IGCSE Latin Topics: Full List

IGCSE Latin (opens in a new tab) – currently only offered by Cambridge International Education (CIE) – has topics split across language and literature. Language covers vocabulary, morphology and syntax, while literature includes verse and prose.

This article includes an official and complete breakdown of the IGCSE Latin topics you need to revise. We’ll also explain how to use topic lists for effective revision.

Key Takeaways

• CIE is the only exam board currently offering IGCSE Latin 

• Topics are split across language and literature

• Use topic lists to create a revision plan and organise your notes

Why It's Important to Know Your Exam Board

Although subject content often overlaps across exam boards, each exam board has a different syllabus. This means that the same subject can be taught very differently in one exam board compared to another, with varying topics, skills and assessment methods.

Knowing exactly which topics your exam board covers means you can create a focused revision plan. You won't waste time studying content that won't be tested, and you'll know exactly what to expect when it comes to exams.

Only CIE currently offers IGCSE Latin, so if you’re taking this qualification, CIE is your exam board. Fortunately, only having one exam board makes it much easier to work out what you need to revise!

CIE IGCSE Latin Topics (0480)

The subject content for Cambridge IGCSE Latin is spread across language and literature. The following topics will be studied up to 2028, after which point the subject content – particularly the set texts – may change:

Language

• Vocabulary

  • Includes a word list, adverbial equivalents of regular adjectives and some compound verbs

• Morphology

  • Includes nouns, adjectives and adverbs

• Syntax

  • Includes case usage, indirect statement and conditional sentences with subjunctive

For a detailed vocabulary list and all the language subtopics, see the syllabus (opens in a new tab).

Literature

• Verse

  • Aeneid, Virgil, Book 11: lines 532-96, 648-98 and 768-831

• Prose

  • Two Centuries of Roman Prose, E C Kennedy and A R Davis (eds)

  • Sallust, Caesar and Cato Compared, Chapter 11, Catiline 53, 6 and 54 (BCP, pages 100-106)

  • Pliny, Convalescence of a Sick Slave, Chapter 15 (b), (5,19) (BCP, pages 122-124)

  • Tacitus, A Murder Ship Miscarries, Chapter 16, Annals XIV, 3-5 (BCP, pages 124-131)

The table below shows what comes up in each Cambridge IGCSE Latin exam paper:

How to Use Topic Lists for Revision

Create a revision plan

Print or write out your topics into a checklist. Use the traffic light system (opens in a new tab) to prioritise weaker areas, and tick each area off as you revise. Seeing progress is really motivating, and it stops you from accidentally skipping anything important.

Organise your notes and flashcards by topic

Separating your notes and flashcards according to topic will make it much easier to find information quickly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to revise all IGCSE Latin topics for the exam?

You’ll need to revise all language topics for Paper 1, and all literature topics for Paper 2.

Are these topics the same across all exam boards?

CIE is the only exam board currently offering IGCSE Latin.

If other exam boards offer IGCSE Latin in the future, the content will overlap, but specifications and exam formats will remain distinct.

How do I know which topics I struggle with most?

Look at which topics you tend to get the lowest marks on in mock exams or past paper questions. Prioritise revising the areas where you’re least confident using the traffic light system.

Do all topics come up in every exam paper?

No. You won’t be tested on literature for Paper 1, but you’ll be using your knowledge of language for the comprehension and translation tasks in Paper 2.

Final Thoughts

Using topic lists to structure your IGCSE Latin revision means you'll know exactly what to study, and how to allocate your time between each area.

Bookmark or print this page, and use it as your roadmap. Work through each topic, tick it off as you go, practise answering past paper questions, and persevere to improve your knowledge and skills for both exams.

References

• Cambridge IGCSE Latin (opens in a new tab)

• How to Use the Traffic Light System to Improve Your Marks (opens in a new tab)