How to Get an A* in IGCSE German

You’ve worked hard to learn vocabulary, you’ve done lots of grammar practice, you have a great accent and you can understand German really well. But now you’re wondering how to apply this knowledge in the exam - what does it take to hit that top grade in IGCSE German? What does an A* look like in listening, speaking, reading and writing?

Many students spend hours on end reading through word lists and writing out verb tables, hoping it sticks. But you’ll get that A* by working smarter, not harder. This guide will show you exactly how to revise for IGCSE German and what the examiner wants to see in order to award you those elusive top marks.

Key Takeaways

Although a strong knowledge of vocabulary is essential to hit the top grades, an A* in IGCSE German is not just about knowing lots of words. It is about demonstrating excellence in all four skills, and requires:

• Detailed, extended and fully developed answers when speaking

• Organising and communicating your ideas clearly and fluently when writing

• Understanding written and spoken material on a wide range of topics

• High levels of accuracy in grammar and spelling

• Using a broad range of structures and vocabulary

Understanding IGCSE German Grade Boundaries

An A* in IGCSE German is extremely impressive.

• An A* is the highest grade available in the IGCSE A*-G grading system

• It awards exceptional performance for the highest-achieving students

• It is equivalent to a grade 9 in the newer grading system

The exact mark that you need for an A* varies each year and by exam board, and is set after all of the marking is completed. Grade boundaries are not fixed, and depend on overall student performance and how difficult the exam was - if the exam is harder than usual, the boundaries drop slightly. See our complete guide to IGCSE grade boundaries for more detail.

Having said this, patterns from recent Cambridge exams (opens in a new tab) and Pearson Edexcel exams (opens in a new tab) show that you need to aim for around 80-84% for an A*, so we can use this as a very rough guide.

Know Your Exam Board Requirements

The two exam boards offering IGCSE German are Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE) and Pearson Edexcel.

Although the content is similar, and both exam boards cover all four skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing), not all IGCSE German qualifications are identical. The two exam boards each have their own specification, exam structure, and question styles. You can find more information in our guide to IGCSE German.

Before you start revising, you need to know which exam board your school uses. This affects:

• What topics you need to cover - the content varies slightly between boards

• What words you need to know - some vocabulary is required for one board but not the other

• What your exam papers look like - some questions will look different and are ordered differently in each board’s papers, for example Pearson Edexcel combines reading and writing in one paper

• How your exams are marked - the mark schemes and number of marks awarded are different between boards, and Pearson Edexcel uses 9-1 instead of A*-G

You can find your specification on your exam board's website. Here is the Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE) specification (opens in a new tab) (there is a current specification for exams up to 2027, and a new specification for exams taking place in 2028 onwards) and here is the Pearson Edexcel specification (opens in a new tab). 

If you're not sure which exam board you're with or which specification you need, ask your teacher. It's one of the most important things to know before you start serious revision.

Effective Revision Strategies for IGCSE German

There are two key things to remember when revising for IGCSE German:

• Active revision beats passive revision hands-down

• Little and often is the key

These evidence-based techniques are especially effective for language learning. Let’s look at them in more detail, and explore some other useful revision strategies.

Active Recall and Spaced Repetition

Active recall means testing yourself on what you know, rather than passively re-reading notes or rewriting lists of words.

For IGCSE German, this could look like:

• Covering up a list of vocabulary and trying to remember each word from memory - use the Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check method (opens in a new tab)

• Writing out a sentence in English and translating it into German without looking

• Using flashcards to quiz yourself on key words and phrases - see our useful guide to the Leitner system

• Conjugating verbs from memory in a range of tenses - why not say them out loud for additional speaking practice?

Spaced repetition takes this further. Instead of revising everything at once, you revisit topics at increasing intervals, e.g. review new vocabulary after one day, then three days, then a week. This is one of the most powerful methods for locking language into long-term memory.

The key is consistency. Short, daily vocabulary and grammar sessions will beat one long cram session every time. And the great news is that you can effectively revise IGCSE German vocabulary in just 15-20 minutes a day - leaving the rest of your revision time to focus on grammar, listening, speaking, reading and writing.

Practise Past Papers Regularly

Past papers are one of your most valuable revision tools for IGCSE German.

They show you exactly how questions are phrased, what topics come up repeatedly, and how marks are awarded. Completing them under timed conditions helps you build the speed and accuracy you need on exam day, particularly for the writing exam.

Don't just do the paper - review your answers against the mark scheme carefully. Remember that mark schemes are written for examiners, not students - if you need help understanding them, ask your teacher.

You can access IGCSE German past papers on Save My Exams and on your exam board's official site. Make sure you look for ‘Foreign Language’ papers - ‘First Language’ papers are specifically for native speakers of German, not learners, and the exams are very different.

Focus on All Skills and Topics Equally

IGCSE German tests you across four skills - listening, speaking, reading and writing. There are also several different topic areas.

It can be tempting to spend most revision time on the topics that you like, or the skills that feel easiest. Lots of students enjoy revising the topic of ‘free-time activities’, but avoid ‘the environment’. It feels productive to read a text, highlight key vocabulary, and look up new words, whereas practising speaking feels challenging. 

But because all four skills contribute to your final grade equally (each is worth 25% of your final grade), a weak area will hold you back, even if the others are strong.

Be honest about where your gaps are. Targeted practice on your weakest skill(s) and topic(s) will give you the biggest improvement in your overall mark.

Focus on Understanding, Not Just Memorising

For an A* grade, simply memorising grammar rules and lists of words and phrases is not enough. Examiners want to see that you truly understand what you have learnt and can apply it flexibly.

In German, this means being able to:

• Adapt learned phrases and vocabulary to fit new contexts

• Use grammar rules to form new sentences, not just reproduce memorised ones

• Understand and respond to questions when taking part in an unprepared conversation

You know how to conjugate verbs correctly in the present tense, but can you do this automatically and spontaneously without writing out a verb table? You can list a dozen conjunctions which affect word order, but do you apply these word order rules naturally when speaking or writing? You know how to pronounce lots of sounds in German, but can you recognise these sounds in unknown words?

When you are revising, focus on tasks which require you to apply your knowledge. Abstract or conceptual knowledge of vocabulary, grammar and phonics is not tested.

Practise Core Tasks

There are some specific tasks within the four skills that are a core part of the IGCSE German exams. Consistent practice in these exam-specific activities will make a real difference.

• Describing a picture (speaking, Pearson Edexcel) - you will always be asked about people, objects and interactions. Learn and practise key phrases such as ‘I can see’, ‘there is / there are’, and third-person verbs in order to describe others

• Role-play (speaking, Cambridge) - the role-play can cover any topic, and could be transactional (linked to goods and services), or conversational (interacting with someone you don’t know well). Look at example role-play information cards and practise making notes on your role and what you could be asked

• Filling in a form (writing, Cambridge) - requires excellent vocabulary knowledge across a range of topics. Practise creating mind maps for different topic areas

• Grammar gap fill (writing, Pearson Edexcel) - requires careful reading and attention to meaning, and a high level of grammar knowledge in order to apply verb and adjective forms correctly

Know Your Tenses

Mastery of tenses is essential to access higher marks. 

In the speaking and writing exams, as an absolute minimum you need to confidently and accurately refer to three time frames - past, present and future. In the reading and listening exams you will need to understand these time frames rather than use them.

These are all of the tenses mentioned in both specifications. 

• Present

• Perfect 

• Future

• Imperfect

• Pluperfect 

• Conditional

• Imperfect subjunctive 

You also need to know:

• Imperative (Cambridge)

• Passive voice (Pearson Edexcel)

Developing IGCSE German Exam Technique

Even students with excellent knowledge of German can lose marks through poor exam technique. I have taught native speakers who struggled to achieve full marks because they didn’t know what the examiner was looking for. Here’s what will give you the edge.

Nail The Longer Writing Question

The final question on the writing exam is where A* students can really stand out (and show off their knowledge!). You need to write approximately 140 words (Cambridge) or 150 words (Pearson Edexcel) in German in response to a question with several bullet points.

When marking your work, the examiner will look at:

• Clarity - communicate your ideas clearly and don’t be tempted to use structures and vocabulary that you don’t really understand for the sake of complexity

• Detail - responses marked in the top band include a lot of information and regular development of ideas. Don’t just list basic information - talk about other people aside from yourself, give reasons for your opinions, and narrate and describe events

• Relevance - this is a very common way for students to lose marks. If you don’t address all of the bullet points, or your response is generic rather than fully relevant to the question, it doesn’t matter how good your language is. To achieve top marks, you must address all bullet points

• Range and use of language - be ambitious! Use a variety of vocabulary and grammar, e.g. synonyms for common words, and go beyond short, simple sentences by using more complex conjunctions and structures

• Accuracy - your writing doesn’t need to be absolutely perfect, but frequent errors in grammar and spelling will cost you marks. Slow down, don’t rush, and always leave time at the end of the exam to check your work

This is a challenging type of question, but the more you practise, the more your writing will improve. You will also get better at managing your time and checking your work. Why not ask your teacher to give you individual feedback so that you can improve even further?

Read the Questions and Instructions Carefully

On all papers, questions, instructions and answers are in German, so if you don’t understand the question then you risk losing marks.

• Learn instruction verbs such as kennzeichnen (mark / tick), schreiben (write), and wählen (choose)

• Learn question words such as wann (when), wie (how) and warum (why)

Practise Answering in German

For the current Cambridge specification and the Pearson Edexcel specification, some questions in the listening and reading papers require you to write answers in German.

• Read the question carefully - the question wording makes a difference. Are you being asked who does something, or why they do it, or when they do it?

• Practise using third-person verbs and pronouns - you will be relaying information about other people, places or things, not about yourself

• The questions are written carefully so that you can’t just copy word-for-word from the text or audio - you can re-use key vocabulary, but rephrase the content so that you are specifically answering the question

Avoid Imprecise Answers

The reading and listening exams test more than just vocabulary knowledge. They test your ability to:

• Understand the overall meaning of audio or a text

• Pick out specific details accurately

• Infer meaning from context, even when you don't know every word

• Recognise people’s attitudes, opinions, and perspectives

If you don’t read the question carefully enough in listening and reading exams, it is easy to drop a mark here and there - and these missed marks soon add up. 

• Vague or superficial answers will not achieve top marks - you need to be specific. For example, if the correct answer on the mark scheme is ‘she will read lots of interesting books’ and you write ‘books’, this will not get a mark

• If the answer requires more than one detail, this is indicated in brackets, e.g. [2 marks]. Always check that you have included enough information

Frequently Asked Questions

What percentage do you need to get the top grade in IGCSE German?

The exact mark that you need for an A* varies each year and by exam board, and is set after all of the marking is completed. See our complete guide to IGCSE grade boundaries for more detail.

Having said this, patterns from recent Cambridge exams (opens in a new tab) and Pearson Edexcel exams (opens in a new tab) show that you need to aim for around 80-84% for an A*, so we can use this as a very rough guide.

Is it hard to get an A* in IGCSE German?

In 2025, around 43% of Cambridge IGCSE German students were awarded an A* (opens in a new tab), so it’s easier than you might think! This is a very encouraging figure which shows that a top grade is absolutely achievable with the right preparation. 

Do you have to be a native speaker to get an A* in IGCSE German?

Absolutely not! I have taught many non-native speakers who have achieved top grades. Being a native speaker isn’t an automatic ticket to an A* - the highest-achieving students are those who master the exam skills and content exceptionally well and demonstrate this knowledge to the highest level.

Final Thoughts

Getting an A* in IGCSE German is a big goal, but it's one you can reach with the right approach.

Focus on building genuine language skills through active recall and spaced repetition. Practise past papers regularly and study mark schemes carefully. Work on all four skills - listening, speaking, reading and writing - giving extra attention to your weakest areas.

In the exam itself, aim for depth, accuracy, and variety. Show the examiner that you can use German confidently and correctly across a range of contexts.

You've got this. Start early, stay consistent, and use the resources available to you. Save My Exams has plenty of IGCSE German past papers to help you prepare thoroughly.

With dedication, smart revision, and proper exam technique, an A* is absolutely achievable. Los geht’s und viel Erfolg!

References:

• What Is IGCSE German? - Save My Exams

• IGCSE German Revision - Save My Exams

• IGCSE Grade Boundaries: 2025 - Save My Exams

• IGCSE Grade thresholds - Cambridge International (opens in a new tab)

• IGCSE Grade boundaries - Pearson Edexcel (opens in a new tab)

• Cambridge IGCSE German specification (opens in a new tab)

• Pearson Edexcel IGCSE German specification (opens in a new tab)

• Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check method - How To Spell (opens in a new tab)

• What Is Active Recall & Why Is It So Effective For Revision? - Save My Exams

• What Is the Leitner System? - Save My Exams

• Create a Spaced Repetition Schedule to Boost Memory - Save My Exams

• Cambridge IGCSE Results Statistics - Cambridge International (opens in a new tab)