IGCSEEnglish LanguageCambridge (CIE)Revision NotesPaper 1: ReadingPaper 1Overview

Syllabus Edition

First teaching 2025

First exams 2027

Overview (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE English Language): Revision Note

Exam code: 0500 & 0990

Deb Orrock

Written by: Deb Orrock

Reviewed by: Nick Redgrove

Updated on

Cambridge (CIE) English LanguageCambridge (CIE) English Language

Paper 1 is the compulsory paper for the Cambridge IGCSE First Language English course. You must take Paper 1, but for the rest of the IGCSE you may either be sitting Paper 2 or completing a coursework portfolio. 

In the following guide you will find:

  • An overview of Paper 1

  • A breakdown of Paper 1

  • What skills are being assessed

Paper 1 overview

The Paper 1 exam is 2 hours long and you will have four compulsory questions to answer, although questions 1, 2 and 3 are further divided into sub-questions. 

The exam is worth 80 marks. These marks are divided into two main skills as follows:

  • Total marks for reading = 65

  • Total marks for writing = 15 

As well as your question paper and answer booklet, you will also be given an insert containing the three texts you will use to answer the questions on the exam paper. All three texts will be on a similar topic.

Cambridge recommends that you spend 15 minutes reading the texts; we suggest that you consider the following timings for this exam paper:

Question

Marks

Timing

Reading

N/A

15 minutes

Question 1 (short-answer)

20

20 minutes

Question 2 (summary and short-answer)

20

25 minutes

Question 3 (short-answer and language task

20

25-30 minutes

Question 4 (extended response to reading)

20

30-35 minutes

Paper 1 breakdown

Question

Type

What this means

Marks

Question 1(a-f)

Comprehension

Give a series of short answers to questions on Text A

20

Question 2(a)

Summary

Write a summary of no more than 120 words based on Text B

15

(reading = 10)

(writing = 5)

Question 2(b)

Short-answer question

Give a short answer using details from Text B

5

Question 3(a-c)

Language

Explain language used in Text C

10

Question 3(d)

Language

Analyse language used in Text C, in 200-250 words

10

Question 4

Extended response

Write about 250-300 words in one of the following text types:

  • letter

  • report

  • journal

  • speech

  • interview 

  • article

This will be in response to Text C

20

(reading = 10)

(writing = 10)

What skills are being assessed

There are only two assessment objectives for this IGCSE, each worth 50% of your overall grade. However, these are then divided into the following sub-objectives:

AO1: read and respond in different ways to different types of text

Sub-objective

What this means

R1: demonstrate understanding of explicit meanings

  • Show that you understand the obvious meanings communicated in a text

R2: demonstrate understanding of implicit meanings and attitudes

  • Show that you can recognise hints and suggestions in a text to understand the more hidden meanings and attitudes of the writer

R3: analyse, evaluate and develop facts, ideas and opinions, using appropriate support from the text

  • Evaluate and analyse the facts, ideas and opinions you read by using, explaining and developing them

  • Refer to supporting evidence from the text where appropriate, such as using quotations or references to the text

R4: demonstrate understanding of how writers achieve effects and influence readers

  • Show that you understand how a writer has influenced their reader through their use of language

  • Consider the deliberate choices a writer has made and why they have made those choices

R5: select and use information for specific purposes

  • Select and use relevant and appropriate information from a text to answer the different questions

AO2: write accurately and effectively, using Standard English appropriately

W1: articulate experience and express what is thought, felt and imagined

  • Write convincingly to convey real and imagined experience, thoughts and feelings

W2: organise and structure ideas and opinions for deliberate effect

  • Sequence and connect the ideas and opinions effectively within your written response to interest and influence your reader

W3: use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures appropriate to context

  • Use a range of appropriate vocabulary and sentence structures deliberately within each written response to achieve certain effects

W4: use register appropriate to context

  • Vary your writing to suit the purpose, audience and form of the task

W5: make accurate use of spelling, punctuation and grammar

  • Write accurately, avoiding spelling, punctuation and grammar errors

You can find detailed notes on how to answer each question on this paper in the following revision guides.

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Author
Reviewer
Deb Orrock

Author: Deb Orrock

Expertise: English Content Creator

Deb is a graduate of Lancaster University and The University of Wolverhampton. After some time travelling and a successful career in the travel industry, she re-trained in education, specialising in literacy. She has over 16 years’ experience of working in education, teaching English Literature, English Language, Functional Skills English, ESOL and on Access to HE courses. She has also held curriculum and quality manager roles, and worked with organisations on embedding literacy and numeracy into vocational curriculums. She most recently managed a post-16 English curriculum as well as writing educational content and resources.

Nick Redgrove

Reviewer: Nick Redgrove

Expertise: English Content Creator

Nick is a graduate of the University of Cambridge and King’s College London. He started his career in journalism and publishing, working as an editor on a political magazine and a number of books, before training as an English teacher. After nearly 10 years working in London schools, where he held leadership positions in English departments and within a Sixth Form, he moved on to become an examiner and education consultant. With more than a decade of experience as a tutor, Nick specialises in English, but has also taught Politics, Classical Civilisation and Religious Studies.