how to write personal essays leaving cert

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Online Essay Writing Course

About course.

This self-paced online Essay Writing Course will teach Higher and Ordinary level Leaving Cert students how to write EVERY essay in the 2022 Leaving Cert English exam.

Check out our course outline below. The first lesson is free! ⬇️

Don’t Lose Valuable Marks

Essay writing is the single most important skill that is required for the Leaving Cert English exam but it’s one that very few students have learned to perfect.

In fact, poor essay writing skills is very often the difference between a passing grade and an honours one.

If you’re putting 100% effort into doing your homework and preparing for your exams but still not seeing the results that you’re capable of achieving then this course is for you!

This course teaches Leaving Cert students how to write every essay required for papers 1 and 2 of the Leaving Cert English exam.

It also teaches students how to write introductions and conclusions and structure paragraphs – the basics which often cost students valuable marks in the exam.

Still undecided? The first lesson is free! ⬇️

Anywhere, Anytime, Any Device

This online Essay Writing Course consists of 9 on-demand classes which can be accessed anywhere, anytime and on any device.

Each class is approximately 20 -30 minutes long and students can pause and rewind the classes as many times as they’d like.

At the end of each class, students are given a writing task to practice the tips and techniques that they learned for that specific genre/essay question.

Students also have access to an online forum where they can ask the teacher questions they about the course or their own writing material.

Expert Teacher

Helena is a fully qualified and experienced English and History teacher. She holds a First Class Honours Bachelor of Arts degree from Mary Immaculate College where she received the Excellence in English Language & Literature award, having obtained first place in the subject amongst her graduating B.A. class. She completed her Professional Master of Education (PME) degree in Trinity College Dublin.

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What will you learn.

How to write each essay required in papers 1 & 2 (poetry/comparative/single text/composition)
How to write an introduction
How to write a conclusion
How to structure paragraphs
How to structure essays
How to use quotes effectively
How to recognise and utilise the features of the five genres of language

Course Content

How to write an introduction this lesson will teach you how to write clear, concise and well written introductions for essays in papers 1 and 2 of the english leaving cert exam. it will identify the features of a good introduction, show you examples of good introductions and give you the task of writing an introduction for a single text essay., understanding paragraphs this lesson will help you to understand the importance of paragraphs. it will identify the main features of a paragraph and show you how to construct a paragraph. you will also be given the task of writing a paragraph for a prescribed poetry essay. , how to write a conclusion this lesson will teach you how to write clear, concise and well written conclusions for essays in papers 1 and 2 of the english leaving cert exam. it will identify the features of a good conclusion, show you examples of good conclusions and give you the task of writing a conclusion for a single text essay., paper 1 – composition (part 1) this lesson will teach you how to write a personal essay, a short story and a speech. it will identify the main features of each of these 3 essay types, show you samples of each essay type and teach you how to structure each essay type. this lesson will also help you to use and understand three of the five language genres: the language of narration, aesthetic language and the language of persuasion., paper 1 – composition (part 2) this lesson will teach you how to write feature articles, debates and diary entries. it will identify the main features of each of these 3 essay types, show you samples of each essay type and teach you how to structure each essay type. this lesson will also help you to use and understand two of the five languages genres: the language of information and the language of argument., paper 2 – single text this lesson will teach you how to write an essay for the single text. using king lear as an example, it will identify areas that you should focus on when studying your single text, such as characters and themes. this lesson will show you how to structure a single text essay, give you an example of a good single text essay and give you a writing task based on your single text., paper 2 – comparative (part 1) this lesson will teach you how to write an introduction and conclusion for the comparative essay. it will teach you how to structure paragraphs for the comparative essay and show you a sample paragraph for this type of essay. this lesson will also go through the different types of questions asked for this particular essay at both higher and ordinary levels. the mode of theme or issue will be focused on for higher level students while the mode of theme will be focused on for ordinary level students., paper 2 – comparative (part 2) this lesson will revisit the simple structure of a paragraph in the comparative essay. the modes of general vision and viewpoint and cultural context will be focused on for higher level students. the modes of social settings and relationships will be focused on for ordinary level students. samples will be shown and a writing task is given at the end., paper 2 – prescribed poetry this lesson will teach you how to write an essay for the prescribed poetry question for both higher and ordinary levels. it will go through the structure of this type of essay, show you a sample paragraph to help you identify the main features and provide you with a writing task at the end. , student ratings & reviews.

how to write personal essays leaving cert

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4 hours 15 minutes Duration

Requirements

Internet access
Mobile phone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer
Exam papers
Writing materials
Leaving Cert
4th, 5th and 6th year students who want to perfect their essay writing skills
Higher and Ordinary levels

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Writing Tips for the Composing Question on the Leaving Cert

23 July 2021

7 minutes to read

01. How Do I Practice My Writing? Check Out Past Exam Papers
02. Running Out of Time? Manage your Timekeeping
03. How to Find your Style and Writers Voice
04. Focus on the Technical Side of Writing (Grammar, Spelling and Structure etc.)
05. Look at the Marking Scheme to Know What Is Asked of You

The composing section on English paper 1 is an opportunity to really boost up your grade and despite what some students think, you can really prepare for this question. With a whopping 100 marks for this question , it is really worth doing that preparation, and with this Superprof guide, you will find some key tips and tricks.

Unlike the paper two poetry question, for example, there isn’t a prescribed question here. You won’t know exactly what kind of essay question will come up, or what kind of writing prompts you will have to follow. This can make some students feel uneasy and they assume they will be going into the exam blind.

This is not the case! While the questions change every year, they tend to follow the same formula , and they are essentially asking you the same things! While we wouldn’t recommend learning off an essay in its entirety and shoehorning it into a question, you should certainly have an idea of the kind of essay you can write. What is your voice? Though the characters may change, and the narrative, you will still be able to go into the exam with a framework of an essay where the bulk of it is in your head, and you just need to tweak it slightly to fit the question!

Keep reading to learn some of the ways you can teach yourself to write a better English essay!

Worried about the exam in general? We help you get past this fear with our guide to preparing for the English papers!

How Do I Practice My Writing? Check Out Past Exam Papers

As we mentioned, it is possible to be very prepared when you go into the composing question, but how? Well, this comes with practice and repetition, and no matter the way to focus on these two key things than to practice real exam examples.

The Irish state examinations committee recognises how much of a benefit it is to students to have access to past years exams, so they provide all of these for free online. All you need to do is to download the PDF. The more of these you take, and even read, the more familiar you become with the English paper, and the less of a shock you’ll face when it comes to sitting the exam!

You will start to notice trends, too. While no question is the exact same throughout the years, certain trends, themes and topics keep coming up. You will notice certain storyline narratives are quite similar. This question is not as broad as it might appear at first! For example, the relationship between people, love, hope and current social events are usually seen popping up in this question.

Now, what do you do next? Well quite simply, once you have read all of the years, take notes of the questions, what are they asking of you, break it down and simplify, highlight keywords. The more you read the more you learn! Once you’ve done this, focus on actually answering the question, going as slow as you need to, and making sure you formulate a well-structured essay.

You can find these exam papers on the official state examinations website!

Get your teacher to read through some of them, or find yourself an English tutor on Superprof that can help you ace this question!

Would you rather get some help with the fiction and comparative section? Check out our guide to the fiction texts here!

Running Out of Time? Manage your Timekeeping

This is related to the above tip, is super important and can be applied across all of the exams you will sit, not just English. One of the most common problems students who sit this paper complain about is the lack of time. It can be tough, but certainly manageably when you break it down.

There is nothing worse than a student who has done the prep, and knows the question inside out, only for them to run out of time. They might have had an H1 answer in their brain just waiting to come out, but if the examiner can’t see it, it isn’t worth anything. Harsh, maybe, but true. This shows that how you write can be as important as what you know! You must be able to get your ideas out in time.

I mentioned above that you can start with these exam papers at your own pace, but you will eventually have to crank it up (don’t worry, you have plenty of time leading up to the exam) until you can finish a paper and question in the allotted time you will have on exam day.

Do as many questions as you can and time yourself. Maybe at first, you will need your notes, that’s ok! If you can finish it in time with notes, it’s a start! Keep working your way until you can take a question (preferably one you haven’t seen before) and write a great essay in time. Once you have done this, that’s half the battle. Repetition is key here!

Timekeeping is also very relevant to the poetry question, and we know this can be a difficult one for some students, so we have composed a guide to all things leaving cert poetry!

How to Find your Style and Writers Voice

This is connected to the above tip, as the more past exam papers you read, and the more essays you write out and plan, the more you will notice and sharpen your very own writing style!

Now don’t worry, everyone has their own writing style, no matter what level you are! If you are having trouble finding a style, keep writing! What comes naturally to you? Are you a comedic writer? Or one with a darker tone? Usually writing style reflects personality!

What kind of movies do you watch? What genre of books do you read? This will help you realize what kind of writing style or storytelling style appeals to you! It will be easier to write a 3 or 4-page essay on a topic you are familiar with and that you enjoy! It will also be quicker, as it leaves less room for second-guessing, and as we know, timing is very important!

Try out a few different styles too! Don’t pigeonhole yourself into one genre, as this will leave your hands tied when it comes to the question! Maybe a topic you really like comes up, but it’s in the style of a speech, and you have never written a speech!

Go through the past exam papers and look at all of the questions. Try to write an essay in all of the styles. Of course, there will be some you are naturally better at, and this is fine, you can hone these skills, but by being flexible, you will give yourself more options and more marks on exam day!

Is the comparative question stressing you out? Get back on top of it with the Superprof English comparative guide!

Focus on the Technical Side of Writing (Grammar, Spelling and Structure etc.)

Spelling, grammar, syntax etc . is where a lot of marks are lost each year by students. On the other hand, it is something that, if worked on, can give you a great basis to go on and obtain a good grade. Even if you struggle thematically, or with a narrative, if you get your spelling, grammar, and language use spot-on, you already have something to work with.

Double and triple check your work after you’ve finished. Never ever leave the exam without checking at least once, in fact, we would suggest at least twice! These are easy marks to pick up, and something you can correct yourself, before the examiner has to!

Here at Superprof, we try to break down all of the sections on the leaving cert paper, including an extensive guide to English paper one , as well as a play by play break down of English paper two , to make sure you have as much info going into the exam as possible.

Look at the Marking Scheme to Know What Is Asked of You

We mentioned before that you have access to past exam papers, but this is also true of the marking schemes, and this is something every student familiarises themselves with! It can be really helpful to sit on the other side of the exam to get some perspective.

By reading and studying the marking scheme, specifically for the composing question, you will begin to understand where marks are won and lost. The more familiar you become, the fewer marks you lose as you are actively aware of what to do and not to do!

For example, there is a big focus on language and mechanics. This includes what we discussed above, spelling, grammar etc., but also your use of the English language. Be mindful of paragraph length, not too short or too long. Keep the length of your sentences varied also! This is something that becomes much easier to do when you are mindful of this. Make sure you give the examiner what they want.

They also want to see if you are answering the question that is asked. Try not to go off on tangents and meander around the point, as you will lose marks. Even if you are a really verbose and skilled writer, resist the urge to pepper your essay with flowery language! Ask yourself, does this add anything? And if not, remove it! Again, the more familiar you are with the marking scheme, the less likely you are to fall victim to these common mistakes!

Remember, we cover all of the sections on the English leaving cert exam, including the composing question, where we help you construct a great answer over our English essay writing guide!

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Personal essay: pleasures particular to you for Leaving Cert English #625Lab

Write a personal essay on what you perceive to be the pleasures particular to you..

#625Lab . Corrected by an experienced examiner, graded as 83/100 with feedback on how to improve below. You may also like: Leaving Cert English Comp lete Guide (€). Essay credit: Fionnuala O’Connell

8 billion. That is how many living people are on this earth right now. To many, this number is beyond comprehension, beyond what we can visualise and understand. Its enormity is overwhelming and suffocating, 8 billion is a number that not many people will ever be able to meaningfully identify with and truly grasp. Personally, I don’t think I ever will – Eight billion people each living their own lives and struggles and victories is a daunting concept to get your head around. Consequently, it is simply a fact of life that is very rare to find someone on this earth who can be considered entirely “unique”. No matter what we like to think, there will always be someone who shares your greatest pleasure, your favourite book and your favourite song, and there will always be people who regard your interests and hopes and dreams to be “boring” and “common”. No matter how hard you fight to be seen as special and individual, there is always someone else, somewhere, who will have the same shirt as you, and who gets the same McDonalds order as you, and who shops in the same stores as you. In such a large diverse world, is it even possible for me to have any pleasures that are particular and unique to me? Is there even such a thing as a truly unique person? (Personal anecdote could follow now. A second paragraph critiquing the idea of ‘unique-ness’, makes the personal essay move into the realm of a discursive essay/article/speech)

To be fair, it’s clear that right now the world we live (in) doesn’t quite foster the right atmosphere for originality and uniqueness. Right now, I could walk into any shop on the main street and walk out with an outfit (or two, or five, or ten), and be absolutely positive that there’s another girl not too far from here wearing the exact same thing. We live in a mass produced world, a plastic paradise, characterised by trends and fast fashion, where everyone shares everything. We define ourselves by the media we consume and the way we present ourselves but in this world how can we differentiate ourselves from each other when we all revolve around and choose from the same handful of hobbies and interests? How can we ever be sure of our own personalities when we share so much in common to those around us? When the pleasures we perceive particular to ourselves are mass produced into thousands of stores across hundreds of countries in thousands of cities, can we ever truly be individuals? (A lot of rhetorical questions)

Personally, what I perceive to be my greatest passion and my greatest pleasure in life is music; I love to listen to music, to play music, to write music . (Insert anecdote) It’s my escape from the bland mundanity of regular life, and it is possibly the single most important thing to me in my life. Music is an outlet, it allows me to express myself, to be creative, to brighten up boring days and bus rides, and ironically, it allows me to connect with others who have similar tastes. It allows me to make new friends and to grow closer with old ones, it’s an excuse for social gatherings and events and it is always a talking point. It brings back memories, good and bad, and gives me a chance to make new ones, ensuring that I am never bored. To be this passionate about something seems bizarre when I consider the hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of people in the world who feel this same way, who listen to the same albums and songs as me every day, who play the same instruments and same songs as me, and who feel just as strongly. Can music really be my passion and my defining hobby when it’s so commonplace? (Again, moving into discursive as it lacks the anecdote. The anecdote provides opportunity for reflection, a key component of the Personal essay)

Well in my personal opinion, to be blunt, I find the whole concept of a pleasure exclusive and particular to me to be absurd. I truly believe the concept of somebody being partially or entirely unique in the traditional sense is impossible. Clearly, I know I’m not, there is absolutely nothing particular to me when I consider the enormity of the world and how common my hobbies are, and I know that I am about as special as everyone else on this earth – not at all. There is no magic ingredient to being special or having a superior set of interests and hobbies, and that anything but a bad thing. After all, If I am still to search for something really and truly unique to me (and music clearly isn’t it), what else is there that I enjoy? What is the one true, unique pleasure particular to me? Well, I enjoy playing video games, and I enjoy going out to shows. I enjoy finally getting a good grade on something I studied really hard for, and I enjoy finally getting a maths problem right after hours of googling what to do. I enjoy hanging out with my friends, I enjoy big, grand, loud parties, and I enjoy sleepovers where we whisper precious secrets under the protection of laughter and crinkling food wrappers. I enjoy watching movies together and crowding around a too-bright screen, and I also enjoy sitting together with my best friend, studying, perfectly silent but secure in the knowledge that we are both united and working with each other’s support. I enjoy sunny days at the beach when I feel like the sun is going to burn both of my legs off, and I enjoy giggling the night away with my friends in a field as the pit-pattering of rain on my tent whispers a gentle reminder that all is at peace and that everything is okay. These are the simple pleasures of my life and they bring me endless joy, not because of what they are but how they make me feel .(This is a lovely paragraph for the Personal essay, the language flows, there is an ease with the material and it hasn’t slipped into the ranting or tedium of teenagers. Good use of descriptive imagery and reflection .) Clearly, none of these are especially unique or particular to me, these are universal human experiences after all. However I am strongly of the opinion that the pleasures that you partake in can never be truly particular to you and that’s fine because that’s not what matters; what matters is how it makes you feel, how it makes you grow and react and develop. What matters are the emotions they invoke and the memories they lead you to form, because while nothing is ever materially unique to you, the experiences you reap and the memories you form are . (Yes, writer has really hit the crux of the Personal essay here)

8 billion is a frighteningly large number, incomprehensible to many and to some may signify the death of our simple pleasures and hobbies being truly “unique”. To me however, it signifies something far more positive – a chance (or 8 billion) to make those acts mean something . (Sense of ‘full-circle’ is established by using the opening lines again, but final paragraph is too brief, elaboration and reflection on the arguments presented could be included.)

Paragraph 2 could be used later on in Essay. There is a sense that much of this material could be more suited to a speech – the use of rhetorical questioning and discursive language points to this.

It’s very important to outline a stance at the outset. Reading the first two paragraphs and their argumentative/critical tone, jars slightly, as paragraphs 3 and 4 are much more in keeping with the tone of a personal essay.

That said, there is a clear capable command of the English language here, with good vocabulary and technical accuracy. Paragraph 4 is what raises this essay to a higher grade and with a this type of approach across the duration of the essay, a higher grade is achievable.

P: 25/30

C: 23/30

L: 25/30

Total: 83/100

Image: Image: Luke Chesser via Unsplash

Post author: Martina
Post published: April 18, 2019
Post category: #625Lab / English / PCLM / Personal essay

Paper ii single text question tips, literary genre – i’m not scared, foster, big maggie for leaving cert english #625lab, leaving cert english poetry faq.

You are currently viewing Personal essay: pleasures particular to you for Leaving Cert English #625Lab

Leaving Cert. English (Higher) 2020: Paper 1 Section II Composing
Back to the question >

7. Write a personal essay in which you celebrate friendship, and reflect on how you have been influenced by the unique and diverse personalities of your friends.

Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain. It is not something you learn in school. But if you have not learned the meaning of friendship, you really have not learned anything. Muhammad Ali said that. He learned who his friends were when he was sent to prison for refusing to fight in the Vietnam War. Even though he was the greatest boxer in the world, a tough, strong, wealthy man, he still needed his friends to keep going. But what is a friend? What is friendship and why does it matter?

Put simply, f riendship is a relationship of mutual affection between two people. Friends offer each other companionship, the ability to be oneself and express one's feelings to others, the opportunity to make mistakes without fear of judgment from friends. Friends care for each other, help each other, trust each other. What do we value most in our friends? Their loyalty, perhaps, but there are many different kinds of friends. Some friends are thrown together because of a shared location or interest, some friendships thrive despite great distances, some friendships lead to marriage, some survive multiple romantic relationships. True friends are forever.

Where do we find our friends? Friends are everywhere; you just have not met them all yet. When we are small children our friends are those people who live near us or whose mothers are friends with ours. For small children friendship is about playing together but over time we learn to share, and we learn empathy from our friends. I met Carina when I was only two. Our first photo together features her holding me in a scarily tight embrace. We met because our mothers were friends. They liked to spend time together so we got to spend time together too. Maybe we learned from them how to be friends. Certainly, we are still friends today even though virtually the only thing we have in common is our friendship. Carina is not at all like me. She is athletic and vigorous and cheerful while I am quiet and anxious and bookish. We remained friends even when Carina’s mother moved her back to her home town in the depths of the bog. To date, our friendship has endured different schools, different interests and different addresses.

What makes Carina such a great friend? That's easy; she is the mirror of myself. Where I am quiet, she is loud. When I am tired, she is full of energy. I like to read and reflect, while Carina likes to march about doing things. I always worry whether I am doing the right thing, while Carina assumes that if she has got it wrong, she will sort it out later. We are two halves of the same girl. We do different things and live in different places but nothing can change the fact that for a long time we grew side by side. We will always be friends because our roots will always be tangled.

Carina is the greatest force for change in my life. Whenever I wonder or doubt myself, it is always Carina who tells me to go for it. It was Carina who encouraged me to put down on the CAO application my most challenging course. It was Carina who made me join this club or enter that competition. Carina is all energy and fire and some of the energy is lent to me whenever I talk with her. Without her, I would be very quiet, very unadventurous and very alone, probably.

When Carina moved away, I was inconsolable. I thought I would never have a best friend again. In secondary school I was afraid to talk to anyone. They all seemed to know each other and they laughed and talked together with ease. I hid in the corners and did my work and waited for the bell to go home. Carina was furious when she heard. ‘The truth’, I confessed, ‘is that I don’t think any of them want to be my friends’. ‘Well, you won’t know if you don’t try’, Carina urged and she insisted I speak to someone the following day. ‘Ten of them might have no interest in you’, she told me, ‘but it’s all about finding the one who does,’

Thus, it was Carina, really, who found Grace for me. Had Carina not impelled me, I would never have spoken to the beautiful creature who haunted my class with such an air of calm confidence that it had never occurred to me before that she, too, was lonely. I chose her really because she was the one person who was sitting alone that morning in the classroom. I dared tell her I was lonely and knew nobody. Our friendship was born at the moment she responded ‘What! You too? I thought that I was the only one who felt that way!’ After fifteen minutes Grace knew more about me than anyone else alive. We recognised in each other a kindred spirit, a common bond. We shared the same interests, the same values and the same anxieties. We hardly had to tell each other what we thought of this and that, for we already knew. We were immediately best friends and we still are today.

Grace has lived my life intimately every day in school and every day of the holidays. We are lucky, or perhaps unlucky enough, to live in an era when we are forever connected by the internet and so we share everything that happens in our lives the moment it happens. For a long time, we were so intimately bound together that people thought we were sisters. We wore the same clothes in different colours, styled our hair the same way and bought the same foods for lunch. We loved to be the same yet different. It was reassuring and comforting to know that we were not alone; we were together.

I did not ever need to follow Grace or to imitate her; I just walked with her. I still do today but over the years our friendship has deepened and matured. We don’t need to be ‘twinnies’ any more. We already know that we are kindred spirits but we also recognise and celebrate our differences. My friendship with Grace has given me so much confidence because I always know that somebody will understand, that somebody will sit and listen, and care when I talk. Grace seemed calm and confident when I was nervous and afraid when we first met in school because Grace is calm, and patient. She did not panic when she had no friends in First Year because Grace trusted that she would meet some friends eventually. Grace knows the power of silence and calm. Grace would never have approached me, however, had I not spoken to her. If I were exactly like Grace, we might never have become friends,

Over the years Grace and I have grown as people. Perhaps we have given each other a safe anchor, allowing us to change and try out new things. We do not have all the same interests, yet we remain as close as ever, returning regularly to our safe haven, our friendship.

Grace is deeply involved in her church. I take credit for this because when she expressed an interest, I thought of Carina, and I pushed her to go and get involved. Her faith is a mystery to me, yet it is also inspiring. Just as she had the confidence to go and join a church, at least in part thanks to me, I went and started working, thanks to her. She wanted us to go on holiday together and to do that I needed money!

Through my job I have made another great friend, Vee. Vee is exactly the kind of person I would never have thought I would like. Vee is crazy, self-consciously so. She has ludicrous hair, which is a different colour every day. She wears makeup that draws an inordinate amount of attention to itself rather than enhancing her beauty. She dresses in the same way so that you notice her clothes, and not her face or figure. I never know who Vee will be from day to day. She remakes herself daily; she even named herself. Her parents quite reasonably called her Niamh but Vee remade it for herself.

Vee is arty because she loves art. She loves all art. She herself paints and has a remarkable knowledge of art from all periods but she also loves music, cinema, poetry... you name it. Vee has an opinion on everything arty, and likes to share it. Vee is in despair, quite theatrically, with most people in the world because of what dreadful philistines they are. She rails against this tendency daily. For her part, Vee spreads art around the world. She teaches children art, she paints, she posts her art on the internet. You cannot know Vee and not know about art.

They say that a friend is someone that knows all about you and still loves you. In Vee’s case, I had to know almost everything about her first before I realised that I loved her, despite herself. Vee is not an easy person to be around. When I first met her, I was a little afraid of her. She is so passionate that she is intolerant and frustrated. She frowns and shouts and gets offended easily. She is usually not talking to at least two of our colleagues. She talks about herself and her art almost all the time but her passion is infectious. She feels so deeply and cares so much that it is hard not to feel with her, to care too. I ride along with her on her adventures in art. Her great excitement when things go well, her deep despair when her art goes badly. Her fury when someone denigrates a great piece of art. The thrill she feels when she sees something wonderful.

Vee studies hard at school and works hard at our dull job, then she goes home and paints all night. She struggles into work exhausted most days and she certainly mentions it a lot. At work she often runs off to the toilets for fifty winks as she is saving her energy for her work that night. One day she memorably fell asleep in the storeroom. I don’t resent it. I glory in her madness. This is what Vee has taught me, more than anything else: the value of caring deeply about things and then doing something about it.

But Vee is not just a loud, obnoxious, opinionated show-off. She is also a loyal true friend. When I needed support at work, Vee was there. Vee also admires me and though she never tells me, she talks me up to everyone else. I often meet people who say ‘Oh you are Vee’s smart friend’. Or ‘I’ve heard everything about you. I believe you are very clever.’

Energetic, vibrant Carina, calm committed Grace and the passionate self-absorbed Vee, they all delight me and nourish me and make me better. I’m sure that in life I will meet many more friends and that they too will bring me joy. Friendship is such a wonderful gift and every friend brings something else to you. I believe that in your good friends you find a little piece of yourself that you never knew you had. Every friend brings a little more light with them, illuminating the world in a new and marvellous way.

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Tag Archives: personal essay

Tone (personal essay).

I love this cartoon from Natalie Dee on fanpop.com

Before Christmas I got my TYs (over 50 of them) and my Leaving Certs to write personal essays. Their essays for the most part were funny, sad, moving, at times mad and in many cases very very brave. Among other things I read about a childhood obsession with goldfish; a superhero granny; being an only child; falling into a river in front of the boy you absolutely love love love; suicide; a haunted church; spontaneous uncontrollable crying spells; and being wrapped in tin foil and carried off a volleyball court on a stretcher…

I also discovered that “ a commode i s the love child of a wheelchair and a portaloo! ”

I did notice however that very occasionally a personal essay didn’t ‘ring true ‘. It’s hard for me to explain how I knew that the writer was inventing or embellishing a sad story (leaning towards or sometimes completely inventing a fiction) rather than drawing on real life experiences (fact) but when I asked a couple of students about it sure enough they said what they’d written about hadn’t actually happened but they felt compelled to give the personal essay a tragic ending in order to engage the reader emotionally.

Oddly, it had the opposite effect – I enjoyed these essays up to the point where they transformed into melodrama and then I just somehow knew that the writer was trying to force a reaction out of me.

Have a look at this beautiful personal essay – but be warned:

(1) It will make you cry

(2) You could never write this. You are not a thirty-something-yr-old widower with a toddler and a dead wife. You are a 17 or 18yr old Irish leaving cert student and this is the perspective you MUST write from when you write a personal essay in the exams because fundamentally a personal essay IS NOT A SHORT STORY and IS NOT FICTION. Of course you can write about something funny that happened to someone else and pretend it happened to you; of course you can exaggerate for dramatic or humorous effect. But try to write what you know or your essay is in danger of coming across as insincere and false.

Here it is: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2013/jan/19/telling-toddler-mummys-dead?CMP=twt_gu

Now have a look at this personal essay, whose tone is much more philosophical and opinionated rather than emotional – the tone is completely different but there is no question that it also falls into the category of personal essay.

Here it is (with the longest url in the history of life the universe and everything):

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/education/an-a-student-regrets-his-grades/article7359620/?cmpid=rss1&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:%20TheGlobeAndMail-National%20%28The%20Globe%20and%20Mail%20-%20National%20News%29&buffer_share=8b014

I guess I just want you to realise that you can write a serious opinion piece; an emotional admission; or a funny satire and ALL will still qualify as ‘personal essays’ as long as you write in the first person (“I”) and as long as you are yourself (Irish teenager) not a fictional narrator (a witchdoctor, a talking rubbish bin or a homeless wino).

For clarification of the difference between the personal essay and memoir check this out: http://meghanward.com/blog/2012/08/21/personal-essay-vs-memoir/

That’s all for now folks. Good luck with the mocks revision!

Posted in Composing , Discussions

Tagged ireland , leaving cert english , personal essay , sample personal essays , tone

Personal Essay Titles

Here are a few personal essay titles that I gave to my Junior Certs today. I’m really just posting them here so I’ll have them for again! Most of them are taken from a random selection of previous exam papers. Some of the titles that usually come up lean in particular directions – towards descriptive short stories or dialogue heavy ‘scenes’; others towards journalistic opinion pieces – so I’ve avoided them deliberately because I want today to be about the art of personal writing. What these titles have in common is that they ask you to insert yourself into the essay, to reveal who you are as a person – your thoughts, beliefs, experiences, hopes, dreams, personality and sense of humour.

The things about myself I’d most like to change
In 30 years time…
Childhood memories
Life’s little luxuries
A significant event that changed my life
It’s a weird and wonderful world

p.s. Another title I made up recently that produced some interesting responses from Leaving Certs was “Write a personal essay about some of the funniest/most embarrassing moments of your life so far”.

Posted in Junior Cert , Teachers

Tagged essay titles , ireland , junior cert english , leaving cert english , personal essay , state exams

Personal Essay – Practice

A short story is fictional.
The narrator of the story can be anyone – a homeless person, a world leader, God, Hitler or a sheep.
You can use first person OR third person narration.
There is a plot, a setting, characters, a limited timescale (the tighter the better in my experience) and oftentimes a twist (again, having one is generally better than not having one in my experience!).
By contrast a personal essay is based on reality (but feel free to exaggerate & even make things up as long as they sound believable – here if you want to include a talking sheep you’ll also have to mention the drugs you were on when this happened!!!).
The speaker is YOU – you are writing as yourself, a teenager who lives in Ireland. You cannot be a sheep for a personal essay 😉
You will (and should) use descriptive writing but you will also use quotes from your favourite bands and anecdotes from your childhood or family and offer your thoughts and opinions and attitudes and beliefs and feelings. You may use rhetorical questions and lists and statistics. In other words, every technique available to you.
You are not limited to a fixed timescale – a short story is a slice of life whilst a personal essay can be a montage of various events from past to present to future, from you, to your family and friends, to other people and cultures, from local to national to global.

In order to make this REAL for my students, I recently did this experiment in class. Everyone wrote a mini personal essay of between 200 and 300 words (including me). As a prompt we began with the words “My name is ___________. Let me tell you a little bit about the kind of person I am”. Each of us was allowed to give ‘clues’ to our identity but we made it a rule that you couldn’t make it too obvious. The reason I joined in was because they bullied me into it!!! Ok, I’m being facetious. But in reality I think it made them feel less self-conscious about ‘revealing’ themselves, laying themselves bare to each other as it were (the essence of being a good writer if you ask me!). They also insisted that I write in the persona of me as a teenage girl. Again this made absolute sense – if I started referring to my husband and child I’d really have given the game away 😉

After creating a first draft, we all typed them up, same font and font size, I checked for spelling and grammatical errors (God help me this was time consuming) and then I printed them off. The first two girls who finished (thanks Lauren and Cathy) sat down with the list of names of people in the class and five sticky notes and created groups which were a genuine mixture of personalities and which kept close friends apart. This meant they were facing a real challenge guessing who the writer was and more importantly they were getting a true insight into people in the class they might not know very well. Each group of five was given six mini-essays (all bundles included my one but no group got a bundle including any of their own). Their job was to figure out who the writer was, a variation on the game of guess who where you have a post it note stuck to your forehead and you have to figure out what famous person’s name is written on it.

All of this took place over four 40 minute classes and not rushing things was definitely the key to success. My students were also pretty brave in finding the courage to reveal themselves publicly in front of their peers. Getting me to join in led to some pretty funny moments – any student in their right mind would be mortified to be mixed up with their teacher (the one person it is absolutely NOT COOL to be similar to in any way!). We did this immediately after a week of working on and creating short stories so the contrast helped in embedding the distinction between short stories and personal essays in their brains (at least I hope so). Finally, teachers, if you grade this EVERYONE GETS AN A. You cannot and must not give someone’s personality anything less, nor did I want to – this class are a great bunch of women and I’m lucky to be their teacher. In a few weeks time we’ll come back to them and analyse them from a writing point of view – what works, what doesn’t, which bits keep the reader most engaged and entertained but in the meantime I think they’ve learned a lot about personal essays and about each other (as have I) .

Below I’ve included my effort if you want a template to work off!!!

I guess it really depends who you ask. My mother says I’m a ‘flibbertigibbert’, flitting from one thing to the next, never sitting still long enough to eat a decent dinner – or wash up afterwards! My father says I’m a nutcase – well actually, he sings a song “you’re a nut, beep, beep” and grabs my nose and twists it for the “beep beep” bit (funny man!) My sister tells me repeatedly that I’m ‘the adopted one’. I am a bit odd I suppose, but refusing to recognise that we’re even related is a bit harsh don’t you think?

My boyfriend says I’m pretty and smart. Far too pretty and smart to be going out with him. He’s wrong but I guess it’s nice to have someone who thinks you’re special. Special in a good way, not special in a ‘not the shapest tool in the box’ kind of way. Although on occasion I have done things that might cause people to label me a complete and utter spanner!

And me? I’m not sure how I feel about myself. Some days I think I’m just your average teenager, trying to figure it all out and not do too much homework along the way. Some days I think I’m a supersonic bolt of electric lightening sent to save the world from spinning out of control. And some days I wish, with all the power in every fibre of my being that I could just be somebody else. Just for a little while. And then those days pass and I get back to the business of just being me. It’s a tough job baby, but somebody’s gotta do it!

Posted in Composing , Junior Cert , Teachers

Tagged english , junior cert , leaving cert , personal essay , practice

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Feb 16, 2023

Mastering Leaving Cert History: A Guide to Writing Sample Essays

Updated: Feb 17

Leaving Cert History is one of the most challenging subjects for Irish students, especially when it comes to writing essays. The exam requires students to write two essays on topics chosen from a list of options. These essays carry a significant amount of marks and can make or break a student's chances of securing a good grade. However, with the right approach, mastering Leaving Cert History essays is possible. In this blog, we will provide tips and insights on how to write sample essays for Leaving Cert History.

1. Understanding the Essay Structure

The first step to writing a great essay is to understand its structure. An essay has three parts: introduction, body, and conclusion. The introduction should grab the reader's attention and provide background information on the topic. The body should include the main argument, supported by evidence and examples. The conclusion should summarise the main points and restate the thesis.

2. Choosing the Right Topic

Choosing the right topic is crucial for a successful essay. The Leaving Cert History syllabus provides a list of options for essays. It is essential to choose a topic that interests you and that you are familiar with. The topic should be narrow enough to provide a focused argument but broad enough to allow for enough research and analysis.

3. Research and Analysis

Research and analysis are crucial for a well-written essay. Start by reading through relevant texts and taking notes. Use primary sources, such as diaries, letters, and speeches, to support your argument. It is also essential to analyze the information and present a clear argument, using evidence to support your claims.

4. Writing Style and Grammar

Writing style and grammar are essential for a good essay. Use clear and concise language, avoiding slang and colloquialisms. Avoid long and complex sentences that can be difficult to understand. Make sure to proofread your work to avoid spelling and grammatical errors.

5. Time Management

Time management is crucial during the Leaving Cert exam. Make sure to allocate enough time to each section of the exam, including essay writing. Plan your essay before you start writing, including a clear thesis statement, main argument, and supporting evidence. Leave enough time for proofreading and editing.

In conclusion, writing a Leaving Cert History essay can be challenging, but with the right approach, it is possible to master it. Understanding the essay structure, choosing the right topic, research and analysis, writing style and grammar, and time management are all essential components of a successful essay. Practice writing sample essays, and seek feedback from your teachers to improve your writing skills. With these tips and insights, you will be well on your way to writing successful Leaving Cert History essays. Good luck!

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