EDEXCEL
CERTIFICATE
(igcse) ENGLISH LANGUAGE
PAPER 1
Thoughts on approaching the paper
Jonathan Peel SGS 2013
MAY 2012 sample
material
• The exam is 2hours 15 minutes long
• You are advised to spend 45 minutes on each of
the three sections – you must watch your time!
• You should be aware that marks can be lost for
poor spelling and punctuation (grammar).
• You need to be able to address the anthology
questions with minimal time spent reading the
passage as though for the first time
• THIS PAPER IS WORTH 70% OF YOUR OVERALL MARK
– WORK IT OUT!
Jonathan Peel SGS 2013
Section A: Unseen non
fiction
• Q 1&2 are short and require little explanation
• Q1 should always be about retrieval of information.
Here the common error was quoting an example
which did not relate to sound – you must answer the
question
• Q 2 should include the phrase “in your own words”.
Do not quote!
• Q2 should be worth 4 or 5 marks – you will need 4 or
5 clear points if you are to be successful
• Do not waste time on detailed analysis of the
language.
Jonathan Peel SGS 2013
Techniques: Q 1&2
• You will need to SKIM the text for information.
• Read the question first –especially Q1. Then skim,
looking for the effect/idea required in response to
the question.
• NB: Consider paragraph structure: Usually
information is at the start; explanation and
description in the middle and development of the
ideas at the end.
Jonathan Peel SGS 2013
Section A: Q 3
• There will be bullet points – use them to structure your
response. Make it easy for the examiner.
• The mark scheme gives examiners typical responses
based on the bullet points!
• The mark scheme requires “valid points which have an
engagement with the text and an appreciation of the
writer’s techniques…”
• It is vital, therefore that this is a PEE/PEARL piece of
writing and the word level analysis is emerging.
• Try to comment on the whole passage.
• This question might need 30 minutes – Q 1&2 will need to
be quick! Then you will be able to make a brief plan!
Jonathan Peel SGS 2013
SECTION B: 45 minutes
into the exam
• 2 questions on or related to the Anthology, Section
A.
• The better you know the Anthology, the easier you
will find this section.
• Think! 45 minutes = 15 (20) on Q 4 and 30 (25) on Q
5. INCLUDING reading time.
• You will need to plan Q 5
Jonathan Peel SGS 2013
Section B comment
• “How does the writer try to share her experiences of
being at the race?”
• Tricky phrasing. In essence this is a “how does the writer
make the passage exciting/engaging?” question and is
based in techniques!
• Look for the usual TRAPPERS
• This is travel writing/autobiography. It tells an exciting
tale. Concentrate on this.
• Keep quotations BRIEF!
• Some things you know will not be relevant to this
question, such as the factual comments about the kibla
donkey – I could google them from here!
Jonathan Peel SGS 2013
Q 4: ideas SSS
• Setting: Place, time of day, weather and other
conditions are all relevant if the writer is making the
writing vivid.
• Senses: To give a sense of place the writer will use
writing which engages the senses – especially
sound (onomatopoeia/alliteration) and smell
alongside sight.
• Sentences: Always look for the unusual – a very
short sentence has been placed for effect – what is
the effect? How are they punctuated?
Jonathan Peel SGS 2013
Q5
• Always related to the themes of the Anthology
passage used in Q 4.
• Part of your revision might be to try to identify
themes…
• Mark Scheme clearly expects a relationship to
AUDIENCE AND PURPOSE
• Ensure you note the format descriptors in the
question
• IN Q 5 and 6: USE TRAPPERS!
Jonathan Peel SGS 2013
TRAPPERS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Triplets
Rhetorical Questions
Adjectives and adverbs
Personal anecdotes/reflection
Polls and statistics
Emotive language
Repetition
Sentence structure for effect
• You can rarely use them all, but try to use
some/most in any non fiction writing.
Jonathan Peel SGS 2013
“write a description of an event or
occasion which was important to you”
• Apart from “description” this is not too prescriptive
• No transactional requirement of letter or speech
and so on. This should be the case.
Introduction: sets event and setting. Start to
think about using TRAPPERS at this stage.
Begins to describe: SHOW don’t tell –
remember there is no need to tell a story –
focus on descriptive writing
Develop – move into close focus on a single
event/person and write a detailed and
sensory description
Jonathan Peel SGS 2013
Remember to conclude – why was it
memorable?
Section C
• Q 6 has 45 minutes and is 1/3 of the paper – make
sure you have left enough time
• PLAN!
• TRAPPERS
• FORMAT – this is a transactional piece and has a
clear SLAP (Subject, language, audience, purpose)
which is dictated by the title
• “Write a letter to your local newspaper explaining
how the area where you live could be improved for
young people”
Jonathan Peel SGS 2013
Dear sir
or
madam
– this is
formal
Letters need
addresses,
salutations and
sign offs.
How is this
different to
a national
newspaper
?
“Write a letter to your local
newspaper explaining how the area
where you live could be improved
for young people”
Explanation
needs facts and
organisation –
detailed and
precise!
Jonathan Peel SGS 2013
No need to panic –
use the bullets!
Q6
• Allow plenty of time to plan – even as much as 10
minutes
• When planning start to think of the images/effects
you will create and jot them down
• Plan paragraph by paragraph and use the bullets
to help you.
• Double check the format!
• When you can write without too much stopping to
think/plan… BEGIN!
Jonathan Peel SGS 2013
Other resources
• http://jwpblog.wordpress.com/2013/01/06/edexcelcertificate-igcse-english-language-paper-1/
• http://jwpblog.wordpress.com/2012/12/29/edexcelrevision-material-igcsecertificate-anthology-a/
• http://www.edexcel.com/migrationdocuments/Ede
xcel%20Certificate/English%20Language%20KEA0%2
0and%204EA0%20paper%201%20exp%20and%20co
m%20set%201.pdf
Jonathan Peel SGS 2013