VCE English—the mere mention of it sends shivers down the spines of many students. Analytical essays, Argument Analysis, Oral Presentations, Creating Texts, and, of course, the dreaded three-hour final exam. I walked into the subject full of anxieties and assumptions.
“I need to use fancy vocabulary, write a mountain of essays, and aim for 100% on every SAC.”
But as I navigated the course, I realised I had overestimated its terror. VCE English can be a rewarding subject, if not your favourite. By focusing on the right mechanics, I secured a raw 50. The real question isn’t how I did it—it’s how you can.
Breakdown of the course:
Before learning how to excel, it is important that we understand the requirements of the course. The final study score is the outcome of SAC scores and the final exam. Both have a 50-50 weight. This means it is important we give equal importance to both.
Outline of School Assessed Coursework:
Unit 3:
- AOS1: Reading and Responding to Texts
- This area of study focuses on developing your ability to critically engage with texts manifested in an analytical essay. This entails analysing their structure, language, and historical context, and considering how authors shape meaning. The VCAA study design implies that students refine their analytical writing skills by responding to texts, engaging in discussions, and using appropriate metalanguage to explore the motivations, conflicts, and values presented.
- AOS2: Creating Texts
- Here, you focus on crafting your own texts, drawing inspiration from mentor texts to experiment with vocabulary, structure, and language features. In doing so, you will unpack a key framework of ideas and unveil its implications (Country, Personal Journeys, Protest and Play). As a part of your sac, you will construct a written commentary reflecting on your writing processes. Here, you will examine the deliberate choices you made in creating your text to communicate your purpose and idea effectively for specific audiences and contexts, while also engaging in collaborative feedback and revision.
Unit 4:
- AOS1: Reading and Responding to Texts
- This will follow the same pattern as AOS1 from Unit 3. The only difference will be examining a text in a different medium. For instance, if the text type you responded to in Unit 3 was a novel, in Unit 4 you may examine a film, play, or poetry collection.
- AOS2: Analysing Argument
- In this area, you will examine persuasive texts from various media, focusing on how language, argumentation, and visuals work together to position an audience. You will explore the use of logical development, supporting evidence, and techniques to analyse and create arguments. Thus, your sac will entail both an argument analysis essay and an oral presentation.
Outline of the Final Exam:
The final exam is worth 60 marks
- There are three sections worth the same amount of marks (this means you should aim to be well prepared for each section equally!)
- These sections are: Analytical Essay, Creating text and Argument Analysis
- The writing time is 3 hours
- Tip: Do timed writing consistently throughout the year. This means that by the time you reach your final exam, you will be more accustomed and efficient at writing under a time limit!!
Manoj Arachige
How to Approach the Subject:
Tip #1: Know Your Rubric:
I cannot emphasise this enough! Your rubric is your Rosetta Stone. Before starting a new area of study, take the time to unpack the rubric. This will help you distinguish between a medium and a high response and understand the subtle differences between a high and a very high response. I recommend spending 20–30 minutes thoroughly analysing the rubric—highlighting and annotating key terms.
Make this an active process. Ask yourself: What separates “insightful consideration” from “astute exploration” of ideas? Identifying these distinctions will sharpen your responses. Additionally, regularly revisiting the rubric and self-marking your work will help you track progress and refine your understanding!
Tip #2: Work Consistently:
Improvement in VCE English doesn’t happen overnight! Consistency is key. I recommend a multifaceted approach rather than relying on just one method, like writing endless essays or creating massive quote banks. The most effective strategy is integration—combine different techniques to build a strong foundation.
Make quote banks, create theme charts, develop skeleton plans, and write practice essays. This might sound like a lot, but consistent effort makes it manageable!! By spreading out your work and engaging with texts in different ways, you’ll deepen your understanding and improve over time.
Personally, I would start skeleton plans and essays from week 2 or early week 3 of a new AOS. I know this sounds premature, but trust me, starting early gives you a significant advantage. By Week 2, you’ve likely covered basic content, which would be enough to structure responses. Responses at this stage won’t be great but will allow you to map out key ideas, refine arguments, and identify gaps in your understanding.
As you progress, revisit and redraft these plans and essays as your understanding of the essay develops. This gradual buildup not only makes essay writing (you will be doing a lot in VCE English!) feel less overwhelming but also ensures that by the time assessments roll around, you’ve already honed your ability to craft strong responses.
Remember: Consistency isn’t about cramming—it’s about steady, strategic effort. The more you engage with your texts in different ways, the more confident and prepared you’ll be!
Tip #3: Quality over Quantity:
Success in VCE English isn’t about writing the most essays—it’s about writing the best quality essays you can. Focus on refinement over repetition. After each essay, take the time to self-reflect, identify weaknesses, and improve through an editing process.
Rather than penning new essays constantly, I suggest workshopping. Personally, I would workshop the same piece 2–3 times. Each revision should bring noticeable improvements. This will be integral in helping you sharpen your analysis, refine your expression, and deepen your engagement with the text or stimulus.
I liked to think of it this way: instead of writing 20 mediocre essays, writing 10 high-quality essays is far more effective. Prioritise depth and precision, and your writing will steadily improve! It’s also more effective for time management in your VCE years, where you juggle multiple subjects at once 😄
Tip #4: Start Early:
This tip is often underrated, but starting early can put you ahead of your cohort. What does this look like? For me, it involved the following:
- Reading my English texts during the summer holidays to build familiarity before formal study
- Exploring context to understand the historical, cultural, and social influences on the text
- Creating basic theme charts and quote banks early on, which I later refined as my understanding deepened
- Engaging with critical perspectives (such as scholarly articles from Google Scholar) to gain insight into different interpretations before class discussions
Why is this advantageous? Starting early gives you a solid foundation, making it easier to engage deeply with the text once formal study begins. Thus, instead of wrapping your head around the basics, you can focus on higher-order skills like refining arguments, drawing connections, and crafting sophisticated responses.
Tip #5: Up Your Metalanguage Game:
In VCE English, expression and marks have an intrinsic connection! The way you articulate your ideas can significantly impact your scores. Strong essays don’t just present arguments; they use precise and sophisticated metalanguage to bolster their analysis!
Aim to expand your understanding of metalanguage beyond basic terms like symbolism and tone. Instead, incorporate specific literary and rhetorical devices relevant to your text, such as synecdoche, tricolon, polysyndeton and assonance, among others. Using precise terminology not only enhances clarity but also demonstrates a more sophisticated outlook!
To improve, create a metalanguage bank for each text you study, including definitions and examples. I would even advise “stealing” good bits of metalanguage terms from high-scoring essays and critical perspective papers!
This is an excellent article from KIS Academics on identifying literary devices (very useful!)
Manoj Arachige
Tip #6: Get a Study Buddy:
My study buddy was an absolute lifesaver during VCE English!! We would regularly swap essays, providing feedback through comments on Google Docs, phone calls, and video chats. I personally struggled to identify weaknesses in my own writing, so having his fresh pair of eyes was invaluable. A study buddy can offer a different perspective, pointing out areas for improvement that you might overlook.
Beyond just receiving feedback, you can learn from each other, too. I vividly remember being impressed by his argument analysis skills. I ended up adopting many of his strategies and incorporating them into my own writing, which significantly improved my analysis.
A study buddy also makes the learning process much more enjoyable. VCE English can sometimes feel like a long and winding road, but having someone to share ideas with, brainstorm together, and keep each other motivated can make the experience far more engaging! The mutual support and shared insights can make a huge difference in staying on track, staying positive, and feeling inspired.
You Should Pick This Subject If….
- You want to broaden your horizon: VCE English encourages you to think outside the box and consider deeper meanings in texts, helping you develop a more intricate understanding of social, literary, and philosophical issues. Argument Analysis further allows you to engage with more contemporary concerns while Creating Texts helps you broaden your artistic horizon as you hone into the implications of one key framework!
- You want to develop critical thinking skills: Throughout the subject, you will undeniably develop skills that will benefit you beyond your high school years! The ability to analyse thematic ideas, examine arguments, evaluate evidence, and write analytically is essential for university, careers, and everyday decision-making.
- Want to study fewer texts: Compared to Literature, which requires in-depth analysis of multiple texts, VCE English allows you to refine your skills with a more focused selection. This makes it an excellent choice if you prefer to read less text and develop more diverse skills across various paradigms other than just textual analysis.
FAQs
How many times should I read my VCE English text?
You should ideally aim to read your text three times! For me, this would be before formal classroom study, during classroom study and before my SAC/exam.
How long should my VCE English essay be?
A solid body paragraph is around 250 words (I highly recommend three of these!), while an introduction is around 100 words and the conclusion approximately the same. There is no magic number for words, but around 900 words would account for a solid essay.
When should I start VCE English practice exams?
I would recommend starting practice exams mid-September. However, this does not include doing multiple three-hour-long exams (I only did four of these). On the contrary, I suggest that you start doing timed essays at this point and take a multifaceted approach. For instance, I would use an alternating approach where I would write my essays one day and the next day I would look at them with a fresh eye and make critical edits. It’s also important to note that you want to do more than just practice exams. Going through and understanding the examiner’s report, making skeleton plans, and revising quotes and key ideas are also super important.
How do I improve my expressions for VCE English?
Improving expression comes with practice! My top tip would be creating word banks with key words and phrases, and reading and taking inspiration from high-quality essays.
Want personalised study guidance to help drastically improve your marks? A private tutor can make the biggest difference!
Written by KIS Academics Tutor for VCE Legal Studies, Psychology, English and Literature, Sonnet Pandit. Sonnet is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Melbourne. Sonnet achieved perfect scores in English and Psychology and above 40 in all her subjects. Request her as a tutor here.
