English HL Grade 11 P1 November Mock Exam 2 2026 Memo (English)

Copyright reserved Please turn over Mock hlayiso mock exams Practice Series: Grade 11 Exam Preparation WWW.HLAYISO.COM NATIONAL SENIOR CERTIFICATE GRADE 11 ENGLISH HOME LANGUAGE P1 NOVEMBER EXAMINATION 2026 (MOCK) MARKING GUIDELINES MARKS: 70 These marking guidelines consist of 10 pages.

English Home Language/P1 2 NSC – Marking Guidelines Hlayiso/Mock 2026 NOTE: • These marking guidelines are intended as a guide for markers. • They are by no means prescriptive or exhaustive. • Candidates' responses should be considered on merit. • Answers should be assessed holistically and marks awarded where applicable in terms of decisions taken at the standardisation meeting. • The marking guidelines will be discussed before the commencement of marking. INSTRUCTIONS TO MARKERS Marking the comprehension: • Because the focus is on understanding, incorrect spelling and language errors in longer responses should not be penalised unless such errors change the meaning/ understanding. (Errors must still be indicated.) • If a candidate uses words from a language other than the one being examined, disregard those words, and if the answer still makes sense, do not penalise. However, if a word from another language is used in a text and required in an answer, this will be acceptable. • For open-ended questions, no marks should be awarded for YES/NO or I AGREE/I DISAGREE. The reason/substantiation/motivation is what should be considered. • No marks should be awarded for TRUE/FALSE or FACT/OPINION. The reason/ substantiation/motivation is what should be considered. • When one-word answers are required and the candidate gives a whole sentence, mark correct provided that the correct word is underlined/highlighted. • When two/three facts/points are required and a range is given, mark only the first two/ three. • Accept dialectal variations. • For multiple-choice questions, accept BOTH the letter corresponding to the correct answer AND/OR the answer written out in full. Copyright reserved Please turn over

English Home Language/P1 3 NSC – Marking Guidelines Hlayiso/Mock 2026 SECTION A: COMPREHENSION QUESTION 1: READING FOR MEANING AND UNDERSTANDING 1.1 The title is unexpected/surprising/paradoxical because failure is usually regarded as something negative, to be avoided or criticised, not 'praised'. (1) It arouses the reader's curiosity: the reader wants to find out why anyone would praise failure. (1) (2) 1.2 She was ashamed/embarrassed of her poor mark (1) and believed that she was the only learner who was struggling; she feared that she would be judged/ that others would think less of her/disappoint her mother. (1) [Award only 1 mark for lifting ('I felt like a fraud').] (2) 1.3 The writer compares failure to an infectious illness that people try to avoid and that must be isolated ('quarantined') if one 'catches' it. (1) It is effective because it shows how fearfully/irrationally society reacts to failure: people hide it and keep away from it as if it were dangerous and shameful, instead of accepting it as normal. (1) [Credit valid alternative responses.] (2) 1.4 B – suppresses. (1) 1.5 Learners stop asking/answering questions in class (they do not put up their hands). (1) They avoid difficult subjects and choose 'safe' options instead of what interests them. (1) They become perfectionists, spending too long on work or never handing it in. (1) [Any TWO. Accept lifting for this question.] (2) 1.6 It seems contradictory, because one would expect that NOT trying is a way of avoiding failure. (1) However, a person who never attempts anything difficult can never succeed or learn; avoiding the risk of failure guarantees that one will not grow/achieve, which is itself a failure. (1) (2) Copyright reserved Please turn over

English Home Language/P1 4 NSC – Marking Guidelines Hlayiso/Mock 2026 1.7 VALID: A mistake shows a learner what he/she does not yet understand, so it gives useful feedback ('information') about what to do next. The text states that we remember a correct answer better after first getting it wrong. A mistake is not a final judgement ('verdict') on a person's intelligence or worth; one bad mark does not define who one is. This view encourages learners to analyse their errors instead of hiding them, as Lerato eventually did. OR PARTLY VALID: Although mistakes can teach us, in reality marks DO act as verdicts – a final examination result can decide whether one passes, gets a bursary or is accepted at university. A learner may therefore find it hard to see a mistake as 'only information'. [Credit valid alternative/mixed responses. Award 3 marks for a critical discussion that refers to the text. Award only 1 mark for a 'yes/no' with weak motivation.] (3) 1.8 The writer uses harsh/emotive/negative diction to show that young people are treated cruelly and unfairly when they fail, e.g.: 'worst offenders' – suggests that schools and homes are guilty of a wrong/crime; 'Red ink bleeds' – suggests that marking wounds the learner/causes pain; 'humiliating' – suggests shame and embarrassment in front of others; 'crush' – suggests that learners' confidence is destroyed; 'punishment'/'lecture' – suggests that failure is treated as wrongdoing. The contrast between 'resilient' and 'crush them for every stumble' highlights the hypocrisy of adults. [Award 1 mark for a valid comment on the effect of the diction and 1 mark for each of TWO relevant examples that are discussed. A candidate who only quotes examples without any comment may be awarded a maximum of 1 mark.] (3) 1.9 TONE: cautionary/reassuring/firm/reasonable/balanced/qualifying (1) The writer wants to prevent readers from misunderstanding the argument: praising failure does not mean that laziness or not preparing is acceptable. The tone shows that the writer is balanced and responsible, which makes the argument more credible. (1) [Award 1 mark for the tone and 1 mark for the explanation.] (2) 1.10 The conclusion is effective. It returns to Lerato, who was introduced in paragraph 1, giving the article a circular structure/unity. Her improvement from 31% to 58% shows that the writer's advice (examining mistakes and asking for help) works in practice. Her decision to stick the failed test on her wall reverses her earlier shame (she had hidden it), showing that failure can be a source of motivation. The final lines, which state that failure is not the opposite of success but 'part of the road', sum up the central argument in a memorable metaphor and leave the reader with a positive message. [Award 3 marks for a critical comment on at least TWO aspects of the paragraph.] (3) Copyright reserved Please turn over

English Home Language/P1 5 NSC – Marking Guidelines Hlayiso/Mock 2026 1.11 In FRAME 1 she smiles broadly with her arms raised in delight/celebration, whereas in FRAME 2 she frowns angrily with her hands on her hips (aggressive, confrontational stance). (1) This change suggests that her attitude towards failure has changed from patience, encouragement and pride to impatience, anger and disappointment; she tolerates a toddler's 'failure' but not a teenager's. (1) (2) 1.12 The capital letters indicate that she is shouting/raising her voice. (1) The combination of the question mark and exclamation mark ('?!') conveys her shock/disbelief and anger at the mark; it is a rhetorical question rather than a genuine enquiry, which suggests that she blames her daughter instead of wanting to help. (1) (2) 1.13 TEXT B strongly supports paragraphs 6 and 7. Like paragraph 6, FRAME 1 shows that adults are patient and encouraging when a toddler falls: the mother cheers and says 'Try again!', echoing the words in paragraph 6 ('We clap, we cheer … and say, "Try again!"'). FRAME 2 illustrates paragraph 7: the same mother greets a disappointing mark with anger and a 'lecture', just as the writer says that a disappointing report is met with a lecture or punishment. The teenager's bowed head and hunched shoulders show how young people are 'crushed' and made to feel ashamed. The contrast between the two frames reflects the writer's point that 'somewhere between the first wobbly steps and the first school report … that patience disappears'. OR TEXT B supports the text to a large extent, but it shows only parents, whereas paragraph 7 also criticises schools (marks read out in class, red ink). The mark of 48% is not a complete failure, which emphasises how unreasonable the reaction is. [Award 4 marks only if BOTH texts are referred to in a critical discussion. Award a maximum of 2 marks if only one text is discussed. Credit valid alternative responses.] (4) TOTAL SECTION A: 30 Copyright reserved Please turn over

English Home Language/P1 6 NSC – Marking Guidelines Hlayiso/Mock 2026 SECTION B: SUMMARY QUESTION 2: SUMMARISING IN YOUR OWN WORDS Use the following main points that the candidate should include in the summary as a guideline. Any 7 valid points are to be credited in paragraph form. (Sentences and/or sentence fragments must be coherent.) NO. QUOTATIONS NO. POINTS 1 'producing a single pair of jeans can use thousands of litres of water' 1 Clothing production uses vast amounts of water. 2 'the chemicals used to dye and treat fabric are poured, untreated, into nearby rivers' 2 Dyes/chemicals pollute rivers, harming fish and communities. 3 'they shed tiny plastic fibres … that eventually find their way into the sea' 3 Synthetic clothes release microplastics into the sea when washed. 4 'mountains of clothing are thrown away every year … dumped in landfill sites' 4 Discarded clothing is seldom recycled and fills landfills. 5 'it is burnt, releasing greenhouse gases into the air' 5 Burning clothing releases greenhouse gases. 6 'earn wages that are too low to live on' 6 Garment workers are paid very low wages. 7 'Some work long hours in crowded, unsafe buildings.' 7 Workers endure long hours in unsafe conditions. 8 'many South African textile workers have lost their jobs' 8 Cheap imports cause local job losses. 9 'encouraging them to buy far more than they need, sometimes on credit' 9 It encourages overspending and debt among young people. Also accept: synthetic fabrics are made from oil (a non-renewable resource); synthetic fabrics take hundreds of years to break down (may be combined with point 4). PARAGRAPH FORM NOTE: What follows is merely an example. It is not prescriptive and must be used very carefully. Fast fashion wastes huge amounts of water, as cotton and denim production is extremely water-intensive. Toxic dyes and chemicals are dumped into rivers, harming wildlife and communities. Synthetic garments release microplastics into the ocean when washed. Because clothes are discarded quickly and seldom recycled, they fill landfills, while burning them releases greenhouse gases. Garment workers earn very low wages and often work long hours in dangerous conditions. Cheap imports cost local textile workers their jobs, and constant marketing pushes young people to overspend, sometimes falling into debt. [87 words] Copyright reserved Please turn over

English Home Language/P1 7 NSC – Marking Guidelines Hlayiso/Mock 2026 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 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 candidate has quoted verbatim: – 6–7 quotations: award no language mark – 4–5 quotations: award 1 language mark – 2–3 quotations: award 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 used 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 Home Language/P1 8 NSC – Marking Guidelines Hlayiso/Mock 2026 SECTION C: LANGUAGE IN CONTEXT Marking SECTION C: • 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. Where an abbreviation is tested, the answer must be punctuated correctly. • Sentence structures must be grammatically correct and given in full sentences/as per instruction. • For multiple-choice questions, accept BOTH the letter corresponding to the correct answer AND/OR the answer written out in full as correct. QUESTION 3: ANALYSING ADVERTISING 3.1 The headline uses a (surprising/scientific-sounding) fact about the human body (1) followed by a rhetorical question that implies that water is the only natural/ sensible drink; readers are made to feel that choosing water (and therefore a water bottle such as HydroGo) is the healthy, logical choice. (1) (2) 3.2 Technique (1) + example (1), e.g.: Personal pronoun/direct address: 'the bottle that goes where you go'/'your school bag' Repetition/parallelism: 'Every refill … Every sip …' Triad/listing: 'sharp, fresh and focused' Alliteration: 'fresh and focused'/'refill revolution' Imperative/call to action: 'Join the refill revolution today.' Hyperbole/emotive language: 'revolution' Rhyme: 'Refill, not landfill.' Repetition/wordplay: 'goes where you go' [Award 1 mark for the technique and 1 mark for a correct, matching example. Accept any ONE. Do not credit examples from the headline.] (2) 3.3 The can is made of sugar cubes, which shows visually that a soft drink is, in effect, a container of sugar/consists largely of sugar. (1) This shocking/striking image, together with the eight empty spoons beneath it, makes the hidden amount of sugar visible and supports the headline's claim, persuading readers to 'rethink' their drink and choose water. (1) (2) 3.4 teaspoon(s)/teaspoonful(s) (1) 3.5 TEXT D is more effective: it is a positive, attractive advertisement that gives readers a practical way to drink more water. The sleek, modern bottle suggests style and durability, and the appeal to convenience ('Leak-proof in your school bag') and the environment ('Refill, not landfill') targets young, eco-conscious readers. OR Copyright reserved Please turn over

English Home Language/P1 9 NSC – Marking Guidelines Hlayiso/Mock 2026 TEXT E is more effective: it uses shock tactics. The striking image of a can made of sugar cubes and the eight spoons makes the danger of soft drinks immediately visible. It gives facts and health consequences (tooth decay, diabetes) and comes from a health organisation rather than from a company trying to sell a product, which makes it more credible. OR TEXT D is less credible because its purpose is to sell a bottle, and the small print ('When filled with cold water and kept closed') limits its claims. [Award 3 marks for a critical discussion that refers to BOTH advertisements. Award a maximum of 2 marks if only one advertisement is discussed. Credit valid alternative responses.] (3) [10] QUESTION 4: UNDERSTANDING OTHER ASPECTS OF THE MEDIA 4.1 Sizwe lies slouched on the couch and keeps staring at his phone without looking up at his grandmother. (1) This reveals that he is lazy/indifferent/disrespectful/ uninterested: he does not take her request seriously and does not intend to help. (1) (2) 4.2 The ellipsis shows a pause in which Sizwe takes in his disappointment/disbelief at how few people have watched his video. (1) 4.3 In FRAME 1 Sizwe refuses to help his grandmother with the dishes, claiming to be busy. (1) In FRAME 2 he washes the dishes and tells his viewers how important it is to help at home – but only because he is filming himself for social media/to gain views/attention, not because he genuinely wants to help Gogo. (1) (2) 4.4 Gogo asked Sizwe how she should (1) reply to all those (1) comments. [Award 1 mark for the change of pronoun and verb ('she should/could/would reply' OR 'how to reply') and 1 mark for 'those'. The sentence must not have a question mark. Accept 'Gogo asked Sizwe, her boy, how …'. Also accept 'Gogo asked Sizwe how she could reply/how she replied/how to reply to all those comments.' Withhold the second mark if 'these' is kept.] (2) Copyright reserved Please turn over

English Home Language/P1 10 NSC – Marking Guidelines Hlayiso/Mock 2026 4.5 Humour is created through irony and reversal of expectations: Sizwe, the young 'expert' on social media, refuses to help until a camera is on, and then his video attracts only three views (FRAME 3), while his grandmother, whom one would expect to know little about social media, becomes an instant hit with 1.2 million views (FRAME 4). The visual contrast between Sizwe's slumped, frowning body language and Gogo's joyful dancing with the mop adds to the humour. Her innocent question about how to reply to the comments, while Sizwe stares open-mouthed, completes the role reversal: she must now ask him for help with the thing that he cares about most. The cartoon also gently satirises young people who perform good deeds only for social-media approval. [Award 3 marks only for a critical discussion that refers to at least TWO elements (e.g. irony, reversal, visual cues, verbal cues). Credit valid alternative responses.] (3) [10] QUESTION 5: USING LANGUAGE CORRECTLY 5.1 The dash introduces a surprising/emphatic addition/afterthought; it creates a pause that emphasises that she has achieved this without a coach. (1) 5.2 She was taught the basic moves by her older brother (on a board made from cardboard and bottle tops). [Accept with or without the adverbial phrase.] (1) 5.3 practises – practise (The members of the club practise every afternoon …) (1) 5.4 pacific – specific/particular (1) 5.5 Sitting at the board, she no longer hears the noise of the taxi rank outside. OR When she sits at the board, the noise of the taxi rank outside disappears (for her). [Accept any grammatically correct sentence in which the participle relates to Amahle.] (1) 5.6 begining – beginning (1) 5.7 C – complex sentence. (1) 5.8 To learn the basic skills/procedures of a new activity or job/to learn how something is done. (1) 5.9 win [Do not accept 'won', which is a verb and not a synonym of the noun 'victory'.] (1) 5.10 decide (1) [10] TOTAL SECTION C: 30 GRAND TOTAL: 70 Copyright reserved