Leaving Cert English: Composing questions

Paper 1 composition: the extended essay and every writing genre, from personal essay and short story to speech, article, diary and blog.

242 past English questions on this topic, spanning 2015 to 2025, grouped by year. Every question opens on the exact page of the official paper, with its marking scheme beside it.

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2025 · 12 questions

Paper 1 · Q250 marks

comprehending, text 1, underdog effect, question b

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Paper 1 · Q450 marks

comprehending, text 2, margaret atwood, question b

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Paper 1 · Q650 marks

comprehending, text 3, samantha harvey, question b

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Paper 1 · Q7100 marks

photography

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Paper 1 · Q8100 marks

truth

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Paper 1 · Q9100 marks

underdog

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Paper 1 · Q10100 marks

disappointment

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Paper 1 · Q11100 marks

ireland, optimism

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Paper 1 · Q12100 marks

voting, elections

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Paper 1 · Q13100 marks

ambition, disaster

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Paper 2 · Q160 marks

single text, literary analysis, shakespearean drama

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Paper 2 · Q450 marks

prescribed poetry, poetry

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2024 · 10 questions

Paper 1 · Q250 marks
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Paper 1 · Q450 marks
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Paper 1 · Q650 marks
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Paper 1 · Q7100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q8100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q9100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q10100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q11100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q12100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q13100 marks
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2023 · 13 questions

Paper 1 · Q150 marks

comprehending

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Paper 1 · Q250 marks

comprehending

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Paper 1 · Q350 marks

comprehending

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Paper 1 · Q450 marks

comprehending

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Paper 1 · Q550 marks

comprehending, artificial intelligence

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Paper 1 · Q650 marks

comprehending, technology in schools

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Paper 1 · Q7100 marks

mystery

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Paper 1 · Q8100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q9100 marks

resilience

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Paper 1 · Q10100 marks

ethics

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Paper 1 · Q11100 marks

relationships

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Paper 1 · Q12100 marks

wonder

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Paper 1 · Q13100 marks

influential individuals

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2022 · 10 questions

Paper 1 · Q240 marks

comprehending, question b, poetry

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Paper 1 · Q440 marks

comprehending, question b, music

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Paper 1 · Q640 marks

comprehending, question b, books

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Paper 1 · Q7100 marks

faithful companions

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Paper 1 · Q8100 marks

presidency, cultural values

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Paper 1 · Q9100 marks

book rescue

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Paper 1 · Q10100 marks

fashion

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Paper 1 · Q11100 marks

powerful voices

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Paper 1 · Q12100 marks

learning

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Paper 1 · Q13100 marks

music

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2021 · 14 questions

Paper 1 · Q140 marks

comprehending, question a, john banville

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Paper 1 · Q240 marks

comprehending, question b, statues

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Paper 1 · Q440 marks

comprehending, question b, animal rights

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Paper 1 · Q540 marks

comprehending, question a, chadwick boseman

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Paper 1 · Q640 marks

comprehending, question b

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Paper 1 · Q7100 marks

birthdays

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Paper 1 · Q8100 marks

community

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Paper 1 · Q9100 marks

railway station

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Paper 1 · Q10100 marks

humour

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Paper 1 · Q11100 marks

bees, ancient ireland

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Paper 1 · Q12100 marks

colours and sounds

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Paper 1 · Q13100 marks

stereotyping

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Paper 2 · Q170 marks

single text, literary analysis

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Paper 2 · Q450 marks

prescribed poetry, poetry

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Show 6 earlier years (2015 to 2020)

2020 · 8 questions

Paper 1 · Q1100 marks

comprehending, genre

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Paper 1 · Q4100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q5100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q6100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q7100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q8100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q9100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q10100 marks
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2019 · 11 questions

Paper 1 · Q250 marks

comprehending

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Paper 1 · Q450 marks

comprehending

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Paper 1 · Q550 marks

comprehending, libraries

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Paper 1 · Q650 marks

comprehending, introduction

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Paper 1 · Q7100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q8100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q9100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q10100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q11100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q12100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q13100 marks
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2018 · 11 questions

Paper 1 · Q150 marks

comprehending, language of argument

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Paper 1 · Q250 marks

comprehending

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Paper 1 · Q450 marks

comprehending, education

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Paper 1 · Q650 marks

comprehending, film adaptation

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Paper 1 · Q7100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q8100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q9100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q10100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q11100 marks

detective fiction

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Paper 1 · Q12100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q13100 marks
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2017 · 11 questions

Paper 1 · Q250 marks

comprehending

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Paper 1 · Q450 marks

comprehending, media

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Paper 1 · Q550 marks

comprehending, aesthetic language

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Paper 1 · Q650 marks

comprehending

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Paper 1 · Q7100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q8100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q9100 marks

democracy

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Paper 1 · Q10100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q11100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q12100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q13100 marks
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2016 · 10 questions

Paper 1 · Q250 marks

comprehending

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Paper 1 · Q450 marks

comprehending, contemporary ireland

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Paper 1 · Q650 marks

comprehending

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Paper 1 · Q7100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q8100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q9100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q10100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q11100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q12100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q13100 marks

irish character

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2015 · 12 questions

Paper 1 · Q150 marks

comprehending, language of argument

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Paper 1 · Q250 marks

comprehending

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Paper 1 · Q450 marks

comprehending

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Paper 1 · Q550 marks

comprehending, ageing

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Paper 1 · Q650 marks

comprehending, introduction

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Paper 1 · Q7100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q8100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q9100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q10100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q11100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q12100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q13100 marks
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0 of 0 doneSaved on this device.

2025 · 10 questions

Paper 1 · Q250 marks
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Paper 1 · Q450 marks
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Paper 1 · Q650 marks
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Paper 1 · Q7100 marks
Marking scheme · Try this question
Paper 1 · Q8100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q9100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q10100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q11100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q12100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q13100 marks
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2024 · 11 questions

Paper 1 · Q150 marks

reading comprehension, challenges

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Paper 1 · Q250 marks

challenges

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Paper 1 · Q450 marks

sport

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Paper 1 · Q650 marks

advice, challenges

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Paper 1 · Q7100 marks

challenges

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Paper 1 · Q8100 marks

change

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Paper 1 · Q9100 marks

adapting to change

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Paper 1 · Q10100 marks

power

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Paper 1 · Q11100 marks

talents

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Paper 1 · Q12100 marks

challenges

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Paper 1 · Q13100 marks
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2023 · 11 questions

Paper 1 · Q250 marks

life lessons

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Paper 1 · Q350 marks

reading comprehension, life lessons

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Paper 1 · Q450 marks

life lessons

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Paper 1 · Q650 marks

street art

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Paper 1 · Q7100 marks

passion

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Paper 1 · Q8100 marks

kindness

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Paper 1 · Q9100 marks

learning from mistakes

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Paper 1 · Q10100 marks

influence

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Paper 1 · Q11100 marks

celebrity culture

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Paper 1 · Q12100 marks

starting school

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Paper 1 · Q13100 marks

competition, rivalry

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2022 · 10 questions

Paper 1 · Q240 marks

artificial intelligence

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Paper 1 · Q440 marks

extraterrestrial life

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Paper 1 · Q640 marks

climate activism

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Paper 1 · Q7100 marks

friendship

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Paper 1 · Q8100 marks

teenagers

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Paper 1 · Q9100 marks

extraterrestrial life

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Paper 1 · Q10100 marks

artificial intelligence

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Paper 1 · Q11100 marks

anger

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Paper 1 · Q12100 marks

climate change

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Paper 1 · Q13100 marks

extraterrestrial life

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2021 · 11 questions

Paper 1 · Q240 marks

music

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Paper 1 · Q440 marks

inventions

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Paper 1 · Q640 marks

music

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Paper 1 · Q7100 marks

music

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Paper 1 · Q8100 marks

identity

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Paper 1 · Q9100 marks

technology

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Paper 1 · Q10100 marks

conformity

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Paper 1 · Q11100 marks

virtual reality

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Paper 1 · Q12100 marks

community

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Paper 1 · Q13100 marks

creative arts

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Paper 2 · Q170 marks

single text, literary analysis

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Show 6 earlier years (2015 to 2020)

2020 · 13 questions

Paper 1 · Q150 marks

reading comprehension, travel

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Paper 1 · Q250 marks

customer care, travel

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Paper 1 · Q350 marks

reading comprehension, travel

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Paper 1 · Q450 marks

travel

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Paper 1 · Q550 marks

reading comprehension, travel

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Paper 1 · Q650 marks

travel

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Paper 1 · Q7100 marks

time travel, travel

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Paper 1 · Q8100 marks

space travel, travel

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Paper 1 · Q9100 marks

arctic

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Paper 1 · Q10100 marks

hospitality

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Paper 1 · Q11100 marks

friendship, fame

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Paper 1 · Q12100 marks

travel, culture

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Paper 1 · Q13100 marks

everyday life, ireland

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2019 · 10 questions

Paper 1 · Q250 marks

mobile phones, social media

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Paper 1 · Q450 marks

selfies, social media

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Paper 1 · Q650 marks

recycling, environment

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Paper 1 · Q7100 marks

social media

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Paper 1 · Q8100 marks

social media

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Paper 1 · Q9100 marks

music festival

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Paper 1 · Q10100 marks

social media

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Paper 1 · Q11100 marks

fame

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Paper 1 · Q12100 marks

volunteering

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Paper 1 · Q13100 marks

space exploration

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2018 · 10 questions

Paper 1 · Q250 marks

stem subjects, inspiring people

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Paper 1 · Q450 marks

competition

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Paper 1 · Q650 marks

child labour

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Paper 1 · Q7100 marks

technology

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Paper 1 · Q8100 marks

identical twins

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Paper 1 · Q9100 marks

community, young people

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Paper 1 · Q10100 marks

values

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Paper 1 · Q11100 marks

race against time

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Paper 1 · Q12100 marks

achievement

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Paper 1 · Q13100 marks

siblings

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2017 · 10 questions

Paper 1 · Q250 marks

subject choice, school days

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Paper 1 · Q450 marks

disability, school days

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Paper 1 · Q650 marks

robot teachers, school days

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Paper 1 · Q7100 marks

humour

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Paper 1 · Q8100 marks

school days

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Paper 1 · Q9100 marks

memory

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Paper 1 · Q10100 marks

robots

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Paper 1 · Q11100 marks

study skills

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Paper 1 · Q12100 marks

praise

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Paper 1 · Q13100 marks

robot teachers

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2016 · 13 questions

Paper 1 · Q150 marks

reading comprehension

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Paper 1 · Q250 marks

travel

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Paper 1 · Q350 marks

reading comprehension, 1916 rising

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Paper 1 · Q450 marks

1916 rising

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Paper 1 · Q550 marks

reading comprehension

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Paper 1 · Q650 marks

advice, part-time work

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Paper 1 · Q7100 marks
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Paper 1 · Q8100 marks

journey

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Paper 1 · Q9100 marks

future

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Paper 1 · Q10100 marks

virtues

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Paper 1 · Q11100 marks

ireland

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Paper 1 · Q12100 marks

conflict

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Paper 1 · Q13100 marks

perseverance

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2015 · 11 questions

Paper 1 · Q250 marks

parents/guardians

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Paper 1 · Q350 marks

reading comprehension, parents/guardians

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Paper 1 · Q450 marks

injustice

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Paper 1 · Q650 marks

misunderstanding

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Paper 1 · Q7100 marks

deception

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Paper 1 · Q8100 marks

reading

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Paper 1 · Q9100 marks

overcoming opposition

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Paper 1 · Q10100 marks

fashion

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Paper 1 · Q11100 marks

animal welfare

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Paper 1 · Q12100 marks

loss

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Paper 1 · Q13100 marks

modern devices

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Other English topics

ComprehendingThe Single TextThe Comparative StudyPrescribed PoetryUnseen PoetryLiterary Analysis & Craft

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Questions come from the official State Examinations Commission papers. Every link opens the original PDF on examinations.ie.