IGCSE English — Second Language
Cambridge IGCSE English as a Second Language builds practical English for non-native speakers across reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
Difficulty
Moderate
Popularity
76%
Past questions
3
Study tips
5
Key Topics
Exam Format & Dates
May/June & October/November, annually
~3 hours across 3 components
Grades A*–G (or 9–1 in some regions)
C / Grade 4 = standard pass | A*/9 = highest
| Section | Duration | Content | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading & Writing | 2 hours | Comprehension + writing tasks | 60% |
| Listening | ~50 minutes | Comprehension | 20% |
| Speaking | ~15 minutes | Interview + discussion | 20% |
Exam Breakdown & Insights
Difficulty · Challenging
Popularity score
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Study Tips
- 1
Learn the marking rubrics for writing and speaking tasks so you can target the criteria directly.
- 2
Practice a little every day — 20 minutes daily beats a 3-hour session once a week for language retention.
- 3
Use spaced-repetition flashcards for vocabulary, and always learn words inside full example sentences.
- 4
Work through Cambridge past papers and mark schemes — examiner wording is consistent year to year.
- 5
Read examiner reports: they tell you exactly which mistakes cost students marks last session.
Past Exam Questions
Write a short structured response on the theme of Reading Comprehension, using a range of tenses and topic-specific vocabulary.
Read/listen to a passage about Information Transfer and answer comprehension questions in the target language, justifying your answers with evidence from the text.
Give a presentation and respond to questions on Note-Making & Summary, expressing and defending your own opinion with accurate, varied language.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- ✕
Leaving listening practice to the last minute — it is the slowest skill to improve.
- ✕
Learning vocabulary in isolation rather than inside full sentences.
- ✕
Losing easy marks on agreement rules: genders, endings, and accents.
Official Resources
Free, official study material for IGCSE English — Second Language — always start with the source your exam board publishes.
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