🇬🇧 Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE) · subject

Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE) English Syllabus

The English syllabus for Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE) in full: 4 chapters, 16 topics and 36 sub-topics, every one listed below, plus 50 English flashcards with answers.

4Chapters

16Topics

36Sub-topics

50Flashcards

English syllabus: all 4 chapters

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics.

Reading and Comprehension
4 topics
- Reading prose passages for meaning
  - Identifying main ideas and supporting detail
  - Distinguishing fact from opinion
  - Inferring meaning not directly stated
- Comprehension of non-fiction and informational texts
  - Newspaper and magazine articles
  - Instructions, leaflets and advertisements
  - Reading tables, timetables and notices
- Following an argument and recognising bias
  - Tracing the writer's line of reasoning
  - Detecting persuasive and emotive language
- Vocabulary in context
  - Working out word meaning from surrounding text
  - Recognising connotation and tone
Written Composition
5 topics
- Narrative and imaginative writing
  - Story openings and endings
  - Creating character and setting
  - Building tension and atmosphere
- Descriptive writing
  - Using the five senses
  - Selecting precise and vivid detail
- Discursive and argumentative essays
  - Stating and developing a viewpoint
  - Balancing for and against
- Practical and transactional writing
  - Formal and informal letters
  - Reports, instructions and accounts
- Planning, drafting and redrafting
  - Paragraphing and structure
  - Proofreading and correction
Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar
4 topics
- Sentence construction
  - Simple, compound and complex sentences
  - Avoiding comma splices and run-ons
- Punctuation
  - Full stops, commas and question marks
  - Apostrophes for possession and omission
  - Direct speech and inverted commas
- Spelling patterns and common errors
  - Homophones and confused words
  - Plurals, prefixes and suffixes
- Parts of speech and agreement
  - Subject-verb agreement
  - Consistent tense and pronoun use
Oral Communication
3 topics
- Individual talk and presentation
  - Preparing and delivering a short talk
  - Speaking clearly to an audience
- Group discussion
  - Taking turns and listening
  - Responding to others' points
- Reading aloud and role play
  - Reading with expression
  - Improvisation and dramatic situations

Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE) English flashcards — 50 questions with answers

What does it mean to read a prose passage 'for meaning'?
It means reading actively to grasp the writer's ideas, intentions and implied messages, not just decoding words, often involving inference beyond the literal surface.
What is the difference between a literal and an inferential question in reading comprehension?
A literal question can be answered with facts stated directly in the text; an inferential question requires you to read between the lines and deduce meaning that is implied but not stated.
Define 'inference' in the context of reading comprehension.
Inference is a conclusion drawn from evidence and reasoning in a text rather than from explicit statements, i.e. working out what the writer implies.
What is the purpose of non-fiction and informational texts?
To inform, explain, instruct, persuade or describe real subjects and facts, conveying genuine information rather than imagined stories.
Name four common types of non-fiction text.
Examples include reports, articles, biographies/autobiographies, leaflets, reviews, letters, diaries, speeches and instructions.
When skimming and scanning a text, what is the difference between the two?
Skimming is reading quickly to get the general gist or main idea; scanning is searching quickly for specific details such as a name, date or keyword.
What does it mean to 'follow an argument' in a piece of writing?
It means tracing the writer's line of reasoning, identifying their main claim, the supporting points and evidence, and how the conclusion is reached.
Define 'bias' in a text.
Bias is a one-sided or prejudiced presentation of a topic in which a writer favours a particular viewpoint, often by selecting, omitting or slanting information.
List three signals that can reveal bias in a piece of writing.
Emotive or loaded language, selective use of evidence, presenting opinion as fact, and ignoring opposing viewpoints all signal bias.
What is the difference between fact and opinion?
A fact is a statement that can be proven true or false with evidence; an opinion is a personal belief or judgement that cannot be definitively proven.
What is meant by 'vocabulary in context'?
It is working out the meaning of an unfamiliar word from the surrounding words, sentence and overall sense of the passage rather than from a dictionary.
What is a 'connotation' as opposed to a 'denotation'?
Denotation is a word's literal dictionary meaning; connotation is the emotional or cultural association the word suggests, e.g. 'home' denotes a dwelling but connotes warmth and belonging.
What are 'synonyms' and 'antonyms'?
Synonyms are words with the same or similar meaning (e.g. big/large); antonyms are words with opposite meanings (e.g. hot/cold).
In narrative writing, what are the five typical stages of a story's structure?
Exposition (opening), rising action/complication, climax, falling action, and resolution (ending).
What is the difference between first-person and third-person narration?
First-person narration uses 'I/we' and tells the story from a character's own viewpoint; third-person uses 'he/she/they' and tells it from outside the characters.
What is the difference between an omniscient and a limited third-person narrator?
An omniscient narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of all characters; a limited narrator only has access to the thoughts of one character.
In imaginative writing, what is 'characterisation'?
Characterisation is the way a writer creates and reveals a character's personality through description, actions, speech, thoughts and others' reactions.
What is the purpose of descriptive writing?
To create a vivid picture in the reader's mind by appealing to the senses and conveying a clear impression of a person, place, object or atmosphere.
Name the five senses a writer appeals to in descriptive writing.
Sight, sound, smell, taste and touch.
Define a simile and give its typical signal words.
A simile compares two things using 'like' or 'as', e.g. 'as brave as a lion' or 'ran like the wind'.

Show the other 30 English flashcards

Define a metaphor.
A metaphor describes one thing as if it actually is another, without 'like' or 'as', e.g. 'the classroom was a zoo'.
Define personification.
Personification gives human qualities or actions to non-human things or ideas, e.g. 'the wind whispered through the trees'.
What is onomatopoeia?
Onomatopoeia is a word that imitates the sound it describes, e.g. 'buzz', 'crash', 'hiss', 'splash'.
What is a discursive essay?
A discursive essay explores a topic by presenting and weighing different points of view in a balanced way, often before reaching a measured conclusion.
How does an argumentative essay differ from a discursive essay?
An argumentative essay takes one side and persuades the reader to agree with a single viewpoint, whereas a discursive essay presents multiple sides more even-handedly.
Name three persuasive techniques remembered by the acronym AFOREST.
AFOREST stands for Alliteration, Facts, Opinions, Rhetorical questions, Emotive language, Statistics and Triples (rule of three).
What is a 'rhetorical question'?
A rhetorical question is one asked for effect or to make a point, not to get an answer, e.g. 'Who wouldn't want a cleaner planet?'
What is meant by 'transactional writing'?
Transactional writing is practical writing addressed to a real audience to get something done, such as letters, emails, reports, articles, reviews and instructions.
What three features distinguish a formal letter from an informal one?
A formal letter uses formal Standard English, set layout with addresses and date, and conventional openings/closings ('Dear Sir/Madam... Yours faithfully'), while an informal letter is chatty and personal ('Dear Sam... love from').
When writing instructions, which features should be used?
Imperative (command) verbs, clear chronological/numbered steps, second person, and precise concise language.
What are the main stages of the writing process?
Planning, drafting, revising/redrafting, editing and proofreading.
What is the purpose of planning before writing?
To organise ideas, decide structure and order, identify audience and purpose, and ensure the piece is focused and coherent before drafting.
What is the difference between revising/redrafting and proofreading?
Revising/redrafting improves content, structure and expression; proofreading is the final check for surface errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar.
What are the four sentence types by function?
Declarative (statement), interrogative (question), imperative (command) and exclamatory (exclamation).
What is the difference between a simple, compound and complex sentence?
A simple sentence has one main clause; a compound sentence joins two main clauses with a coordinating conjunction; a complex sentence joins a main clause with one or more subordinate clauses.
What is a clause, and how does it differ from a phrase?
A clause contains a subject and a verb; a phrase is a group of words without a finite verb that does not express a complete idea.
What is a 'comma splice' and how is it corrected?
A comma splice wrongly joins two independent clauses with only a comma; correct it with a full stop, a semicolon, or a coordinating conjunction (and/but/so).
List four main uses of the comma.
To separate items in a list, to mark off a subordinate clause or phrase, to separate clauses joined by a conjunction, and to set off non-essential information.
What is the difference between a colon and a semicolon?
A colon introduces a list, explanation or quotation; a semicolon links two closely related independent clauses or separates complex list items.
How is the apostrophe used for possession with singular and plural nouns?
Add 's to singular nouns (the dog's bone) and to plural nouns not ending in s (children's); add just an apostrophe to plural nouns ending in s (the dogs' bones).
How are direct speech and speech marks punctuated?
Enclose the spoken words in inverted commas, place a punctuation mark before the closing quote, and start a new paragraph for each new speaker, e.g. "Stop!" he shouted.
What is the spelling rule commonly stated as 'i before e'?
'I before e except after c', when the sound is a long 'ee', e.g. 'believe', 'receive' (note exceptions such as 'seize' and 'weird').
Distinguish the homophones 'their', 'there' and 'they're'.
'Their' shows possession (their house); 'there' refers to a place (over there); 'they're' is a contraction of 'they are'.
Distinguish 'your' from 'you're' and 'its' from 'it's'.
'Your' is possessive and 'you're' means 'you are'; 'its' is possessive and 'it's' means 'it is' or 'it has'.
Name the eight parts of speech.
Noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction and interjection (article/determiner is sometimes added).
What is subject-verb agreement?
The rule that a verb must match its subject in number and person, e.g. a singular subject takes a singular verb ('she runs') and a plural subject a plural verb ('they run').
What is the difference between an adjective and an adverb?
An adjective describes a noun or pronoun (a quick runner); an adverb modifies a verb, adjective or other adverb, often ending in -ly (he ran quickly).
When giving an individual talk or presentation, name four features of effective delivery.
Clear audible voice with good pace, eye contact with the audience, varied tone and emphasis, and confident body language/posture (plus a clear structure).
In a group discussion, what skills show you are an effective participant?
Listening actively, building on others' points, taking turns, disagreeing politely, asking questions and helping move the discussion forward.
When reading aloud or in role play, what should a speaker do to engage listeners?
Use clear pronunciation and appropriate pace, vary pitch and volume for expression, pause at punctuation, and adopt suitable tone, emotion or character voice for the role.

Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE) English FAQ

What is in the Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE) English syllabus?

Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE) English is split into 4 chapters: Reading and Comprehension, Written Composition, Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar and Oral Communication. Together they contain 16 topics and 36 sub-topics.

How many chapters are in Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE) English?

4 chapters, containing 16 topics and 36 sub-topics. The largest chapter is Written Composition, with 5 topics.

Are there flashcards for Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE) English?

Yes — a 50-card English deck, printed in full in the flashcards section of this page and available in the Examius app with spaced repetition. The free plan covers one exam of your choice, including its flashcards; Examius Pro, a one-time purchase, unlocks every other exam and deck.