Leaving Cert English/ordinary level: Ordinary level Leaving Certificate students sitting yesterday's English papers answered topics ranging in subject from an alien invasion trying to destroy the human race to the popularity of horror films.

Paper 2 offered students the chance to demonstrate how they would take an aspect of a poem and make a video out of it and to decide on which music might best reflect the tone and content of poetic lines.

According to Philip Campion, subject expert with Skool.ie, this represented a new direction for the State examinations and an attempt to reflect the new and divergent interests of students.

Paper 1, which centred on comprehension and composition, was described by Mr Campion as one of the most imaginative and visually stimulating exam papers to be presented to students in some time.

The opening feature article compiled by transition year students on young people's childhood fears proved both relevant and interesting to students, according to Michael Byrnes, principal of Kildare Vocational School and the TUI representative for English.

Questions were described as fair with answers easily identified in the text provided.