Free Practice Questions for National 5 English
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Key Facts: National 5 English Exam
110 marks
Total external + Portfolio marks
Qualifications Scotland Course Specification C824 75
Grade C
Minimum pass
Qualifications Scotland grading
1,000 words
Maximum per Portfolio piece
N5 English Portfolio guidance
100
Free practice questions here
OpenExamPrep
N5 English is a 110-mark linear qualification: Paper 1 RUAE (40), Paper 2 Critical Reading with a Scottish text plus critical essay (40), and a 30-mark Portfolio. Grade C is the pass.
Sample National 5 English Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to review concepts for the National 5 English exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1In a Paper 1 RUAE question that asks 'Identify the main idea of the passage in your own words', what is the safest first step?
2A 4-mark 'summarise in your own words' question in N5 RUAE typically requires how many distinct points?
3When asked to analyse the writer's word choice, what two-part formula does the N5 marking instructions reward?
4Read: 'The politician slithered away from the question.' Which word-choice analysis would best earn the analysis mark?
5A link question typically asks you to show how a sentence links the previous and following paragraphs. Which structure does the marking scheme prefer?
6Imagery analysis at N5 expects you to identify the image then do what?
7'The traffic crawled along the motorway.' This is best described as which technique?
8Which sentence-structure feature is the writer using here? 'They came. They saw. They conquered.'
9The writer uses a colon in: 'There was only one explanation: greed.' What is the effect?
10How should a candidate analyse tone at N5?
About the National 5 English Exam
National 5 English (course code C824 75) is the Scottish Qualifications Authority qualification at SCQF Level 5. Awarded by Qualifications Scotland (formerly SQA) since February 2026, the course is assessed by two question papers, a written Portfolio of two pieces, and an internal Performance-spoken language assessment.
Exam sponsor: Qualifications Scotland (formerly SQA). The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.
Questions
100 questions
Time Limit
Paper 1: 1 hour. Paper 2: 1 hour 30 minutes. Portfolio submitted in advance.
Passing Score
Grade C (50%) is the minimum award; A-D recorded, no award below D
Exam / Certification Fees
Entry fee set by centre (typically school-funded for S4-S6 candidates)
Exam sponsor websiteFees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.
Our practice resources: topics covered
We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.
Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation
Paper 1 question types: identify main idea, summarise in own words, link questions, word choice, imagery, sentence structure, tone, evaluating effectiveness
Critical Reading — Scottish Text
Extract-based questions on a chosen prescribed Scottish text including a final 8-mark comparison/contrast across the wider text
Critical Reading — Critical Essay
Single critical essay on prose, poetry, drama, film/TV drama or language; must address the question and use textual evidence
Portfolio of Writing
Two pieces (one broadly creative — personal/reflective, short story, poem; one broadly discursive — persuasive, argumentative, report) of up to 1,000 words each
Performance — Spoken Language
Solo talk or group discussion assessed internally against three criteria: content, structure and audience engagement
Preparing for the National 5 English Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: Grade C (50%) is the minimum award; A-D recorded, no award below D
- Exam length: 100 questions
- Time limit: Paper 1: 1 hour. Paper 2: 1 hour 30 minutes. Portfolio submitted in advance.
- Exam / certification fees: Entry fee set by centre (typically school-funded for S4-S6 candidates) Official sources
Using Our Practice Resources
- Work through all 100 available questions
- Review every answer and explanation
- Track weak areas and revisit them
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
National 5 English: Suggested Study Strategy
Frequently Asked Questions
Who awards National 5 English in 2026?
From 1 February 2026, the awarding body is Qualifications Scotland (formerly SQA). The course content, code (C824 75), and assessment structure are unchanged from the SQA specification.
What is the prescribed Scottish text list for N5 English?
Candidates study a single text from a prescribed list including Norman MacCaig, Carol Ann Duffy, Edwin Morgan, Liz Lochhead, Iain Crichton Smith, Anne Donovan, George Mackay Brown, Bold Girls, Tally's Blood, The Cone-Gatherers, Sunset Song, and The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.
How is the Portfolio of Writing assessed?
Candidates submit two pieces (one broadly creative, one broadly discursive) of up to 1,000 words each. The Portfolio is sent to Qualifications Scotland and externally marked out of 30.
What is the pass mark for N5 English?
Grade C requires roughly 50% of the 110 available marks. Grade B is roughly 60%, Grade A roughly 70%. Below Grade D, no award is recorded on the certificate.