At a Glance
- Part A — compulsory short task (10%)
- Part B — choose one extended task (15%)
Official HKEAA Format
- Both tasks are assessed with task-specific guidance based on the Paper 2 marking guidelines.
- Suggested word counts guide task scope, organisation and time use; writing substantially too little or too much can limit task fulfilment or proofreading time.
Marking Criteria
Based on HKEAA Marking Guidelines
Part A
21 marks (maximum)Part B
21 marks (maximum)Each part is assessed in three areas
Each assessment area carries a maximum of 7 marks.
Content
7 marksRelevance, development of ideas and audience awareness
Audience awareness: Selecting and developing content that considers the intended readers, their needs and concerns.
Language
7 marksSentence structures, grammar, vocabulary and register
Register: Choosing an appropriate level of formality and language for the audience, purpose and text type.
Organisation
7 marksLogical development, paragraphing and cohesion
Part A and Part B are marked separately and subsequently weighted when the Paper 2 result is calculated. Markers use a best-fit judgement in each assessment area; a raw mark out of 21 is not the same as an HKDSE level.
Note: This section focuses on marks 4–7. Please refer to the note below for the full marking range and source information.
DSE LevelMate Explanation & Tips
Just meets the task requirements. Ideas are relevant but may contain gaps, repetition or insufficient explanation.
Adequately addresses the main task requirements. Content is mostly relevant, with some ideas developed in detail.
Fulfils the task requirements. Content is almost entirely relevant, most ideas are well developed, and audience awareness is evident.
Fully fulfils the task requirements. Content is entirely relevant, every idea is well explained or supported, and the audience is addressed with strong awareness.
Official References
English Language FAQ — Paper 2 Writing and Best-fit MarkingLearn about the marking approach, best-fit marking, and the difference between marks and levels.↗2026 Paper 2 Candidate Performance SamplesReview authentic candidate scripts and official comments to understand different levels of writing performance.↗The marking framework and summaries for marks 4–7 are based on official HKEAA materials. Writing improvement tips are provided by DSE LevelMate, and the summaries are not verbatim reproductions of the official descriptors. The full official marking range is 0–7 marks.
Recommended Timing
This is a DSE LevelMate preparation recommendation, not an official HKEAA requirement.
- Part A — 5 minutes plan, 30 minutes write, 5 minutes check
- Part B — 8–10 minutes choose and plan, 55–60 minutes write, then check
- Reserve about 5 minutes for a final whole-paper check.
Exam Strategy
- Turn every task bullet into a paragraph purpose before writing.
- Choose Part B by audience, purpose and ideas you can develop—not by which title sounds impressive.
- Prefer accurate, precise language to forced “difficult” vocabulary.
Final Checking Checklist
- 1Task fulfilment and every required bullet point.
- 2Audience, purpose, genre, format and register.
- 3Missing or underdeveloped ideas.
- 4Tense consistency and subject–verb agreement.
- 5Singular/plural forms and articles.
- 6Fragments, run-ons, spelling and punctuation.
- 7Names, figures and factual consistency.
Common Mistakes
- Starting without deciding audience and purpose.
- Listing ideas without development.
- Changing tone halfway through.
- Replacing clear vocabulary with inaccurate “advanced” words at the end.