Overview (Cambridge International IGCSE English Language)
This revision note is for exams in 2026. If you are sitting your exam from 2027, please switch to the 'First exams 2027' syllabus edition.
Paper 2 Overview
Paper 2 is the optional second exam for the CIE IGCSE English Language course. You must take Paper 1, but for the rest of the IGCSE you may either be sitting Paper 2 as an exam or completing a coursework portfolio. You must take either Paper 2 or Component 3 (coursework).
Paper 2 overview
The Paper 2 exam (called Directed Writing and Composition) is 2 hours long and you will answer two questions: Question 1 and Question 2, 3, 4 or 5. The exam is worth 80 marks. These marks are divided into two skills - reading and writing - as follows:
- Total marks for writing = 65
- Total marks for reading = 15
As well as your question paper and answer booklet, you will also be given an insert containing one or two texts. Question 1 is compulsory and based on the reading texts. Both questions are worth 40 marks, so you should divide your time equally between the two questions. Although you are mainly assessed for writing on this paper, you should be aware that there are up to 15 marks available for reading in Question 1.
Paper 2 breakdown
| Question | What you are asked to do |
|---|---|
| Section A: Directed Writing | This question will be based on one or two texts |
| You will be asked to write 250-350 words in response to the task | |
| You will be required to evaluate and develop the information in the text(s) - using some of the same skills as in Paper 1 Question 3 | |
| You will be asked to create a discursive/argumentative/persuasive response, using your own words, in one of the following formats: speech, letter or article | |
| Section B: Composition | Section B offers a choice of four questions: two descriptive writing questions (Questions 2 and 3) and two narrative writing questions (Questions 4 and 5) |
| You should choose one title (either Question 2, 3, 4 or 5) and use the title to develop and write a composition of 350-450 words |
What skills are being assessed
There are only two assessment objectives for this IGCSE, each worth 50% of your overall grade. These are then divided into sub-objectives. Because the majority of marks in this paper come from writing, the table below starts with AO2:
| AO2: write accurately and effectively, using Standard English appropriately | Sub-objective | What this means |
|---|---|---|
| W1: articulate experience and express what is thought, felt and imagined | - Write convincingly to convey real and imagined experiences, 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 |
| 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 |
You can find detailed notes on how to answer each question on this paper in the following revision guides:
- Question 1: Directed Writing
- Section B: Composition
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