Junior Cycle · The Junior Cert
Junior Cycle English
What has come up on the English papers (2017–2026), topic by topic, with step-by-step practice at Higher Level and Ordinary Level.
Three quick ones from the English topics that come up most.
- The villain of the story
- The main character
- The author of the book
- The Feast of Lupercal
- The dogs of war
- The ides of March
- The central idea it explores
- The title the poet chose
- The pattern of rhymes it uses
Show the answers
(a) The main character
(b) The ides of March
(c) The central idea it explores
Higher Level
200 flash cards and 120 step-by-step drill questions at Higher Level.
What comes up
How many of the last 8 English Higher Level papers asked each topic.
| Topic | Asked | Last seen | How often |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shakespearean drama most years | 7 of 8 | 2026 | |
| Novel: character and key moments most years | 7 of 8 | 2026 | |
| Studied poetry: theme and message most years | 7 of 8 | 2026 | |
| Poetic techniques and imagery most years | 6 of 8 | 2025 | |
| Unseen poetry most years | 6 of 8 | 2026 | |
| Drama: character and key moments most years | 6 of 8 | 2026 | |
| Writer's language and style most years | 6 of 8 | 2026 | |
| Film: character and key moments most years | 5 of 8 | 2026 | |
| Speeches, talks and debates most years | 5 of 8 | 2026 | |
| Staging and performance most years | 5 of 8 | 2024 | |
| Plot structure and suspense | 4 of 8 | 2025 | |
| Unseen drama extracts | 4 of 8 | 2026 | |
| Creative writing: stories | 3 of 8 | 2024 | |
| Advertising and promotion | 3 of 8 | 2026 |
More topics: Film techniques: shots and sound, Unseen prose extracts, Punctuation, Reading comprehension, Visual texts and graphic novels, Book and film reviews, Interviews, podcasts and radio, Descriptive writing, Grammar and spelling, Letters and emails, Personal writing and diaries, Articles and news reports, Dialogue and script writing, Setting: time and place, Short stories, Vocabulary in context.
Try three
Studied poetry: theme and message, 3 marks
'Loss' is a theme. Which of these is a MESSAGE about loss?
- 'A poem about losing a grandparent'
- 'Grief, sorrow and memory'
- 'Loss teaches us to value love'
Show the answer
'Loss teaches us to value love'
A theme is a topic in a word or two. A message is a statement about it: what the poet wants us to understand or feel. Examiners want both named and supported.
Novel: character and key moments, 3 marks
A 'foil' in a novel is a character who...
- dies near the end of the novel
- contrasts with another character
- tells the story to the reader
Show the answer
contrasts with another character
A foil highlights another character's qualities by contrast. Placing a timid character beside a brave one, for example, makes the bravery stand out more.
Shakespearean drama, 3 marks
In 'Julius Caesar', Caesar's words 'Et tu, Brute?' show his shock at what?
- His friend Brutus stabbing him
- Being refused the crown
- Calpurnia's terrible dream
Show the answer
His friend Brutus stabbing him
Even you, Brutus? Caesar is stunned that his trusted friend has joined the conspirators, and stops resisting: Then fall, Caesar! It is the turning point of the play.
Ordinary Level
200 flash cards and 120 step-by-step drill questions at Ordinary Level.
What comes up
How many of the last 8 English Ordinary Level papers asked each topic.
| Topic | Asked | Last seen | How often |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading comprehension banker | 8 of 8 | 2026 | |
| Studied poetry: theme and message banker | 8 of 8 | 2026 | |
| Unseen poetry most years | 7 of 8 | 2026 | |
| Poetic techniques and imagery most years | 7 of 8 | 2026 | |
| Letters and emails most years | 7 of 8 | 2026 | |
| Novel: character and key moments most years | 7 of 8 | 2025 | |
| Personal writing and diaries most years | 6 of 8 | 2026 | |
| Vocabulary in context most years | 6 of 8 | 2026 | |
| Drama: character and key moments most years | 6 of 8 | 2026 | |
| Visual texts and graphic novels most years | 5 of 8 | 2026 | |
| Advertising and promotion most years | 5 of 8 | 2024 | |
| Dialogue and script writing most years | 5 of 8 | 2024 | |
| Unseen prose extracts | 4 of 8 | 2026 | |
| Film: character and key moments | 4 of 8 | 2026 |
More topics: Speeches, talks and debates, Articles and news reports, Creative writing: stories, Setting: time and place, Short stories, Writer's language and style, Descriptive writing, Grammar and spelling, Staging and performance, Interviews, podcasts and radio, Book and film reviews, Unseen drama extracts, Film techniques: shots and sound, Punctuation.
Try three
Studied poetry: theme and message, 3 marks
A poem changes from sad to hopeful in its final stanza. This is a...
- Rhyming couplet
- Run-on line
- Shift in mood
Show the answer
Shift in mood
Many poems have a turning point where the mood or tone changes. Noticing where and why it shifts is key to understanding the message.
Reading comprehension, 3 marks
A question says 'in your own words'. What should you do?
- Write only a short quotation
- Explain without copying the text
- Copy the key sentence from the text exactly
Show the answer
Explain without copying the text
In your own words means rephrase to show you understand. Copying whole sentences loses marks; a short quote can support, but the explanation must be yours.
Unseen poetry, 3 marks
'Grandad's hands: old maps of roads and rivers.' What does this image suggest?
- His hands are lined and wrinkled
- His hands are soft, smooth and young
- He is lost and confused
Show the answer
His hands are lined and wrinkled
Veins and wrinkles look like roads and rivers on a map. The metaphor suggests age and a long life lived.