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GCSE's policies on word limits?

On my IGCSE English Language exam, we were told to write 4 sides...but I wrote perhaps 5 and a half....

On my Mandarin Chinese exam, it said write 150 words....but I wrote maybe 300-400.

Will I be penalised heavily? :frown:
I think for Mandarin Chinese you should be ok, I thought the 150 word thing was a minimum at GCSE rather than a maximum? We were encouraged to write more than the word limit in both French and Spanish at GCSE and I got an A* in both of those so wasn't penalised heavily for it that I can see :smile:
Reply 2
Avatar for Amykinsx
Amykinsx
Word limits are just a guideline, you won't be penalised - exam boards just set them because the more you write the more mistakes you're likely to make.
You'll be fine :smile: it's hard to keep to those limits, I did french and spanish at gcse and doing french A Level now :eek:
Reply 3
Avatar for Pride
Pride
21
You won't be penalised. However with foreign languages especially, you'll find you can get full marks with just the guideline number of words. Quality not quantity almost always applies to foreign languages, it's maybe a little harder with English.

All the same you aren't penalised of course.
Ot suggested you write about 7-8 pages for English lit exam. I wrote 15 so I hope I don't get penalised >_<
thanks! haha its a different story for my English Lit exam :P I wrote maybe a few pages too little XD
Reply 6
Avatar for madders94
madders94
18
I'm pretty sure they don't penalise you - ours said write 4 sides too, I wrote 7 and got an A* so as long as it's all good quality and not waffle, it should be fine :smile:
Original post by AspiringGenius
Ot suggested you write about 7-8 pages for English lit exam. I wrote 15 so I hope I don't get penalised >_<


How do you write so much in the space of an hour and 45 minutes? Unless you heavily sacrificed legibility for speed? :P
Original post by InadequateJusticex
How do you write so much in the space of an hour and 45 minutes? Unless you heavily sacrificed legibility for speed? :P


Oh it was. Two and half hours. :smile:

I have posh writing which looks nice but is almost illegible anyway so if I had written slower It wouldn't have made much difference. I don't have large writing, I just went crazy :smile: it was awkward putting my hand up two thirds through and asking for another booklet >_<
Original post by AspiringGenius
Oh it was. Two and half hours. :smile:

I have posh writing which looks nice but is almost illegible anyway so if I had written slower It wouldn't have made much difference. I don't have large writing, I just went crazy :smile: it was awkward putting my hand up two thirds through and asking for another booklet >_<


Wow. Yeah, it must feel really awkward having other students look at you in awe and astonishment when asking for a new booket :tongue: I really don't see how it's possible though, my wrists start hurting after about half an hour of writing D;
Original post by InadequateJusticex
Wow. Yeah, it must feel really awkward having other students look at you in awe and astonishment when asking for a new booket :tongue: I really don't see how it's possible though, my wrists start hurting after about half an hour of writing D;


I didn't feel it at the time but afterwards my hands were caning :O!
Original post by AspiringGenius
I didn't feel it at the time but afterwards my hands were caning :O!


Lol well that's to be expected xD

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