Junior Cycle English Higher free practice questions with answers
Read the opening questions and their worked answers from paper 1 of our 20-paper Junior Cycle English Higher set, then download the 9-page PDF. These are original practice questions, not official past papers. Page updated 3 November 2026.
- In a review, look for the word that signals criticism (here, ‘cheat’) and ask what exactly the reviewer is complaining about.
- To choose a word for an opinion, test each option against the reviewer’s evidence and keep the one the evidence supports.
- Figurative phrases are not literal: ask what effect the writer is describing, then choose the option that matches that effect.
- The harshest criticism is usually in the section headed ‘The Bad’; find it, then check the other options do not appear there.
Read the text of this sample
Question 1 (10 marks) Answer the following questions by putting a tick in the relevant box. Tick one box only for each question.
(a) Why does the reviewer say the ghost storyline is disappointing?
[2 marks]
The ghost was too frightening for the story. The film built up dread and then explained the ghost away. The ghost appeared too rarely on screen.
(b) Which word describes the reviewer’s opinion of Maeve Corrigan’s performance best?
[2 marks]
uneven convincing exaggerated
(c) What does the reviewer mean by saying the sounds ‘make the building feel like a living thing’?
[2 marks]
The sound effects make the lighthouse seem to have a life of its own. The film was shot with real animals inside the building. The lighthouse was built by the production team.
(d) What is the reviewer’s harshest criticism of the film?
[2 marks]
The sea scenes are filmed badly. The film is too long and some scenes could have been cut. The actors speak too quietly.
(e) Which word describes the reviewer’s overall tone in the verdict best?
[2 marks]
dismissive appreciative bored Question 2 (25 marks) Write a review of a film that you have studied, following the format used in the review in Question 1. Support your views with reference to the film using the prompts below:
• The Good
• The Mixed
• The Bad
• The Verdict.
[25 marks]
Title of film:
Question 1 (10 marks)
(a) Why does the reviewer say the ghost storyline is disappointing? Answer: The film built up dread and then explained the ghost away. The reviewer says the ghost ‘is explained away as a trick of the lamp’s reflections’, which feels ‘like a cheat’ after so much dread.
(b) Which word describes the reviewer’s opinion of Maeve Corrigan’s performance best? Answer: convincing She gives ‘a performance of such quiet strength’ that the reviewer forgot they were watching an actress: the performance is convincing.
(c) What does the reviewer mean by saying the sounds ‘make the building feel like a living thing’? Answer: The sound effects make the lighthouse seem to have a life of its own. The creaking lamp, hissing spray and gulls’ screams make the lighthouse seem alive: this is a figurative way of praising the sound design.
(d) What is the reviewer’s harshest criticism of the film? Answer: The film is too long and some scenes could have been cut. Under ‘The Bad’ the reviewer says the film is ‘simply too slow’ and that scenes ‘could have been removed’; it ends with the need for ‘a tighter edit’.
(e) Which word describes the reviewer’s overall tone in the verdict best? Answer: appreciative The verdict says the reviewer would ‘happily see’ the film again and praises its ‘beauty and atmosphere’: the tone is appreciative, even though the film is not perfect. Write a review of a film that you have studied, following the format used in the review in Question 1. Support your views with reference to the film using the prompts below: / • The Good / • The Mixed / • The Bad / • The Verdict. What earns the marks
• Follows the four-part review format (The Good, The Mixed, The Bad, The Verdict) and keeps a clear, consistent voice.
• Gives specific evidence from the film for each view: named characters, scenes, techniques such as camerawork, sound, music or acting.
• Balances praise and criticism so that the verdict follows logically from what has been said.
Your sample is downloading. Liked it? Junior Cycle English Higher Paper 1 is the full paper: a 180-mark, 2 hour paper in the 2026 SEC layout: 9 compulsory questions on film, story, Shakespeare and poetry, with model answers, with a worked solution for every question.
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Questions about this sample
What is in the Junior Cycle English Higher free sample?
The first 3 questions from paper 1 of the set, in the real exam layout, followed by the step-by-step worked answers. It is a 9-page PDF; this page shows the opening pages.
How many full Junior Cycle English Higher papers are there?
20 original papers for Irish Junior Cycle students (Second and Third Year) preparing for the Higher Level English final examination. Each is a 180-mark, 2 hour paper in the 2026 SEC layout: 9 compulsory questions on film, story, Shakespeare and poetry, with model answers, with a worked solution for every question. Papers start at A$11.99 and download instantly as a PDF.
Are these official past papers?
No. The sample is taken from our own original practice paper and is not an official past paper or affiliated with any exam authority.