Kom ons kraak dit.
An opstel (essay) is where you show off everything you know: grammar, vocabulary and the ability to tell a story or make a point. The good news? Markers aren’t looking for a literary masterpiece. They want a clear plan, correct sentences and words that show you made an effort. Here’s how to deliver all three.
Step by step
Know the essay types
Most papers give you a list of topics, and each one points to a type of essay. Know what each type needs before you choose.
- Verhalende opstel (narrative): tells a story. Write in the past tense, with a clear beginning, a problem or turning point, and an ending. Dialogue and feelings bring it to life.
- Beskrywende opstel (descriptive): paints a picture of a person, place or moment. Use the senses: what you see, hear, smell, taste and feel. Very little has to “happen”.
- Argumenterende / betogende opstel (argumentative): makes a point about an issue. An argumenterende essay weighs both sides before reaching a conclusion; a betogende essay picks one side and tries to convince the reader. Either way, every paragraph needs a reason and an example.
- Beskouende / bespiegelende opstel (reflective): thinks about a topic from different angles, like vriendskap (friendship) or geluk (happiness). It’s personal and thoughtful, and it doesn’t have to “win” an argument.
Choose your topic wisely
Read all the topics before you choose. Then pick the one you have the most to say about in Afrikaans, not the one that sounds the most impressive.
Quick test: can you jot down three ideas for it in one minute? If you can’t, or you’d need lots of words you don’t know, move on. Also read the instructions carefully: if a topic says Vertel (tell), it wants a story; if it says Stem jy saam? (do you agree?), it wants an argument.
Plan in 5 minutes
Five minutes of planning saves you from writing yourself into a corner. Two ways to do it:
- Mind map: write the topic in the middle and quickly add every Afrikaans word and idea that comes to mind. Circle the best three ideas.
- Paragraph plan: turn those three ideas into a skeleton.
- Inleiding (introduction): hook the reader.
- Paragraaf 1: idea one.
- Paragraaf 2: idea two.
- Paragraaf 3: idea three (save the strongest or most exciting for here).
- Slot (conclusion): round it off.
Next to each paragraph, note two or three “good words” you want to use. Now you won’t stare at a blank page.
At Grade 12 FAL level an essay is usually around 250–300 words, but always check the length and topic rules in your own paper and follow them exactly.
Start strong
Your first sentence is the marker’s first impression. Skip the boring announcement and drop the reader straight into the action, a feeling or a surprising thought.
| Weak opening | Strong opening |
|---|---|
| Ek gaan vir julle vertel van die dag toe ek verdwaal het. | Die son het al agter die berg verdwyn toe ek besef dat ek nie meer die pad terug kon vind nie. |
| My opstel gaan oor selfone in die skool. | Hoeveel keer het jy vandag al na jou selfoon gekyk? Waarskynlik meer as wat jy dink. |
| Ek gaan my ouma se kombuis beskryf. | Die reuk van vars brood en kaneel tref my sodra ek by Ouma se agterdeur instap. |
Die wekker het nie gelui nie. Toe ek my oë oopmaak, het die son al helder deur die gordyne geskyn en my hart het in my keel geklop. Dit was die dag van my Wiskunde-eksamen, en ek het presies twintig minute gehad om by die skool te kom. Ek het nie geweet dat dit maar net die begin van ’n eindelose dag sou wees nie.
End with a bang
Don’t just stop, and never end with Dit was die einde van my opstel. A good ending ties back to the beginning, shows what you learnt, or leaves the reader with a final thought. For an argument, sum up your view in one confident sentence.
Toe ek daardie aand uiteindelik in my bed klim, het ek vir die eerste keer die hele dag geglimlag. Die eksamen was nie perfek nie, maar ek het ’n belangrike les geleer: ’n mens kan nie alles beheer nie, maar jy kan wel besluit hoe jy daarop reageer. En vandag stel ek altyd twee wekkers.
One idea per paragraph
Each body paragraph does one job. Start with a sentence that says what the paragraph is about, then add detail, an example or a feeling. When the idea changes, start a new paragraph. Short, clear paragraphs are much easier to mark than one giant block.
Link your ideas
Linking words (verbindingswoorde) make your essay flow and show the marker you’re in control.
| Afrikaans | Meaning |
|---|---|
| eerstens / tweedens | firstly / secondly |
| verder | furthermore |
| daarna | after that |
| skielik | suddenly |
| byvoorbeeld | for example |
| aan die ander kant | on the other hand |
| daarom | therefore |
| gevolglik | as a result |
| uiteindelik | eventually / finally |
| ten slotte | in conclusion |
Careful: when one of these starts the sentence, the verb comes straight after it: Daarna het ons huis toe gegaan. Ten slotte wil ek sê … (verbs: het, wil)
Upgrade your vocabulary
Swap plain, overused words for richer ones. Two or three upgrades per paragraph make a real difference.
| Plain | Richer |
|---|---|
| baie mooi | pragtig, asemrowend |
| baie groot | reusagtig |
| baie bang | doodsbang |
| lekker (kos) | heerlik |
| goed | uitstekend |
| sleg | aaklig |
| sê (hard) | skree |
| sê (sag) | fluister |
Check before you hand in
Keep the last five minutes to read your essay slowly, looking for these:
- Tense: a story stays in the past tense (het … ge-). The past of is is was.
- Verb second: in a main sentence the verb is always in position 2: Gister het ek …, not Gister ek het …
- Verb last: after omdat, dat, toe, as, wanneer the verb goes to the end: … omdat ek moeg was. (After want, normal word order stays: … want ek was moeg.)
- Spelling: double negative (nie … nie), ’n with the curly apostrophe, and the little marks: môre, sê, wêreld, geëet.
Wenk!
Think in Afrikaans. If you write the sentence in English in your head and translate it word for word, the word order will come out English. Use simple sentences you know are right, then add one or two good words.
Common mistakes
Wrong: Gister ek het na die winkel gegaan.
Right: Gister het ek na die winkel gegaan.
That’s English word order. In Afrikaans the verb must be the second thing in the sentence.
Wrong: Lewe is vol verrassings.
Right: Die lewe is vol verrassings.
Afrikaans often uses die where English leaves out “the”, especially with big ideas like die lewe and die natuur. But don’t add it everywhere: Ek gaan skool toe, not Ek gaan die skool toe.
Wrong: Gister is ek siek.
Right: Gister was ek siek.
Is is present tense. When you talk about the past, use was.
Wrong: Ek het nie my huiswerk gedoen.
Right: Ek het nie my huiswerk gedoen nie.
Afrikaans needs the second nie at the end of the sentence.
Wrong: Dit was ’n baie, baie mooi dag en ek was baie bly.
Right: Dit was ’n pragtige dag en ek was dolgelukkig.
Too much baie makes your writing sound flat. Use one stronger word instead.
Practice
Improve or correct each sentence, or choose the right essay type for the topic.
- Verbeter die sin: Die kos was baie lekker.
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E.g. Die kos was heerlik.
Probeer weer! Check the rules above, cover the answer and have another go.
- Verbeter die sin: Die man was baie groot en baie sterk.
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E.g. Die man was reusagtig en so sterk soos ’n os.
Probeer weer! Check the rules above, cover the answer and have another go.
- Verbeter die woordorde: Gister ons het ’n toets geskryf.
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Gister het ons ’n toets geskryf.
Probeer weer! Check the rules above, cover the answer and have another go.
- Verbeter die woordorde: Ek bly by die huis omdat ek is siek.
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Ek bly by die huis omdat ek siek is.
Probeer weer! Check the rules above, cover the answer and have another go.
- Verbeter die woordorde: Ten slotte ek wil sê dat skole langer vakansies moet kry.
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Ten slotte wil ek sê dat skole langer vakansies moet kry.
Probeer weer! Check the rules above, cover the answer and have another go.
- Verbeter die sin: Ons het nie die bus gehaal.
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Ons het nie die bus gehaal nie.
Probeer weer! Check the rules above, cover the answer and have another go.
- Which essay type? Topic: “Die aand toe die ligte afgegaan het”: tell us what happened.
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Verhalende opstel (narrative): you tell a story.
Probeer weer! Check the rules above, cover the answer and have another go.
- Which essay type? Topic: “My ouma se kombuis”: make the reader see, smell and hear it.
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Beskrywende opstel (descriptive): you paint a picture with the senses.
Probeer weer! Check the rules above, cover the answer and have another go.
- Which essay type? Topic: “Sosiale media doen meer skade as goed.” Do you agree? Give reasons.
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Argumenterende / betogende opstel (argumentative): you give your view and back it up with reasons.
Probeer weer! Check the rules above, cover the answer and have another go.
- Which essay type? Topic: “Wat vriendskap vir my beteken”: share your thoughts and feelings.
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Beskouende / bespiegelende opstel (reflective): you think about the topic from different angles.
Probeer weer! Check the rules above, cover the answer and have another go.
Klaar! Lekker gewerk.
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