The revised VCE English study design is not a cosmetic rewrite. The transcripts released by VCAA make it clear that each section of the examination has a distinct intellectual purpose and that success depends on understanding what each section is designed to measure, not just how it looks on the page. When students struggle, it is rarely because the task is unfamiliar. It is because they misread what the task is asking them to demonstrate.
This post unpacks Section A, Section B and Section C using the language and intentions set out by VCAA, drawing directly on the official examination briefings and curriculum explanations
Section A: reading, exploring and responding to texts
Section A continues to assess analytical interpretation, but the emphasis has shifted subtly and deliberately. VCAA has been explicit that responses must demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the text as a constructed work, not just a container of themes. This includes attention to structure, development of ideas and the way meaning is shaped across the text rather than isolated moments
Students often misinterpret “close reference to the text” as quotation density. The curriculum briefings clarify that close reference includes discussion of narrative structure, progression of ideas, character positioning and the development of concerns and values across the text. Quotation remains valid, but it is one form of evidence among several, not the defining feature of strong analysis.
Another recurring issue highlighted by VCAA is topic alignment. Topics are deliberately specific. Students are expected to respond to what the topic raises, not retrofit pre-learned essays to a keyword. High-scoring responses show control in selecting evidence that directly answers the question posed and in shaping paragraphs around that focus.
Section B: creating and crafting texts
Section B is the most misunderstood part of the revised exam. It is not a creative writing free-for-all, nor is it an indirect text response. VCAA describes this area of study as an opportunity for students to demonstrate agency, voice and deliberate authorial choice within clear constraints of audience, purpose and context
In the examination, students write one text in response to a provided title and stimulus material linked to a framework of ideas. The title controls the writing. This is intentional. It prevents rehearsed pieces and rewards students who can adapt ideas under exam conditions.
Markers are looking for purposeful construction. Vocabulary choice, structure at both macro and micro levels, and the consistency of voice all matter, but only insofar as they serve the chosen purpose. A reflective piece must genuinely reflect. An argumentative piece must clearly argue. Expressive writing without coherence or direction is not rewarded.
The role of mentor texts is frequently misunderstood. VCAA has been explicit that mentor texts inform learning, not assessment. Students are not expected to reference them in the exam. What transfers is an understanding of how effective writing works, not borrowed content or structure.
Section C: analysing argument
Section C returns to a familiar task but with clearer boundaries. Students analyse a single unseen persuasive text that may include images or graphics. There is no comparison. There is no evaluation of effectiveness. The task is analysis of argument and language in context
Context and audience are always provided in background information. Purpose is not. Students are expected to infer purpose through careful reading of the text and its situational context. This distinction is crucial and frequently mishandled by students who state purpose without justification.
VCAA has emphasised that the curriculum is broader than the exam. Classroom engagement with debate, discussion protocols and respectful disagreement builds the analytical capacity required for this task, even if those elements are not directly examined. In the exam, however, what matters is the ability to identify contention, trace supporting arguments and explain how language choices position an audience.
Listing techniques remains a common cause of mark loss. High-scoring responses explain how language functions in relation to argument, audience and context. Analysis is causal and purposeful, not descriptive.
Why strong students still lose marks
Across all three sections, VCAA commentary points to the same underlying issue. Students often do more than is required, but less than is needed. They write fluently but without sufficient analytical control. They include evidence without explanation. They prioritise breadth over judgement.
The revised study design rewards selectivity, precision and responsiveness. It rewards students who understand what each section is for and who tailor their writing accordingly.
An ATAR STAR perspective
At ATAR STAR, we teach VCE English by section, not by habit. Students learn how Section A rewards interpretive control, how Section B rewards deliberate construction, and how Section C rewards analytical discipline. This approach supports both high-performing students refining top-end performance and students rebuilding confidence through clarity and structure.
Understanding how VCAA intends the exam to work is not an advantage. It is the foundation.