Cambridge IGCSE: English as a First Language, 3rd Edition

Book Preface

When choosing your route through the course, there are some important decisions that you and/or your teacher have to make.

The first decision is to select the appropriate examination level: Core or Extended. Your teacher will be able to explain in detail what is involved at each level, but the key points are as follows.

At both levels there are two compulsory areas of work

•    Reading Passages (Paper 1 (Core) or Paper 2 (Extended)) and
•    Directed Writing and Composition (Paper 3) or the Coursework Portfolio (Component 4).

There is also a Speaking and Listening unit which is compulsory for candidates working within the UK National Curriculum (Syllabus 0522 ), and optional and separately endorsed for candidates from the rest of the world.

•  For the assessment of Speaking and Listening, you can take the Test (Component 5) or do your speaking/listening as Coursework (Component 6).

The next decision is to choose between the Directed Writing and Composition  (Paper 3) and Coursework Portfolio (Component 4).

Finally, unless you are a candidate for Syllabus 0522, you and/or your teacher have to decide whether or not you will take the Speaking and Listening option, and if so, whether you will do it as coursework or as an oral test.

Reading Passages (Paper 1 (Core) or Paper 2 (Extended))

•    In Paper 1, there will be two reading passages. Understanding of them will be tested by a series of short-answer comprehension questions, a directed writing exercise based on the first reading passage and a summary.

•    In Paper 2, there will be two reading passages. Understanding of the first passage will be tested by a directed writing task (based on the passage) and a task requiring an appreciation of the techniques used by the writer. Understanding of the second passage will be tested by a summary question.