PAPER 3 Extended Cambridge iGCSE English Language Exam

Preparation

TIME: 2 HOURSTOTAL MARKS: 50 marks

QUESTION 1: 25 marks (50 mins)

QUESTION 2: 25 marks ( 50 mins)

Reading time: 10 mins

Checking answer time: 10 mins

PAPER 3 Extended Cambridge iGCSE English

Language exam preparation

QUESTION 1

25 Marks50 minutes

QUESTION 1 (25 marks)

Possible Tasks• A speech

• A conversation• An interview• A letter

•Report / newspaper report• A journal entry

• A newspaper article

QUESTION 1 Reading Objectives (10 marks)

:

i) understand and collate explicit meaningsii) understand, explain and collate implicit meanings and attitudesiii) select, analyse and evaluate what is relevant to

specific purposes

QUESTION 1 Writing Objectives (15 Marks)

i) articulate experience and express what is thought, felt and imagined

ii) order and present facts, ideas and opinionsiii) understand and use a range of appropriate vocabularyiv) use language and register appropriate to audience

and contextv) make accurate and effective use of paragraphs, grammatical structures, sentences, punctuation and spelling

Paper 3 – Question 1

For a A* answer: Always use persuasive (RISER) toolsOnly two bullet points – you must collate and present the

two bullet pointsFocus is on writingLess focus on selection – you MUST use as much

information as you can from the paper

Paper 3 – Question 1

Can be any of the genres mentioned above but will have an argumentative/persuasive/discursive tone.

The skill here is to match a solution to a problem using facts (usually)

The P(oint) E(vidence) E(xplanation) chain is crucial for marks in this section.

Paper 3 – Question 1

In this question, you are going to be rewarded not only for development ideas and use of supporting detail.

If any detail is relevant, USE it!

Do not DRIFT away from the text. Everything you write must be directly connected to the passage and be supported by references to it.

Paper 3 – Question 1

Obviously, it is important that the examiners can READ your work so you need to make sure that your writing is legible.

Example - Question 1

Paper 3 – Question 1Ensure you adopt a style suitable for the genre you

must use. (in this case a letter)Remember the important details of letter:Begin your letter… - End with yours sincerely (as you

know the name of the people)USE AS MUCH INFORMATION FROM THE PASSAGE AS

YOU CAN.Develop all points that are given (PEE)

Paper 3 – Question 1The bullet points are to remind you what should be

included, use them to check you have covered what is required.

These bullet points can also help you to STRUCTURE your answer.

Your response from the passage should be put into the APPROPRIATE BULLET POINT and NOT be repeated.

Paper 3 – Question 1• This is a genre transformation question, and you will be required to

show awareness of style characteristics, persona, and audience. Put yourself into role, and address your audience directly.

• There will almost certainly be two texts, perhaps in different genres. The question will require you to blend in information from both texts so you must not ignore one of them.

• Your answer will not be in the same genre as either of the texts, and should therefore be in a different style from both of them, and all material from the passages must be modified to suit the new genre.

• The recommended structure for the response will be offered in the wording of the question, and should be followed. To quote from the principal examiner’s report:

• You will try to use as much of the passages as possible, as it will all be relevant (unlike in paper 2 q.1) but you will have to change the way you express it; for instance a dialogue between friends would become reported speech in another genre, or just an opinion indirectly referred to.

• Do not write as yourself unless you are specifically told to do so.

Paper 3 – Question 1• There will be at least two factors to focus on, e.g. advantages

and disadvantages. You will need to make two lists before you start in order to make sure you have enough material for both sides of the question.

• The third element of this question is evaluation; you will have to decide which of several options is better and present reasons why you have formed this opinion and justify it.

• The opening needs to clearly introduce the situation and purpose of the task, and will be rewarded if it puts the reader in the picture.

• Though you cannot make up things which are not in the passages, you should try to use your own ideas in the way that you extend those of the passages, provided that they are ‘based on the reading material’.

Paper 3 – Question 1• The aim of the response is likely to be

persuasive, and paragraphs should be linked appropriately for the structure of a progressive argument.

• Remember to be consistent in your adoption of style and voice, and keep in mind the purpose of the piece of writing. Use rhetorical or other persuasive devices if appropriate to the task.

• The ending needs to be definite and provide an effective and satisfying conclusion to the piece.

Question 1

BEGIN WITH:

Dear Aunt and Uncle…

PAPER 3 Extended Cambridge iGCSE English

Language exam preparation

QUESTION 2

25 Marks45 minutes

PAPER 3 QUESTION 2 WHAT THE EXAMINERS SAY

•Know genre requirements•Narrative needs: plot, setting, time shifts•Descriptive writing needs detail, imagery, slow tempo•Discursive writing must show objectivity.•Don’t describe a game or match and think you have written a story•Use little / no direct speech•Plan and cancel your plan•Strictly follow length requirements•Colourful language is welcomed

Paper 3 Question 2

The bedrock of narrative writing is an exciting and original plot (WHAT,HOW)Setting must be described in detail – avoid moving to too many locations (WHERE, WHEN)Characters must be original and described in detail (WHO)Conclusion must be effective (WHY)Flashbacks, time lapses are good narrative toolsDo not change personaKeep tense consistent

Paper 3 Question 2• Decide on a tense and then stick to it; do not jump between

present and past. The normal narrative tense is past. • Know what your last sentence is going to be before you write

your first. A narrative has to build up to a climax and lead towards a conclusion which is planned before it starts or it will end lamely or incomprehensibly.

• Don’t try to do too much; you can’t cover many events and many years in one short composition. Select key moments and skip over the rest.

• Do not try to include too many characters (three are enough) or to give them all speech.

• For the top grade, complexity of narrative and structure is required e.g. framing the story; flashback or forward time jump. However, do not attempt these devices unless you are sure you can manage them.

Paper 3 Question 2• Even narrative needs description. The characters and places

need details to bring them alive and to allow the reader to be able to imagine them.

• Choose first or third person and stick with your choice; and do not switch narrative viewpoint, as this is confusing for the reader

• Do not use a first person narrator if you want to die at the end of your story! It is generally safer to use third person narration as it gives you more flexibility and a wider viewpoint.

• Do not end your story with ‘And then I woke up in hospital’, or ‘It was all a dream’. Avoid clichés of any kind, including stereotyped characters and predictable outcomes.

• Use similes, but avoid obvious ones such as ‘as red as a rose’. Make comparisons unusual, by giving them a moment’s thought and making them more specific e.g. ‘as red as a matador’s cape’.

• Straightforward stories do not get higher than C grade marks; details help create originality and engage reader interest, which is what is needed for a B grade, so use plenty of them.

Paper 3 Question 2• Narrative needs tension, but you should not exaggerate; too

much gore or too many unlikely events become ridiculous, and fear is more believable when it is mental rather than physical.

• It is better to think of something that actually happened to you, or someone you know, than to try to make up something entirely from scratch, as it will sound more convincing if it based on real or fictional experience. You are then, however, free to adapt, embellish and exaggerate the original idea to make it relevant and memorable.

• Keep a balance in the different parts of the narrative. An over-long introduction reduces the effect of the middle section where things build up to a climax, and you need to leave yourself time to create a memorable ending.

• Stories need a conclusion, where things are either resolved or left unresolved as a cliffhanger (though on the whole readers prefer to know how a story ended.). You must not give the impression that you stopped writing because you ran out of time, ink or ideas.

Paper 3 Question 2The bedrock of descriptive writing is DETAIL and as

many as possible referring to your senses.• Sight• Taste• Feeling (Physically)• Feeling (Emotionally)• Hearing• SmellNo movements in timeAdjectives are crucial

Paper 3 Question 2• It is difficult to write interesting descriptions, so this type

of composition should not be attempted unless you have had practice and success at this type of writing. Description must rely on range of vocabulary and use of imagery to engage reader interest. Unless the reader can see the picture they will not be able to relate to the experience.

• Use exotic and unusual vocabulary, and a variety of sentence structures. All forms of repetition should be avoided.

• Use all five senses to create an environment and atmosphere, as well as details of size, shape and colour. Make colour precise, e.g. ‘scarlet’, ‘azure’, ‘off-white’, ‘bluish-grey’.

Paper 3 Question 2• Avoid common, overused, vague, short and

childish vocabulary, such as ‘nice’, ‘big’, ‘little’, ‘a lot of’, ‘good’, and ‘bad’.

• Each noun needs one or more adjectives in front of it to give sufficient detail.

• Descriptive compositions must not become a narrative, which means character and event should not be dominant.

Paper 3 Question 2The bedrock of argumentative/discursive writing is developing points

using the PEE principle.• Be clear about the difference between an argumentative and a

discursive essay. When asked directly to give your own opinion you should commit yourself to a line of argument. When asked to give a range of possible views then you are being discursive and may or may not choose to say what you personally believe.

• • If you are having difficulty finding enough points to support your stance you should consider arguing the opposite view.

• Aim for effective introduction which captures attention and makes the topic and context clear

• You should end on the side you are arguing for, so structure your essay so that you deal with the other side first.

Paper 3 Question 2• End strongly to clinch your argument, without

repeating yourself; ‘To sum up’ and ‘In conclusion’ are lame endings.

• It is generally advisable to argue your own personal viewpoint as it is likely to sound more convincing.

• Do not get too passionate about the topic as this will make your essay sound too emotional and subjective, and therefore less persuasive.

• It is irritating to the examiner for you to use questions throughout your essay. One rhetorical question at the beginning or end is quite enough.

Paper 3 Question 2• Use of the personal pronouns ‘I’, ‘you’ and ‘we’

is a device for making an argument seem more authentic and inclusive.

• Do not start each paragraph with a numerical referent, i.e. firstly, secondly, thirdly and so on, as this is boring for the reader . Use other paragraph linking words, the ones which show whether your argument is continuing in the same direction (e.g. ‘furthermore’, ‘in addition’) or changing direction (e.g. ‘nevertheless’, ‘on the other hand’)

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