Twins Tahliya and Nerida Chambers were two of the students who completed the first two-hour English paper on Monday.

The Orange Christian School students said the real exam was better than the HSC trials earlier this year.

Tahliya said she kept a careful eye on the clock so she didn’t spend too much time on each question.

“I’m glad it’s over,” she said.

“I got it done but I didn’t get everything I wanted in there.”

Orange Christian School English teacher Len Elliott said if the exams were challenging for students, it was a good thing.

“It means that students who are capable of excelling can do that,” Mr Elliott said.

He said the pair of exam papers were focused on the theme of discovery.

One of the exam questions in the first paper asked how students’ study had broadened their understanding of themselves and of their world.

Mr Elliott said for students to succeed in the exam they needed to complete a 1000-word essay in 40 minutes.

On Tuesday, students will sit the second two-hour English paper.

“I just want to get it over and done with,” Nerida said.

“We’ve got three modules to do [Tuesday] which is three times the number of quotes and techniques.

“I know what I’m going to write about in each essay. I’ve got essay paragraphs that we’ve prepared during class which I can fit to any question.”

Once the English exams are done with, the Chambers twins have a two-week break before their legal studies and community and family studies exams.

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday