1. You are marked on the quality and the correctness of your written Irish, particularly in Paper 1 - precise grammar essential.

2. The key to success at Higher Level is fluency - learn how to speak the language and everything else will follow naturally - Beatha teanga í a labhairt.

3. Make the Oral and Aural components of the exam (worth c. 42% of the total exam) easy for yourself by getting involved in Irish debates, watching TG4, listening to Raidió na Gaeltachta and reading Dréimire and Foinse sa Rang on a regular basis.

4. When studying poetry, concentrate on: príomhphointí an dáin, téama, mothúcháin, íomhánna (meafair, samhlacha etc), codarsnacht, meadaracht (rithim, rím, uaim, aicill etc), friotal (diction) agus an bhfuil sé éifeachtach (effective) mar dhán.

5. When studying prose concentrate on: na príomhcharachtair, tréithe na bpríomhcharachtar, coimhlint (conflict), na téamaí agus príomhphointí an scéil. Also make absolutely sure you do the Stair na Gaeilge questions.