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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, every ap us history practice exam available: free and official.

Advanced Placement (AP)

If you want to do well on the AP US History exam, you have to practice! Practice tests can help you organize your prep logically around areas of the curriculum that are most challenging for you. This article provides a complete list of all official and unofficial AP US History practice test materials available online , as well as detailed instructions and tips on how to use them in your studying.

Official AP US History Practice Exams and Questions

This section lists all the free official practice tests and questions available online for AP US History. These practice tests and free-response questions come directly from the College Board. You can use the free-response questions to practice writing essays at any point during the school year, but I'd save the full exams for the final stages of your study process .

The closer you get to the AP US History exam, the more important it'll be to understand exactly where your weaknesses lie and which aspects of the test present the most significant challenges. Official materials provide the best practice because the questions are a consistently accurate representation of the content and format of the real test .

Full-Length AP US History Practice Exams

There is one full-length, official AP US History practice tests available for download:

• 2017 Practice Exam

Though the practice test comes with answer keys for the multiple-choice part, you'll have to use the official scoring guidelines to score your own free-response answers. You could also ask your AP US History teacher if they'd be willing to grade your practice essays for you.

This test is the very best free practice exam available online, so try to save it for when you're closer to test day and want to get an accurate estimate of your score level.

AP US History Free Response Questions, 2015-2020 and 2021

Free-response questions for AP US History have undergone some minor changes in recent years, but these sample questions will still closely resemble the format of the free-response section of the test that you're taking . You'll also find scoring guidelines here and some sample student responses.

I encourage you to save the most up-to-date questions for later on in the study process so that you can get a better idea of what your scores will look like on the real AP test.

AP US History Course and Exam Descriptions

Official AP US History Course and Exam Descriptions offer plenty of multiple-choice questions and free-response questions—just not in the format of a full-length test . You can get some great practice with these materials, especially if you're looking to zero in on specific weaknesses.

Here are the APUSH Exam Descriptions that are currently available online:

• Course and Exam Description : Updated for current AP exam format. Contains 17 multiple-choice questions, one short-answer question, one DBQ, and one Long Essay prompt.
• 2017-18 Course and Exam Description : Mostly updated for current exam format. Contains the same questions as those in the 2017 practice test linked above.

There is also this document with sample questions from the 2012 AP US History curriculum framework . With this, you'll get 11 multiple-choice questions, three short-answer questions, one DBQ, and two Long Essay prompts.

AP Classroom

This new and innovative tool by the College Board allows you to complete and submit homework for your AP US History class online through a special portal managed by your US History teacher. What's really cool, though, is that your teacher can also assign you official practice questions here as a way to supplement your exam prep.

AP US History Document-Based Questions, 1973-1999

This document includes a bunch of DBQs from past versions of the AP US History test. This question has remained relatively consistent throughout the years, so I'd say these are totally fine to use as practice materials.

You never know exactly what the documents will look like on the test, so you should practice analyzing them until you feel comfortable with all different types of sources.

Unofficial AP US History Practice Tests and Questions

The following AP US History tests are not directly from the College Board, but they will still help you become familiar with the material. This section includes links to both full unofficial practice tests and small-scale, topic-specific quizzes. The short quizzes may be useful in the early stages of your studying when you want to target certain eras or avoid questions on material your class hasn't covered yet.

AP US History Prep Books

Even though I'm emphasizing online practice materials in this article, it's also worth mentioning that some APUSH prep books include high-quality practice tests that are modeled directly after the newest version of the exam. If you're willing to part with some of that sweet cash money, check out our list of the best review books for AP US History .

High School Test Prep Practice Tests

This site has nine quizzes, each covering a different time period. The quizzes are each 20 questions long and are multiple choice. They're not a great match for the actual AP US History exam, but they can be good practice for basic dates and facts, especially if there's a time period you're particularly shaky on.

Full Old-Format Practice Exam

This old-format AP US History practice test was created by an AP teacher. It has 80 multiple-choice questions, each with five answer choices (the current test format has 55 questions and four answer choices for each question, so you'll need to tweak this old exam a lot). It also has one DBQ and some essay prompts that are a little different from the current Long Essay requirement.

Historyteacher.net Mini Practice Quizzes

Here, you'll find practice quizzes for every topic covered in the US History course. There are multiple-choice questions and for some topics "short answer" questions (there's a drop-down menu of 12 answer choices). These won't help much with the more analytical elements of the test, but if you want to test your factual recall, they'll serve you well.

Albert AP US History Practice Quizzes

Albert maintains a series of free, high-quality practice quizzes on every topic covered by the AP US History curriculum (and all have been updated for the 2020 exam format and units). Some resources other fee, other require a paid membership. As you take them, the site will display stats that detail how you're faring on questions of each difficulty level. This should help you figure out the areas in which your memory is shakier.

Practice Quizzes for The American Pageant , 12th Edition

This site has chapter-by-chapter practice quizzes organized around an old edition of The American Pageant textbook. Questions are multiple choice and true/false. Again, this is more helpful for factual recall than for analysis questions.

AP US History Notes Multiple-Choice Practice Test

This test has just 40 questions, but the website also includes a list of frequently asked AP US History multiple-choice questions that will prepare you better for the exam.

McGraw-Hill American History Chapter Quizzes

This site contains 32 multiple-choice quizzes, one for each chapter of the 13th edition of the McGraw-Hill US History textbook. The quizzes follow the organization of the textbook, but they can still be useful even if your class uses a different book. Each quiz is titled so you can know what part of US History it's testing you on.

Additional Resources for Practice Quizzes on All US History Topics

These are a few additional sites that have a bunch of short practice quizzes on every topic in the APUSH curriculum. Use these resources if you're looking for additional questions that will test your basic knowledge of events in US History, or if you're looking for more questions dealing with a specific time period.

• CourseNotes Practice Quizzes for AP US History
• Varsity Tutors AP US History Practice Quizzes  
• Matching and Multiple-Choice Short Practice Quizzes
• Crack AP Multiple-Choice Practice Tests

How to Use AP US History Practice Exams in Each Semester

Now, you have all sorts of AP US History practice resources—but what's the best way to use them? In this section, we go over exactly how you should be studying with AP practice exams during each semester of the APUSH class.

First Semester

At this point, you can mostly rely on unofficial AP US History tests and quizzes that only deal with the topics your class has covered. Many of the websites listed above have large collections of questions for each unit of the course. Work on building a strong foundation of knowledge so that you'll be prepared to answer more advanced analytical questions in the future.

You can also look through the official free-response practice questions to find some you feel confident answering based on what you've learned so far. It's never too early to start practicing for the free-response section, especially when it comes to the Document-Based Question, or DBQ.

Writing a coherent argumentative essay that incorporates six or seven different sources in just 50 minutes is a tough skill to master! Try to come up with an essay-writing process that works well for you so that you're a pro by the time the AP test rolls around.

Second Semester

Start taking full AP US History practice tests and assessing your score level midway through the second semester (March is a good time to get the ball rolling on this). By then, you've learned enough of the material for your scores on APUSH practice tests to be fairly accurate predictions of your final AP exam scores.

Since the US History test has undergone various changes in recent years, you won't have many full official practice tests that reflect the current format. Use your limited resources wisely by carefully assessing your performance on each practice test and studying your weak areas before you take additional tests.

We recommend taking and scoring an initial APUSH practice test (with accurate time constraints!) before you do any studying. As you take the test, mark any questions you're unsure about; you will want to study that material later even if you end up guessing correctly. After you score your test, categorize your mistakes by time period and theme to see whether there are any patterns .

Next, start studying the areas that need work . You can turn to unofficial AP US History practice questions here to test your knowledge. You should also practice writing essay outlines so you're more prepared for the free-response section. Once you feel that you've mastered all the AP topics that stumped you on the first test, take another practice test to see whether you've improved.

Decide whether or not you want to repeat this process based on your score on the second test. If you haven't improved much, you should reconsider your prep methods. Spend a longer time checking in with yourself to make sure you've retained information. You can also plan on doing more practice questions between full tests so that you're prepared for both the format and the content tested.

AP US History Practice: 4 Essential Testing Tips

Before we wrap up, here are four critical test-day tips to remember on the day of your US History exam.

#1: Read Excerpts Carefully and Look for Direct Evidence

The multiple-choice section on AP US History is based on excerpts from historical source materials, or stimuli, so it tests both analytical skills and factual recall. You'll have to read the source material carefully to find the correct answer.

In many cases, several answer choices are historically accurate, but only one will be directly supported by the evidence in the excerpt or illustration. Look for direct connections, and don't make too many assumptions based on your prior knowledge.

#2: Plan Out Your Essays

When you have to write a timed essay, it can sometimes end up an unfocused, disorganized mess. This is exactly what you don't want to happen on the AP US History exam. Hold yourself back from starting the writing process immediately, even if you're anxious about not finishing in time.

Writing a preliminary outline is critical on this test. Without an outline, you run the risk of rambling and getting stuck when you can't identify a good piece of supporting evidence! It'll be far easier to write your essays if you already have a structure in place that makes sense.

#3: Get Comfy With the Document-Based Question

The Document-Based Question is different from other essay questions that you'll encounter on AP tests. In fact, it's probably the only question of its kind that you've ever seen on any test. DBQs can seem intimidating and weird, so make sure you practice them as much as possible before the real exam.

Write notes next to each piece of source material to give yourself a basic idea of what it is and how it could be used to support the points you plan on making in your essay. You should also come up with a strategy for approaching these questions that works well for you before you're face-to-face with the DBQ on test day.

#4: Incorporate Background Information (Wisely)

It's a great move to include outside historical references that support your arguments for the DBQ and/or Long Essay. Even though you're given seven sources to use as evidence in the DBQ, making additional outside connections will show that you've really mastered the material .

Just remember to be careful with using outside information. Don't fact-vomit all over the essay with everything you've ever learned about a topic. Structure your thoughts so that any outside information relates directly to the main argument of your essay.

Recap: Using AP US History Practice Tests to Ace the Exam

The AP US History practice tests in this article should serve as useful resources for you as you prep for the AP exam and any in-class assessments. Remember that official College Board questions are the highest quality practice materials, so use them wisely. We recommend trying to save most of the official practice resources for when you're closer to the actual APUSH test. You can use unofficial materials throughout the school year to brush up on specific topics in the course.

To recap, here are our four top study tips for AP US History :

• Read excerpts carefully and look for direct evidence in the source(s)
• Practice planning out and outlining your essays for free-response questions
• Get comfortable with the Document-Based Question
• Use background information without over using it

With these tips in mind, you can take full advantage of the practice materials, become a master of US History, and show the AP test who's boss!

What's Next?

Are you missing some of your notes from class? We've got links to great notes for AP US History that will give you tons of information on every topic in the course.

How can you know whether your AP US History practice test results are equivalent to a high or low AP score? Learn more about how AP tests are scored in our guide .

Samantha is a blog content writer for PrepScholar. Her goal is to help students adopt a less stressful view of standardized testing and other academic challenges through her articles. Samantha is also passionate about art and graduated with honors from Dartmouth College as a Studio Art major in 2014. In high school, she earned a 2400 on the SAT, 5's on all seven of her AP tests, and was named a National Merit Scholar.

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100 IELTS Essay Questions

Below are practice IELTS essay questions and topics for writing task 2. The 100 essay questions have been used many times over the years. The questions are organised under common topics and essay types. IELTS often use the similar topics for their essays but change the wording of the essay question.

In order to prepare well for writing task 2, you should prepare ideas for common topics and then practise applying them to the tasks given (to the essay questions). Also see model essays and tips  for writing task 2.

Below you will find:

• Essay Questions By Topic
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Please also note that my new Grammar E-book is now available in my store along with my Ideas for Essay Topics E-book and Advanced Writing Lessons. To visit store, click here: Liz’s Store

1) Common IELTS Essay Questions

IELTS practice essay questions divided by topic. These topics have been reported by IELTS students in their tests. Essay questions have been recreated as accurately as possible.

• Art   (5 essay questions)
• Business & Money   (17 essay questions)
• Communication & Personality   (20 essay questions)
• Crime & Punishment   (12 essay questions)
• Education   (17 essay questions)
• Environment   (12 essay questions)
• Family & Children   (8 essay questions)
• Food & Diet (13 essay questions)
• Government (6 essay questions)
• Health   (9 essay questions)
• Housing, Buildings & Urban Planning (8 essay questions)
• Language (6 essay questions)
• Leisure (1 essay question)
• Media & Advertising   (12 essay questions)
• Reading  (5 essay questions)
• Society   (10 essay questions)
• Space Exploration (3 questions)
• Sport & Exercise   (6 essay questions)
• Technology  (6 essay questions)
• Tourism and Travel   (11 essay questions)
• Transport  (7 essay questions)
• Work (17 essay questions)

2) IELTS Essay Questions by Essay Type 

There are 5 main types of essay questions in IELTS writing task 2 (opinion essays, discussion essay, advantage/disadvantage essays, solution essay and direct question essays). Click on the links below to see some sample essay questions for each type.

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UPSC Essay Topic wise Question Papers of last 31 years (1993-2023) for Civil Services IAS/IPS Exam Free Download

In the UPSC mains examination, essay paper is worth 250 marks and three hours. Here is the topic wise questions from the earlier years for the benefit of civil service IAS IPS aspirants.

1.1 India Since Independence

1.2 federalism, decentralization, 1.3 administration, 1.4 judiciary, 1.5 poverty, social justice, 1.6 indian society, culture and values, 1.7 media, tv & cinema, literature, 2.1 growth vs development, 2.2 environment vs development, 2.4 sectors of economy, 3.1 values in education, 3.2 scheme implementation, 3.3 higher education, 4.1 character, honesty, ethics, 4.2 knowledge, 4.3 compassion, 4.4 truth and reality, 4.5 youth, discipline, 4.6 towards excellence, 5.1 @national politics, 5.2 @world / quote type, 5.3 empowerment overall, 5.4 compared to men, 6.1 globalization, 6.2 international org./ bilateral, 6.3 security, 6.4 history, 7.1 science and religion, 7.2 science and education, 7.3 computer and internet, 7.4 sci-tech: others, appendix: linear paper of upsc essay 2023, appendix: linear paper of upsc essay 2022, appendix: model answer pe free lecture & powerpoint, appendix: syllabus of essay paper in upsc, 1 india: democracy, administration, society, culture.

• Is the Colonial mentality hindering India’s Success? -2013
• In the context of Gandhiji’s views on the matter, explore, on an evolutionary scale, the terms ‘Swadhinata’, ‘Swaraj’ and ‘Dharmarajya’. Critically comment on their contemporary relevance to Indian democracy -2012
• Dreams which should not let India sleep. -2015
• Why should we be proud of being Indians? -2000
• Whither Indian democracy? -1995
• How far has democracy in India delivered the goods? -2003
• What we have not learnt during fifty years of independence. -1997
• What have we gained from our democratic set-up? -2001
• My vision of India in 2001 a.d. -1993
• Impact of the new economic measures on fiscal ties between the union and states in India. -2017
• Water disputes between States in federal India. -2016
• Cooperative federalism : Myth or reality. -2016
• Creation of smaller states and the consequent administrative, economic and developmental implication -2011
• Evaluation of panchayati raj system in India from the point of view of eradication of power to people. -2007
• Water resources should be under the control of the central government. -2004
• The language problem in India: its past, present and prospects. -1998
• There are better practices to “best practices”. -2021
• How should a civil servant conduct himself? -2003
• Politics without ethics is a disaster. -1995
• The VIP cult is a bane of Indian democracy -1996
• Need for transparency in public administration -1996
• The country’s need for a better disaster management system. -2000
• Politics, bureaucracy and business – fatal triangle. -1994
• We may brave human laws but cannot resist natural laws. -2017
• Justice must reach the poor -2005
• Judicial activism and Indian democracy. -2004
• Judicial activism. -1997
• A society that has more justice is a society that needs less charity. (- जिस समाज में अधिक न्याय होता है उस समाज को दान की कम आवश्यकता होती है।) – 2023
• There can be no social justice without economic prosperity but economic prosperity without social justice is meaningless (बिना आर्थिक समृद्धि के सामाजिक न्याय नहीं हो सकता, किन्तु बिना सामाजिक न्याय के आर्थिक समृद्धि निरर्थक है ) -2020
• Neglect of primary health care and education in India are reasons for its backwardness. -2019
• The focus of health care is increasingly getting skewed towards the ‘haves’ of our society. -2009
• Food security for sustainable national development -2005
• Reservation, politics and empowerment. -1999
• Culture is what we are, civilization is what we have (जो हम है, वह संस्कार; जो हमारे पास है, वह सभ्यता ) -2020
• Indian culture today: a myth or a reality? -2000
• Modernism and our traditional socio-ethical values. -2000
• The composite culture of India. -1998
• The Indian society at the crossroads. -1994
• From traditional Indian philanthropy to the gates-buffet model-a natural progression or a paradigm shift? -2010
• New cults and godmen: a threat to traditional religion -1996
• Biased media is a real threat to Indian democracy. -2019
• Responsibility of media in a democracy. -2002
• Role of media in good governance -2008
• Does Indian cinema shape our popular culture or merely reflect it? -2011
• How has satellite television brought about cultural change in Indian mindsets? -2007
• Is sting operation an invasion on privacy? -2014
• Mass media and cultural invasion. -1999
• The misinterpretation and misuse of freedom in India. -1998
• Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world (कवि संसार के अनधिकृत रूप से विधायक होते हैं) – 2022

2 Economy, Development

• Poverty anywhere is a threat to prosperity everywhere. -2018
• Digital economy: A leveller or a source of economic inequality. -2016
• Innovation is the key determinant of economic growth and social welfare. -2016
• Near jobless growth in India: An anomaly or an outcome of economic reforms. -2016
• Crisis faced in India – moral or economic. -2015
• Was it the policy paralysis or the paralysis of implementation which slowed the growth of our country? -2014
• GDP (Gross Domestic Product) along with GDH (Gross Domestic Happiness) would be the right indices for judging the wellbeing of a country-2013
• Can capitalism bring inclusive growth? -2015
• Resource management in the Indian context. -1999
• Economic growth without distributive justice is bound to breed violence. -1993
• Forests are the best case studies for economic excellence (आर्थिक समृद्धि हासिल करने के मामले में वन सर्वोत्तम प्रतिमान होते हैं।) – 2022
• Alternative technologies for a climate change resilient India. -2018
• Should a moratorium be imposed on all fresh mining in tribal areas of the country? -2010
• Urbanisation and its hazards -2008
• Protection of ecology and environment is essential for sustained economic development. -2006
• Urbanization is a blessing in disguise. -1997
• Ecological considerations need not hamper development. -1993
• Globalization would finish small-scale industries in India. -2006
• Multinational corporations – saviours or saboteurs -1994
• Special economic zone: boon or bane -2008
• Is the criticism that the ‘Public-Private-Partnership’ (PPP) model for development is more of a bane than a boon in the Indian context, justified ?-2012
• Farming has lost the ability to be a source of subsistence for majority of farmers in India. -2017
• BPO boom in India. -2007
• Tourism: Can this be the next big thing for India? -2014
• Are our traditional handicrafts doomed to a slow death? -2009

3 Education

• Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in – school. (- शिक्षा वह है जो विद्यालय में विधालय में सीखी गई बातों को भूल जाने के बाद भी शेष रह जाती है।)
• Destiny of a nation is shaped in its classrooms. -2017
• Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make a man more clever devil-2015
• Independent thinking should be encouraged right form the childhood. -2007
• Are the standardized tests good measure of academic ability or progress? -2014
• Irrelevance of the classroom. -2001
• Is the growing level of competition good for the youth? -2014
• Literacy is growing very fast, but there is no corresponding growth in education. -1996
• Is an egalitarian society possible by educating the masses ? -2008
• What is real education? -2005
• “Education for all” campaign in India: myth or reality. -2006
• Restructuring of Indian education system. -1995
• Privatization of higher education in India. -2002
• Credit – based higher education system – status, opportunities and challenges -2011

4 Quote based, Philosophy, Ethics

• A smile is the chosen vehicle for all ambiguities (हर असमंजस के लिए मुस्कराहट ही चुनिन्दा साधन है) – 2022
• Philosophy of wantlessness is a Utopian, while materialism is a chimera. -2021
• Your perception of me is a reflection of you; my reaction to you is an awareness of me. -2021
• Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication (सरलता चरम परिष्करण है ) -2020
• Ships don’t sink because of water around them ships sink because of water that gets into them (जहाज अपने चारों तरफ के पानी के वजह से नहीं डूबा करते, जहाज पानी के अंदर समां जाने की वजह से डूबता हैं ) -2020
• Life is a long journey between being human and being humane.  (मनुष्य होने और मानव बनने के बीच का लम्बा सफर ही जीवन है)-2020
• Values are not what humanity is, but what humanity ought to be -2019
• Best for an individual is not necessarily best for the society -2019
• Courage to accept and dedication to improve are two keys to success -2019
• Wisdom finds truth -2019
• A people that values its privileges above its principles loses both. -2018
• Customary morality cannot be a guide to modem file. -2018
• Need brings greed, if greed increases it spoils breed. -2016
• Character of an institution is reflected in its leader. -2015
• With greater power comes greater responsibility. -2014
• Words are sharper than the two-edged sword. -2014
• Attitude makes, habit makes character and character makes a man. -2007
• He would reigns within himself and folds his passions and desires and fears is more than a king. -1993
• Thinking is like a game, it does not begin unless there is an opposite team. (- सोच एक खेल की तरह है, यह तब तक शुरू नहीं होता है जब तक कि एक विपरीत टीम/पक्ष न हो।) – 2023
• Mathematics is the music of reason. (- गणित ज्ञान का संगीत है।) – 2023
• The real is rational and the rational is real. -2021
• Mindful manifesto is the catalyst to a tranquil self (विचारपरक संकल्प स्वयं के शांतचित्त रहने का उत्प्रेरक है )-2020
• ‘The past’ is a permanent dimension of human consciousness and values. -2018
• A good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge. -2018
• There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so. -2003
• Disinterested intellectual curiosity is the lifeblood of civilisation. -1995
• Joy is the simplest form of gratitude. -2017
• Compassion is the basic of all morality of the world -1993
• Lending hands to someone is better than giving a dole. -2015
• Be the change you want to see in others (Gandhi)-2013
• Just because you have a choice, it does not mean that any of them has to be right (केवल इसलिए कि आपके पास विकल्प हैं, इसका यह अर्थ कदापि नहीं है कि उनमें से किसी को भी ठीक होना ही होगा) – 2022
• Reality does not conform to the ideal, but confirms it. -2018
• Truth is lived, not taught -1996
• When money speaks, the truth is silent. -1995
• Search for truth can only be a spiritual problem. -2002
• The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining (छप्पर मरम्मत करने का समय तभी होता है, जब धूप खिली हुई हो) – 2022
• You cannot step twice in the same river (आप उसी नदी में दोबारा नहीं उतर सकते) – 2022
• Discipline means success, anarchy means ruin -2008
• Youth is a blunder, manhood a struggle, old age a regret -1994
• If youth knew, if age could. -2002
• Youth culture today. -1999
• Fifty Golds in Olympics: Can this be a reality for India? -2014
• Visionary decision-making happens at the intersection of intuition and logic. (- दूरदर्शी निर्णय तभी लिए जाते है अंतर्ज्ञान और तर्क का परस्पर मेल होता है।) – 2023
• Not all who wander are lost. (- भटकने वाले सभी गुम नहीं हो जाते।) – 2023
• Inspiration for creativity springs from the effort to look for the magical in the mundane (- रचनात्मकता की प्रेरणा अलौकिक ता में चमत्कार ढूंढने के प्रयास से उपजति है) – 2023
• A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what ship is for (जहाज बन्दरगाह के भीतर सुरक्षित होता है, परन्तु इसके लिए तो वह होता नहीं है) – 2022
• Quick but steady wins the race. -2015
• Useless life is an early death. -1994
• Our deeds determine us, as much as we determine our deeds. -1995
• The paths of glory lead but to the grave. -2002
• The pursuit of excellence. -2001

5 Women empowerment

• Greater political power alone will not improve women’s plight. -1997
• Women’s reservation bill would usher in empowerment for women in India. -2006
• The new emerging women power: the ground realities. -1995
• Hand that rocks the cradle rules the world. -2021
• If women ruled the world -2005
• The hand that rocks the cradle -2005
• Patriarchy is the least noticed yet the most significant structure of social inequality (पितृ-सत्ता की व्यवस्था नजर मैं बहुत काम आने के बावजूद सामाजिक विषमता की सबसे प्रभावी संरचना है) -2020
• Fulfilment of ‘new woman’ in India is a myth. -2017
• If development is not engendered, it is endangered. -2016
• Whither women’s emancipation? -2004
• Empowerment alone cannot help our women. -2001
• Women empowerment: challenges and prospects. -1999
• Woman is god’s best creation. -1998
• Men have failed: let women take over. -1993
• Managing work and home – is the Indian working woman getting a fair deal ?-2012

6 International issues, Internal Security, History

• South Asian societies are woven not around the state, but around their plural cultures and plural identities. -2019
• Modernisation and westernisation are not identical concepts. -1994
• ‘globalization’ vs. ‘nationalism’ -2009
• National identity and patriotism -2008
• Globalizations and its impact on Indian culture. -2004
• The masks of new imperialism. -2003
• As civilization advances culture declines. -2003
• The implications of globalization for India. -2000
• My vision of an ideal world order. -2001
• India’s contribution to world wisdom. -1998
• The world of the twenty-first century. -1998
• Preparedness of our society for India’s global leadership role. -2010
• Technology as the silent factor in international relations (अंतर्राष्ट्रीय संबंधों मैं मौन करक के रूप मैं प्रौद्योगिकी) -2020
• Has the Non-Alignment Movement (NAM) lost its relevance in a multipolar world ? -2017
• Restructuring of UNO reflect present realities -1996
• The global order: political and economic -1993
• India’s role in promoting ASEAN co-operation. -2004
• Importance of Indo-US nuclear agreement -2006
• Management of Indian border dispute is a complex task. -2018
• In the Indian context , both human intelligence and technical intelligence are crucial in combating terrorism -2011
• Are we a ‘soft’ state ? -2009
• Good fences make good neighbours -2009
• Is autonomy the best answer to combat balkanization? -2007
• Terrorism and world peace -2005
• True religion cannot be misused. -1997
• History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce. -2021
• Geography may remain the same ; history need not. -2010

7 Science-Technology

• Spirituality and scientific temper. -2003
• Science and Mysticism : Are they compatible ?-2012
• What is research, but a blind date with knowledge! -2021
• Modern technological education and human values. -2002
• Value-based science and education. -1999
• The march of science and the erosion of human values. -2001
• The process of self-discovery has now been technologically outsourced. -2021
• Rise of Artificial Intelligence: the threat of jobless future or better job opportunities through reskilling and upskilling. -2019
• ‘Social media’ is inherently a selfish medium. -2017
• Cyberspace and Internet : Blessing or curse to the human civilization in the long run -2016
• Increasing computerization would lead to the creation of a dehumanized society. -2006
• The cyberworld: its charms and challenges. -2000
• Computer: the harbinger of silent revolution. -1993
• Technology cannot replace manpower. -2015
• Science and technology is the panacea for the growth and security of the nation-2013
• The modern doctor and his patients. -1997
• The lure of space. -2004

Section-A (write any one)

• Thinking is like a game, it does not begin unless there is an opposite team. (- सोच एक खेल की तरह है, यह तब तक शुरू नहीं होता है जब तक कि एक विपरीत टीम/पक्ष न हो।)
• Visionary decision-making happens at the intersection of intuition and logic. (- दूरदर्शी निर्णय तभी लिए जाते है अंतर्ज्ञान और तर्क का परस्पर मेल होता है।)
• Not all who wander are lost. (- भटकने वाले सभी गुम नहीं हो जाते।)
• Inspiration for creativity springs from the effort to look for the magical in the mundane (- रचनात्मकता की प्रेरणा अलौकिक ता में चमत्कार ढूंढने के प्रयास से उपजति है)

Section-B (write any one)

• Girls are weighed down by restrictions, boys with demands – two equally harmful disciplines. (-लड़कियां बंदिशों के तथा लड़के अपेक्षा के बोझ तले दबे हुए होते हैं दोनों ही समान रूप से हानिकारक व्यवस्थाएं हैं।)
• Mathematics is the music of reason. (- गणित ज्ञान का संगीत है।)
• A society that has more justice is a society that needs less charity. (- जिस समाज में अधिक न्याय होता है उस समाज को दान की कम आवश्यकता होती है।)

Answer one-one essay from each section in 1000-1200 words

• History is a series of victories won by the scientific man over the romantic man (इतिहास वैज्ञानिक मनुष्य के रूमानी मनुष्य पर विजय हासिल करने का एक सिलसिला है।) – 2022
• A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what ship is for (जहाज बन्दरगाह के भीतर सुरक्षित होता है, परन्तु इसके लिए तो वह होता नहीं है) & 2022
• Just because you have a choice, it does not mean that any of them has to be right (केवल इसलिए कि आपके पास विकल्प हैं, इसका यह अर्थ कदापि नहीं है कि उनमें से किसी को भी ठीक होना ही होगा) – 2022

Essay: Candidates may be required to write essays on multiple topics. They will be expected to keep closely to the subject of the essay to arrange their ideas in orderly fashion, and to write concisely. Credit will be given for effective and exact expression.

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Some of the 2022 past papers are labelled 'modified'. This means SQA made changes to the question paper in response to the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, as part of our modifications to assessment in National Courses. For example, a modified past paper may be shorter, have fewer marks or contain fewer topics than past papers from previous years.

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A strong analytical question

• speaks to a genuine dilemma presented by your sources . In other words, the question focuses on a real confusion, problem, ambiguity, or gray area, about which readers will conceivably have different reactions, opinions, or ideas.  
• yields an answer that is not obvious . If you ask, "What did this author say about this topic?” there’s nothing to explore because any reader of that text would answer that question in the same way. But if you ask, “how can we reconcile point A and point B in this text,” readers will want to see how you solve that inconsistency in your essay.  
• suggests an answer complex enough to require a whole essay's worth of discussion. If the question is too vague, it won't suggest a line of argument. The question should elicit reflection and argument rather than summary or description.  
• can be explored using the sources you have available for the assignment , rather than by generalizations or by research beyond the scope of your assignment.  

How to come up with an analytical question  

One useful starting point when you’re trying to identify an analytical question is to look for points of tension in your sources, either within one source or among sources. It can be helpful to think of those points of tension as the moments where you need to stop and think before you can move forward. Here are some examples of where you may find points of tension:

• You may read a published view that doesn’t seem convincing to you, and you may want to ask a question about what’s missing or about how the evidence might be reconsidered.  
• You may notice an inconsistency, gap, or ambiguity in the evidence, and you may want to explore how that changes your understanding of something.  
• You may identify an unexpected wrinkle that you think deserves more attention, and you may want to ask a question about it.  
• You may notice an unexpected conclusion that you think doesn’t quite add up, and you may want to ask how the authors of a source reached that conclusion.  
• You may identify a controversy that you think needs to be addressed, and you may want to ask a question about how it might be resolved.  
• You may notice a problem that you think has been ignored, and you may want to try to solve it or consider why it has been ignored.  
• You may encounter a piece of evidence that you think warrants a closer look, and you may raise questions about it.  

Once you’ve identified a point of tension and raised a question about it, you will try to answer that question in your essay. Your main idea or claim in answer to that question will be your thesis.

• "How" and "why" questions generally require more analysis than "who/ what/when/where” questions.  
• Good analytical questions can highlight patterns/connections, or contradictions/dilemmas/problems.  
• Good analytical questions establish the scope of an argument, allowing you to focus on a manageable part of a broad topic or a collection of sources.  
• Good analytical questions can also address implications or consequences of your analysis.
• picture_as_pdf Asking Analytical Questions

SELECTION oF  PAST ESSAYS 

A government funds its own expenditure by taxing its population. suppose, instead, it relied solely on money newly created by the central bank what would be the advantages and/or disadvantages   , should we judge those from the past by the standards of today how will historians in the future judge us, kit young tham first prize, 2023, are beliefs voluntary, hannah kim third prize, 2023  , if you cannot persuade your intelligent, sympathetic friends to embrace your religious belief system, do you have enough reason to believe what you believe, should ‘innocent until proven guilty’ apply not only to courts of law, but also to public censure, should the law ever prevent people from freely making self-harming decisions if so, what should and shouldn’t be forbidden – and according to which principles, major shokar first prize, 2021  , shivrav sharma second prize, 2023, economics essay, history essay, psychology essay, theology essay, huaming li second prize, 2021  , joonyoung heo first prize, 2021, junior essay, philosophy essay.

Is tax theft?

Hosai kishida, shanghai american school grand prize, 2023, which characteristics distinguish successful movements for social change from unsuccessful ones, hannah fareed second prize, 2023.

150+ WAEC English Essay Past Questions (PDF)

Discover both the oldest and the latest WAEC English essay past questions in this mega list.

Are you a teacher or student of High School English Language? This collection of past questions on WAEC English composition will be of great help to you.

Old WAEC English essay past questions from “ancient” times like 1997 or 2002 are no longer relevant. Right?

Past questions are past questions. Trust WAEC to, at any time, repeat word for word some of their past questions from either distant years in the past or from a relatively recent year.

Sometimes too, all the WAEC examiners do is to slightly modify the wording of the same English Language essay past question. Then they present it to you as if it were completely new.

What Smart Students/Teachers Do With Past Questions

This is why the smartest students who keep getting the best WAEC/NECO/JAMB grades for essay writing are the ones who spend quality time studying and practicing WAEC English essay past questions. They and their teachers don’t really care whether the WAEC past essay question is coming from 1990 or 2020.

Because the ideas have always been the same. The aspects of life on which the examiners base their WAEC English essay past questions remain almost unchanged.

In another post on this site, I share with you the secrets behind how the guys at WAEC set their essay questions.

Trust me, the smartest move to make, as you prepare for the English or any other General Arts essay paper, is to study and practice as many WAEC past essay questions as possible.

The results have always proven this strategy to be very effective. So this approach can work the magic for you too.

PDF Download – Premium

Would you prefer to download this document for future use? I think you should. You can start downloading the PDF version of the WAEC past essay questions by clicking here.

Now, are you ready to take seriously both the oldest and the newest WAEC English essay past questions? Then come with me as I give you some of the most relevant English composition past questions from GCE and SSCE to WASSCE.

WAEC/NECO SSCE/ WASSCE/ GCE ENGLISH LANGUAGE COMPOSITION PAST QUESTIONS

Please note that this post is a living document. Expect me to add more English essay past questions that matter to you most as time goes on. Thank you!

Top 10 Features of A High-Grade Essay

Free Essays for Schools and Colleges

NOVEMBER 1997

1.   Your close friend missed an interesting event that took place in your school when he was on admission at the hospital. Write a letter to him describing what happened.

2.   Armed robbery has become rampant in your locality. Write a letter to your Member of Parliament giving at least three reasons for this state of affairs and suggesting ways of solving the problem.

3.   As the out-going sports prefect write a report for publication in your school magazine on sporting activities during your term of office.

4.   As the principal speaker at an inter-school debate, write your contribution for or against the motion. ”The youth of today have more opportunities than their predecessors.”

5.   Describe a political rally you recently attended.

6.   Write a story, which ends with, “One gets such an opportunity once in a lifetime.”

NOVEMBER 1998

1. Your friend has written to tell you that he has decided to learn a trade after his senior secondary school course. Write a reply to him giving at least three reasons why you support or disagree with his decision.

2.  Examination malpractice has become rampant in schools in your country. Write a letter to the Minister of Education discussing at least three causes of this problem and suggesting ways of solving it.

3.  As part of the activities of the 40 th  Independence Anniversary Celebration of Ghana, the Ministry of Education is organizing an essay competition on the topic Ghana’s Independence: a blessing or a curse? Write your entry.

4.  Describe a schoolmate you would nominate as “The Best Student of the Year.”

5.  As the principal speaker at an inter-school debate, write your contribution for or against the motion: ”Money and possessions do not necessarily bring happiness.’

6.  Write an article for publication in a national newspaper on the topic “The problems of street children and how to solve them.

    NOVEMBER 1999

 1.  Your pen pal has written to inform you that he will like to pay you a one-week visit in your country. Write a reply stating the programme you have drawn up to cover the visit.

 2.  Your school is celebrating its speech and Prize Giving Day. As the school prefect, you have been asked to give a speech on the topic: The achievements of my school in the last academic year. Write your speech.

 3.  You were standing at a bus stop when two taxis collided. The drivers got out of their cars and after a heated argument, a fight ensued. Write a description of the incident.

 4.  As the principal speaker in a debate, write your contribution for or against the topic: The disabled can make a meaningful contribution to national development.

  5.  You have been asked to give a talk to a group of foreign tourists on the role of traditional healers in your area. Write out your speech.

NOVEMBER 2000

1. Write a letter to a friend in another school giving at least three reasons why you support the establishment of private Universities in the Country

2. You are totally opposed to corporal punishment in your school though your teachers administer it. Write a letter to the District Director of Education, suggesting at least three better ways of punishing students.

3. As the principal speaker at an inter-school debate, write your contribution for  or against  the motion: we do not need the extended family in a changing Ghanaian society.

4. Write a story entitled “The Haunted House”.

5. The national Commission on Culture (NCC) is organizing an essay competition on the topic, the installation of a chief in Ghanaian society. Write your entry, using your traditional area as a reference.

• You are a speaker in a debate on the topic: Official visits abroad by a Head of state are beneficial to a country. Write out your speech for  or  against  the motion.
• Write a story ending…… It was not a pleasant experience.
• The rate at which teenage girls are becoming pregnant is alarming. Write a letter to the editor of a national newspaper discussing at least three factors responsible for this problem and suggesting solutions.
• Your school is celebrating its silver jubilee. As the current school prefect, write the speech you will deliver, outlining the achievements of your school, the problems you encounter as students and your hopes for the future.
• You have returned to your hometown after a long absence. Describe at least three changes you have noticed and their effects on the lives of your people.

NOVEMBER 2001

• Your elder brother living abroad has alleged that the youth in your area are unemployed because they are lazy. Write a letter to him giving at least three reasons why you disagree.
• Write a speech to be delivered during the Minister of communication’s visit to your school, giving reasons why you need an FM radio station in your area.
• As the out- going Dining Hall Prefect, write a report on your tenure of office.
• The Ministry of Education is organizing an essay competition on the topic: “Music should be made a core subject in the senior secondary school”. Write your entry.
• Describe in detail a memorable occasion during which an eminent personality in your town was honoured
• There has been an upsurge in AIDS cases in your country recently. Write a letter to the Minister of Health discussing the issue and suggesting at least three ways by which the disease can be prevented.
• You have accompanied your father on his transfer to a new town. Describe this new environment, stating what you like or dislike about it
• Write a story that illustrates the saying “ Birds of the same feather flock together”
• Some people argue that rapists should be executed. In an article suitable for publication in a national newspaper, express your opinion on this controversy.
• Your school is organizing a debate on the motion: “The media have done the society more harm than good”. As a principal speaker, write your contribution for  or against  the motion.

NOVEMBER 2002

• Write an article, suitable for publication in a national newspaper, on the topic: The changes I would like to see in my country.
• Your sister is separated from her husband leaving you and her children with their father. Write a letter to her pleading that she should return, giving at least three reasons why she should.
• Write a story to illustrate the saying, Experience is the best teacher
• The Chief Executive of your district has failed to fulfill his/her promises to develop your town. As a delegate of your youth club, write out the speech you would deliver at a meeting of the District Assembly complaining about at least two of such unfulfilled promises, and stating the effects of the failure to do so.
• You are speaker in a school debate on the topic: Our elders may no longer be active but they are still very useful to our society. Write your contribution for  or against  the motion.
• Write a story beginning: It is great to be young”.
• To commemorate your school’s 20 th  Anniversary, you have been invited to contribute to a debate on the motion: Ghana should continue to borrow money for development. Write your speech for  or against  the motion.
• The head of your school is going on retirement. Write out the speech you would deliver as the school prefect at the farewell party organized for him
• The Ministry of Transport in your county is organizing an essay competition on the topic: the bicycle a very useful means of transport. Write your entry.
• Write a letter to the chairman of the Board of Governors of your school describing an alarming situation in the school. Give at least three reasons why immediate action should be taken to put things right.

NOVEMBER 2003

• Write a letter to a friend who lives in a neighboring country, explaining why you like or dislike certain advertisements on you local radio.
• You spent your last holidays with a friend in another part of the country. Describe what you saw and experienced, stating the effects they have had on you.
• Write an article for publication in a national newspaper, on the topic: Some of our customs and traditions must be maintained.
• Write a story to illustrate the saying: “Once bitten, twice shy”
• You are a speaker in a debate on the topic: Drivers should be blamed for the accidents on our roads. Write your speech for  or against  the motion.
• As the school prefect, write a letter to the newly-appointed Headmaster congratulating him and stating at least three urgent needs of the school.
• A foreign magazine is organizing an essay competition among secondary school students on the topic: The virtues of traditional foods. Write your entry.
• As part of a campaign to increase the number of students in your school, your Headmaster has asked you as School prefect to convince a gathering of junior secondary school pupils in your district to choose your school. Write the speech you would deliver
• You are a speaker in a school debate on the topic; in a developing country, it is more useful to study science than business.
• Narrate a story, which illustrates the saying, “Look before you leap”

NOVEMBER 2004

• In an article suitable for publication in a national newspaper, discuss why capital punishment should not be abolished in the country.
• You are a speaker in a debate on the topic: Abstaining from sex is the best way to avoid HIV/AIDS. Write your speech for  or against  the motion
• In a letter to a pen-friend abroad narrate an event that has had a far-reaching effect on your country.
• Write a story to illustrate the proverb: Make hay while the sun shines.
• You want to be elected School Prefect. Write the speech that will persuade the students to vote for you.

1. Write an article suitable for publication in a national newspaper advocating the use of a Ghanaian Language as the lingua franca of your country.

2. You have been invited by the police as an eyewitness to a brawl between two factions in a dispute. Write a report stating exactly what you saw.

3. As Senior Prefect of your school, write a speech to be delivered at a youth forum on the prevention of drug abuse among students.

4. You are the main speaker in an inter-school debate on the topic: Science is the greatest threat to life in the world. Write out your contribution for or against the motion.

5. The parent-teacher association of your school has decided to introduce a new school uniform. Write a letter to the Chairman giving at least three reasons why you disagree.

NOVEMBER 2005

1. You are a speaker in a debate on the topic: Discipline is the key to good academic performance.  Write your speech for  or against  the motion.

2. The Ghana Tourist Board is organizing an essay competition on: The need to improve tourism in the country.  Write your entry.

3. Write a story that illustrates the saying: All that glitters is not gold .

4. There has been an increase in motor accidents recently. Write to the Chairman of the National Road Safety Committee stating the causes and suggesting measures to prevent these accidents.

5. You are unhappy about the unsanitary conditions in your area. Write an article suitable for publication in a national newspaper, in which you explain the causes and suggest ways of improving sanitation.

NOVEMBER 2007

1. Insufficient student accommodation in tertiary institutions affects admissions each year.  . Write an article for publication in a national newspaper discussing this problem and suggesting at least three ways of solving it.

2. You are a speaker in a debate on the topic: traditional rulers have no place in a modern democratic nation. Write your speech for  or against  the motion.

3. Your year group has been on an educational tour of one of the regions of the country. Describe to your friends your impressions of the tour.

4. There was a disagreement between your class and one of the teachers. As the class prefect, write a report to the head of your school on the incident.

5. Two of your brothers had a bitter quarrel just before you left home for the boarding school. Write a letter to your father pointing out where both were at fault and requesting him to intervene.

1. Write an article suitable for publication in an international magazine on the topic: The problems associated with environmental pollution and suggested solutions.

2. You are the principal speaker in a debate on the motion: the national health insurance policy can solve all the health problems of the country. Write your arguments for or against the motion.

3. In recent times there have been protests over poor conditions of service for workers. Write a letter to the minister of employment identifying three areas where you think the government should make efforts to bring more prosperity to workers.

4. Write a story ending with the statement: As you can see circumstances beyond my control compelled me to do such a thing.

5. You recently participated in a local festival. Write a letter to your pen pal describing three exciting experiences which you had during the festival.

• Write a letter to the headmaster of your school suggesting what can be done to reduce the spate of indiscipline among the students of your school in response to a request by the school authorities.
• Write a letter to your elder brother in Europe or America telling him about what you want to do after leaving school and why. You may also ask for his advice.
• Write an account of an exciting trip you made to one of the principal towns in your country where you spent a week with your best friend and his or her family. Your piece should be suitable for publication in your school magazine.
• The Students’ Union of your district is organizing a symposium on the need to plant trees. Write the speech you would give.
• Describe what happened during and after a natural disaster that you have experienced or heard about, for publication in one of your local newspapers.

NOVEMBER 2009(A)

1. Write an article for publication in a cultural magazine on what traditional rulers should do to promote peaceful co-existence in their communities.

2. The members of the old students association of your school have expressed the desire to offer assistance to the school. As senior prefect, write a letter to its president identifying three areas where the school needs immediate help.

3. Write a story ending with the statement: We forgot the past and became friends once more.

4. The ministry of agriculture is organizing an essay competition on the topic: every senior high school must have a school farm. Write your entry.

5. You are the principal speaker in a debate on the motion: inter-school sports and games promote friendship and unity among students . Write your speech for or against the motion.

NOVEMBER 2009(B)

1. You are the principal speaker in a debate on the motion: living overseas has more advantages than living in your own country. Write your arguments for or against the motion.

2. Write an article for publication in a national newspaper discussing at least three measures which your community has taken to bring development to your area.

3. Write a letter to your friend who is coming to live in your area informing him about the advantages of living there and the risks he is likely to encounter.

4. The national commission for civic education hopes to make people aware of their responsibilities as good citizens of the country. Write a letter to the chairman expressing your views on what should be done to achieve this noble objective.

5. Write a story that ends with the expression: caught red-handed .

NOVEMBER 2010

1.     As the sports prefect of your school, write a letter to the Chairman of your school’s board of Governors, giving at least three  reasons why you think games and sports should be given more encouragement in schools.

2.    Your friend intends to transfer to your school. Write a letter to him/her telling him/her about the facilities in your school which help students to achieve their goals.

3.    You are the principal speaker in a debate on the motion: Advertisements are no longer useful . Write your arguments for  or against  the motion.

4.    Various concerns have been raised about the security situation in your area. As a concerned citizen, write an article for publication in one of your national newspapers expressing your views on the matter

5.   Write a story ending with the expression:

        We regretted venturing into it.

NOVEMBER 2011

• You took part in an excursion organized by the wildlife club of your school. Give a vivid account of your experience.
• Your school will soon celebrate its speech and prize-giving day. As the senior prefect of the school, write the speech you will deliver on that occasion
• There has been an outpouring of criticism against the Head of your school. You think that some of these criticisms are rather insulting. Write an article for publication in your school magazine expressing your views on the matter.
• Write a story that ends with the following words: The man stood there for a long time, holding his jaw in his left hand.
• Your friend is attending school in a different part of your country. Write a letter to him telling him about three things which have made your school famous

MAY/JUNE 2012

1 . Write an article for publication in a national newspaper on the topic:

    Tourism can be of great benefit to the country and should be encourage by the government.

2. Writ e a letter to the minister of education, suggesting three waysofmakingpublic secondary   schools in deprive communities more attractive to students.

3 . Write a letter to your friend in another school recounting the experiences you went through when you visited the city for the first time.

4 . Write a story that ends with the words:

     That experience was one of the best things that ever happened to me.

5. The social Life Club of your school is organizing a symposium on the topic:

     The role of the youth in a rapidly changing society. As a speaker, Write your speech.

NOVEMBER 2012

1 . Your uncle who has been living abroad for the past twenty years suddenly arrived home for Christmas. Write a letter to your friend, telling him/her how much your uncle’s visit made your Christmas enjoyable.

2. Write an article for publication in a national newspaper on the topic: The indiscipline of drivers on the road.

3. Write a story that illustrates the saying: One good turn deserves another.

4. You are the principal speaker in a debate on the motion: Tribal associations should not be allowed in public secondary schools . Write your speech for or against the motion.

5. As a youth leader in your community, write a letter to the Minister of Youth Affairs identifying, with reasons, three areas where you think the government should concentrate efforts to bring about rapid development to the country.

May/June 2013

1. Write an article for publication in a national newspaper on the topic: The menace of hawking on the street and how to deal with it.

2. As a senior prefect of your school, write the speech you would deliver to first-year students on how to manage their time.

3. Your sick grandmother has been admitted to hospital. Write a letter to your brother describing the state of her health when you visited her.

4. Write a story to illustrate the saying: The lazy man goes to bed hungry.

5. The Society for the Improvement of Living Conditions is organizing a debate on the motion: The rapid development of a country depends solely on politicians. Write your argument for or against the motion.

S.C./G.C.E. JUNE 1993

• Write a letter to your headmaster or headmistress describing three unwholesome practices going on in the school, which the authorities are unaware of and show the dangers they may lead to.
• You have just seen the name and address of somebody abroad who wants a pen pal from your country. Write your first letter to him or her, introducing yourself and family and discussing anything else you consider significant.
• Describe to your friends a day in your life when everything went wrong.
• As the outgoing senior prefect in your school, write a speech for delivery at your Speech and Prize-Giving Day Celebrations showing the successes and failures recorded during your term of office.
• Write an article for publication in your school magazine discussing the view that extra or private classes should be abolished in your country

S.C./G.C.E. JUNE 1994

• A committee has been set up to investigate a riot which occurred during a recent inter-schools sports competition. As the Sports Prefect of your school, write a letter to the Chairman of the Committee giving an account of what happened.
• Write a letter to your friend in another town telling him about the preparations your school is making towards her forthcoming silver jubilee celebration.
• The high rate of unemployment among school leavers poses a serious problem in your country. Write an article for publication in one of your national newspaper suggesting ways of remedying the situation.
• As one of the main speakers in a debate, write your speech for  or against  the topic, “Scientific advancement is a curse to mankind”
• On your way home from a film show you were attacked by thugs. Write a report for the police to help them in their investigations.
• Write a story that illustrates the saying: “A bird in hand is worth two in the bush”

S.C./G.C.E. NOVEMBER  1995

• Write a letter to your friend abroad describing a recent special family event.
• Write a letter to the chairman of your District Council complaining about the lack of recreational facilities in your area and suggesting how the situation can be remedied.
• Describe in detail a naming ceremony you recently attended for publication in a foreign newspaper.
• Write a story which ends with the proverb, ‘A stitch in time saves nine’.
• You are the principal speaker in a debate on the motion ‘The participation of Women is Essential for Nation – Building’. Write your contribution for  or against  the motion.
• A peace-making committee has been set up to solve a conflict that has begun in a district of your country. Write your suggestions for consideration by the committee.

S.C./G.C.E. NOVEMBER 1996

• Your cousin has just completed his course overseas and would like to return home to get a job. Write a letter to him or her describing the present state of employment opportunities.
• Write a letter to the editor of one of your national newspapers, complaining about at least three problems caused by the recent increase in transport fares, and suggesting ways of solving these problems.
• As part of your English composition lesson, your teacher took you to the market last week. Write an account of what you saw as classwork.
• There is an inter-school debate on the motion, ‘The prefect should always be on the side of the school authorities’. As the main speaker of your school, write your contribution for  or against  the motion
• Write a story entitled, ‘Look before you leap’.
• A fire has destroyed the Health Centre of your locality. As the Chairman of the Youth Movement, you have called a meeting to rally members for communal labour at the site. Write your speech.

S.C./G.C.E. JUNE 1997

•  Your sister who has been abroad for five years is planning to come home. Write a letter to her describing three important changes that have taken place in the country.
• A non-governmental organization is willing to help your district carry out a project. Write a letter to the head of the organization suggesting the project and stating at least three benefits your people will derive from it.
• Write an article for publication in your school magazine on the need to improve discipline in the school
• You are the main speaker in a debate on the topic, ‘Women can never be equal to men’. Write your speech for  or against  the motion.
• Write a story beginning with: “Ayo was supposed to by my friend but”……..
• Give an account of an incident that occurred on your way to school in which your timely intervention saved the situation.

S.C./G.C.E. JUNE 1998

• Write a letter to the Editor of one of your local newspapers supporting or contradicting the view that school examinations should be abolished.
• Your cousin who has been studying abroad is planning to come home for Christmas. Write a letter to him or her about the preparations the family is making towards the visit.
• You are one of the speakers of your school in a debate on the motion: “Girls are to blame for teenage pregnancy in our country” Write your contribution either  for  or against  the motion.
• Write a story that ends with it was indeed my lucky day.
• Write an article for publication in a local newspaper on recent changes that have taken place in the educational system of your country. State how these changes have affected you personally and your school in general.
• The Environmental Club of your school has just ended a clean-up campaign in a nearby village. As president of the club, write the address you will give to the people on the need to keep their surroundings clean.

Bonus: CEGAST ACADEMY WASSCE MOCK EXAM QUESTIONS

• Write a letter to the editor of a national newspaper explaining at least three reasons why you agree or disagree with the view that all citizens of your country living abroad should be allowed to vote in general elections.
• Write a letter to your best friend in another school giving reasons why you think that it is necessary for every student to be computer literate.
• You are the principal speaker in an inter-school debate on the motion: Only public school pupils should benefit from fee-free basic education”. Write your speech for  or against  the motion.
• You have been invited by a voluntary society in your school to speak about the role the youth are expected to play in the economic and social development of your country. Write your speech.
• Describe how you helped to rescue a man/woman who had been mistaken for an armed robber.
• Write a story that illustrates the saying: “A bird in hand is worth two in the bush.”

IMPORTANT: More recent WAEC past essay questions will be added in due course. So keep coming back for more.

Did you find this information helpful? Then share it on your favourite social media platform for the benefit of others you care about. Thank you!

Ralph Nyadzi

Ralph Nyadzi is the Director of Studies at Cegast Academy. He is a qualified English tutor with decades of experience behind him. Since 2001, he has successfully coached thousands of High School General Arts WASSCE candidates in English, Literature and related subjects. He combines his expertise with a passion for lifelong learning to guide learners from varying backgrounds to achieve their educational goals. Ralph shares lessons from his blogging journey on BloggingtotheMax . He lives with River, his pet cat, in the Central Region of Ghana.

• Ralph Nyadzi https://www.cegastacademy.com/author/misteraf/ The Grieved Lands of Africa Quiz: Objective Test Questions and Answers
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11 thoughts on “150+ waec english essay past questions (pdf)”.

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I THANKS AND APPRECIATE YOU FOR YOUR DELEGENT AND APPLICABLE WORK DONE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH SIR .

Hi Sumaila. It’s my pleasure. I’m really happy you found it useful.

You were standing at a bus stop when two taxis collided. The drivers got out of their cars and after a heated argument, a fight ensued. Write a description of the incident.

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Thank you, Sorie. I appreciate your encouraging words.

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Thanks for the kind words, Joshua. I wish you good luck.

As an English Teacher at my School at Njala in Sierra Leone, I benefited a lot from your tips. I will love to stay connected for more tips and directions on how to handle various topics. If you can share your tips and notes on Phrases and clauses, I will so much appreciate that. For the essays, I need much more on all of them.

Thank you so much for your feedback, Alfred. I’d very much like to offer you more assistance in the areas I can. Please, use the contact form to send me a message. Make sure you give a reliable email address and I’ll take it up from there.

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• IAS Preparation
• UPSC Preparation Strategy
• Topic Wise Essay Questions From UPSC Mains 1994 2018

Last 25 Years Topic-wise Essay Questions From UPSC Mains (1994 - 2018)

Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services mains exam is the Essay. Here, prelims-qualified IAS aspirants have to write two essays out of a few given topics. The paper is for a total of 250 marks and its marks are taken into consideration for the Final Merit List. In this article, we have listed all the essay topics asked in the UPSC mains exam from 1994 to 2018. We have also classified the last 25 years essay questions into topics to make your preparation easier.

Latest – See the UPSC Essay Topics in the IAS Mains 2020 Essay Paper. Download UPSC Mains 2020 Essay Paper from the linked article.

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UPSC Essay Topics

Administration.

• Politics, bureaucracy and business – fatal triangle. (1994)
• Politics without ethics is a disaster. (1995)
• The VIP cult is a bane of Indian democracy. (1996)
• Need for transparency in public administration. (1996)
• The country’s need for a better disaster management system. (2000)
• How should a civil servant conduct himself? (2003)

Democracy/India since independence

• Whither Indian democracy? (1995)
• What we have not learnt during fifty years of independence. (1997)
• Why should we be proud of being Indians? (2000)
• What have we gained from our democratic set-up? (2001)
• How far has democracy in India delivered the goods? (2003)
• National identity and patriotism. (2008)
• In the context of Gandhiji’s views on the matter, explore, on an evolutionary scale, the terms ‘Swadhinata’, ‘Swaraj’ and ‘Dharmarajya’. Critically comment on their contemporary relevance to Indian democracy. (2012)
• Is the colonial mentality hindering India’s success? (2013)
• Dreams which should not let India sleep. (2015)
• Management of Indian border disputes – a complex task. (2018)

Economic growth and development

• Resource management in the Indian context. (1999)
• GDP (Gross Domestic Product) along with GDH (Gross Domestic Happiness) would be the right indices for judging the wellbeing of a country. (2013)
• Was it the policy paralysis or the paralysis of implementation which slowed the growth of our country? (2014)
• Crisis faced in India – moral or economic. (2015)
• Near jobless growth in India: An anomaly or an outcome of economic reforms. (2016)
• Digital economy: A leveller or a source of economic inequality. (2016)
• Innovation is the key determinant of economic growth and social welfare. (2016)
• Impact of the new economic measures on fiscal ties between the union and states in India. (2017)

Federalism, Decentralisation

• The language problem in India: its past, present and prospects. (1998)
• Water resources should be under the control of the central government. (2004)
• Evaluation of panchayati raj system in India from the point of view of eradication of power to people. (2007)
• Is autonomy the best answer to combat balkanization? (2007)
• Creation of smaller states and the consequent administrative, economic and developmental implication. (2011)
• Cooperative federalism: Myth or reality. (2016)
• Water disputes between States in federal India. (2016)

Indian Culture & Society

• The Indian society at the crossroads. (1994)
• New cults and godmen: a threat to traditional religion. (1996)
• The composite culture of India. (1998)
• Youth culture today. (1999)
• Modernism and our traditional socio-ethical values. (2000)
• Indian culture today: a myth or a reality? (2000)
• As civilization advances culture declines. (2003)
• From traditional Indian philanthropy to the gates-buffet model-a natural progression or a paradigm shift? (2010)
• Judicial activism. (1997)
• Judicial activism and Indian democracy. (2004)
• Justice must reach the poor. (2005)

Social justice/Poverty

• Reservation, politics and empowerment. (1999)
• Food security for sustainable national development. (2005)
• The focus of health care is increasingly getting skewed towards the ‘haves’ of our society. (2009)
• Farming has lost the ability to be a source of subsistence for the majority of farmers in India. (2017)
• Poverty anywhere is a threat to prosperity everywhere. (2018)

Media & Society

• Misinterpretation and misuse of freedom in India. (1998)
• Mass media and cultural invasion. (1999)
• Responsibility of media in a democracy. (2002)
• How has satellite television brought about cultural change in Indian mindsets? (2007)
• Role of media in good governance. (2008)
• Does Indian cinema shape our popular culture or merely reflect it? (2011)
• Is sting operation an invasion on privacy? (2014)

Environment/Urbanisation

• Urbanization is a blessing in disguise. (1997)
• Protection of ecology and environment is essential for sustained economic development. (2006)
• Urbanisation and its hazards. (2008)
• Should a moratorium be imposed on all fresh mining in tribal areas of the country? (2010)
• We may brave human laws but cannot resist natural laws. (2017)

Economic sectors/MNCs

• Multinational corporations – saviours or saboteurs. (1994)
• Globalization would finish small-scale industries in India. (2006)
• BPO boom in India. (2007)
• Special economic zone: boon or bane? (2008)
• Are our traditional handicrafts doomed to a slow death? (2009)
• Is the criticism that the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) model for development is more of a bane than a boon in the Indian context, justified? (2012)
• Tourism: Can this be the next big thing for India? (2014)
• Restructuring of Indian education system. (1995)
• Literacy is growing very fast, but there is no corresponding growth in education. (1996)
• Irrelevance of the classroom. (2001)
• Privatization of higher education in India. (2002)
• Modern technological education and human values. (2002)
• What is real education? (2005)
• “Education for all” campaign in India: myth or reality. (2006)
• Independent thinking should be encouraged right from the childhood. (2007)
• Is an egalitarian society possible by educating the masses? (2008)
• Credit – based higher education system – status, opportunities and challenges. (2011)
• Is the growing level of competition good for the youth? (2014)
• Are the standardized tests good measure of academic ability or progress? (2014)
• Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make a man more clever devil. (2015)
• Destiny of a nation is shaped in its classrooms. (2017)
• The new emerging women power: the ground realities. (1995)
• Greater political power alone will not improve women’s plight. (1997)
• Woman is god’s best creation. (1998)
• Women empowerment: challenges and prospects. (1999)
• Empowerment alone cannot help our women. (2001)
• Whither women’s emancipation? (2004)
• If women ruled the world. (2005)
• The hand that rocks the cradle. (2005)
• Women’s reservation bill would usher in empowerment for women in India. (2006)
• Managing work and home – is the Indian working woman getting a fair deal? (2012)
• If development is not engendered, it is endangered. (2016)
• Fulfillment of ‘new woman’ in India is a myth. (2017)

Quotes-based/Philosophy

• Youth is a blunder, manhood a struggle, old age a regret. (1994)
• Useless life is an early death. (1994)
• Disinterested intellectual curiosity is the lifeblood of civilisation. (1995)
• When money speaks, the truth is silent. (1995)
• Our deeds determine us, as much as we determine our deeds. (1995)
• Truth is lived, not taught. (1996)
• True religion cannot be misused. (1997)
• Search for truth can only be a spiritual problem. (2002)
• The paths of glory lead but to the grave. (2002)
• If youth knew, if age could. (2002)
• There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so. (2003)
• Be the change you want to see in others. (2013)
• With greater power comes greater responsibility. (2014)
• Words are sharper than the two-edged sword. (2014)
• Lending hands to someone is better than giving a dole. (2015)
• “The past’ is a permanent dimension of human consciousness and values. (2018)
• Reality does not conform to the ideal, but confirms it. (2018)
• Attitude makes habit, habit makes character and character makes a man. (2007)
• Discipline means success, anarchy means ruin. (2008)
• Character of an institution is reflected in its leader. (2015)
• Need brings greed, if greed increases it spoils breed. (2016)
• Joy is the simplest form of gratitude. (2017)
• A good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge. (2018)
• A people that values its privileges above its principles loses both. (2018)
• Customary morality cannot be a guide to modern life. (2018)

Globalisation

• Modernisation and westernisation are not identical concepts. (1994)
• The world of the twenty-first century. (1998)
• The implications of globalization for India. (2000)
• My vision of an ideal world order. (2001)
• The masks of new imperialism. (2003)
• Globalizations and its impact on Indian culture. (2004)
• ‘Globalization’ vs. ‘nationalism’. (2009)
• Preparedness of our society for India’s global leadership role. (2010)

Science & Tech

• The modern doctor and his patients. (1997)
• Value-based science and education. (1999)
• The march of science and the erosion of human values. (2001)
• Spirituality and scientific temper. (2003)
• The lure of space. (2004)
• Science and Mysticism: Are they compatible? (2012)
• Science and technology is the panacea for the growth and security of the nation. (2013)
• Technology cannot replace manpower. (2015)
• Alternative technologies for a climate change resilient India. (2018)

Internet/IT

• The cyberworld: its charms and challenges. (2000)
• Increasing computerization would lead to the creation of a dehumanized society. (2006)
• Cyberspace and Internet: Blessing or curse to the human civilization in the long run. (2016)
• Social media is inherently a selfish medium. (2017)

International organisations/relations

• Restructuring of UNO reflect present realities. (1996)
• India’s role in promoting ASEAN cooperation. (2004)
• Importance of Indo-US nuclear agreement. (2006)
• Has the Non- Alignment Movement (NAM) lost its relevance in a multipolar world. (2017)
• Terrorism and world peace. (2005)
• Are we a ‘soft’ state? (2009)
• Good fences make good neighbours. (2009)
• In the Indian context, both human intelligence and technical intelligence are crucial in combating terrorism. (2011)

Miscellaneous

• India’s contribution to world wisdom. (1998)
• The pursuit of excellence. (2001)
• Geography may remain the same; history need not. (2010)
• Fifty Golds in Olympics: Can this be a reality for India? (2014)
• Quick but steady wins the race. (2015)

When preparing for IAS Mains, aspirants must focus on UPSC Mains Answer Writing Practise as this will improve one’s speed, efficiency and writing skills. It will automatically help in essay writing as well. 

Also, read:

Frequently Asked Questions on UPSC Essay Topics for UPSC Mains

Q 1. how can i write a good essay in upsc, q 2. does handwriting matter in upsc.

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A website to support students and teachers of A-Level Politics

Edexcel Past Questions and Topic Tracker

Paper 1: UK Politics and Core Political Ideas

Using the source, evaluate the view that UK democracy is in crisis (Sample).

Using the source, evaluate the view that the major parties still remain the dominant force in UK politics (Sample).

Evaluate the view that general elections in the UK are lost by the government rather than won by the opposition (Sample).

Evaluate the view that social factors determine voting behaviour (Sample).

To what extent do modern and classical liberals agree over the role of the state? (Sample).

To what extent are different socialists committed to ‘equality of outcome’? (Sample).

Using the source, evaluate the view that the outcomes of general elections are stable and predictable (2019).

Using the source, evaluate the view that proportional representation would improve elections to the House of Commons (2019).

Evaluate the view that think-tanks, lobbyists and pressure groups have little impact on government decisions (2019).

Evaluate the view that the only political parties that matter in our political system are the Labour and Conservative parties (2019).

To what extent do socialists have conflicting views over how the economy should operate? (2019)

To what extent are conservatives united in their view of society? (2019)

Using the source, evaluate the view that a person’s age and the media have now replaced social class and region as clear indicators of voting behaviour (2020).

Using the source, evaluate the view that state funding of political parties would be preferable to a situation in which a party can win a general election because it has more members and income than other parties (2020).

Evaluate the view that the actions of pressure groups have been more significant than government legislation in defending and promoting rights in the UK (2020).

Evaluate the view that the various electoral systems in use in the UK make significant differences to party representation (2020).

To what extent do modern liberals accept the ideas of classical liberals? (2020).

To what extent does socialism depend on a view of society based only on class? (2020).

Using the source, evaluate the view that opinion polls bring more advantages than disadvantages to elections and referendums (2021).

Using the source, evaluate the view that in a democracy MPs are free to ignore referendum results and their own political party’s manifesto (2021).

Evaluate the view that the emergence of multiple parties in the UK means that the Westminster electoral system must be changed (2021).

Evaluate the view that the influence of the media in politics is exaggerated; it is not heavily biased and has little power of persuasion (2021).

To what extent is liberalism more concerned with society than with the economy? (2021).

To what extent is there more to unite rather than divide the New Right from One-Nation conservatives? (2021).

Using the source, evaluate the view that ‘pick-and-mix’ politics is replacing ‘Left-Right’ politics and political parties are becoming more internally divided than ever. (2022)

Using the source, evaluate the view – with specific reference to at least one devolved region using an alternative electoral system – that the case for PR to replace the Westminster FPTP voting system has now been established (2022)

Evaluate the view that it is the media not pressure groups that has the greater influence on governments (2022)

Evaluate the view that neither individual rights nor collective rights in the UK are adequately protected and guaranteed (2022)

To what extent are conservatives united in their attitude towards the state? (2022)

To what extent is socialism more disunited than united? (2022)

Specimen Papers (Locked – Topics only, not questions)

Source 1 – Democracy and Participation

Source 2 – Electoral Systems

Essay 1 – Political Parties

Essay 2 – Electoral Systems

Ideologies 1 – Conservatism

Ideologies 2 – Conservatism

2022 Mock Papers (Locked – Topics only, not questions

Source 1 – Political Parties

Source 2 – Democracy and Participation

Essay 1 – Voting Behaviour

Essay 2 – Democracy and Participation

Ideologies 2 – Socialism

2023 Papers (Locked – Topics only, not questions)

Essay 1 – Electoral Systems

Essay 2 – Political Parties

Ideologies 1 – Liberalism

Paper 2: UK Government and Optional Political Ideologies

Paper 3A: US and Comparative Government and Politics

Paper 3B: Global Politics

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What I’ve Learned From My Students’ College Essays

The genre is often maligned for being formulaic and melodramatic, but it’s more important than you think.

By Nell Freudenberger

Most high school seniors approach the college essay with dread. Either their upbringing hasn’t supplied them with several hundred words of adversity, or worse, they’re afraid that packaging the genuine trauma they’ve experienced is the only way to secure their future. The college counselor at the Brooklyn high school where I’m a writing tutor advises against trauma porn. “Keep it brief , ” she says, “and show how you rose above it.”

I started volunteering in New York City schools in my 20s, before I had kids of my own. At the time, I liked hanging out with teenagers, whom I sometimes had more interesting conversations with than I did my peers. Often I worked with students who spoke English as a second language or who used slang in their writing, and at first I was hung up on grammar. Should I correct any deviation from “standard English” to appeal to some Wizard of Oz behind the curtains of a college admissions office? Or should I encourage students to write the way they speak, in pursuit of an authentic voice, that most elusive of literary qualities?

In fact, I was missing the point. One of many lessons the students have taught me is to let the story dictate the voice of the essay. A few years ago, I worked with a boy who claimed to have nothing to write about. His life had been ordinary, he said; nothing had happened to him. I asked if he wanted to try writing about a family member, his favorite school subject, a summer job? He glanced at his phone, his posture and expression suggesting that he’d rather be anywhere but in front of a computer with me. “Hobbies?” I suggested, without much hope. He gave me a shy glance. “I like to box,” he said.

I’ve had this experience with reluctant writers again and again — when a topic clicks with a student, an essay can unfurl spontaneously. Of course the primary goal of a college essay is to help its author get an education that leads to a career. Changes in testing policies and financial aid have made applying to college more confusing than ever, but essays have remained basically the same. I would argue that they’re much more than an onerous task or rote exercise, and that unlike standardized tests they are infinitely variable and sometimes beautiful. College essays also provide an opportunity to learn precision, clarity and the process of working toward the truth through multiple revisions.

When a topic clicks with a student, an essay can unfurl spontaneously.

Even if writing doesn’t end up being fundamental to their future professions, students learn to choose language carefully and to be suspicious of the first words that come to mind. Especially now, as college students shoulder so much of the country’s ethical responsibility for war with their protest movement, essay writing teaches prospective students an increasingly urgent lesson: that choosing their own words over ready-made phrases is the only reliable way to ensure they’re thinking for themselves.

Teenagers are ideal writers for several reasons. They’re usually free of preconceptions about writing, and they tend not to use self-consciously ‘‘literary’’ language. They’re allergic to hypocrisy and are generally unfiltered: They overshare, ask personal questions and call you out for microaggressions as well as less egregious (but still mortifying) verbal errors, such as referring to weed as ‘‘pot.’’ Most important, they have yet to put down their best stories in a finished form.

I can imagine an essay taking a risk and distinguishing itself formally — a poem or a one-act play — but most kids use a more straightforward model: a hook followed by a narrative built around “small moments” that lead to a concluding lesson or aspiration for the future. I never get tired of working with students on these essays because each one is different, and the short, rigid form sometimes makes an emotional story even more powerful. Before I read Javier Zamora’s wrenching “Solito,” I worked with a student who had been transported by a coyote into the U.S. and was reunited with his mother in the parking lot of a big-box store. I don’t remember whether this essay focused on specific skills or coping mechanisms that he gained from his ordeal. I remember only the bliss of the parent-and-child reunion in that uninspiring setting. If I were making a case to an admissions officer, I would suggest that simply being able to convey that experience demonstrates the kind of resilience that any college should admire.

The essays that have stayed with me over the years don’t follow a pattern. There are some narratives on very predictable topics — living up to the expectations of immigrant parents, or suffering from depression in 2020 — that are moving because of the attention with which the student describes the experience. One girl determined to become an engineer while watching her father build furniture from scraps after work; a boy, grieving for his mother during lockdown, began taking pictures of the sky.

If, as Lorrie Moore said, “a short story is a love affair; a novel is a marriage,” what is a college essay? Every once in a while I sit down next to a student and start reading, and I have to suppress my excitement, because there on the Google Doc in front of me is a real writer’s voice. One of the first students I ever worked with wrote about falling in love with another girl in dance class, the absolute magic of watching her move and the terror in the conflict between her feelings and the instruction of her religious middle school. She made me think that college essays are less like love than limerence: one-sided, obsessive, idiosyncratic but profound, the first draft of the most personal story their writers will ever tell.

Nell Freudenberger’s novel “The Limits” was published by Knopf last month. She volunteers through the PEN America Writers in the Schools program.