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A Guide to General Paper

If you’re reading this guide, you’ve probably read at least one other from this series (from Hwa Chong’s Publications Society!!), and have surmised that most of them revolve around “If you should choose to take <xxx subject>.” Well, this article is different! As of the batch of 2025, GP, everyone’s favourite subject, is only getting greater- it will be a compulsory topic, and J1s no longer have the choice to take it or not. 


So, this is less of a “why should I choose GP” article, and more of a “what can I do to enjoy and excel at GP?” As someone who occasionally enjoys GP, I hope that these tips do indeed help in everyone’s GP journey, given that this subject has been perceived by the powers-that-be as absolutely necessary.


  1. Know what it’s about

GP’s name- General Paper- already sounds confusing. Unlike more straightforward subjects- you know Chemistry is about Chemistry, after all- GP’s name doesn’t reveal what is expected of you! That’s because GP is truly about everything and anything. 

Paper 1, the essay portion, is a 90-minute paper where one is required to write an essay (that is often argumentative), based on 1 out of the 8 available questions. Question topics are broad, with past A-level questions ranging from niche topics like space travel, to more common topics like the environment. 

Paper 2, the comprehension portion, is similarly general. In the 90-minute paper, students are expected to respond to short-form questions about three passages, as well as summarise paragraphs (from the passages) and write an application about the theme (of the passages). These passages all revolve around a topic that can range from tourism to leadership styles, which then again puts the general in General Paper. At its core, though, GP truly revolves around mastering the English language and yielding it to prove a point. In that way, the secondary school subject it is most comparable to is English, albeit in a more formal form.


  1. Answer the questions!

ATQ is a common annotation that GP teachers write next to responses that have, unfortunately, failed to Answer The Question. Figuring out how to answer the question isn’t as perilous a battle as you might think, though. Throughout the year, the GP department gives out handbooks on sections of each paper (i.e. an essay handbook, an AQ handbook), which are filled with ways to answer each type of question you may encounter in the papers. With enough practice and understanding with these resources, ATQ-ing will (hopefully!) become second nature.


  1. Enjoy reading

This is the most cliche tip, but it’s cliche for a reason! The thing is, GP is often reliant on your foundations in the English language, as it requires you to paraphrase sentences on the spot for Paper 2, and write essays with a strong personal voice and vocabulary for Paper 1. Hence, it’s a hard topic to “mug” in a short span of time. Instead, what you can do to help your GP is to consistently keep abreast of current affairs and read books that interest you. In this way, you can become even more fluent in the English language, and find essay questions that you’re confident and happy to answer, given your plethora of related knowledge!


And, that’s about it! Though this may seem like a short list, its brevity showcases the beauty of GP, as a shorter (in weightage and exam time) subject with great potential, should you appreciate what it gives, and put your all into it! 


Written by: Alicia Ng (23A15)

Edited by Wayne Tan (23S66)

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