What Is IGCSE English Language? Guide for Students

IGCSE English Language is one of the most popular and important qualifications you can take. It is designed to help students become confident and effective communicators. Unlike English Literature, in which you study novels, plays and poems, it is all about mastering the skills of reading, writing and speaking and listening. Think of it as learning how to understand texts deeply and express your own ideas clearly and creatively. 

Overview of the IGCSE English Language course

IGCSE English Language is generally a core subject, which means it is compulsory for most students. This is because IGCSE English Language provides fundamental skills in communication, reading and writing, which are essential for academic success in other subjects and for future studies and careers.

The course enables you to develop the ability to communicate clearly, accurately and effectively when speaking and writing, using a wide range of vocabulary, and the correct grammar, spelling and punctuation. The course also helps you to develop a personal style and an awareness of the audience being addressed, as well as more general analysis and communication skills such as inference, the ability to order facts and present opinions effectively.

You are generally awarded a grade on an 8-point scale, from A* (highest) to G (lowest), with “ungraded” indicating a level below G. The IGCSE English Language also offers the option of a 9-1 grading scale for schools in certain countries.

What does the IGCSE English Language syllabus cover?

All IGCSE English Language specifications are built around five key areas that work together to develop your communication skills:

Reading comprehension and analysis

This forms a major part of the course, and includes finding, interpreting and using information and evidence from a range of texts, both fiction and non-fiction. You are expected to demonstrate your ability to understand what writers are really trying to say.

Summarising

You will develop your ability to select the most important information from texts and present it clearly and concisely. This is a valuable skill for academic work and professional life.

Directed writing and transactional writing

You will practise writing letters, reports, speeches, articles and other non-fiction writing forms. Each type of writing has its own rules and conventions which you will learn.

Descriptive and narrative writing

This part of the syllabus will help you develop creative writing skills. You will learn how to engage your reader using imagination, creativity and flair.

Language use and effect

This will develop your ability to analyse how writers use language to achieve their goals. You will explore the techniques a writer has used and why they have chosen to use them, in order to better understand what makes writing effective.

You may also be entered for a speaking and listening test. This is optional and the marks do not contribute to your overall grade for the written components.

In both written and spoken components, you are expected to demonstrate your ability to use Standard English.

How is IGCSE English Language assessed?

The assessment structure depends on which exam board your school uses. The two main exam boards are CIE and Edexcel, which has two syllabus options:

CIE (Cambridge)

All candidates sit Paper 1 (Reading), and then either Paper 2 (Directed Writing and Composition) or Component 3 (Coursework). Each paper or component is worth 80 marks and 50% of your IGCSE.

Edexcel Specification A

All candidates must complete Component 1 (Non-fiction Texts and Transactional Writing) which is worth 60% of the IGCSE. Candidates then complete either Component 2 (Poetry and Prose Texts and Imaginative Writing), which is sat as an exam and worth 40% of the IGCSE, or Component 3 (Coursework), also worth 40% of the IGCSE.

Edexcel Specification B

This involves one mandatory component which is examined at the end of the course via one examination paper which is worth 100% of the IGCSE. This exam is 3 hours in length.

All exam boards offer a Spoken Language endorsement, which is optional and does not contribute to your final IGCSE grade. This usually involves a presentation and answering questions.

You can find out more about how each exam board assesses this qualification in our IGCSE English Language resources.

Key skills you’ll develop in IGCSE English Language

The key skills you’ll develop in your study of IGCSE English Language will help you in your future academic and professional careers. They include:

1. Reading like a detective

You will spot the important details in a text, and work out whether a writer is trying to persuade, inform or entertain you. You will also analyse language, noticing how writers use words, imagery or rhetorical devices to create certain effects. You will also think critically about what makes a piece of writing effective, by evaluating and comparing texts, and you will understand how language can influence people.

2. Writing with impact

You will learn how to structure your ideas logically to produce clear and confident writing. You will have to adapt your writing to different audiences and purposes, so you will learn how to write an engaging article, formal letter or a powerful speech. You will also develop your ability to craft descriptive, imaginative stories and to argue your point of view convincingly.

3. Summarising and condensing

You will develop your ability to write summaries that are concise, clear and focused, picking out the main points from a longer passage and putting them into your own words.

4. Language precision

You will learn how to make your writing accurate and polished by mastering correct grammar and punctuation, as well as your ability to choose the best words for the right effect. The course will encourage you to spot errors in your own work and refine your own writing style.

IGCSE English Language versus English Literature

While both courses are important and useful, IGCSE English Language focuses on how language works, whereas IGCSE English Literature focuses on what has been written.

In IGCSE English Language, you’ll read a mix of non-fiction and fiction, to learn how to analyse and create your own writing. In IGCSE English Literature, you study novels, plays and poems in depth, exploring their themes, characters and context.

How to succeed in IGCSE English Language

From my 20 years of experience teaching English Language, I always recommend the following to my students:

Do timed practice with past papers

• Don’t try to complete a whole paper in one go

• Break questions down into timed practice

• Start with the questions you find most difficult

• Build up to whole-paper timed practice

Practise annotating texts

• Highlight key points, words and sentences that you can say something interesting about

• Do not just annotate the language feature used — note down the effect it has

Read widely

• The more you read, the more exposure you’ll have to different writing styles, sentence structures, vocabulary, themes and ideas

Practise imaginative writing

• Try writing a variety of different stories to different prompts

• Do this in the time you would be given in the exam

For more great tips written by our team of experts, see our Study Tips.

Frequently asked questions

Is IGCSE English Language hard?

One of the most challenging aspects of this course for students is completing the exams in the time allowed. This is why practising questions and papers under timed conditions is so important for your preparation. If you prepare well and know what order the questions come in on the exam papers, you should be fine.

What is the difference between English Language and English Literature?

English Literature focuses on the study of literary texts, such as novels, plays and poems. You will closely analyse these and write about them in your exam. English Language also involves reading texts, but these will be unseen (you won’t have seen them before the exam), and you will use the skills you have developed to analyse them effectively. You will also be assessed on your writing skills.

Can I take English Language without English Literature?

This depends on your school and/or exam board, and while both are standalone qualifications, it is more common to take both. You should check with your school or future course requirements to see if both qualifications are expected.

How do I improve my writing skills?

The best way to improve your writing skills is to practise. This may seem obvious, but there are no short cuts to developing your written communication skills.

We have lots of tips on how to improve your writing with our comprehensive CIE IGCSE English Language revision notes and Edexcel IGCSE English Language revision notes.

Final thoughts

Whichever exam board you are following, preparation is key to success in IGCSE English Language. It is an essential qualification for academic and real-world success, so actively use as many resources as possible to improve your grade.

Here at Save My Exams, we have a range of resources to help you get that top grade, including revision guides, past papers and model answers:

IGCSE English Language resources