Skriftlig prøve — 5 timer, summary + essay

Engelsk A · STX · A-niveau · Eksamen og prøveformer

Skriftlig prøve i Engelsk A

The written exam in Engelsk A is 5 hours long and consists of two compulsory tasks: a summary and an essay. Both must be completed in English.

The two tasks

#### Task 1: Summary (~150 words)

• A short, neutral summary of a non-fiction text (typically 800–1500 words).
• Should cover main argument + key supporting points.
• Should NOT contain your own opinion, evaluation, or interpretation.
• Roughly 1/8 to 1/10 the length of the original.

Key skills:

• Identify thesis and main supporting arguments.
• Eliminate examples and minor details.
• Paraphrase rather than copy phrases.
• Maintain neutrality and accuracy.

#### Task 2: Essay (~800–1200 words)

The essay prompt usually asks you to:

• Analyze a text (literary or non-fiction).
• Compare two texts.
• Discuss a theme or issue raised by the texts.

It almost always requires you to combine analysis with argument.

Time management (5 hours = 300 min)

| Activity | Time | What you do |

|---|---|---|

| Read all texts | 30 min | Two readings, mark structure and key passages |

| Write summary | 45 min | Plan 10 min, write 25 min, edit 10 min |

| Plan essay | 20 min | Outline thesis + 3–4 body paragraphs with quotes |

| Write essay | 150 min | Paragraph by paragraph |

| Edit and proofread | 50 min | Read aloud, fix grammar, polish transitions |

| Buffer | 5 min | Final scan |

Permitted aids

• Monolingual and bilingual dictionaries (Oxford, Gyldendal).
• Grammar reference books.
• Personal notes from the year (often allowed — verify with school).
• NOT permitted: internet, AI, mobile phones.

Assessment criteria

| Criterion | Weight | What examiners look for |

|---|---|---|

| Language accuracy and fluency | ~30 % | Grammar, vocabulary, idiom, register |

| Text comprehension and analysis | ~35 % | Depth, accuracy, use of textual evidence |

| Argumentation and structure | ~35 % | Thesis, coherence, transitions, conclusion |

Common mistakes

#### Summary errors

• Including opinion or evaluation.
• Copying phrases from the original (plagiarism).
• Missing the main argument by focusing on examples.
• Wrong length — too long or too short.

#### Essay errors

• Plot summary instead of analysis. Always ask: "what does this mean?" not "what happened?"
• Weak thesis. Vague, descriptive, or non-arguable claims.
• Quote-without-explanation. Every quote must be analyzed.
• Poor time management. Running out of time during conclusion.
• Grammatical errors. Tense inconsistency, subject-verb disagreement, comma splices.
• Wrong register. Overly informal ("I think this is awesome") or overly formal/stiff.

Preparation strategy

#### Throughout 3.g

• Weekly summaries of TED talks, op-eds, or articles.
• Bi-weekly essays on different text types and prompts.
• Grammar drills focused on YOUR personal error patterns.
• Vocabulary expansion — keep a vocabulary journal.

#### 6 weeks before exam

• Take a full mock exam at home — 5 hours, all under exam conditions.
• Review feedback from teacher on previous essays — identify patterns.
• Build vocabulary banks for likely topics (immigration, technology, education, race).

#### 2 weeks before

• Practice timing — write a summary in 45 min, an essay in 150 min.
• Read recently published Anglo-American journalism (NYT, Guardian, Atlantic).
• Re-read your annotated copies of class texts.

#### Day before

• Rest. Don't cram.
• Pack: dictionaries, pens, water, snacks, watch (no phone).
• Two alarms.

Læringsmål

• Forstå formatet — 5 timer, summary + essay, begge på engelsk
• Skrive en præcis, neutral summary uden opinion eller plagiat
• Beherske tidsstyring — 30 min læsning, 45 min summary, 170 min essay, 50 min editing
• Anvende analytical essay-struktur (thesis + PEEL-paragraffer + syntese) under tidspres
• Anvende de tre bedømmelseskriterier (sprog, analyse, struktur) som selvevaluering
• Have skrevet mindst 5 fulde mock-exams før selve prøven

Sådan kan du arbejde med emnet

• Lav en tidsplan for, hvordan du vil bruge de 5 timer mellem summary og essay
• Øv at skrive en summary af en tekst på begrænset tid
• Gennemgå en tidligere besvarelse og giv feedback på sprog, struktur og argumentation

Final-week strategy

6 days before: Full mock exam at home. Score yourself.

4 days before: Review the mock — identify 3 areas to fix.

2 days before: Light review of vocabulary banks and grammar weak points.

Day before: Rest. Pack everything. Sleep early.

Bridging to university

The 5-hour written exam mirrors the format of many university English Literature finals (KU, AU, RUC, AAU). Mastery here translates directly into success in undergraduate work. The summary task in particular is the foundation of academic literature reviews.

Beyond the exam

C1-niveau engelsk efter A-niveau åbner for studieophold udlandet (Erasmus+, danske universiteters partnerskaber med UK, USA, Australien), internationale jobs og videregående studier på engelsk i Danmark.