poverty; he fears poverty and justifies his pursuit of money. (1) (3) Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 8 English Home Language/P2 8 NSC – Marking Guidelines Hlayiso/Mock 2026 7.4 Belle sincerely wishes Scrooge happiness in the life of wealth that he has chosen. (1) Ironically, the reader knows that this choice leaves him lonely, bitter, cold-hearted and unloved at the beginning of the novel; (1) he is rich, but far from happy: he hates Christmas, refuses Fred's invitation and lives alone. (1) (3) 7.5 The churchyard is shut in ('Walled in') and overgrown with weeds, (1) which reflects the dead man's isolated, cold life, cut off from others. (1) It is neglected, 'choked' and lifeless ('vegetation's death, not life') – just as nobody cared about him in life or mourns him in death. The repeated, ironic 'A worthy place!' suggests that this miserable grave is all that such a life deserves. (1) (3) 7.6 Scrooge wants to know whether the future he has been shown is fixed (certain) or only a possibility; (1) he hopes that, if he changes his ways ('courses'), the 'ends' (his lonely death, Tiny Tim's death) will change. (1) This links to the message of the novel: people can change their future by changing their behaviour; it is not too late to repent and live differently. (1) (3) 7.7 Any THREE of the following: • Businessmen on the Exchange joke about his death and say they will go to the funeral only if lunch is provided. • The charwoman, the laundress and the undertaker's man steal his belongings (bed-curtains, blankets, the shirt off his body) and sell them to Old Joe. • Two wealthy businessmen whom Scrooge knew mention the death casually in the street ('Old Scratch has got his own at last') and then talk about the weather. • Nobody cares enough to watch over his body, which lies alone and unmourned on the bed. (Accept only if framed as others' indifference.) • A poor couple (Caroline and her husband) who owed him money are relieved/happy that he has died. [Award 1 mark for each reaction. The scene of the Cratchits mourning Tiny Tim may NOT be credited as a reaction to Scrooge's death.] (3) 7.8 In EXTRACT A, Scrooge is defensive and impatient; he justifies his love of money and lets Belle go without much protest – his greed matters more than love. (1) In EXTRACT B, he is humble, frightened and desperate: he falls to his knees, clutches the Spirit's robe and promises that he is 'not the man I was'. (1) The change is largely the result of the Spirits' visits: they have shown him his lost past (Belle), the Cratchits' love and Tiny Tim's illness, and finally his own unmourned death; seeing the consequences of his life makes him want to change. (1) However, candidates may argue that the change is also caused by fear of death, or that Scrooge's own conscience/the goodness he had as a boy is reawakened. (1) [Award 4 marks only if both extracts are referred to and the 'to what extent' part is discussed. Credit valid alternative responses.] (4) [25] Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 9 English Home Language/P2 9 NSC – Marking Guidelines Hlayiso/Mock 2026 QUESTION 8: THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES – ESSAY QUESTION • Use the following points, among others, as a guideline to marking this question. Responses might differ, depending on the candidate's sensitivity to and understanding of the text. • Refer to page 16 for the rubric to assess this question. • The novel opens with the legend of Hugo Baskerville and the supernatural hound, and Sir Charles's death is linked to the curse; Dr Mortimer, a man of science, half believes the legend. Superstition and fear dominate the people of the moor. • Holmes insists on reason from the start: he says the devil's agents may be 'of flesh and blood'. He studies the evidence (the footprints, the cigar ash, the changed shape of Sir Charles's footprints showing that he ran). • Clues are explained logically: the newspaper-cut warning letter, the stolen boots (an old boot needed for the hound's scent), the man with the beard in London. • Watson's careful observation and reports (Barrymore's signals, Selden, the man on the tor, Laura Lyons) gather the facts that Holmes needs; Holmes hides on the moor to observe unseen. • Holmes uses logic to identify Stapleton (the Baskerville portrait resemblance; Beryl is his wife, not his sister) and sets a trap with Sir Henry as bait. • The hound is shown to be a real animal (painted with phosphorus); once it is wounded, 'If he was vulnerable he was mortal' – fear disappears. Stapleton dies in the Grimpen Mire. • However, fear is very powerful throughout: it kills Sir Charles, nearly kills Sir Henry and paralyses even Holmes's party at first; the moor's atmosphere is never fully explained away. Holmes's reasoning also endangers his client. [Credit valid alternative/mixed responses.] [25] QUESTION 9: THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES – CONTEXTUAL QUESTION 9.1 Holmes has sent Watson to Baskerville Hall with Sir Henry to protect him and to report back on events and on the people of the moor. (1) Watson has walked to the Grimpen post office to find out whether the test telegram was delivered to Barrymore in person (it was not; it was given to Mrs Barrymore). (1) On his way back, Stapleton runs after him, introduces himself and walks with him across the moor towards Merripit House. (1) (3) 9.2 The bright green spots look fertile, safe and attractive, (1) but they are in fact the deadly Grimpen Mire, which swallows anyone who steps on it. (1) This reflects the theme: things/people in the novel are not what they seem – e.g. the friendly, harmless naturalist Stapleton is the murderer; his 'sister' is his wife; the 'supernatural' hound is a real dog. (1) (3) 9.3 The diction ('rolling and tossing', 'agonised, writhing neck', 'dreadful cry') appeals to the senses and shows the pony's terrible, helpless struggle, which creates horror; Watson is 'cold with horror'. (1) Stapleton's calmness ('nerves … stronger than mine') is disturbing/sinister. (1) The scene foreshadows later events: the mire hides the hound's lair and the danger to Sir Henry, and at the Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 10 English Home Language/P2 10 NSC – Marking Guidelines Hlayiso/Mock 2026 end Stapleton himself flees into the mire and is (presumably) swallowed by it. (1) (3) 9.4 Stapleton boasts that only he knows the safe paths through the mire; he seems concerned for Watson's safety. (1) The reader later learns that he uses this knowledge to hide the hound on an island (in an old tin mine) in the middle of the mire, so he warns Watson off to protect his secret, not Watson; Sir Charles's (and later Selden's) blood is truly 'upon [his] head'. (1) Ironically, at the end he flees into the mire at night in the fog, cannot follow his landmarks, and is presumably swallowed by the very mire he claims to master. (1) (3) 9.5 Watson has found Holmes, who had been secretly hiding in a stone hut on the moor (he was the man on the tor). (1) While they are talking, they hear a terrible scream and the howl of the hound, (1) and they run across the moor towards the sound, fearing for Sir Henry. (1) (3) 9.6 Holmes takes responsibility/blames himself: (1) he admits that his desire to make his case 'well rounded and complete' (pride/ambition/perfectionism) has cost his client his life. (1) He is human and capable of guilt and distress, and not only a cold reasoning machine; however, he also tries to excuse himself (Sir Henry ignored his warnings). (1) (3) 9.7 Sir Henry gave his old clothes to Barrymore, who passed them on to Selden, the escaped convict (Mrs Barrymore's brother). (1) Significance: the hound tracked Sir Henry's scent (from the boot stolen in London), which shows that it is a real, trained animal, not a supernatural one. (1) Sir Henry is the intended victim and is still in danger. (1) [Accept: Stapleton reveals his surprise when he sees that the dead man is Selden, which confirms Holmes's suspicions.] (3) 9.8 In EXTRACT C, Watson is shocked and chilled by the pony's agonising death in the mire and disturbed by Stapleton's calmness; he is uneasy but still curious about the moor. (1) In EXTRACT D, he is horrified, grief-stricken and guilt-ridden when he thinks Sir Henry is dead, and then relieved/astonished when the body turns out to be Selden's. (1) The moor contributes greatly to his fear: the mire, the darkness, the isolation, the eerie sounds and the cliffs create an atmosphere of danger and mystery. (1) However, the moor is only partly responsible: the real cause of the danger and fear is Stapleton, who deliberately uses the moor and the legend of the hound to commit murder. (1) [Award 4 marks only if both extracts are referred to and the 'to what extent' part is discussed. Credit valid alternative responses.] (4) [25] TOTAL SECTION B: 25 Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 11 English Home Language/P2 11 NSC – Marking Guidelines Hlayiso/Mock 2026 SECTION C: DRAMA QUESTION 10: ROMEO AND JULIET – ESSAY QUESTION • Use the following points, among others, as a guideline to marking this question. Responses might differ, depending on the candidate's sensitivity to and understanding of the text. • Refer to page 16 for the rubric to assess this question. • The 'ancient grudge' between the Montagues and Capulets is kept alive by the older generation; the Prince warns them after the opening brawl. The feud makes the lovers' secrecy necessary. • Capulet first says Juliet is too young to marry, but later (after Tybalt's death) forces her to marry Paris within days and threatens to disown her; Lady Capulet coldly abandons her ('I have done with thee'). • The Nurse helps the secret marriage but then advises Juliet to marry Paris, which isolates Juliet and drives her to the Friar. • Friar Laurence marries them in haste, hoping to end the feud; he devises the dangerous sleeping-potion plan, his letter fails to reach Romeo, and he flees the tomb, leaving Juliet alone. • The Prince's tolerance of the feud and his sentence of banishment contribute to the tragedy. • However, Romeo and Juliet are impulsive and hasty: they marry within a day; Romeo kills Tybalt in rage; Romeo buys poison and kills himself without waiting; Juliet takes the potion and then stabs herself. Fate ('star-cross'd lovers') also plays a part. • At the end, the parents recognise their guilt ('All are punish'd'). [Credit valid alternative/ mixed responses.] [25] QUESTION 11: ROMEO AND JULIET – CONTEXTUAL QUESTION 11.1 The Capulets are holding a masked feast/ball. (1) Romeo, Benvolio and Mercutio have come uninvited, wearing masks; Romeo hoped to see Rosaline. (1) Romeo has just seen Juliet for the first time and praises her beauty ('O she doth teach the torches to burn bright'); Tybalt recognises his voice. (1) (3) 11.2 Tybalt is hot-tempered/aggressive/violent/proud/loyal to his family. (1) He wants to kill Romeo simply because he is a Montague who has dared to come to the feast; (1) he swears by the honour of his family ('stock and honour of my kin') and does not consider killing Romeo a sin, which shows that he places family honour above morality and peace. (1) (3) 11.3 Romeo is behaving like a respectable gentleman, and all Verona speaks well of him as a 'virtuous and well-govern'd youth'. (1) Capulet does not want a fight to spoil his feast and dishonour his house in front of his guests (and he wants to obey the Prince's order to keep the peace). (1) He insists that he is master in his own house and that Tybalt must obey him ('It is my will'). (1) (3) 11.4 Tybalt withdraws only because he is forced to; he is shaking with suppressed rage. (1) He vows that Romeo's 'intrusion', which now seems sweet, will turn Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 12 English Home Language/P2 12 NSC – Marking Guidelines Hlayiso/Mock 2026 into 'bitter gall' (bitterness/revenge). (1) This foreshadows Act 3 Scene 1, when Tybalt challenges Romeo, kills Mercutio and is killed by Romeo, which leads to Romeo's banishment and the tragic ending. (1) (3) 11.5 Juliet is really weeping because Romeo has been banished (and has just left her after their wedding night). (1) Her parents believe that she is weeping because of Tybalt's death. (1) The dramatic irony is that the audience knows that she is secretly married to Romeo – the man who killed Tybalt – and that marriage to Paris is impossible for her. (1) (3) 11.6 Juliet uses wordplay/paradox/antithesis ('Not proud … but thankful'; 'thankful even for hate that is meant love'). (1) She cleverly thanks her parents for their good intentions while refusing the marriage, without revealing her secret. (1) This shows that she is distressed/desperate but also determined, intelligent and careful (she tries to remain respectful while resisting). (1) (3) 11.7 Tone: furious/enraged/harsh/threatening/contemptuous. (1) Body language: e.g. Capulet should shout, tower over Juliet (who is on her knees), point aggressively at her or at the door, clench and raise his fist on 'My fingers itch', perhaps push her away. (1) Motivation: this shows his uncontrolled anger at being disobeyed and his tyrannical authority as a father; the audience sees how isolated and threatened Juliet is. (1) [Award 1 mark for tone, 1 mark for body language and 1 mark for motivation. Credit valid alternatives.] (3) 11.8 In EXTRACT E, Capulet is calm, reasonable and tolerant: he refuses to let Tybalt harm Romeo, speaks well of a Montague and wants peace at his feast (although he is also bossy towards Tybalt). (1) In EXTRACT F, he is cruel, irrational and tyrannical; he insults Juliet ('baggage', 'tallow-face'), threatens to drag her to church on a hurdle and says she must never look him in the face again ('My fingers itch' suggests he wants to hit her). (1) His treatment is not justified: he does not listen to her or try to understand her grief, and his threats drive her to the Friar's dangerous plan. (1) Some candidates may argue that it is partly understandable: in Elizabethan times daughters were expected to obey; he believes Paris is an excellent match and he wants to end her 'grief' for Tybalt. (1) [Award 4 marks only if both extracts are referred to and the 'to what extent' part is discussed. Credit valid alternative responses.] (4) [25] Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 13 English Home Language/P2 13 NSC – Marking Guidelines Hlayiso/Mock 2026 QUESTION 12: JULIUS CAESAR – ESSAY QUESTION • Use the following points, among others, as a guideline to marking this question. Responses might differ, depending on the candidate's sensitivity to and understanding of the text. • Refer to page 16 for the rubric to assess this question. • Cassius uses words to manipulate Brutus (the Colossus speech, the comparison of the names, the forged letters) and to win him over to the conspiracy. • Words also mislead Caesar: Decius reinterprets Calpurnia's dream and flatters Caesar into going to the Capitol, where he is killed. • The swords of the conspirators kill Caesar, but the killing does not achieve its goal: Caesar's spirit lives on ('O Julius Caesar, thou art mighty yet!'). • At the funeral, Brutus's reasoned prose speech satisfies the crowd briefly, but Antony's emotional speech (irony of 'honourable', the will, the wounds) turns the mob into a violent force; the conspirators must flee Rome. • The mob kills Cinna the poet for his name – words lead to senseless violence. • On the other hand, the sword decides the outcome at Philippi: armies, battles and suicides (Cassius and Brutus die by their own swords). Words alone could not have ended the conspiracy. • Candidates should conclude to what extent they agree. [Credit valid alternative/mixed responses.] [25] QUESTION 13: JULIUS CAESAR – CONTEXTUAL QUESTION 13.1 It is night, just before the Ides of March, during a violent storm. (1) Brutus is in his orchard/garden; he cannot sleep because Cassius has been trying to persuade him to join the plot against Caesar. (1) He has sent his servant Lucius to light a taper; Lucius will bring him a letter (forged by Cassius) that he found at the window, and the conspirators will soon arrive. (1) (3) 13.2 Brutus has no personal grudge against Caesar; (1) he wants to act only for the good of the general public/Rome. (1) This suggests that he is idealistic/ principled/patriotic/honourable – but perhaps also naive, as he can persuade himself to kill a friend for an idea. (1) (3) 13.3 Caesar is compared to an adder (a poisonous snake) brought out by the 'bright day' (power/the crown) and to a 'serpent's egg': (1) once crowned (hatched), he may become dangerous, so he must be killed 'in the shell' before he can do harm. (1) The imagery is effective because it makes Caesar seem evil and treacherous and makes the murder seem like a necessary act of self-defence, although Caesar has done nothing wrong. (1) (3) 13.4 Brutus admits that Caesar has never let his emotions rule his reason/has never abused his power. (1) His argument is based on what Caesar might become ('So Caesar may'), not on what Caesar has done; (1) he even admits that the 'quarrel / Will bear no colour for the thing he is' and decides to 'fashion it' (twist Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 14 English Home Language/P2 14 NSC – Marking Guidelines Hlayiso/Mock 2026 the argument) to justify the murder. His reasoning is therefore speculative/weak and self-deceiving. (1) (3) 13.5 After Caesar's murder, Antony's funeral speech turns the mob against the conspirators, who flee from Rome. (1) Antony, Octavius and Lepidus form a triumvirate and raise armies against them. (1) Brutus and Cassius have also raised armies and have met at Sardis (in Brutus's tent) before the battle at Philippi. (1) (3) 13.6 Brutus reminds Cassius that they killed Caesar for the sake of justice ('Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake?'). (1) He argues that it would be shameful/hypocritical for those who killed the most powerful man in the world for 'supporting robbers' to take bribes themselves. (1) He states that he would rather be a dog howling at the moon than such a dishonourable Roman, which shows his high moral standards/idealism (and his self-righteousness). (1) (3) 13.7 Tone: proud/self-righteous/contemptuous/indignant/angry/scornful (or coldly controlled). (1) Body language: e.g. Brutus should stand upright and face Cassius directly, perhaps turn his back on Cassius on 'Which I respect not', or point accusingly at him and strike his own chest on 'arm'd so strong in honesty'. (1) Motivation: this shows that Brutus is not intimidated by Cassius's threats, feels morally superior and is deeply hurt that Cassius refused him gold. (1) [Award 1 mark for tone, 1 mark for body language and 1 mark for motivation. Credit valid alternatives.] (3) 13.8 In EXTRACT G, Brutus is honest with himself about his motives (no personal cause) and wishes to act for the general good, (1) but he deceives himself by 'fashion[ing]' an argument to justify murdering a friend who has done no wrong. (1) In EXTRACT H, he condemns bribery and refuses to raise money by 'vile means', yet he demands gold from Cassius, who could only raise it by such means – this is hypocritical. (1) The claim is therefore only partly justified: Brutus sincerely values honour (Antony later calls him 'the noblest Roman of them all'), but his pride and idealism blind him to his own contradictions. (1) [Award 4 marks only if both extracts are referred to and the 'to what extent' part is discussed. Credit valid alternative responses.] (4) [25] TOTAL SECTION C: 25 GRAND TOTAL: 80 Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 15 English Home Language/P2 15 NSC – Marking Guidelines Hlayiso/Mock 2026 SECTION A: Assessment rubric for literary essay: Poetry (10 Marks) Criteria Exceptional Skilful Moderate Elementary Inadequate CONTENT 6 MARKS Interpretation of topic. Depth of argument, justification and grasp of text. 5–6 – In-depth interpretation of topic – Range of striking arguments; extensively supported from poem – Excellent understanding of genre and poem 4 – Shows understanding and has interpreted topic well – Fairly detailed response – Sound arguments given, but not all of them as well motivated as they could be – Understanding of genre and poem 3 – Fair interpretation of topic – Some good points in support of topic – Some arguments supported, but evidence is not always convincing – Basic understanding of genre and poem 2 – Unsatisfactory interpretation of topic – Hardly any points in support of topic – Inadequate understanding of genre and poem 0–1 – No understanding of the topic – No reference to the poem – Learner has not come to grips with genre and poem STRUCTURE AND LANGUAGE 4 MARKS Structure, logical flow and presentation. Language, tone and style used in the essay. 4 – Coherent structure – Arguments well-structured and clearly developed – Language, tone and style mature, impressive, correct – Virtually error-free grammar, spelling and punctuation 3 – Clear structure and logical flow of argument – Flow of argument can be followed – Language, tone and style largely correct 2 – Some evidence of structure – Essay lacks a well-structured flow of logic and coherence – Language errors minor; tone and style mostly appropriate 1 – Structure shows faulty planning – Arguments not logically arranged – Language errors evident – Inappropriate tone and style 0–1 – Poorly structured – Serious language errors and incorrect style NOTE: If a candidate has ignored the content completely and written a creative response instead, award a 0 mark for both Content and Structure and Language. Copyright reserved Please turn over ### Page 16 English Home Language/P2 16 NSC – Marking Guidelines Hlayiso/Mock 2026 SECTIONS B AND C: Assessment rubric for literary essay: Novel and Drama (25 Marks) Criteria Exceptional Skilful Moderate Elementary Inadequate CONTENT 15 MARKS Interpretation of topic. Depth of argument, justification and grasp of text. 12–15 – Outstanding response: 14–15 – Excellent response: 12–13 – In-depth interpretation of topic – Range of striking arguments extensively supported from text – Excellent understanding of genre and text 9–11 – Shows understanding and has interpreted topic well – Fairly detailed response – Some sound arguments given, but not all of them as well motivated as they could be – Understanding of genre and text evident 6–8 – Mediocre interpretation of topic; not all aspects explored in detail – Some good points in support of topic – Some arguments supported, but evidence is not always convincing – Partial understanding of genre and text 4–5 – Scant interpretation of topic; hardly any aspects explored in detail – Few points in support of topic – Very little relevant argument – Little understanding of genre and text 0–3 – Very little understanding of the topic – Weak attempt to answer the question – Arguments not convincing – Learner has not come to grips with genre or text STRUCTURE AND LANGUAGE 10 MARKS Structure, logical flow and presentation. Language, tone and style used in the essay. 8–10 – Coherent structure – Excellent introduction and conclusion – Arguments well-structured and clearly developed – Language, tone and style mature, impressive, correct 6–7 – Clear structure and logical flow of argument – Introduction and conclusion and other paragraphs coherently organised – Logical flow of argument – Language, tone and style largely correct 4–5 – Some evidence of structure – Logic and coherence apparent, but flawed – Some language errors; tone and style mostly appropriate – Paragraphing mostly correct 2–3 – Structure shows faulty planning – Arguments not logically arranged – Language errors evident – Inappropriate tone and style – Paragraphing faulty 0–1 – Lack of planned structure impedes flow of argument – Language errors and incorrect style make this an unsuccessful piece of writing – Inappropriate tone and style – Paragraphing faulty MARK RANGE 20–25 15–19 10–14 5–9 0–4 NOTE: If a candidate has ignored the content completely and written a creative response instead, award a 0 mark for both Content and Structure and Language. There must not be more than two categories' variation between the Structure and Language mark and the Content mark. 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