Cambridge IGCSE®

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Cambridge IGCSE

FIRST LANGUAGE ENGLISH 0500/02

Paper 2 Directed Writing and Composition For examination from 2020

MARK SCHEME

Maximum Mark: 80

Specimen

0500/02 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme For examination

SPECIMEN from 2020

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Generic Marking Principles

These general marking principles must be applied by all examiners when marking candidate answers.

They should be applied alongside the specific content of the mark scheme or generic level descriptors

for a question. Each question paper and mark scheme will also comply with these marking principles.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 1:

Marks must be awarded in line with:

• the specific content of the mark scheme or the generic level descriptors for the question

• the specific skills defined in the mark scheme or in the generic level descriptors for the

question

• the standard of response required by a candidate as exemplified by the standardisation

scripts.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 2:

Marks awarded are always whole marks (not half marks, or other fractions).

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 3:

Marks must be awarded positively:

• marks are awarded for correct/valid answers, as defined in the mark scheme. However, credit

is given for valid answers which go beyond the scope of the syllabus and mark scheme,

referring to your Team Leader as appropriate

• marks are awarded when candidates clearly demonstrate what they know and can do

• marks are not deducted for errors

• marks are not deducted for omissions

• answers should only be judged on the quality of spelling, punctuation and grammar when

these features are specifically assessed by the question as indicated by the mark scheme. The

meaning, however, should be unambiguous.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 4:

Rules must be applied consistently e.g. in situations where candidates have not followed

instructions or in the application of generic level descriptors.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 5:

Marks should be awarded using the full range of marks defined in the mark scheme for the

question (however; the use of the full mark range may be limited according to the quality of the

candidate responses seen).

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 6:

Marks awarded are based solely on the requirements as defined in the mark scheme. Marks should

not be awarded with grade thresholds or grade descriptors in mind.

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Note: All examiners are instructed that alternative correct answers and unexpected approaches

in candidates’ scripts must be given marks that fairly reflect the relevant knowledge and skills

demonstrated. Nonetheless, the content must be clearly related to and derived from the text.

Section A: Directed Writing

Question 1

This question tests the following writing assessment objectives (25 marks)

W1 articulate experience and express what is thought, felt and imagined

W2 organise and structure ideas and opinions for deliberate effect

W3 use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures appropriate to context

W4 use register appropriate to context

W5 make accurate use of spelling, punctuation and grammar.

and reading assessment objectives (15 marks)

R1 demonstrate understanding of explicit meanings

R2 demonstrate understanding of implicit meanings and attitudes

R3 analyse, evaluate and develop facts, ideas and opinions, using appropriate support from the text

R5 select and use information for specific purposes.

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Question Answer Marks

Imagine you are a pupil in a school which does not have a school

council.

Write a speech to be given in a school assembly, giving your views on

whether or not students should participate in decisions made about the

school.

In your speech you should:

• evaluate the views given in both texts about student participation

• give your own views, based on what you have read, about whether a

school council would benefit students and teachers.

Base your speech on what you have read in both texts, but be careful to

use your own words. Address both of the bullet points.

Begin your speech: ‘Thank you for coming to listen to me today …’.

Write about 250 to 350 words.

Up to 15 marks are available for the content of your answer, and up to

25 marks for the quality of your writing.

Notes on task:

Responses might use the following ideas:

Text A

• ‘once fashionable’ – student representation may just be a passing fad

• School councils take up too much time and energy from students and

teachers

• ‘lip service’ – if student representation is fake, it has no substance

• Teachers are accountable to parents and should put education first

• Experienced teachers should make decisions, not children

Text B

• An ‘enlightened’ approach is needed to make school councils work

• Student participation is very popular and well regarded

• Student participation works when children are involved in ‘real’ issues

• Students can take responsibility for difficult problems, e.g. behaviour

• Participation can make a difference to students’ attitudes to school

• Attendance and results are improved by participation

• Students can learn important skills, e.g. negotiation, communication,

decision-making

• Students can have a fresh eye on issues

• Decisions made may have a major impact on them so they are motivated

to participate

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Question Answer Marks

1 Possible evaluation of ideas:

Text A

• School councils may indeed be pointless if students’ decisions are not

valued

• Mr Aziz suggests students have little experience to bring to decisions

about school

• The main function of a school is to educate – this has implications for

student participation

Text B

• Student representation on its own is not enough – needs planning

• Some quite ambitious claims are made about its benefits – are these

realistic?

• Not much is said about how much time and commitment it takes – just

that it should be spelt out

Possible synthesis of ideas:

Text A seems to illustrate a different approach to education/the purpose of

schools from Text B. The approach in Text A is based on the authority of the

teacher/lack of trust in students, whereas the approach in Text B is based

on the teacher as facilitator/faith in students to make good decisions –

candidates’ own views may reflect this.

Text A shows some ridicule towards student participation while Text B

enthuses about it – the candidate may suggest these are both extremes and

the truth lies somewhere in between.

The ‘it all depends’ approach may show synthesis of ideas – Mr Aziz’s

cynicism means student participation would never work but students’ ‘fresh

eye’ on difficult problems might work.

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Marking criteria for Section A Question 1

Table A, Writing

Use the following table to give a mark out of 25 for writing.

Level Marks Description

6 22–25 • Highly effective style capable of conveying subtle meaning. (W1)

• Carefully structured for benefit of the reader. (W2)

• Wide range of sophisticated vocabulary, precisely used. (W3)

• Highly effective register for audience and purpose. (W4)

• Spelling, punctuation and grammar almost always accurate. (W5)

5 18–21 • Effective style. (W1)

• Secure overall structure, organised to help the reader. (W2)

• Wide range of vocabulary, used with some precision. (W3)

• Effective register for audience and purpose. (W4)

• Spelling, punctuation and grammar mostly accurate, with occasional minor

errors. (W5)

4 14–17 • Sometimes effective style. (W1)

• Ideas generally well sequenced. (W2)

• Range of vocabulary is adequate and sometimes effective. (W3)

• Sometimes effective register for audience and purpose. (W4)

• Spelling, punctuation and grammar generally accurate though with some

errors. (W5)

3 10–13 • Inconsistent style, expression sometimes awkward but meaning clear. (W1)

• Relies on the sequence of the original text. (W2)

• Vocabulary is simple, limited in range or reliant on the original text. (W3)

• Some awareness of an appropriate register for audience and purpose. (W4)

• Frequent errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar, sometimes

serious. (W5)

2 6–9 • Limited style. (W1)

• Response is not well sequenced. (W2)

• Limited vocabulary or words/phrases copied from the original text. (W3)

• Limited awareness of appropriate register for audience and purpose. (W4)

• Persistent errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar. (W5)

1 1–5 • Expression unclear. (W1)

• Poor sequencing of ideas. (W2)

• Very limited vocabulary or copying from the original text. (W3)

• Very limited awareness of appropriate register for audience and

purpose. (W4)

• Persistent errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar impede

communication. (W5)

0 0 • No creditable content.

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Table B, Reading

Use the following table to give a mark out of 15 for reading.

Level Marks Description

6 13–15 • Successfully evaluates ideas and opinions, both explicit and implicit.

(R1, R2, R3)

• Assimilates ideas from the text to give a developed, sophisticated response.

(R3, R5)

5 10–12 • Some successful evaluation of ideas and opinions, both explicit and implicit.

(R1, R2, R3)

• A thorough response, supported by a detailed selection of relevant ideas

from the text. (R3, R5)

4 7–9 • Begins to evaluate mainly explicit ideas and opinions. (R1, R2, R3)

• An appropriate response that includes relevant ideas from the text. (R3, R5)

3 5–6 • Selects and comments on explicit ideas and opinions. (R1, R2, R3)

• Makes a general response including a few relevant ideas from the text.

(R3, R5)

2 3–4 • Identifies explicit ideas and opinions. (R1, R2, R3)

• Makes a limited response with little evidence from the text. (R3, R5)

1 1–2 • Very limited response with minimal relation to the text. (R1, R2, R3, R5)

0 0 • No creditable content.

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Section B: Composition

Questions 2, 3, 4 or 5

This question tests the following writing assessment objectives (40 marks)

W1 articulate experience and express what is thought, felt and imagined

W2 organise and structure ideas and opinions for deliberate effect

W3 use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures appropriate to context

W4 use register appropriate to context

W5 make accurate use of spelling, punctuation and grammar.

Question Answer Marks

2 EITHER

Describe an occasion when a group of people are eating together.

Use Table A to give a mark out of 16 for content and structure, and Table B to

give a mark out of 24 for style and accuracy.

Question Answer Marks

3 OR

Describe a busy train or bus station.

Use Table A to give a mark out of 16 for content and structure, and Table B to

give a mark out of 24 for style and accuracy.

Question Answer Marks

4 OR

Write a story that includes the words, ‘… nothing could have prepared

him for what he saw …’.

Use Table A to give a mark out of 16 for content and structure, and Table B to

give a mark out of 24 for style and accuracy.

Question Answer Marks

5 OR

Write a story that involves a character new to the area.

Use Table A to give a mark out of 16 for content and structure, and Table B to

give a mark out of 24 for style and accuracy.

0500/02 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme For examination

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Marking criteria for Section B

Table A, Composition: Content and structure

Level Marks General and specific marking criteria

6 14–16 General

• Content is complex, engaging and effective. (W1)

• Structure is secure, well balanced and carefully managed for deliberate

effect. (W2)

Specific – descriptive

Many well-dened and developed ideas

and images create a convincing overall

picture with varieties of focus.

Specific – narrative

The plot is well-dened and

strongly developed with features of

ction writing such as description,

characterisation and effective climax,

and convincing details.

5 11–13 General

• Content is developed, engaging and effective. (W1)

• Structure is well managed, with some choices made for deliberate effect.

(W2)

Specific – descriptive

Frequent, well-chosen images and

details give a mostly convincing picture.

Specific – narrative

The plot is dened and developed

with features of ction writing such as

description, characterisation, climax

and details.

4 8–10 General

• Content is relevant with some development. (W1)

• Structure is competently managed. (W2)

Specific – descriptive

A selection of relevant ideas, images

and details, even where there is a

tendency to write in a narrative style.

Specific – narrative

The plot is relevant and cohesive, with

some features such as characterisation

and setting of scene.

3 5–7 General

• Content is straightforward and briefly developed. (W1)

• Structure is mostly organised but may not always be effective. (W2)

Specific – descriptive

The task is addressed with a series

of relevant but straightforward details,

which may be more typical of a

narrative.

Specific – narrative

The plot is straightforward, with limited

use of the features of narrative writing.

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Level Marks General and specific marking criteria

2 3–4 General

• Content is simple, and ideas and events may be limited. (W1)

• Structure is partially organised but limited in its effect. (W2)

Specific – descriptive

The recording of some relevant events

with limited detail.

Specific – narrative

The plot is a simple narrative that may

consist of events that are only partially

linked and/or which are presented with

partial clarity.

1 1–2 General

• Content is occasionally relevant or clear. (W1)

• Structure is limited and ineffective. (W2)

Specific – descriptive

The description is unclear and lacks

detail.

Specific – narrative

The plot and/or narrative lacks

coherence.

0 0 • No creditable content.

0500/02 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme For examination

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Table B, Composition: Style and accuracy

Level Marks Description

6 21–24 • Precise, well-chosen vocabulary and varied sentence structures, chosen for

effect. (W3)

• Consistent well-chosen register suitable for the context. (W4)

• Spelling, punctuation and grammar almost always accurate. (W5)

5 17–20 • Mostly precise vocabulary and a range of sentence structures mostly used

for effect. (W3)

• Mostly consistent appropriate register suitable for the context. (W4)

• Spelling, punctuation and grammar mostly accurate, with occasional minor

errors. (W5)

4 13–16 • Some precise vocabulary and a range of sentence structures sometimes

used for effect. (W3)

• Some appropriate register for the context. (W4)

• Spelling, punctuation and grammar generally accurate, but with some errors.

(W5)

3 9–12 • Simple vocabulary and a range of straightforward sentence structures. (W3)

• Simple register with a general awareness of the context. (W4)

• Frequent errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar, occasionally serious.

(W5)

2 5–8 • Limited and/or imprecise vocabulary and sentence structures. (W3)

• Limited and/or imprecise register for the context. (W4)

• Persistent errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar. (W5)

1 1–4 • Frequently imprecise vocabulary and sentence structures. (W3)

• Register demonstrates little or no sense of the context. (W4)

• Persistent errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar impair

communication. (W5)

0 0 • No creditable content.

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SPECIMEN from 2020

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