Description
The Essential English CIA is a 90-minute (plus 15 minutes of planning time) short response to stimulus, one seen and one unseen. It can be delivered in one continuous session or 90 minutes allocated over no more than three consecutive sessions.
Short response to seen stimulus
Students will respond to representations of a community, local and/or global issue in a seen media text by writing a response that identifies, considers and explains how the elements or components that make up the text/s shape meaning.
Short response to unseen stimulus
Students will respond to representations of an identity or identities, place, event or concept in an unseen media text by writing a response that identifies, considers and explains how the elements or components that make up the text communicate ideas and information.
Topics
The topics for 2026 are representations of:
- the internet
- print media.
Schools deliver the CIA in one of two phases and will receive a 2026 CIA paper on one of these topics — either the internet or print media — depending on their selected phase.
The internet refers to a digital network connecting billions of users through electronic devices, e.g. smartphones, computers, smart TVs, home appliances, wearables — it can be written as ‘Internet’ or ‘internet’.
Print media refers to published written or pictorial printed materials that provide information and/or entertainment, e.g. books, picture books, magazines, newspapers, posters, billboards, brochures, pamphlets.
CIA materials
Schools will receive:
Essential English
- a set number of teacher packs. Schools can make additional copies if needed. Teacher packs include copies of the CIA question and response book, stimulus book (includes unseen and seen stimulus), and the marking guide. These are to be used for teacher preparation and to remove the need to open any shrink-wrapped materials until the day of assessment.
- shrink-wrapped bundle/s of assessment materials that include/s the CIA question and response book, stimulus book and the marking guide. These must be kept secure. Schools must not give students access to assessment materials prior to the start of the phase.
- bundle/s of seen stimulus to be distributed to students three weeks prior to the CIA assessment session.
Sample papers
To help schools prepare students for the CIA, the QCAA has developed sample papers for Essential English.
Schools can use the sample assessments to:
- revise and test subject knowledge
- familiarise students with the language of assessment, the types of questions that might be asked, and the expected length of responses
- enable students to experience common internal assessment conditions and practise relevant skills
- build students’ confidence in understanding the requirements of common internal assessment.
More information
For information about the Essential English CIA, please email EssentialEnglish@qcaa.qld.edu.au or phone (07) 3864 0289.
- Last updated:
- 25 March 2026
