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CfE Higher English 2017/18

CfE HIGHER ENGLISH 2017/18

Hello everyone! :smile:

Welcome to the Higher English thread. This is a thread for those who are studying Higher English for the term of 2017/18. You are welcomed to use this thread to discuss and ask questions on different aspects of the course and also suggest difference resources. Anyone who had previously studied the course would also be more than welcome to provide any help or advice as well as sharing their experience of the subject as a whole.

So who's studying this course this year? :smile:

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I am, we're starting of doing the listening unit first of all.
Reply 2
We're starting off with the broadly creative folio piece, ugh. Does anyone know what view markers take on Oxford Commas? I use them a lot but my teacher always crosses them out, no matter what type of writing it is.
Reply 3
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I sincerely doubt most markers will even notice your use or lack of use regarding the Oxford comma. I recommend you focus your attentions on the actual folio content, you know ... the bit that matters.
If it's bothering you that much, you're better off contacting the sqa as only they can say for sure.
Anyone studying Streetcar named Desire that needs notes or wants any practice and past papers?
Reply 5
Original post by roadhog_
We're starting off with the broadly creative folio piece, ugh. Does anyone know what view markers take on Oxford Commas? I use them a lot but my teacher always crosses them out, no matter what type of writing it is.


My grammar reference book is "A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language" By Randolph Quirk and Sydney Greenbaum, which I believe is one of the definitive accounts of the grammar of the English Language. On P. 1618 the book highlights the use of the Oxford comma as an acceptable use of the comma.

It might be worth asking your teacher on what basis does he/she consider its use an error when grammar books - like the one I have cited - consider it an acceptable use of the punctuation mark.
Reply 6
Just finished H eng. My main advice is start the portfolio early and KEEP working at it throughout the year. It's the only bit you can control. Managed to get an A due to my high portfolio mark. (28/30 :smile: ) Also don't get caught up on word count I was about 1000 words for creative which I thought was short but just write as much as needed. Any questions feel free to PM or reply in this thread. ( I studied King Lear and Carol Ann Duffy)
Did this last year. I thought I was going to get roughly like 15/30 for RUAE, 35/40 for critical reading and no more than 25 for folio.

Ended up getting 25/30 for RUAE, like 25/40 for critical reading and 20 or so for the folio. Just scraped an A by 1 or 2 marks. NEVER did I think I would get an A thanks to bloody RUAE, I should never have dissed it!

Strange since in NAT 5 I got like 19/30 for RUAE and 39/40 for critical reading.

And weirder yet I didn't revise for RUAE but did lots of revision for critical reading.

My advice? God knows for english ... other than obviously revise and don't leave it last minute. Still don't understand the marks I got. I honestly think depending on the marker you get, it could make the difference between two grades.
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 8
Joining the train of people saying they did this last year; if anyone needs notes on Death of a Naturalist then I'm here - literally the only thing I was good at in the critical reading part. Also I made Higher-ish notes for Nothing to Envy which was my backup essay choice

My word of advice is don't fall back or forget about English, because if you do.... this subject will absolutely drain you

Also don't underestimate the importance of the RUAE - that's like the only reason I got an A this year

I'll be here to help throughout the year <3
Hello all! Officially happy to be in for the ride.

Need some advice: I am gay and for the personal folio, want to write about my experiences with coming to terms with it recently, however, my parents don't actually know it, and am worried they will find out. Do you think there is any way I could work around this? I can't do creative for the life of me, and don't really have much other deep personal topics.
Original post by Joe2001
Hello all! Officially happy to be in for the ride.

Need some advice: I am gay and for the personal folio, want to write about my experiences with coming to terms with it recently, however, my parents don't actually know it, and am worried they will find out. Do you think there is any way I could work around this? I can't do creative for the life of me, and don't really have much other deep personal topics.


That sounds really good, and is bound to get you good marks if written well. A word of advice - try and keep it quite light-hearted and not too dull to keep the reader interested. As for your parents situation, I doubt they will find out and you could even ask your teacher to refrain from telling them if you feel the need to.
Reply 11
hey can anyone send in the answers for higher ruae model papers 2 and 3
Hi guys would appreciate it if you checked out my blog https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4998046 It gives you some study tips, and hopefully you'll do better than I did in higher english ha, please give it a look and reply x
I am currently not being taught a thing as of yet. Lecturer keeps leaving and news ones are put in place to only leave, but studying at home to try keep up with it all. I have most of the books, Higher English Textbook etc...anyone got any useful links I could use?
Original post by KerryLouMcCool
I am currently not being taught a thing as of yet. Lecturer keeps leaving and news ones are put in place to only leave, but studying at home to try keep up with it all. I have most of the books, Higher English Textbook etc...anyone got any useful links I could use?


What for? Close Reading or particular texts?x
Original post by gw07mcgheerachel
Anyone studying Streetcar named Desire that needs notes or wants any practice and past papers?

I am!!
Original post by IAmANerdOkay?
I am!!


Oh I am sooo sorry I binned my notes because no-one got back to me and I was having a clear out! I do have some model essay's though not sure if they'd be of help
Hi, don't stress to much about english. I got 87% overall last year and got 30/30 in my folio which I wrote the week before it was to be in😂 just know your texts and you'll be fine!
you guys are so lucky that they told you your exact marks in nat5 :frown: our school refuses to say anything more than I got an A so I have no idea what my strengths and weaknesses are
Anyone studying Liz Lochhead for their scottish texts? we have a practice paper for some old photographs and the commonality question is “by referring to this poem and at least one other by Lochhead, how does the poet convey a strong sense of place?” and i don’t have a clue how to answer it. I was thinking of using The Bargain or View of Scotland as they seem best for setting but don’t really understand fully what is being asked.

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