IGCSE First Language English Paper 1 - Comprehensive Notes

IGCSE First Language English Paper 1 Overview

Introduction

This video lesson provides an overview of the Cambridge IGCSE First Language English Paper 1.
The lesson covers the three questions in the paper, what to expect, and tips for approaching them.
An upcoming video will include a full, timed Paper 1 walkthrough with marking.
Resources, including a review quiz and worksheets, are available at tautly.co.uk.

Paper 1: Key Information

Worth 50% of the overall IGCSE mark.
The other 50% comes from Paper 2 (writing) or coursework.
2 hours long.
Total of 80 marks.
Split into three main questions.

Question Breakdown

Question 1: Comprehension and Summary

Comprehension questions: Basic retrieval questions (who, what, explain).
Summary writing task.

Question 2: Vocabulary and Language Analysis

Short answer, vocabulary-based questions.
Language analysis question (a separate video is available for this).

Question 3: Extended Response to Reading

Extended response based on Text C, worth 25 marks.
Respond in the form of a diary, letter, newspaper, magazine, speech, or interview (a 75-minute video lesson is dedicated to these text types).

Timings

General rule: Spend roughly the number of marks a question is worth in minutes, plus 10 minutes of reading time.
Example: A 25-mark question should take approximately 35 minutes (25 + 10).

Suggested Timings Breakdown

Question 1, Comprehension Questions: 15 minutes (includes skim reading).
Question 1, Summary Writing: 20 minutes (15 marks, includes reading and planning).
Question 2, Vocabulary Questions: 15 minutes.
Question 2, Vocabulary Questions (with Text C reading): Slightly longer, considering Text C is the longest text.
Question 2, Language Analysis: 25 minutes (includes planning time).
Question 3, Extended Response: 35 minutes (25 minutes writing + 10 minutes reading).
Proofreading: 5-10 minutes at the end.

Grade Boundaries (Summer 2023)

Paper 1 is out of 80 marks.
Variant 1 & 2: A = 47/80, B = 40/41, C = 33/35, D = 28/29, E = 23.
Variant 3: A = 43/80 (lower grade boundaries may indicate a harder paper).
A stars are only awarded on the combined score of all components, not individual papers.
To get an A, you needed 58%, to get a B, 50%, and 44 for a C.

Question 1: Comprehension Questions

Questions 1A to 1E are based on Text A, which is the shortest and simplest text.
Worth a total of 15 marks, allocate 15 minutes.
Recommended technique: Skim and scan questions and text before answering methodically.
Text A is not used again, so focus on finding answers efficiently.
Unless stated "using your own words", copy directly from the text to save time.
Do not write in full sentences unless for explain questions; bullet points are sufficient.

Question 1A: Simple Retrieval

Find one to two pieces of information directly from the text.
Example: "Give two possible meanings of the dot languages found on cave paintings."
Copy phrases directly as full sentences aren't needed.
Both pieces of information must be correct to get the mark.

Question 1B: Explaining Phrases

Explain the meaning of two phrases from the text using your own words.
Example: Explain "track the migration."
Provide a synonym for each word in the phrase without analyzing deeply.
Must use your own words and avoid reusing the original word in your definition.

Question 1C & 1D: Retrieval and Explanation

The first part of 1D is a simple retrieval task, find two pieces of information from the text from a given paragraph.
Copy directly from the text using bullet points.
The second part of Question 1D requires the explanation of three pieces of information from the text anywhere in the text, using bullet points.
Use keywords from the text but mostly your own words.
Make three distinct points to earn all three marks.
Use bullet points to ensure you provide enough different points.

Question 1E: Explaining Information (Own Words)

Explain three pieces of information from the text entirely in your own words.
It's worth three marks, so you need to make three different points.
Write in bullet points.

Key Takeaways for Question 1

Copy directly unless asked to use your own words.
Skim and scan efficiently.
Marks indicate the number of points to make.
Avoid reusing words when defining.

Question 1F: Summary Writing

Write a short, focused summary based on Text B.
Summarize information relevant to the question asked, not the entire text.
Worth 15 marks, spend about 20 minutes (10 for reading/planning, 10 for writing).
Write approximately 120 words.

Recommended Technique

Read the summary question first to focus your reading.
Highlight answers as you read Text B.
Include only relevant information in a focused summary.
Decide which points belong together and organize them logically.
Aim for around 10 individual points to answer the question.
No introduction or conclusion; directly get into the summary.
Every sentence should contain a point from the mark scheme.

Paraphrasing

Write in your own words wherever possible.
Use synonyms unless unsure.
Precise nouns (mammoth, cave painting) can be copied if no good synonym exists.
Switch sentence structures and reorder ideas from the original text.
Keep the meaning consistent with the original text.

Example Question

"According to Text B, what makes the cave painting so remarkable and what do scientists hope to learn by studying the cave painting?"
Structure: Two short paragraphs, one for each part of the question.

Marking

10 marks for content (identifying points from the mark scheme).
5 marks for writing (paraphrasing, grouping ideas effectively, flow).
Content points: How well you stay on topic, avoid writing irrelevant things, and identify information from the text.
Examiners cross out sentences that don't have a point from the mark scheme.
Writing: How well you paraphrase, write in your own words, and group ideas.

Key Takeaways

Write a focused summary on a specific part of the text.
Aim for 10–12 distinct points with no repetition.
Group similar ideas together.
Don't include irrelevant information.
Paraphrase (99% your own words) and avoid direct copying.
Maintain original meaning.
It is usually best to copy direct nouns so you do not lose the content point.

Question 2: Short Answer Vocabulary Questions

Based on Text C, the longest and most important text.
Allocate 15 minutes (5 for reading, 10 for writing).
Worth 10 marks.

Question 2A

Find the correct word or phrase from the text and copy it directly.
Example: Find a word or phrase that suggests the same idea as "smoothly drifted across."
Copy without defining.
Don't include extra information that isn't underlined.

Question 2B

Define a phrase from the text in your own words.
Give a synonym for the word or phrase in context.
Don't reuse the original word in your definition.

Question 2C

Explain the effect of a short quote.
Use one example (quotation) from the text.
State three different things that the quote could suggest.
If there is more than one quote, the examiner will only take the one that makes most sense.
If there is no quote, you cannot earn a single mark.

Key Takeaways

2A: Copy phrase from the text.
2B: Define without reusing the original word.
2C: The number of marks dictates the number of points (3 marks = 3 points). Only use one quote.

Question 2D: Language Analysis

Analyze the use of imagery in two paragraphs from Text C.
Worth 15 marks; allocate about 25 minutes (5 for rereading/planning).

Structure & Technique

Analyse only from the assigned two paragraphs in Text C.
Pick out three images from each paragraph, so you will anaylse six quotes in total.
Explain the meaning (explicit) of the quote, and the effect (implicit) using word choices.
Do not pick out any language devices. Cambridge doesn't want that.
Give an overall effect sentence.
Do not analyse the other paragraphs.
Do not give more than three images per graph.
Stick to the prescribed structure.

Structure

Overall effect sentence.
Quotation.
Meaning of the quotation.
Connotations of the word.
Effect of the quotation.

A Star Response

Overall effect of paragraph 10 is to show a magical and romanticized view of the underwater world.
Firstly, the image of shell-encrusted means that the doorstep was completely covered by shells. This has connotations of being decorated by gems, showing how precious the location is and how the hotel blends in with its natural surroundings.

Sentence Starters

The overall effect of this paragraph is to suggest…
Firstly, the image of [quote] means that…
The word [word] has connotations of [association 1], [association 2], and [association 3], which suggests that…

Marking Breakdown

Top band: Six quotations from the mark scheme, five or more meanings of those quotations, five or more effects.
Remember, quotations are required. If there is no quote, the examiner cannot give a mark.

Key Takeaways

Follow the structure (overall effect + quote, meaning, connotations, effect x3).
Do not analyze language devices.
You need to understand both the literal meaning and the implicit effect of the image.
Analyze only the given paragraphs.
Make sure quotes are powerful enough to be on the mark scheme.

Question 3: Extended Response

Write about 2-4 sides responding to Text C (extended response).
Respond in the format of a letter, newspaper report, journal/diary, speech, or interview.
Worth 25 marks; allocate 35-40 minutes (at least 25 minutes for writing).

Marking: Writing (15 marks)

Effective register for audience and purpose.
Convincing and consistently appropriate language.
Ideas firmly expressed using a range of effective/interesting language.
Well-structured and sequenced work (correctly paragraph). You are now marked only for sounding like the context, interesting vocabulary, and correct paragraphs from 2024 onwards.

VOPF (Voice, Audience, Purpose, Format)

Voice: Who are you writing as?
Audience: Who are you writing to?
Register: How formal/informal should your language be?
Purpose: Why are you writing (to discuss, persuade, inform, etc.)?
Format: What have you been asked to write (letter, magazine, diary, interview, speech)?

Example Question 3

"You are the Agua. After that near miss in Lalpani, you have been asked to write a report for the village council, offering an explanation of what went wrong on the hunt what led to saving Binod, and recommendation for the future hunts."
The VOPF is: an explaintion and suggestion format, report to a formal audience, the Village Concil.

Structure

Answer all three bullet points equally and with equal amounts of effort.
Write one paragraph per bullet point. One sentence introduction and one sentence conclusion.
If the text type is interview, do not include an introduction or conclusion.

Marking: Reading (10 marks)

Thorough evaluation and analysis of the text.
Developed ideas well related to the text.
A wide range of ideas (details and content).
Supporting detail throughout that is well integrated.
You have got all three bullet points covered and show a consistent and convincing voice.

Developed Detail - Explained

Content points: Points on the mark scheme, summarized using your own words or a synonym.
Details: Explicit what, where, and how from the text that you could highlight.
Development: Implicit information (inferred). Show or explain the feelings about a character or action.

Annotate for Good Results

Annotate your question; get three different coloured highlighters.
Highlight bullet point one, two, and three in the different colours so they are obvious on the page.
Use highlighting to identify which information relates to each point.
Anything you can highlight is detail.

Key Takeaways

Answer all three bullet points equally.
Do not copy from the text or quote.
Bullet point three may be implicit.
Don't add random parts.
Content points = info from text summarized.
Details = explicit info from text and context.
Development = inferred information (feelings, why).
Identify VOPF and use it effectively for accurate context.
Interviews do not require a conclusion or intro/ extra information.
Sounds something like the question has asked of you.
Use as much as you can fit in for a maximal mark score.
Follow as described, good job.

Conclusion

A walkthrough video will be available to put this all into practice.
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