Leaving Cert 2025: English Paper One – how would you get on?

From author Margaret Atwood to a Booker Prize-winning novel and a short story about a reckless character, the paper was varied but much to be expected for students.

In case you haven’t had a bout of Leaving Cert nightmares recently, check out whether you could answer the below questions that came up on today’s paper.

The paper is split into two sections, with reading comprehensions making up the first section and a personal essay in the second.

Section one

Section one contained three texts based on the underdog effect, a speech by Atwood, and edited extracts from Samantha Harvey’s novel, Orbital.

Text 2 focused on a speech given last year by Atwood, author of The Handmaid’s Tale. It focuses on her advice to the younger generation.

It was a timely question given the recently released season finale of the series inspired by Atwood’s novel.

Do you think you could answer these three questions?

Text 3 featured edited extracts from Orbital published in 2023. It tells the story of six astronauts in an H-shaped spacecraft rotating above the earth. Orbital is also current, with the novel taking home the Booker Prize in November 2024.

Can you answer this question?

Section two

Section two features a choice of seven different composition assignments intended to reflect language study in the areas of information, argument, persuasion, narration and the aesthetic use of language.

Questions varied from asking students to write a feature article, short story, discursive essay, speech and personal essay.

Check out these three questions to see whether you’d be up to the challenge.