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IGCSE English Language May 10th Exam

Got the exam tomorrow just got a few questions, would be really grateful if anyone answers them!
Firstly, if they want it in a style of a newspaper, does that mean we have to set it out like a newspaper? With sub-titles and all of that jazz?
It says we cannot used highlighters on the front, but my teacher said we could because the question paper gets taken in separately to the answer paper so they are never going to know? I don't think i could simply underline relevant points with a black biro... It would be so much harder to find them again after. Can we underline with a coloured biro?
Thanks very much for your time. Good luck to anyone sitting this exam tomorrow! I pray we get a decent passage, with no ridiculous names in it that we need to keep glancing back over in order to see that they are correct...

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Reply 1
Well, you would obviously get this style in Question 1. If you have to write a newspaper, it would most likely be in a report-style. Usually, they provide you with a title to use and then you highlight 15 key points from passage A (5 marks for writing skills), and apply that in context in your writing. Make sure you read exactly what they are asking you to do example: report, letter, dialogue, speech etc.

Importantly, keep it relevant to the the question you are given!

Good luck! :smile:
Reply 2
There's no need to set it out like a newspaper. From the exam board;
"It is time-wasting and does not achieve anything to try to design your answer in the layout which you think might be appropriate in real life, e.g. dividing a newspaper report into columns and adding drawings and extraneous advertising material. This cannot be rewarded and can distract you from the real task of providing appropriate and accurate content for your response."
You can read more of their advice here http://www.cambridgestudents.org.uk/subjectpages/english/folder.2008-06-13.8153747152/Examiner_Tips_for_IGCSE_FLE_0500_FINAL.pdf
Good luck tomorrow :smile: I'll be struggling through as well
Reply 3
How did everyone find it?

Just out of interest: I wrote 1 2/3 on the writer's effect, will I get penalised heavily on this?
Reply 4
Original post by Aroooney
How did everyone find it?

Just out of interest: I wrote 1 2/3 on the writer's effect, will I get penalised heavily on this?


i asked my teacher before the exam how much we should write for Q2 and she said it doesn't matter as much as Q1&2 but aim for between 1 and a half to 2 sides, i wrote about a side for a and a side for b

dreading the literature exam on monday though :s-smilie:
Reply 5
Oh alright thanks:biggrin:


Am not looking forward to Monday either =.= don't even know how I will write all 3 in 2hrs....
Reply 6
Is it ok if i wrote a page and 5 lines for the summary? will i be punished for going over the 1 page limit?
Reply 7
No I wouldn't think so, I was like 3 lines over too
Reply 8
i think it says for the summary between 1 and 1 and a half depending on your handwriting size, and i guess 3 lines wont matter too much anyway
for Q1 did people write it as a newspaper article or a report because it wasn't that clear to me what to do..
Reply 9
Original post by squid5
i think it says for the summary between 1 and 1 and a half depending on your handwriting size, and i guess 3 lines wont matter too much anyway
for Q1 did people write it as a newspaper article or a report because it wasn't that clear to me what to do..


The CIE exam tips recommends that you use half to a whole page for the summary...
Reply 10
What did you think of the 3rd bullet point on the first question, as there was really nothing to base it on... So I just wrote about how he is satisfied for the time being and will carry on fishing (even with the dying industry) and return to his favorite sounds of the gulls and waves.
Reply 11
yeah, i just said that the area was so damaged by the storm that it had to be cordoned off by local environment agencies and that he went back to live with his wife and children etc i didn't actually really go into the whole fishing industry thing :s-smilie: but for the first summary how did anyone summarise the whole facts passage???
Reply 12
I don't think you had to state the facts as they were written, eg the actual numbers/percentages.

Because my teacher lambasted me for doing this in the mock, we did one from a few years back about chinese culture and she told me to not waste space talking about small details
Reply 13
seems like everyone did there own thing for the 3rd bullet point, right? For the summary I went like 2 pages but hopefully my massive handwriting will be taken into account :rolleyes: I just wrote all relevant facts although there was like 15 on the 2nd passage and like 6-7 on the 1st also when am I my share of that gold :biggrin:
???
Reply 14
If you wrote 2 pages for summary, then most likely you'll get a 0 for writing unless you only fit in like 5/6 words per line
Reply 15
Honestly I get 6 words a line on a good day using most of margins :wink:
Reply 16
omg really?? you get penalised for writing over the limit?? because i wrote about 4 sides for Q1
Reply 17
for question 1 and 3 what points did you put? so 15points for a and 15 for b?
Reply 18
Original post by Tartan
omg really?? you get penalised for writing over the limit?? because i wrote about 4 sides for Q1


For summary you defo do, because being brief and clear is the whole point. The less you write (without sacrificing points) the better
Reply 19
My teacher told us to do Q3 first, then 1 and 2 so that we could get Passage B out the way and never come back to it.
I'm worried cause I never finished Q2 (I rushed 2a but I had to do bullet points for 2b, and I only did 3), because I spent too long on 3 and 1. Would I get some credit?

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