2026 SACE English as an Additional Language exam: What to learn from last year's mistakes

SACE English as an Additional Language is on Wednesday 11 November at 1:30 pm.

I've gone through the 2025 examiner advice. The big opportunity is to make every answer do something with the source material. Collecting phrases is not the same as explaining them.

Here are four things to practise before the exam.

1. Section 1: Answer the question, not just the recording

Where students went wrong: Weaker responses used isolated phrases or repeated the same point across different questions without establishing relevance.

What they should have done: Select the information that answers this particular question and express the connection clearly.

My practice drill: after listening, explain the answer in your own words before looking at your notes. Then check the source for accuracy. This makes it easier to spot when you remember a phrase but haven't understood its meaning.

2. Section 1: Comprehension and analysis need different answers

Where students went wrong: The advice distinguishes accurate understanding from analysis of persuasive language. Unsupported opinions and vague observations weakened responses.

What they should have done: For comprehension, state the relevant meaning. For analysis, explain how a specific language choice works for the audience and purpose.

Try this check on a practice answer: have you named a technique, identified its use and explained its effect in context? “It persuades the audience” could apply to almost anything. Explain what the audience is encouraged to think, feel or do.

3. Section 2: Bring the sources into conversation

Where students went wrong: Less successful responses depended on limited evidence, sometimes from one source, or relied heavily on quotations. Stronger responses synthesised multiple texts within paragraphs.

What they should have done: Organise paragraphs around ideas and compare or combine relevant evidence, with consistent referencing.

My planning method: draw a row for each main idea and a column for each source. Fill the intersections with brief evidence notes. Read across the row before writing the paragraph. That helps you develop an argument rather than produce separate summaries.

4. Section 2: Choose a form and sustain it

Where students went wrong: Weak structure, informal expression, unclear viewpoints and inconsistent referencing reduced effectiveness.

What they should have done: Select an appropriate text type and maintain its conventions, purpose and register throughout.

My final check: read the opening and closing sentence of each paragraph in order. Can you follow the argument? Then proofread a second time for sentence boundaries, agreement and typing errors. Practise this on a screen so the routine feels familiar.

Source: 2025 SACE EAL examiner advice. The practice drills are my suggestions, not a forecast of the exam topic.

Sorry guys, shameless plug, I gotta do this. I'm the founder of ATARMAXXING, so take a look at the SACE EAL practice exams and answer guides if you want more structured practice. You can preview the English as an Additional Language pack before buying. Use the official listening materials as well, and practise writing a complete response before checking a guide.

Discuss this SACE English as an Additional Language exam breakdown on the subject board.