HSC English Advanced rewards students who answer the exact question in front of them, not the essay they memorised. The 2025 exam asked students to evaluate one idea across two texts in Module A, explain how the ending of their text resolved its tensions in Module B, and write a narrative built around a photograph in Module C. NESA's marking feedback shows exactly what separated the better responses.
This guide breaks down both 2025 papers question by question. It covers what each question asked, how marks were awarded under NESA's marking guidelines, what better responses did and the areas NESA's markers said students need to improve.
Key Takeaways
- The Common Module (Texts and Human Experiences) was worth 40 of the 100 marks: 20 for the five unseen-text questions and 20 for the Section II essay. Modules A, B and C were worth 20 marks each.
- Every Module B question was about the ending. All twelve options gave students the closing scene, stanza or paragraphs and asked how it was an effective resolution to the tensions in the text.
- Module A gave each text pair its own idea, such as strategy, conformity, alienation, humility, creativity, reinvention and artistry. Markers wanted that idea at the centre of the argument, not added to a prepared essay.
- Module C was a narrative built around an image (12 marks) plus a reflection (8 marks). Markers stressed writing in the form the question asked for and making the image a meaningful part of the story.
- Across every section, markers flagged the same weakness: describing, paraphrasing or retelling the plot instead of analysing how and why the text creates meaning.
HSC English Advanced Examination Structure
| Feature | Paper 1: Texts and Human Experiences | Paper 2: Modules |
|---|---|---|
| Reading time | 10 minutes | 5 minutes |
| Working time | 1 hour 30 minutes | 2 hours |
| Total marks | 40 | 60 |
| Sections | Section I: five short-answer questions on unseen texts (20 marks); Section II: one extended response on the prescribed text (20 marks) | Section I: Module A (20 marks); Section II: Module B (20 marks); Section III: Module C (20 marks) |
| Suggested time | About 45 minutes per section | About 40 minutes per section |
| Skills tested | Close reading, analysis of unseen texts, sustained argument about a prescribed text | Comparative evaluation, critical study of one text, crafting and reflecting on original writing |
Together the two papers are worth 100 marks. The HSC exam mark makes up 50% of the final HSC mark, and the other 50% comes from school-based assessment.
đź’ˇ Not sure whether Advanced is the right course? Compare HSC English Standard, Advanced and Extension.
Marks by Module in the 2025 Exam
| Module | Where It Was Assessed | Marks | Share of Exam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common Module: Texts and Human Experiences | Paper 1, Sections I and II (Q1–6) | 40 | 40% |
| Module A: Textual Conversations | Paper 2, Section I (Q1) | 20 | 20% |
| Module B: Critical Study of Literature | Paper 2, Section II (Q2) | 20 | 20% |
| Module C: The Craft of Writing | Paper 2, Section III (Q3) | 20 | 20% |
Source: NESA 2025 HSC English Advanced marking guidelines (mapping grids for Papers 1 and 2).
Paper 1, Section I: The Unseen Texts (20 marks)
Section I gave students five unseen texts in a stimulus booklet and asked one question on each. The marks rose with the difficulty of the command term, from "explain" (3 marks) to "evaluate" (5 marks).
| Question | Text | Question Asked | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Memoir extract (Jansson) | Explain how Jansson celebrates the process of creativity | 3 |
| 2 | Prose fiction extract (Ferrante) | How does Ferrante portray the ways that family relationships shape identity? | 4 |
| 3 | Poem (Kooser) | Analyse how Kooser shares insights about the experience of change | 4 |
| 4 | Prose fiction extract (Kingsolver) | How does Kingsolver expand the reader's understanding of the relationship between past and present? | 4 |
| 5 | Nonfiction extract (Macfarlane) | Evaluate Macfarlane's representation of the connections between humans and the landscape | 5 |
What the Markers Said
Question 1 – Jansson and creativity (3 marks)
- Better responses explained how specific examples in the text celebrate creativity, such as searching for and discovering materials and crafting them into a range of items.
- Markers wanted students to go beyond identifying the process of creativity and engage with Jansson's positive portrayal of it.
- Weaker responses paraphrased examples instead of explaining their effect.
Question 2 – Ferrante and family relationships (4 marks)
- Better responses explained how the narrator's identity is shaped by her interactions with family and her time with her relative, using well-chosen evidence.
- NESA's sample answer traced a shift in identity, from her father's dismissive view of her extended family to her new "relaxed and funny" self, shown in the change from "Giovanna" to the nickname "Giannina".
- Weaker responses described or paraphrased events instead of supporting an explanation with evidence.
Question 3 – Kooser and change (4 marks)
- Better responses identified Kooser's insights about the enduring and unpredictable nature of change, explored through the seasonal changes in the poem.
- NESA's sample answer analysed the letter form, personification of the light and of winter, and the final imperative "must now keep looking in".
- Markers asked students to make sure their evidence related to change and to analyse it rather than describe it.
Question 4 – Kingsolver and past and present (4 marks)
- Better responses identified a clear connection between past and present and explained how Kingsolver expands the reader's understanding of it.
- NESA's sample answer used the setting, the name passed from grandfather to grandson, and the revelation that Garnett's grandfather "felled that tree".
- Markers said some students did not address all parts of the question.
Question 5 – Macfarlane and the landscape (5 marks)
- As the only "evaluate" question, this needed a judgement. Better responses used the language of evaluation, such as "Macfarlane insightfully represents the connection between humans and the landscape".
- Better responses linked specific aspects of humans and the landscape and supported their judgement with detailed evidence, such as the rhetorical questions "Of joy? Of art? Of life in the darkness?".
- NESA's sample answer also analysed the ash tree as a central metaphor, the present-tense narration of ancient rock art and the passive voice ("A chamber is entered").
đź’ˇ Unseen texts can be practised like any other skill. See our guide to answering unseen texts in HSC English.
Paper 1, Section II: Texts and Human Experiences Essay (20 marks)
Question 6: Analyse how the representation of particular lives in your prescribed text enriches your understanding of the endurance of the human spirit.
The question had three parts students needed to address: the representation of particular lives, how it enriches your understanding (a personal response) and the endurance of the human spirit.
| Mark Range | What the Response Did (NESA marking criteria) |
|---|---|
| 17–20 | Analyses skilfully; perceptive response with well-chosen textual references; coherent and sustained |
| 13–16 | Analyses effectively; thoughtful response with relevant references; organised |
| 9–12 | Explains; some textual references; variable control of language |
| 5–8 | Limited understanding; describes aspects of the text |
| 1–4 | Minimal reference to the text; attempts a response |
What the Markers Said
- Better responses gave a perceptive interpretation and addressed all aspects of the question throughout.
- They sustained a confident, personal voice, showing how their own understanding of the endurance of the human spirit had been enriched by the text.
- They selected and integrated a range of evidence and kept a clear line of argument. Markers recommended using a plan.
- Weaker responses restated the question instead of referring to specific parts of the text.
- Markers asked students to avoid overly complex or wordy language, and to use accurate terms for the text's form, genre and style.
Paper 2, Section I: Module A – Textual Conversations (20 marks)
Every Module A question followed the same pattern: Evaluate the role of [idea] in [text 1] and [text 2] in enhancing your appreciation of the textual connections between these texts. Only the idea changed for each text pair.
| Question | Text Pair | Idea in the Question |
|---|---|---|
| 1(a) | Shakespeare, King Richard III and Pacino, Looking for Richard | Strategy |
| 1(b) | Woolf, Mrs Dalloway and Daldry, The Hours | Conformity |
| 1(c) | Camus, The Stranger and Daoud, The Meursault Investigation | Alienation |
| 1(d) | Donne's poetry and Edson, W;t | Humility |
| 1(e) | Keats' poetry and Campion, Bright Star | Creativity |
| 1(f) | Plath, Ariel and Hughes, Birthday Letters | Reinvention |
| 1(g) | Shakespeare, The Tempest and Atwood, Hag-Seed | Artistry |
To reach the top band (17–20), a response had to evaluate skilfully the role of the idea, show a well-informed understanding of context, language, form and ideas, and use well-selected references to the idea and both texts. A response that only explained the role of the idea was placed in the 9–12 band.
What the Markers Said
- Students should engage with all aspects of the question, give a balanced treatment of both texts and integrate context with textual analysis.
- Markers wanted students to show how composers use the given idea to respond to another text's concepts and values.
- Better responses evaluated how purpose, form, language and context shape the connections between the texts, and used evidence that went beyond description.
- For The Tempest and Hag-Seed, better responses put artistry at the centre of the thesis, "rather than integrating the concept into prepared material in a superficial manner".
- For Donne and W;t, better responses defined the role of humility at the start and evaluated it as both a concept and a device that shapes character, structure and form.
- For Plath and Hughes, better responses discussed reinvention as the later poet consciously positioning his work as a response, critique or reconciliation.
- For Mrs Dalloway and The Hours, better responses showed how Daldry's film continues the conversation Woolf began in her post-WWI context.
Paper 2, Section II: Module B – Critical Study of Literature (20 marks)
In 2025, all twelve Module B questions focused on the ending of the prescribed text. Each question gave students the closing paragraphs, scene or stanza and asked: In what ways is this an effective resolution to the [narrative/poetic/dramatic] tensions explored in the text? Poetry students also had to refer to at least one other prescribed poem.
| Question | Prescribed Text | Extract Provided |
|---|---|---|
| 2(a) | Austen, Emma | Closing paragraphs |
| 2(b) | Dickens, Great Expectations | Closing paragraphs |
| 2(c) | Ishiguro, An Artist of the Floating World | Closing paragraphs |
| 2(d) | Eliot, Selected Poems | Final stanza of Journey of the Magi |
| 2(e) | Malouf, Earth Hour | Final stanza of Earth Hour |
| 2(f) | Ibsen, A Doll's House | Closing scene |
| 2(g) | Thomas, Under Milk Wood | Closing scene |
| 2(h) | de Waal, The Hare with Amber Eyes | Closing paragraphs |
| 2(i) | Nabokov, Speak, Memory | Closing paragraph |
| 2(j) | Clooney, Good Night, and Good Luck | Closing scene (speech and stills) |
| 2(k) | Armstrong, Unfolding Florence | Closing scene (stills) |
| 2(l) | Shakespeare, King Henry IV, Part 1 | Closing scene |
To reach the top band, a response had to explain skilfully the ways the extract resolves the tensions, using well-selected references to both the extract and the whole text. Responses that only described how the extract resolves tensions were placed in the 5–8 band.
What the Markers Said
- Students should avoid reproducing a prepared response and engage clearly with each element of the question.
- Across almost every text, markers said weaker responses summarised the extract or retold the plot instead of analysing how the ending resolves tensions.
- Better responses named specific tensions and showed how the ending resolves them. For A Doll's House, examples included dependency and control, the collapse of the "miracle" motif and the symbolic door slam.
- Better responses used context to explain the tensions, such as Regency social order in Emma, post-war Japan in An Artist of the Floating World and McCarthyism in Good Night, and Good Luck.
- They analysed form: free indirect discourse in Austen, stage directions and dialogue in Ibsen, and framing, monochrome and sound in Clooney.
- Markers noted that not every ending gives neat closure. For King Henry IV, Part 1, better responses recognised that the ending points to future conflict rather than a complete resolution.
- For poetry, weaker responses explained quotes in isolation. Better responses linked the final stanza to an overarching concern across the suite of poems.
NESA did not publish feedback for every text. There was no feedback for Speak, Memory in 2025.
Paper 2, Section III: Module C – The Craft of Writing (20 marks)
The stimulus was a black-and-white photograph of a large clock-face window, seen from inside a building, with people silhouetted in front of it. The question had two parts:
| Part | Question | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 3(a) | Craft an imaginative piece of writing which incorporates the provided image as the focus of your narrative | 12 |
| 3(b) | Explain how you have incorporated the provided image to shape meaning in your narrative, making close reference to your specific language choices in part (a) | 8 |
The marking criteria for 3(a) separated responses by how well they used the image. Top responses (10–12) skilfully incorporated the image as the focus of the narrative. Responses in the 4–6 band only adequately used the image.
What the Markers Said
Question 3(a)
- Better responses incorporated the image through both structure and language, creating complexity relevant to the question.
- They crafted an authentic, sustained voice and used a range of stylistic choices to establish tone.
- Markers asked students to write in the form stated in the question (a narrative) and to use the image as a meaningful part of the response.
Question 3(b)
- Better responses stated a clear intent or purpose for their piece and linked their response to the image with the meaning they wanted to shape.
- They used quotes from their own writing to show the relationship between purpose and effect.
- Weaker responses quoted their writing without linking it to the focus of the question.
Students should also keep the mark value in mind. The reflection is worth 8 of the 20 marks, so it needs proper time, not a rushed paragraph at the end.
đź’ˇ For a full walkthrough of this section, read our HSC English Module C: The Craft of Writing exam guide.
Common Mistakes Across the 2025 Exam
- Retelling instead of analysing: Markers flagged plot summary and paraphrasing in Section I, the Section II essay and almost every Module B text.
- Forcing a prepared response: In Module A, the idea in the question needed to drive the argument. In Module B, the extract needed to be part of the analysis, not an add-on.
- Ignoring part of the question: Markers noted students who didn't address all parts of Q4, while better Q6 essays addressed every part of the question throughout.
- No judgement in "evaluate" questions: Q5 and Module A needed a clear, supported judgement, not just explanation.
- Listing techniques: Better responses explained the effect of a technique. Weaker ones named it and moved on.
- Wordy expression: Markers asked for clear, controlled writing over overly complex language.
- Using the Module C image as decoration: The image needed to be the focus of the narrative, and the reflection needed to explain how.
How to Prepare for HSC English Advanced
- Practise with unseen texts under timed conditions, and match the depth of each answer to its command term and mark value.
- Know your Module A texts through many ideas, not one thesis. 2025 used a different idea for each text pair, so practise writing on unfamiliar ones.
- Study the ending of your Module B text closely. Know which tensions the ending resolves, which it leaves open, and how it connects to the rest of the text.
- Build a bank of evidence for each prescribed text, with quotes linked to ideas, form and context.
- Prepare flexible Module C pieces that can adapt to an image or quote, and practise writing the reflection, not just the story.
- Complete full past papers to practise managing 1 hour 30 minutes for Paper 1 and 2 hours for Paper 2.
For more preparation:
- see our 2025 HSC English Standard examiner report breakdown, which shared four Paper 1 questions with Advanced
- read our complete guide to HSC English Advanced
- master words like analyse, evaluate and explain with our guide to HSC command terms
- sharpen your analysis with our guide to literary and poetic devices and guide to metalanguage
- find out why past papers are the best way to study for exams
- understand HSC performance bands
- see the HSC exam timetable 2026 for this year's exam dates.
Need Help With HSC English Advanced?
Our HSC English Advanced tutors have scored highly in the subject themselves and work one-on-one with students to analyse unseen texts, build flexible essays for every module and write creative pieces that meet the question.
Sources: NSW Education Standards Authority, 2025 HSC English Advanced examination Papers 1 and 2, marking guidelines and HSC marking feedback 2025.
