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Every part of Higher English: RUAE skills, the critical essay, every Scottish set text on the current list, the portfolio and key terminology. Pick a topic to practise it — your accuracy on each is shown below. Don't know your set text yet? Try them all, then focus once your teacher chooses.
Each topic has a quick quiz (marked for you). Many also have an exam-style worksheet — write your answers, then mark them against the marking points.
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RUAE mock papers are laid out like the real Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation paper: two passages, 30 marks, 1 hour 30 minutes. Write your answers, then mark them yourself against the marking points. The passages were written for this site. Knowledge tests are timed, auto-marked quizzes drawn fresh from the question bank each time (Easy 1 mark, Medium 2, Hard 3).
Before you start
- Read Passage 1 carefully first — note the writer's line of argument paragraph by paragraph.
- About 2–3 minutes per mark on the Passage 1 questions, leaving about 15 minutes for Passage 2 and the final question.
- Own words means own words. No marks for straight lifts.
- Analysis = quotation + comment. A quotation on its own earns nothing.
- Mark honestly. Only tick a marking point if your answer makes it clearly.
Mock paper
2:15:00
The passages (tap to show or hide)
Question on both passages — read Passage 2 first, then compare it with Passage 1.
Mark your paper
For each answer, tick the marking points you made clearly. Each question is capped at its mark allocation. Marking points are a guide — a different, well-supported answer may also deserve the mark. Running total: 0 / 30
A
Grade A
Grade bands are a rough guide only (A 70%, B 60%, C 50%, D 40%). Your real grade combines RUAE (30%), Critical Reading (40%) and the portfolio (30%), and boundaries are set each year.
Answer review
How many can you get right?
Quick-fire questions against the clock. Great for drilling techniques, terminology and set-text facts.
60
Score 0
Time's up
How Higher English is assessed from session 2026–27, and how to answer every type of question. Based on the Qualifications Scotland Higher English course specification (v6.0, September 2025), the changes to the Scottish text section published on 3 June 2026, and the specimen question papers.
The course assessment
Reading for Understanding, Analysis & Evaluation 30%
30 marks · 1 hour 30 minutes · two unseen non-fiction passages linked by theme. Questions on Passage 1, then one 5-mark question on both passages.Critical Reading 40%
40 marks · 1 hour 45 minutes. Section 1: Scottish text (20). Section 2: critical essay (20). A different genre in each section, and never the same text twice.Portfolio–writing 30%
ONE piece, broadly creative or broadly discursive, marked out of 15 and doubled to 30. Max 1,300 words (a penalty applies if more than 10% over). No minimum.Spoken language
Achieved / not achieved — but you must achieve it to get the course award. Group discussion and/or a presentation where you answer audience questions.2027 exam date
Friday 7 May 2027 (morning): RUAE 09:00–10:30, Critical Reading 11:00–12:45. Source: Qualifications Scotland 2027 timetable (v02, August 2026).What changed for 2026–27
Scottish text: the final question drops from 10 to 8 marks (2 commonality + 2 extract + 4 elsewhere) and the extract questions rise from 10 to 12 marks. The paper is still 40 marks. Nothing else in the course changed.RUAE question types
Understanding — "use your own words"
No marks for straight lifts. Find the key ideas and gloss them. Usually 1 mark per clear point; "explain fully" needs developed points.Analysis — "analyse how…"
Quote + comment. 2 marks for a detailed/insightful comment, 1 for a basic one, 0 for a quotation alone. "At least two examples" = 2+2, 2+1+1 or 1+1+1+1.Word choice
Quote the word → its connotations → what that shows about the writer's ideas or attitude.Imagery
Literal root of the image → how it applies to the subject → the effect. "Just as a tsunami…, so the complaints…"Sentence structure
Lists, repetition, short/minor sentences, questions, inversion, climax/anticlimax, parallel structure — always tied to WHAT is being emphasised.Punctuation
Colon (explanation/list) · semicolon (balance/contrast) · dashes (aside/dramatic addition) · inverted commas (sarcasm) · ellipsis (pause/omission).Tone
Name it precisely (sarcastic, nostalgic, dismissive…) and analyse the language that creates it.Link / structure
Show the words that refer BACK to the previous idea and the words that introduce the NEW idea. "Function" questions ask what job a paragraph does.Evaluation
Analyse, then judge effectiveness — e.g. how a conclusion echoes ideas or images from the opening.Final question — 5 marks
Three key areas of agreement (or disagreement) supported from BOTH passages. 3 areas = 3; with appropriate evidence = 4; with detailed/insightful evidence = 5. Bullet points are allowed.Critical Reading — Section 1: Scottish text
What you get
An extract (or a whole poem) from the set text you studied, with questions worth 12 marks, then a final 8-mark question.Extract questions
Like RUAE analysis: quotation + comment on language, characterisation, mood, theme. 2 marks for detailed comment, 1 for basic, 0 for quotation alone.Final question — 8 marks
2 commonality (what links the extract to the rest of the text, in terms of the question) · 2 the extract · 4 elsewhere in the text/other poems or stories.How to revise
For each theme of your text, learn 4–6 short quotations from DIFFERENT parts of the text (or different poems). Practise writing commonality statements.Critical Reading — Section 2: critical essay
The task
Choose one question (from a choice of three in your genre) and write an essay on a text you have studied — drama, prose, poetry, film & TV drama or language. Must be a different genre from Section 1.Structure
Introduction (title, writer, key words of the question, line of thought) → 4–6 PEAE paragraphs → conclusion that evaluates the text as a whole.Marking bands
20–19 · 18–16 · 15–13 · 12–10 · 9–6 · 5–0. Judged on knowledge & understanding, analysis and evaluation.Key band words
Analysis: perceptive → detailed → clear → adequate → limited. Evaluation: committed → engaged → clear → adequate.Technical accuracy
Few errors in spelling, grammar, sentence construction, punctuation and paragraphing; understood at first reading. If not met (or irrelevant), maximum 9 marks.Timing
About 45–50 minutes, including 5 minutes to plan. Keep every paragraph tied to the question's wording.Portfolio–writing
Broadly creative
Personal/reflective essay · short story or episode · poem or linked poems · drama script. Top band: strong creative qualities, skilful command of genre, mature reflection, strong sense of personality.Broadly discursive
Argumentative or persuasive essay · report · informative writing. Top band: skilful research and selection, strong sustained line of thought, convincing stance.Rules
First draft in class under supervision (up to 4 hours). Teacher feedback on ONE draft only. Acknowledge all sources. Using generative AI for anything other than suggesting source material is plagiarism.Marks
Bands 15–13 · 12–10 · 9–7 · 6–4 · 3–1 · 0. Consistent technical accuracy is needed for 9–7 and above.Scottish set texts for Higher (valid from 2025–26)
Drama
Sequamur — Donald S Murray · Men Should Weep — Ena Lamont Stewart · The Slab Boys — John ByrneProse
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde — R L Stevenson · The Sunlight Pilgrims — Jenni Fagan · Iain Crichton Smith: The Red Door, Mother and Son, The Painter, The Existence of the Hermit · Scottish short stories: A Voice Spoke to Me at Night (Helen McClory), Things My Wife and I Found Hidden in Our House (Kirsty Logan), Andrina (George Mackay Brown), Death in a Nut (as told by Duncan Williamson)Poetry (1)
Carol Ann Duffy: Originally, Mrs Midas, In Mrs Tilscher's Class, Medusa, Havisham, Before You Were Mine · Norman MacCaig: Aunt Julia, Hotel Room 12th Floor, Basking Shark, On Lachie's Croft, Landscape and I, Old Highland Woman · Liz Lochhead: My Rival's House, Last Supper, Box Room, For My Grandmother Knitting, The Spaces Between, Sorting ThroughPoetry (2)
Don Paterson: Waking with Russell, 11:00: Baldovan, The Circle, The Thread, The Swing, Why Do You Stay Up So Late? · Imtiaz Dharker: Bairn, Bloom, Letters to Glasgow, Send This, Stitch, The Knot · Kathleen Jamie: Crossing the Loch, Mr and Mrs Scotland are Dead, Ospreys, Song of Sunday, The Morrow-bird, What the Clyde said, after COP26Higher Scottish poetry collection
Thomas the Rhymer (traditional ballad) · Composed in August — Robert Burns · The Bonnie Broukit Bairn — Hugh MacDiarmid · Summit of Corrie Etchachan — Nan Shepherd · Da Clearance — Rhoda Bulter · 33 — MacGillivraySource
"Scottish texts for National 5 and Higher English courses" (November 2024), live from 2025–26 and due to stay for at least four years. Your teacher chooses which text you study.Exam-style critical essay questions with plans, plus templates for the 8-mark Scottish text final question. Write your own plan first (5 minutes), then open the plan to compare. Use the plans for texts you have studied — and remember Section 2 must be a different genre from your Scottish text.
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Topics
Sorted weakest first, so you know where to focus.
Timed challenge best scores
Mock test history
Useful websites
Higher English — Qualifications ScotlandCourse specification, specimen papers, 2026–27 changes, course reports
Scottish set text list (valid from 2025–26)Includes the full text of the copyright-free collection poems
Past papers and marking instructionsRemember: before 2026–27 the Scottish text final question was worth 10, not 8
Understanding StandardsReal candidate work with marker commentaries
BBC Bitesize — Higher EnglishGuides to RUAE, critical reading and many set texts
Scottish Poetry Library — set textsRead the set poems and find learning resources
Association for Scottish LiteratureTeaching notes, Sequamur and set-text resources
Scottish Book Trust — set text discussion guidesDiscussion questions and what to read next
Exam tips
- Quote, then comment. In RUAE and the Scottish text, a quotation on its own earns 0 marks.
- Own words. In understanding questions, no marks for straight lifts.
- Answer the question asked. Use its key words in every essay paragraph.
- Know the 8-mark split. Scottish text final question: 2 commonality, 2 extract, 4 elsewhere (from 2026–27).
- Different genres. Your critical essay must be a different genre from your Scottish text.
- Watch the clock. Leave 15 minutes for the RUAE final question; split Critical Reading roughly in half.
- Accuracy matters. An essay with significant technical errors is capped at 9 out of 20.
Study guides, set texts and kit that help with Higher English. Check with your teacher which set text and edition you need before buying. Links go to Amazon — this site may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
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Covers Higher English (Qualifications Scotland, formerly SQA) with 492 practice questions (459 quick-quiz across three levels and 33 exam-style with marking points), 103 flashcards, 20 essay and final-question plans, 2 RUAE mock papers and 3 timed knowledge tests. It covers RUAE skills, the critical essay, every text on the current Scottish set text list (valid from 2025–26), the portfolio and spoken language. Written to the course specification (v6.0, September 2025) and the 2026–27 changes to the Scottish text section. Quotations are kept short and only used where they appear in official marking instructions or the published set-text list. Your progress is saved in this browser only — nothing is sent anywhere. Once loaded, the app also works offline. Not affiliated with Qualifications Scotland.