English FAL Grade 8 Paper 2 November Mock 2026 Memo (English)

Copyright reserved Please turn over Mock hlayiso mock exams Practice Series: Grade 8 Exam Preparation WWW.HLAYISO.COM SENIOR PHASE END-OF-YEAR EXAMINATION GRADE 8 ENGLISH FIRST ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE P2 (WRITING) NOVEMBER 2026 (MOCK) MARKING GUIDELINES MARKS: 50 These marking guidelines consist of 10 pages.

English First Additional Language/P2 2 Senior Phase – Marking Guidelines Hlayiso/Mock 2026 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. Evidence of planning is expected; do not mark the planning itself. 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 30-mark rubric to mark the essays. The essays must be assessed according to the following criteria: – Content and planning (18 marks) – Language, style and editing (9 marks) – Structure (3 marks) NOTE: The required length is 150–180 words. 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 day the lights went out Narrative/Descriptive essay • If narrative, a clear storyline must be evident: the electricity goes off (load-shedding, a storm, a cable theft, an unpaid account, a fault at school) and the story shows what happened and how people coped (candles, cooking on a gas stove or fire, homework by torchlight, a cold shower, a fridge full of food that may spoil, a family evening of stories and games). Events must follow in a logical sequence in the past tense, and there must be a clear ending (the lights come back, a lesson learnt). • If descriptive, the candidate must create a vivid picture of the darkness, the sounds and the feelings (fear, boredom, excitement, closeness to family) using the senses. • A figurative interpretation (e.g. a sad day when something ‘went dark’ in the writer’s life) is acceptable if it is clearly developed. NOTE: A candidate may write an essay which contains elements of more than one type of essay. [30] Copyright reserved Please turn over

English First Additional Language/P2 3 Senior Phase – Marking Guidelines Hlayiso/Mock 2026 1.2 Story that begins: ‘My hands were shaking as I opened the envelope with my name on it …’ Narrative essay • The candidate must give the essay his/her OWN title. • The given words MUST be the opening words of the essay. If the words are used elsewhere in the essay, or are left out, penalise in the Content and planning criterion (the response is then not fully relevant). • The envelope may contain, e.g., a report card, a letter of acceptance to a school or team, a prize, a bursary, a letter from a lost family member, bad news, money, an invitation, a love letter or a prank. Suspense should be built up and the contents of the envelope and the outcome must be revealed by the end. [30] 1.3 A place where I feel happy Descriptive essay • The candidate must describe ONE place in detail (e.g. a bedroom, a grandmother’s kitchen, a garden, a church, a park, a river, a sports field, a library). • Sensory details must be used (what is seen, heard, smelled, touched, tasted), together with adjectives, adverbs and comparisons (similes/metaphors) so that the reader can picture the place. • The candidate must explain WHY the place makes him/her feel happy and safe (memories, people, peace and quiet, freedom). • The essay should not become a story only; a short narrative or memory linked to the place is acceptable. [30] 1.4 Every school should have a garden where learners grow their own vegetables. Argumentative/Discursive essay • If argumentative, the candidate must take a clear stand (agree OR disagree) and support it with convincing reasons, e.g. – Agree: fresh, healthy food for the school nutrition programme; learners learn skills (planting, watering, composting) and responsibility; links to Natural Sciences and EMS (selling produce); saves money; beautifies the school; outdoor activity reduces stress. – Disagree: takes time away from lessons; needs water, tools and money; vandalism and theft; holidays when nobody waters; space is limited; not all learners are interested. • If discursive, both sides must be discussed in a balanced way; the candidate may give his/her own view in the conclusion. • Examples, rhetorical questions and a strong conclusion should be credited. NOTE: A candidate may write an essay which contains elements of more than one type of essay. [30] Copyright reserved Please turn over

English First Additional Language/P2 4 Senior Phase – Marking Guidelines Hlayiso/Mock 2026 1.5 What Grade 8 has taught me about myself Reflective essay • The candidate must reflect on his/her first year of high school and what he/she has learnt about himself/herself (e.g. strengths and weaknesses, being more independent, coping with more subjects and homework, making new friends, dealing with peer pressure, discovering a talent in sport, music or a subject, managing time, standing up for himself/herself). • Thoughts and feelings must be explained with examples from the year. The essay may end with goals for Grade 9. • The first person must be used. Past and present tenses should be used correctly. NOTE: A candidate may write an essay which contains elements of more than one type of essay. [30] INTERPRETATION OF PICTURES (QUESTION 1.6) • The candidate may interpret the picture in any way and write any type of essay. • The interpretation must be clearly linked to the picture. An essay that only describes the picture should not be placed higher than the Moderate level for Content and planning. • The candidate should give the essay a suitable title. 1.6.1 Picture: A bus stop on an empty road at sunset/sunrise with a sign ‘JOHANNESBURG 450 km’ and a suitcase standing alone beside the sign • Literal interpretations: travelling to Johannesburg (or coming home), waiting for a bus that never comes, a lost/forgotten suitcase, a long journey, visiting family, moving to the city, missing the bus, a holiday. • Figurative interpretations: leaving home, a new start, loneliness, saying goodbye, waiting, chasing dreams in the city, someone who disappeared, freedom (the birds flying away), the end of the day/year, a new day/dawn. [30] 1.6.2 Picture: A learner with a school bag standing in front of an open door with bright light; the sign above the door reads ‘NEXT YEAR’ • Literal interpretations: going into a new classroom, the first day at a new school, entering a room where a surprise is waiting, a dark corridor and a lit room. • Figurative interpretations: the future, moving on to Grade 9, new opportunities, hope after a difficult year, facing the unknown, courage, closing one chapter and opening another, New Year’s resolutions. [30] TOTAL SECTION A: 30 Copyright reserved Please turn over

English First Additional Language/P2 5 Senior Phase – Marking Guidelines Hlayiso/Mock 2026 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 10-mark rubric to mark the responses. The texts must be assessed according to the following criteria: – Content, planning and format (6 marks) – Language, style and editing (4 marks) NOTE: The required length of the body is 100–120 words. 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 A letter to a cousin who is nervous about starting high school • Format: the writer’s address (top right or left), date, informal salutation (e.g. Dear Sipho), paragraphs, suitable informal ending (e.g. Your cousin/Lots of love), first name. • Register and tone: informal, warm, friendly and encouraging. • Content: the writer must share his/her own experiences of Grade 8 (e.g. feeling lost on the first day, more subjects and teachers, changing classrooms, homework, making new friends) AND give advice (e.g. arrive early, ask for help, get a timetable and a diary, join a club or sport, avoid bad company, report bullying, keep up with homework). • The letter should end by wishing the cousin well. [10] 2.2 DIALOGUE A conversation with a younger brother/sister who used up the data on the writer’s cellphone • Format: a short context/scene at the beginning (optional but credited); the speakers’ names on the left followed by a colon; a new line for each speaker; stage directions/actions in brackets, e.g. (angrily). No quotation marks are needed. • Register: informal (siblings), but the language must be correct. Slang should be limited. • Content: the writer finds out what happened and expresses his/her feelings (anger, frustration about the project); the sibling explains/apologises or makes excuses (games, videos, social media); the conversation must reach a conclusion (e.g. the sibling offers pocket money to buy data, the writer goes to the library for free Wi-Fi, a parent steps in, a rule about asking permission, a password is set). • The dialogue should have at least four or five exchanges between the speakers. [10] Copyright reserved Please turn over

English First Additional Language/P2 6 Senior Phase – Marking Guidelines Hlayiso/Mock 2026 2.3 NEWSPAPER ARTICLE A community newspaper article about learners who raised money to fix the roof of an old-age home • Format: a catchy headline; the writer’s name (by-line) and may include the place/date; short paragraphs; the most important facts first. • Content must answer the questions WHO? (the learners of the school, the old-age home, the residents), WHAT? (raised money and fixed the damaged roof), WHEN? (after the storm, dates), WHERE? (name of the town/area and the old-age home), WHY? (the roof was damaged in the storm; to help the elderly) and HOW? (e.g. a fun run, a cake sale, a civvies day, asking local businesses; the amount raised; the work done). An invented short comment from a learner or the matron/manager is acceptable. • Register: formal/neutral; third person; mainly past tense. [10] TOTAL SECTION B: 10 Copyright reserved Please turn over

English First Additional Language/P2 7 Senior Phase – Marking Guidelines Hlayiso/Mock 2026 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 10-mark rubric to mark the responses (Content, planning and format: 6 marks; Language, style and editing: 4 marks). NOTE: The required length of the body is 60–80 words. 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. 3.1 DIARY ENTRIES TWO diary entries: the evening BEFORE and the evening AFTER reading a poem at the prize-giving • Format: each entry must have a date (and may have a time); the dates must be logical (the second entry is on the day of the prize-giving or after it). ‘Dear Diary’ is optional. • Written in the first person, informal and personal. Note the change in tense: present/future in the first entry, past in the second. • BEFORE: feelings such as nervousness, fear of forgetting the words or of being laughed at, pride at being chosen, practising in front of the mirror or family. • AFTER: feelings such as relief, pride, joy at the applause, embarrassment about a mistake, gratitude to the teacher/family. • Emotions must be clearly expressed; short exclamations are acceptable. [10] 3.2 POSTER A poster advertising the Grade 8 car wash • The poster must include: a catchy heading or slogan; WHAT (car wash, by the Grade 8 class); WHEN (a Saturday, date and times); WHERE (e.g. school parking area, address); COST (price per car/taxi/bakkie); WHY (to raise money for the Grade 8 outing); a contact person/number. • The language must be short, persuasive and eye-catching (e.g. imperatives, rhetorical questions, exclamations, alliteration). Full sentences are not necessary. • The layout should be clear (e.g. different sizes of lettering, capital letters). No marks are awarded for drawings or illustrations. [10] Copyright reserved Please turn over

English First Additional Language/P2 8 Senior Phase – Marking Guidelines Hlayiso/Mock 2026 3.3 DIRECTIONS Directions from the classroom to the school library (chess club) • The directions must be clear, logical and in sequence, from the starting point (the classroom) to the destination (the library). • The following MUST be included: landmarks (e.g. the staffroom, the tuck shop, the office, the hall, the toilets, the notice board, the stairs), distances (e.g. walk about 20 metres; the second door on the right; go up one flight of stairs) and specific directions (e.g. turn left, go straight, go down the stairs). • Imperatives should be used (e.g. Turn right at the …). The directions may be numbered. A heading must be included. No marks are awarded for maps. • The candidate may add the meeting time of the chess club. [10] TOTAL SECTION C: 10 GRAND TOTAL: 50 Copyright reserved Please turn over

English First Additional Language/P2 9 Senior Phase – Marking Guidelines Hlayiso/Mock 2026 SECTION A: ESSAY RUBRIC – FIRST ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE [30 MARKS] • Use this rubric to mark the essay (SECTION A). Find the level that best describes the essay for each criterion and award a mark within that range. • An essay may be placed on different levels for the different criteria. Add the three marks to obtain the mark out of 30. Criteria Exceptional Skilful Moderate Elementary Inadequate CONTENT AND PLANNING 15–18 11–14 7–10 4–6 0–3 (Response and ideas; organisation of ideas for planning; awareness of purpose, audience and context) 18 MARKS – Outstanding response beyond normal expectations – Intelligent, interesting and original ideas – Very well organised and coherent, including introduction, body and conclusion – Very good response – Fully relevant and interesting ideas – Well organised and coherent, including introduction, body and conclusion – Satisfactory response – Ideas are reasonably coherent and convincing – Reasonably organised, with some lapses in clarity – Largely irrelevant or very simple response – Ideas tend to be disconnected and repetitive – Little evidence of organisation – Totally irrelevant response or no attempt to respond to the topic – Confused and unfocused ideas – Unorganised and incoherent LANGUAGE, STYLE AND EDITING 8–9 6–7 4–5 2–3 0–1 (Tone, register, style and vocabulary appropriate to purpose and context; word choice; language use and conventions: punctuation, grammar, spelling) 9 MARKS – Tone, register, style and vocabulary highly appropriate – Language confident and impressive – Virtually error-free in grammar, spelling and punctuation – Tone, register, style and vocabulary very appropriate – Language effective and varied – Few errors in grammar and spelling – Tone, register, style and vocabulary appropriate – Adequate use of language with some inconsistencies – Errors do not impede meaning – Tone, register, style and vocabulary less appropriate – Very basic use of language; limited vocabulary – Numerous errors; meaning sometimes unclear – Language incomprehensible – Vocabulary so limited that meaning is lost – Error-ridden STRUCTURE 3 2½ 2 1–1½ 0–½ (Features of text; paragraph development and sentence construction) 3 MARKS – Excellent development of topic – Sentences and paragraphs exceptionally well constructed – Logical development of details – Sentences and paragraphs logical and varied – Relevant details developed – Sentences and paragraphs mostly well constructed – Some valid points – Sentences and paragraphs faulty, but the essay still makes sense – Necessary points lacking – No paragraphs; sentences faulty Copyright reserved Please turn over

English First Additional Language/P2 10 Senior Phase – Marking Guidelines Hlayiso/Mock 2026 SECTIONS B AND C: ASSESSMENT RUBRIC FOR TRANSACTIONAL TEXTS – FIRST ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE [10 MARKS] • Use this rubric for BOTH the longer transactional text (SECTION B) and the shorter transactional text (SECTION C). Criteria Exceptional Skilful Moderate Elementary Inadequate CONTENT, PLANNING AND FORMAT 6 5 4 2–3 0–1 (Response and ideas; organisation of ideas for planning; purpose, audience, features/conventions and context) 6 MARKS – Outstanding response – Extensive knowledge of features of the type of text – Maintains focus; all details support the topic – Appropriate and accurate format – Very good response – Good knowledge of features of the type of text – No digressions – Appropriate format with minor inaccuracies – Adequate response – Knowledge of features of the type of text – Some digressions – Generally appropriate format with some inaccuracies – Basic response – Some knowledge of features of the type of text – Writing digresses; few details support the topic – Some critical oversights in format – No knowledge of features of the type of text – Meaning obscure; major digressions – Rules of format not applied LANGUAGE, STYLE AND EDITING 3½–4 3 2½ 1½–2 0–1 (Tone, register, style, purpose/effect, audience and context; language use and conventions; word choice; punctuation and spelling) 4 MARKS – Tone, register, style and vocabulary highly appropriate – Grammatically accurate – Virtually error-free – Tone, register, style and vocabulary very appropriate – Generally grammatically accurate – Mostly free of errors – Tone, register, style and vocabulary appropriate – Some grammatical errors – Errors do not impede meaning – Tone, register, style and vocabulary less appropriate – Numerous errors; limited vocabulary – Meaning is obscured – Tone, register, style and vocabulary do not suit the purpose – Error-ridden and confused – Meaning seriously impaired Copyright reserved