Cambridge IGCSE
English as a Second
Language
(Count-in speaking) - 0511
STUDENT BOOKLET
First, simply skim through the
texts and get an idea of what
it is about. Skimming, is
simply glancing through the
text to catch words and
phrases. Find out what kind of
text it is (travel brochure,
newspaper article, leaflet etc.)
and the main idea of each
paragraph. to look through the
questions first and then read
the text.
For exercise 1, scan the text
find the answers, by locating
the keywords (noun and/or
verb) from the question, in the
passage. Then read that
sentence properly to get the
answer. It is also worth noting
that, usually, answers will be
found in chronological
order within the passage
Some questions are very
specific, so the answers
are very easy to find.
It is a reading
exercise. You can
copy the text from
the passage itself;
you don’t have to
write in your own
words! You don’t
even have to write in
full sentence! As
long as the answer is
correct. Make sure
that you spell words
correctly, as
misspelling may
change the meaning
of the word.
Others you will have to
read between the lines–
you have to look at what
the author is implyingwhat he means. Some
questions will also use
synonyms of the words
used in the passage simply
to confuse you! So make
sure you know your
vocabulary!
Remember, you don’t have
to come up with your own
answers, everything is
there in the passage itself;
it’s a reading exercise, not
writing.
Time Management
For the core paper 1, spend about 15 minutes on the
first two reading exercises.
For the extend paper 2, spend around 20 minutes on
the first two reading exercises. The first passage is
relatively easy to find answers for. So quickly finish it
up. The second exercise requires a little more detailed
reading, so allot more time for it.
Underline important words in
the questions – nouns, verbs,
adjectives and adverbs may
provide information that you
might need to find in the text.
Start by matching up the
questions to the right part of the
text for those you are confident
about. For any question where
you don’t know the answer,
decide which of the remaining
parts of the text match.
Try to match the main idea to each
question with the correct place in the
text. When you locate the place, read
the text more carefully to check
whether the meaning matches the idea
in the question. The idea will be written
in a different way in the text and in the
statement. If you still can’t locate the
right answer, read up or down from the
sentence you found, or make a guess.
Make it clear which is your final
selection. If your answer is
unclear, it cannot be marked
Time Management
For the core paper 1, spend about 15 minutes on
the first two reading exercises.
For the extend paper 2, spend around 20 minutes
on the first two reading exercises. The first passage
is relatively easy to find answers for. So quickly
finish it up. The second exercise requires a little
more detailed reading, so allot more time for it.
Exercise 3 of Paper 1 is a reading task,
where a short passage is given and you
are asked to make notes on it under the
headings given. This is again, an easy
enough task but you need to be careful
to ensure that you’re writing the correct
points.
Read the headings
First, reading the headings given in
the question will be the best course of
action. It will tell you what
information you need to find from the
passage and copy into your answer.
Read the passage.
Let’s dive straight into it.
Write down the points under each
heading.
You don’t have to write in full sentences
You can copy the text as it is from the
passage That’s about.
It’s again, like the previous question, an
information transfer. You just need to
know what the relevant information is and
where you should put it.
That’s about. It’s again, like the previous
question, an information transfer. You just
As you go underline the points that
you can write down under each
heading. Answers could be found
anywhere, but usually goes in a
chronological order.
You should only write one point
per line given. Thus, all points
that you could write do not have to
be written.
Try to match any heading with the
correct place in the text.
Make sure that you spell words
correctly, as misspelling may
change the meaning of the word.
need to know what the relevant information
is and where you should put it.
Time management
For the core paper 1, spend about 10 minutes on this question.
For the extended paper 2, spend 12 minutes on this question.
What is a summary?
The formal definition is: a brief statement
or account of the main points of
something. And that’s exactly what you
have to do. Identify the main, relevant
points and write them in your own words
in an organized manner.
Be aware that this exercise tests reading
and also writing
Begin by working out what the summary you
are going to write is about (e.g. why it is a
good idea for children to learn how to cook).
Then read quickly (skim) through the text.
You should identify which paragraphs
contain information you can use. Then
read those paragraphs again, underlining
important points you can use in your
summary
Don’t include any information that doesn’t
link to the summary and don’t include
your opinions. For reading, you will be
marked on the number of relevant points
you have given
As far as you can, use your own words
instead of copying from the text, because
you have more chance of getting a higher
mark for language. You will need to make
sure that your content point is clear to be
awarded the point for reading. For writing,
you will also be marked on your range of
vocabulary and its accuracy, including how
words are spelt.

Read the passage.
As you go, underline the points that
you need to include in your
summary, that are relevant and
important to the question.
In your summary you should: Include all the key information
relating to the subject of your
summary. Don’t repeat points
which are the same idea even
though you’ve explained them in a
different way
Try to connect your ideas into
paragraphs and use linking words to
connect sentences to give a natural
flow. For writing, you will be marked on
your organisation of ideas and how
your content is linked
Write the summary
You have got all your points, now you need
to collate and organise it into one write-up
using your own words
Write a one-line introduction that tells the
examiner what you’re writing a summary on.
Keep it short.
Time Management
The summary writing exercise in the core paper 1 is too easy, so it should
only take about 5 minutes to attempt it.
Spend about 15 minutes on this exercise, in the extended paper 2. Reading
the passage should take about 5 minutes and the rest 10 minutes should be
used to write your summary.
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Exercise 5 advice
Think about who you are
writing to. Try to write as if
you are talking to this
person and you’ll
automatically use the
correct conversational tone
and register. You’ll be
using words and phrases
which are informal.
If you’re writing a letter or
email, don’t spend time
providing introductory
information such as an
address or subject. Use
most of your time and
space on the question
paper to write the main
body of your answer
Remember to write at least a
paragraph on each of the bullet
points given as guidance on the
question paper. This will give
your writing good balance.
You’ll lose marks if you don’t
write about everything you have
been asked
It’s a good idea to
give your writing a
start and a finish. If
you don’t, it can
become more like a
story, and you might
lose the tone.
Try to make your writing
enjoyable to read. If you
like using idioms (e.g.
‘over the moon’, ‘don’t
cry over spilt milk’), be
careful not to use too
many. It can make your
writing sound unnatural.
They also need to suit
the task.
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Exercise 6 advice
You must be familiar with the format of
an informal email: salutation
(Dear/Dearest..), introduction, body
(maybe. two paragraphs), conclusion,
signature (With Love/Yours Truly..)
.
The salutation and signature are
simple.
Before you begin writing, decide if you’re
going to write about the topic from two
sides (for and against) or from just one
(your opinion).
If you write a two-sided (balanced)
piece of writing, remember to include
your opinion in the last paragraph
.
If you want to write only from your
own point of view, include it in
the first paragraph.
Try to think of your own ideas on the
topic which match the task and include
them in your writing. • For each of the
ideas included in your answer, support
them with evidence or examples.
Note, the examiner knows that the
evidence or examples will be made up
and doesn’t expect these to be correct
You can use phrases and opinions given
in the question, but if you want to get
higher marks, you must develop these
ideas and not just copy them.
Remember to use linking words
which suit a formal type of writing,
such as ‘firstly’, ‘another point’ or ‘to
sum up’.
Give forceful statements rather
than ‘I think that’, ‘maybe’ or
‘perhaps’ and try to use rhetorical
questions (questions which
don’t require an answer but make
your reader think).
Remember to organise your
writing: include an
introduction, a middle
section and a conclusion.
Time Management
For the core paper 1, take about 20 minutes to attempt this
question.
For the extended paper 2, spend about 30 minutes
Exercise 6:
You will receive up to 8 marks for the content of your article, and up to 8 marks for
the style and accuracy of your language.
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REPORT WRITING
From 2019 onwards, Exercise 6 could also be a report-writing task.
You will be given a particular context and asked to write a report on it. You are
expected to write 150-200 words, and the exercise is worth 16 marks.
Read the question carefully
and ensure that you know what
it is asking for. It may be
helpful to underline the
important points in pencil.
Make a plan and spend not more than
5 minutes on it. It should give you a
rough idea of the details you want to
include in your report, what you want to
write in your introduction, body and
conclusion. Remember, the purpose
of a report is to reflect on and
evaluate something, so make sure you
keep that in mind when drawing up
your plan.
Come up with a title. It
should be brief and
relevant and will give you
a good start.
Write a strong, but
concise, introduction. This
paragraph should include the most
important details of the event that
you are reporting on – the ‘who
‘(your class), ‘what ‘(a trip), ‘when
‘(last week? last month?), ‘where
‘(large recycling centre), ‘why (learn
about recycling)’ and ‘how ‘(if
applicable).
You need to then organise
your body according to what the
question is asking for. For
example, you are asked to write a
report on what you did on the trip
(write about three points. Example:
spoke to employees, visited
sorting unit, watched a plastic
recycling process etc.) and what
you learned from it as well (write
about two points. Example: only
50% of materials brought in are
recycled, recycling helps the
environment). You could have one
paragraph on the former and one
on the latter. Be clear
Time Management
For the core paper 1, take about 20 minutes to
finish this exercise, 5 minutes to plan, 10 minutes
to write and 5 minutes to check your writing.
For the extended paper 2, take 30 minutes for the
whole exercise. Take 5 minutes to plan your
report, by coming up with points to be included in
the introduction, body and conclusion. Use 20
minutes for writing the report and the final 5
minutes to proofread and edit your report.
The ending paragraph should
briefly conclude the report. In the
sample question above, you are
asked to write a suggestion for
improvement, so this could be your
conclusion. Write a couple of
sentences outlining your views on
how the trip went (example: very
informative or too long) and one or
two suggestions (example: handson-experience, watch a video etc.).
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Exercise 6 of the ESL paper could also be a review writing.
The review could be for a book, movie, restaurant etc. that you enjoyed (or didn’t!)
The exercise is worth 16 marks and you should write about 150-200 words.
Let’s dive right in. I will be using a book review for examples.
Introduction: state the book’s
title, author’s full name, the
setting of the story, giving a
one-line description of what
the story is about. Use
adjectives to describe the book
such as insightful, beautiful,
controversial etc.
Opinion: this is where you have
to write down how the book
impacted you. Was it inspiring?
Thought-provoking? Lifechanging? You could praise the
book or criticise it, stating why.
Brief description: give a oneparagraph synopsis of the plot of the
book, shortly expanding your onesentence description in the
introduction. Don’t write the whole
story, only the beginning! Use
the present tense of verbs and linking
words to outline the story
chronologically. Bonus points if you
can use words that fit the theme of
the story. If, for example, the book is
of the fantasy genre, use words like
magic, summon, fate, spells etc.
Recommendation: you must
state whether you would
recommend this book, to whom
and why.
Time Management
For the core paper 1, spend about 20 minutes in this exercise.
For the extended paper 2, spend 30 minutes on this exercise.
Allot 5 minutes to plan the points you will include in each
paragraph. Take 20 minutes to write your review, keeping in
mind all the above tips. Use the final 5 minutes to proofread
and make any changes.
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Listening Paper 3 (Core) and Paper 4 (Extended)
 You need to answer all questions on the paper (Paper 3 or Paper 4).
 Each question tests listening comprehension of recorded texts such as a
person talking aloud, conversations between two people, announcements and
talks.
 You will hear each of the texts twice.
LINK : https://pastpapers.co/cie/view.php?id=/cie/IGCSE/English-Second-Languagecount-in-oral-0511/2019-Oct-Nov/0511_w19_sf_43.mp3
Listen to the recording and answer the questions.
Exercise 2
Exercise 3
Exercise 4
Exercise 5
Speaking: Paper 5 (Core and Extended)
Using the topic cards from previous
speaking tests, practise having
conversations with another person,
getting the other person to ask
questions and giving you marks for
each strand of the assessment criteria.
Be aware of how your examiner
assesses you for the conversation. You
are awarded up to 10 marks for each of
the following: - Structure – the range of
sentence structures and phrases you
use and how accurately they are used.
- Vocabulary – the range of words you
use and how detailed they are. Development and fluency – your ability
to help keep the conversation going by
developing the ideas, and how clearly
and fluently you say the words.
Speaking Assessment
Don’t worry about the topics that might come
up in the real test. The topics are chosen so
that conversations can be developed easily –
you don’t need to have any expert knowledge
of any of the topics. It is not necessary,
therefore, to try and revise any topics which
you think might be used. The test is not about
how much you know about a topic, it is about
how well you can have a conversation about
it
Have a stress-free genuine
conversation. Don’t make it a
speech, just simply have a chat
with your examiner. Answer her
questions.
Follow this link : https://pastpapers.co/cie/view.php?id=/cie/IGCSE/English-SecondLanguage-count-in-oral-0511/2019-Oct-Nov/0511_w19_rp_52.pdf