Past-Year O-Level English Essay Questions: Tips (2026)

24 July 2026 Written by Ms Geraldine Chew 9-Minute Read O-Level English Essay Questions, Continuous Writing, O-Level English Paper 1, O-Level English Preparation

Types of Essay Questions in O-Level English Continuous Writing

O-Level English essay questions refer to the four prompts set in Continuous Writing, which is Section C of the GCE O-Level English Paper 1 and carries 30 of the 70 marks.

Paper 1 also includes Section A (Editing) and Section B (Situational Writing), but Section C is where the essay questions appear.

The prompts fall into four recognisable essay types, and each rewards a different skill, so learning to spot them helps you pick the question that suits you best. These same types are taught and practised from Secondary 1 to Secondary 4, so the writing you do earlier builds directly towards the essay you sit in the O-Level exam.

A student writing a timed English essay at a desk with a stopwatch.

Type	What It Is
Descriptive	An essay that paints a scene, place or object in vivid detail through the senses. It does not tell a story; it builds atmosphere and mood, usually organised by place or time and closing on a reflective note.
Narrative / Recount	An essay that tells a personal story built around one main event and ends by reflecting on what it meant. It is often introduced by a quoted line of feeling.
Expository / Discursive	An essay that examines a topic from more than one point of view and reaches a balanced, reasoned conclusion, without pushing one side too hard.
Argumentative	An essay that takes one clear stand and defends it with reasons and evidence, while acknowledging and rebutting the opposing view.

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Past-Year O-Level English Essay Questions with Analysis and Tips

2025 O-Level Essay Questions

Question	Suggested Analysis and Approach
Q1 (Descriptive) Describe the sights and sounds of a journey that you have taken recently, either on foot or using any form of transport.	Build the piece from sensory detail rather than plot. Organise your paragraphs by each stage of the journey, describing what you see, hear and feel at each one. End by reflecting on what the journey left you with, avoiding any problem-and-solution storyline that would turn it into a narrative.
Q2 (Argumentative) “Being very competitive is not always desirable.” Do you agree? Why or why not?	State clearly in your introduction whether you think being very competitive is desirable. Your introduction should have a stage and thesis. Write one paragraph for each reason, using examples from sports, studies or work, then add a paragraph on why some people would disagree and say why you still hold your view. This makes your stand more convincing. Close by repeating your view on competition and what it means for young people.
Q3 (Discursive) “Parents and grandparents have forgotten what it’s like to be young, so it’s better to get advice from friends.” How far would you agree?	State in your introduction that both friends and older family members have something to offer, before you state your thesis. Give each view its own paragraph, weighing how well friends relate against the experience of elders. End by judging which source of advice is more useful, and what kinds of problems each one suits.
Q4 (Narrative / Recount) Write about a time when a gathering with family or friends did not go as planned with amusing consequences.	Shape one event into a clear arc that builds to a climax. Keep the humour in what happens, not in forced jokes, to match the amusing tone the prompt sets. Show how the gathering ended, then reflect briefly on what made the mishap memorable.

2024 O-Level Essay Questions

Question	Suggested Analysis and Approach
Q1 (Descriptive) Describe a special meal you enjoy with friends or family. As well as describing the food, explain where and when you have the meal and why it is important to you.	Draw on taste, smell and the sounds around the table. Organise your paragraphs by setting, food and mood, covering all three parts the prompt names. Close by reflecting on why the meal matters to you, so it stays a description rather than a plain account of events.
Q2 (Discursive) “We should all value time spent alone.” How far would you agree?	Open by acknowledging that time alone and time with others both bring benefits, before stating your thesis. Give each point its own paragraph, weighing the benefits of solitude against the value of company. Close by judging how much time alone is worth valuing, and for whom it matters most.
Q3 (Argumentative) “Social media does more harm than good.” Do you agree? Why or why not?	Make your position on social media clear from the first paragraph. Your introduction should have a stage and thesis. Build each point around a concrete effect such as misinformation or online friendships, then use one paragraph to explain why some people would disagree and show why their argument might fall short. End by summing up your stand and what it means for young users.
Q4 (Narrative / Recount) Write about a time when you experienced a difficult but interesting journey.	Shape one event into a clear arc that builds to a climax. Make sure your journey comes across as both difficult and interesting, as the prompt asks for both. Show how the journey ended, then reflect on what made the difficulty worthwhile.

2023 O-Level Essay Questions

Question	Suggested Analysis and Approach
Q1 (Descriptive) What is your idea of a perfect afternoon? Describe what you like to do and how it makes you feel.	Build from atmosphere rather than a run of events. Organise by the moments of the afternoon, using the senses to make an ordinary scene vivid. Tie each detail to how it makes you feel, and close on a reflective note as the prompt asks.
Q2 (Narrative / Recount) “As I looked back, I realised I had made the right decision.” Write about a time when you felt like this.	Build your arc towards the decision that leads to the feeling in the quote. Keep the events focused on that one decision, letting tension rise to the moment you choose. Show what followed, then end on a reflection that echoes the quote.
Q3 (Argumentative) “Schools should teach practical skills such as cooking and managing our finances.” Do you agree? Why or why not?	State clearly in your introduction whether schools should teach practical skills. Your introduction should have a stage and thesis. Give each reason its own paragraph with examples such as first aid or online safety, then devote one paragraph to the strongest argument against, such as limited curriculum time, and explain why you disagree. Finish by restating where you stand and why it matters for students.
Q4 (Discursive) “All you need to succeed in life is a positive attitude.” How far would you agree?	Begin by noting that attitude is one factor in success among several, before stating your thesis. Give each view its own paragraph, weighing attitude against other factors such as effort, opportunity and skill. Close by judging how far attitude alone can carry someone, and what else success depends on.

2022 O-Level Essay Questions

Question	Suggested Analysis and Approach
Q1 (Descriptive) Some people enjoy being in a crowded place, while others prefer somewhere quieter with fewer people. Describe your perfect place when you want to relax.	State early whether your place is crowded or quiet, so everything you describe points to that one choice. Build from sensory detail, organising your paragraphs by area or moment. Close on a reflective note, and keep it descriptive rather than an argument about crowds versus quiet.
Q2 (Narrative / Recount) “I realised that I was much stronger than I had previously thought.” Write about a time when you felt like this.	Build your story towards one turning point where you realise how strong you were. Choose a genuinely hard experience, because a real struggle will sound far more convincing than an invented one. Show what happened afterwards, then end on a reflection that echoes the quote.
Q3 (Discursive) “Young people spend so much time thinking about the future that they forget to enjoy the present.” How far do you agree?	State in your introduction that both planning ahead and enjoying the present have their place, before stating your thesis. Give each point its own paragraph, weighing planning for the future against enjoying the present. Close by judging whether young people really do lose sight of the present, and when this is more or less true.
Q4 (Argumentative) “People today are far too easily persuaded to spend money on things they don’t need.” Do you agree that advertising has made us wasteful?	Say plainly at the introduction whether you think advertising has made us wasteful. Your introduction should have a stage and thesis. Support each point with something familiar, such as impulse buying or passing trends, then use one paragraph to explain why some people would disagree and show why you are not convinced. Wrap up by restating your view and what it says about how we spend.

2021 O-Level Essay Questions

Question	Suggested Analysis and Approach
Q1 (Descriptive) Describe the sights and sounds of a shopping mall. Remember to describe the people too.	Build from sensory detail, organising your paragraphs by zones or moments in the mall. Describe the shoppers and staff as well as the setting, since the prompt asks for both. Close on a reflective note, and vary your vocabulary so it does not read as a flat list.
Q2 (Narrative / Recount) “I felt as though I was on top of the world.” Write about a time when you felt like this.	Build your story towards the moment of triumph in the quote. Let the tension rise towards that single high point rather than spreading events thin. Show what happened afterwards, then end by reflecting on why it felt that way.
Q3 (Argumentative) “Young people are making the world a better place.” What is your opinion?	Give your opinion clearly on whether young people are making the world a better place. Your introduction should have a stage and thesis. Support each point with examples such as activism or innovation, then use one paragraph to explain why some people would disagree and show why you are not convinced. Finish by restating your view and what it suggests about the difference young people can make.
Q4 (Discursive) “A happy person is a healthy person.” How far do you agree?	Note in your introduction that a happy person may well be a healthy one, though not always, before stating your thesis. Give each view its own paragraph, examining the reasons happiness tends to bring good health and the cases where it does not. Close by judging how far a happy person really is a healthy one, and when this does not hold true.

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About Ms Geraldine Chew

MS GERALDINE CHEW

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Are O-Level English essay questions repeated each year?

The exact questions are never repeated, but the essay types recur, which makes past-year practice reliable. Question 1 is consistently a descriptive-style recount, while the other three cover narrative or reflective, discursive and argumentative writing in an order that changes from year to year. Rather than memorising a fixed sequence, prepare by type so you are ready for whichever style appears, wherever it falls on the paper.

What are the most common themes in O-Level Continuous Writing questions?

Common themes in O-Level Continuous Writing include youth and society, technology and money, personal values and well-being, and family and everyday life. Because these themes recur while the exact wording changes, preparing a few flexible examples for each one lets you adapt quickly to a wide range of prompts, rather than searching for ideas during the exam.

How do I use past-year O-Level essay questions to revise?

Practise planning and writing under timed conditions, not just reading through the questions. Decide which essay types suit you, then outline several past prompts in about five minutes each, noting your stand and three main points. Write at least one full timed essay of 350 to 500 words each week, then mark it honestly against the content and language criteria so you can see what to improve.

How many essay questions are there in O-Level English Paper 1?

Section C, Continuous Writing, sets four essay questions, and you answer only one of them. This section carries 30 of the 70 marks in Paper 1, making it a significant part of your grade. The four prompts span descriptive, narrative or recount, discursive and argumentative writing, so knowing these four types in advance helps you quickly pick the one that suits your strengths under exam pressure.

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Past-Year O-Level English Essay Questions, Analysis and Tips