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Junior Cycle English: Drama: character and key moments

How often Drama: character and key moments comes up on the English papers, every year it was asked, and questions to try.

HL Asked on 6 of the last 8 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2026. most years

OL Asked on 6 of the last 8 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2026. most years

Drama: character and key moments, Higher Level(7 marks)

Quick ones on Drama: character and key moments.

(a)In a play, a character alone on stage speaking their inner thoughts aloud is giving what?
  1. A stage direction
  2. A soliloquy
  3. A dialogue
(b)'Dramatic irony' happens when...
  1. two characters argue on stage
  2. a character jokes to the audience
  3. we know what a character doesn't
(c)A main character whose own flaw leads to their downfall is called what?
  1. A tragic hero
  2. A stock villain
  3. A comic foil
Show the answers

(a) A soliloquy

(b) we know what a character doesn't

(c) A tragic hero

Your turn: Higher Level questions on Drama: character and key moments.

Higher Level

Asked on 6 of the last 8 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2026. most years

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2026Q6
2025Not asked
2024Q4
2023Not asked
2022Q10
2019Q8
2018Q8
2017Q7, Q8

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Drama: character and key moments questions

Drama: character and key moments, 2 marks

When writing about a character, what is their 'motivation'?

  1. The way they look and dress
  2. The number of lines they speak
  3. The reason behind their actions
Show the answer

The reason behind their actions

Asking why a character acts, not just what they do, turns summary into analysis. Motivations include love, fear, ambition, revenge and loyalty.

Drama: character and key moments, 2 marks

In the musical 'Hamilton', who shoots Alexander Hamilton in a duel?

  1. Thomas Jefferson
  2. Aaron Burr
  3. George Washington
Show the answer

Aaron Burr

Burr, who sings the opening number, is Hamilton's rival throughout. Their duel is the tragic climax, and Burr reflects that history will remember him as the villain.

Ordinary Level

Asked on 6 of the last 8 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2026. most years

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2026Q12
2025Q10
2024Not asked
2023Not asked
2022Q8
2019Q10
2018Q13
2017Q3

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Drama: character and key moments questions

Drama: character and key moments, 2 marks

The written text of a play, with dialogue and directions, is the...

  1. Prologue
  2. Blurb
  3. Script
Show the answer

Script

A script holds what the characters say and the stage directions. Actors and directors use it to bring the play to life on stage.

Drama: character and key moments, 2 marks

In a script, instructions in brackets telling actors what to do are...

  1. Rhetorical questions
  2. Stage directions
  3. Speech bubbles
Show the answer

Stage directions

Stage directions tell actors how to move and speak, and describe the set, lighting and sound. They are not spoken aloud.

Drama: character and key moments, 2 marks

A remark made to the audience that other characters on stage cannot hear is an...

  1. Aside
  2. Encore
  3. Interval
Show the answer

Aside

In an aside, a character shares a secret thought with the audience. We then know more than the other characters, which adds tension or humour.

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