HKDSE English study guide
HKDSE English · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The HKDSE English Language is a Category A core subject under the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education, administered by the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA). It is taken by senior secondary candidates in Hong Kong, and results are used for local university and higher education admission, civil service appointment and recognition by non-local institutions. The HKDSE English study guide has 5 sections and about 2,147 words.
01Reading (Paper 1): Choosing B1 or B2 and Reading for Marks
Paper 1 (Reading) carries 20% of the HKDSE English Language mark and runs for 1 hour 30 minutes. It tests how well you locate, interpret and organise information from several written texts, not how many words you have memorised.
439 words, about 2 min02Writing (Paper 2): Task Analysis, Register and Genre Control
Paper 2 (Writing) is worth 25% and lasts 2 hours. Part A is a short task of about 200 words; Part B is a long task of about 400 words, chosen from several options.
451 words, about 2 min03Listening and Integrated Skills (Paper 3): From Data File to Finished Text
Paper 3 (Listening and Integrated Skills) is worth 30%, the largest single component, and runs for roughly two hours. Part A contains listening tasks; Part B requires you to combine what you heard with material in a Data File and produce a specified text type.
408 words, about 2 min04Speaking (Paper 4): Interaction, Delivery and the One-Minute Response
Paper 4 (Speaking) is worth 10% and is assessed live in groups of four. You get 10 minutes' preparation, then Part A, an 8-minute group interaction, then Part B, a one-minute individual response to a question from the examiner.
414 words, about 2 min05School-based Assessment (SBA): Texts, Angles and Authentication
School-based Assessment (SBA) contributes 15% of the HKDSE English Language mark. It is assessed by your own teacher and then moderated by the HKEAA against the school cohort's public examination performance.
435 words, about 2 min