Final Examiners' Report on English Paper 1 2025
A Report on KCSE English Paper 1 (2025)
2025 KCSE English Paper 1 tested speech writing, cloze test, poetry, listening skills, homophones, interview skills, and polite expressions in group discussion.
Speech Writing
Speech writing played a significant role in cushioning many candidates, as even weaker learners managed to score between 10 and 12 out of 20. Candidates were required to write a speech as a school captain encouraging KCSE candidates to use their remaining time wisely and avoid exam malpractices, especially the misuse of mobile phones, among other issues.
Most candidates managed to score well in format, which carried 6 marks (Title, acknowledgment, introduction, speech register, and conclusion). However, many struggled with the correct order of hierarchy. They were expected to begin with the Sub-county Director of Education, followed by the BOM, then the Principal. The average format score was 4/6.
In content, most candidates scored about 5/6. They discussed time management and exam-related issues well. However, many struggled to correctly use the term malpractice, with some misinterpreting it. Others only discussed the disadvantages of phones rather than explaining how phones lead to exam cheating. Such candidates scored for other relevant ideas but lost marks on the malpractice aspect.
Language carried 8 marks, and most candidates scored between 3 and 5, depending on school level. There is still a need to emphasize proper paragraphing, neat handwriting, correct punctuation, and appropriate expressions. A common cliché was the phrase “one minute can save a man,” though expressed in different creative but sometimes awkward forms (e.g., saving a dog or horse). A worrying trend was the use of a question mark after greetings such as “Good morning?” which is grammatically incorrect.
Penalties were applied for mixed or wrong formats. Some candidates confused the speech format with a letter, memo, report, or even minutes—losing 2 marks. There were also cases of irrelevance where some candidates used different voices within the speech (e.g., principal speaking, BOM speaking), narrated unrelated events, or wrote expository essays instead.
On average, candidates scored about 12 out of 20—a drop from 16 in 2022. Outstanding candidates, however, still scored 17–18.
Cloze Test
Performance in the cloze test was generally weak, with an average of 3 out of 10. A notable area of contention was the differentiation between capital J and small j. To clarify: capital J should have a “roof,” while the small j should cross the line and have a dot.
Poetry
The poetry section assessed rhyme, alliteration, homophones, and performance skills. The poem provided three rhyming words, but candidates were required to form two pairs, e.g., say–they, clay–they, say–clay. Learners who joined rhyming words with and or separated them incorrectly using slashes scored zero.
Alliteration was fairly done. However, performance was poorly handled as most candidates failed to justify the verbal or non-verbal cue given. Merely stating the cue earned zero; the reason had to be provided to score.
Interestingly, the WH-question required rising intonation to create contrast in the poem, contrary to the conventional falling intonation rule. Even those who guessed rising intonation lost marks for failing to explain its effectiveness. Homophones such as sowing and cede also proved challenging.
Interview Skills
This section was poorly performed, particularly the preparation part. Candidates were expected to provide specific preparation strategies, but many gave general responses.
In attentive listening, learners lost marks for failing to give the effectiveness of each tip. For instance, stating “sit upright” without saying “to avoid dozing” scored zero. Many also focused only on non-verbal listening cues. Even where three non-verbal cues were listed, they were awarded as one point since they fell under the same category.
Homophones
Another homophones question (6 marks) was generally poorly done due to unfamiliar words. Only a few candidates scored well.
Polite Expressions in Group Discussion
Performance here was fair, with an average score of 3 out of 5. However, some candidates scored zero for reporting expressions instead of writing them as functional utterances. For example, instead of writing “I agree fully with him,” some wrote “I would fully agree with him.” Others wrote “I would tell him to finish so that I speak” instead of polite expressions like “Excuse me, allow me to add this.”
Overall, candidates scored an average of 12 out of 30 in Oral Skills.
General Performance
The overall mean score was 26 out of 60. It is important to note that there were outstanding candidates who scored in the 40s and 50s, while some candidates scored as low as 0, especially those who left blank spaces.
Way Forward
- Teach the correct format of functional writing.
- Encourage learners to always go beyond the basic content and add meaningful ideas.
- Emphasize neat, legible handwriting.
- Strengthen grammar, spelling, punctuation, and appropriate language use.
- Train learners to always explain the effectiveness of points in oral skills.
- Teach polite expressions contextually (interviews, debates, telephone conversations, negotiations, and group discussions).
