For students about to sit the VCE English Year 12 Exam on Monday October 26, 2026, here are my Top Tips on writing the Section C Essay in One Hour.
Top Tips
- 9.00-9.15 am = In the 15-reading time in the exam – use that time to read the Section C several times, noting the contention, map out in your mind the audience, tone shifts, language and argument shifts, language techniques and note the visuals (if there are any) and where they sit in terms of position in the piece – look out for different types of writing pieces – it may not always be an opinion piece – the Trial Exam had a vlog – a video blog – consider that there might not be an alternative side to the argument like past Section C’s – if it is a social media vlog, then the audience would be following the author and agree with his/her arguments from the start – consider then what is the author’s real purpose to persuade – it could be a call to action
- 9.15 am = When you get to pick up pens – spend only 0-5 minutes annotating – read fast – circle contention, map out arguments & language, map out structural shifts ie. beginning, middle, peak, turn, close & visuals – remember to stick to What/How/Why – Think/Feel/Do – don’t analyse and write about everything in the article – only stick to the most important arguments and the language around it
- 5-7 minutes write Introduction – keep it short – make sure you address = context / author, title source / audience / tone transition / main contention / intention to persuade
- 7- 55 minutes write body paragraphs – try to keep to around 13 minutes each (time guide only) – follow the chronological arc of the text, don’t just have a random list of techniques, only write up most important arguments and language techniques that show purpose to persuade – make sure you flow from one para to next with what happened in BP1 moving onto BP2 and BP3 – mention also the tone transition
- 55-60 Concluding lines – keep it short address the author’s main contention, tone transition and explain what is the author’s purpose to persuade the audience – if you have time to read over your piece then you have done well to write this Section C in the hour
