Visual texts trip up thousands of South African students every year — not because they're difficult, but because students don't know the formula. Once you learn what examiners are actually looking for, these questions become some of the most reliable marks in your English paper.
In the Grade 10, 11 and 12 CAPS English curriculum, a visual text is any image or graphic that communicates meaning beyond words alone. The most common types you'll encounter in exams are:
Visual texts appear in Paper 1 (Comprehension and Language) and sometimes in Paper 2. Regardless of the type, the approach is the same: you are being tested on your ability to read, interpret and analyse visual elements alongside written language.
When you analyse a visual text, you need to comment on a combination of these five elements. Not every question will ask about all five, but you should always notice them when you first look at the text:
Ask yourself: what is this image trying to say or do? Is it persuading? Informing? Warning? Entertaining? The main message is usually your starting point for any analysis question. State it clearly and directly in your answer.
Nothing in a professionally designed visual text is accidental. Colour choices carry meaning (red = danger, green = nature/go, black = authority). Large size = importance. Items placed in the centre or at the top draw attention. When you comment on a visual element, always say what it is AND what effect it creates — never just describe, always interpret.
In cartoons especially, the body language of characters communicates emotion and attitude. Is a character slumped in defeat? Standing tall in defiance? Pointing accusingly? These are deliberate choices by the cartoonist and fair game for exam questions.
Most visual texts include words — a slogan, a caption, speech bubbles, a headline. Always read these carefully. Questions often ask about the effect of specific word choices (tone, register, connotation) within the visual. Treat these exactly as you would a language question.
Political cartoons especially use symbols (a dove for peace, chains for oppression) and caricature (exaggerated features to mock or criticise). Identify what is exaggerated, what it represents, and what the cartoonist's attitude seems to be.
Before reading the questions, spend 60 seconds simply looking at the visual. Note everything: what's big, what's small, what's in the foreground, what colours are used, what expressions you see. Then answer the questions. You'll find you've already noticed most of what they're asking.
For most visual text questions, you are answering in 1–4 sentences. The most important rule is: always explain your answer. Don't just identify — analyse. Use this formula for most visual text answers:
Identify what you see → Explain what it means or suggests → Link it to the purpose/message of the text
Question: What is the cartoonist's attitude towards politicians? Use evidence from the cartoon to support your answer.
Weak answer: "The cartoonist doesn't like politicians."
Strong answer: "The cartoonist is critical of politicians. The politician is drawn with an exaggerated long nose, suggesting dishonesty, and is shown sitting on a pile of money labelled 'public funds', implying corruption. This critical caricature communicates the cartoonist's view that politicians are greedy and untrustworthy."
See the difference? The strong answer identifies, explains and links — and uses specific visual evidence. That's exactly what gets full marks.
The word "comment" in a question means: identify AND explain. Never just describe. One-word or one-sentence answers that only name what you see will score half marks at best.
If the visual is a graph or chart, the questions will focus on reading data correctly and identifying trends. Key skills here are: reading axes carefully, identifying the highest and lowest values, spotting trends (increasing, decreasing, stable), and comparing two sets of data. Avoid making claims the data doesn't support — only say what you can see in the graph.
The best preparation for visual text questions is exposure. Work through 10–15 past paper visual texts before your exam — you'll quickly see the patterns in question types and develop confidence in your analysis. Our study guide covers all the major visual text types with model answers and marking rubrics.
Our How to Answer a Visual Text study guide covers every type of visual text in the CAPS English exam, with worked examples, model answers and full marking rubric breakdowns — all for R100.