Edexcel IGCSE English Language: Papers, Marks and How to Get a Top Grade

Edexcel IGCSE English Language is Pearson's International GCSE (9-1) in reading and writing English. It comes in two versions, Specification A and Specification B, and they are built quite differently. Many families don't realise this until a student downloads the wrong past paper.

This guide explains both versions in plain English. You'll see every paper, every mark, how much each question is worth and how to spend your time in the exam. You'll also get a 12-week plan, the most common mistakes and answers to the questions parents ask most.

Quick answer: what is Edexcel IGCSE English Language?

Edexcel IGCSE English Language is a two-skill qualification: 50% reading and 50% writing, graded 9 to 1. Specification A (code 4EA1) has two exam papers or one exam plus coursework. Specification B (code 4EB1) is one 3-hour exam with 100 marks and no anthology. Your school picks the version, so check the code on your child's past papers before you start practising.

Pearson says the qualification is comparable to the reformed UK GCSE in level of demand. It was first taught in 2016 and first examined in 2018.

Which version does your child take: Specification A or B?

The quickest way to tell is the code on the front of the exam paper: 4EA1 means Specification A, and 4EB1 means Specification B. Ask the English teacher if you're unsure, because the two versions are not interchangeable.

Here is the difference at a glance.

If your child studies Specification A, read the next three sections. If they study Specification B, jump to the section on Specification B below. The study tips later in the guide work for both.

Edexcel IGCSE English Language A: how the qualification is built

Specification A has three possible components. Every student sits Component 1. After that, the school chooses one of two routes.

Component 1 is the first exam, and it is worth 60% of the grade. Then the school picks Component 2 (a second exam, worth 40%) or Component 3 (coursework, worth 40%). Nobody does both. Components are taken at the end of the course, so there are no early modules.

Pearson also offers an optional Spoken Language Endorsement. It is a speaking assessment marked by the school. It is reported separately, so it doesn't change the 9-1 grade.

Components 2 and 3 are alternatives. The exam route and the coursework route carry the same weight.

Paper 1 (4EA1/01): non-fiction and transactional writing

Paper 1 is a 2 hour 15 minute exam worth 90 marks, split into two equal sections of 45 marks each. Section A tests reading. Section B tests writing.

Section A: reading (45 marks)

Section A uses two non-fiction texts. One is an unseen extract your child has never read. The other comes from Part 1 of the Pearson Edexcel International GCSE English Anthology. Pearson advises about 1 hour 30 minutes for this section.

In the June 2025 paper the unseen text came from a newspaper feature about dance, and the Anthology text was Benjamin Zephaniah's "Young and Dyslexic? You've got it going on". The five questions had these marks:

AO stands for assessment objective. It is the skill the examiner marks. AO1 is understanding and selecting information. AO2 is analysing the writer's language and structure. AO3 is comparing the writers' ideas and perspectives.

Question 5 is the big one. It is worth 22 of the 45 marks in Section A, almost half. It asks your child to compare both texts, and it rewards a clear opinion about how the writers differ.

Question formats change from year to year. The marks above are from one real paper and are a guide, not a promise. Always check the paper in front of you.

Section B: transactional writing (45 marks)

"Transactional writing" means writing for a real purpose and a real reader. Think of a speech, a magazine article, a letter or a guide. Your child chooses one task from two.

Each task is marked on two skills. AO4 is worth 27 marks and covers communicating clearly and adapting tone, form and register. AO5 is worth 18 marks and covers vocabulary, sentence variety, spelling, punctuation and grammar. In June 2025 the options were a speech and a guide for school staff.

Section B is worth the same as the whole reading section. That surprises many parents. A student can lose a full grade by rushing the writing at the end.

Paper 2 (4EA1/02): poetry, prose and imaginative writing

Paper 2 is a 1 hour 30 minute exam worth 60 marks, also split into two equal sections of 30 marks. It is the exam route that replaces coursework.

Section A: the Anthology essay

Your child studies the Part 2 poems and prose in class. In the exam they get a poem or a prose extract and write one essay about it. The longer prose extracts come in a booklet, and the poems are printed on the question paper.

In June 2025 the poem was "Disabled" by Wilfred Owen, and the question asked how the writer tries to interest the reader. The 30 marks split into 12 for AO1 and 18 for AO2. So analysis of language and structure earns more than retelling what happens.

The question has bullet points to guide the answer. Pearson's examiner report on this paper type notes that the third bullet always covers language and structure. That is the bullet students should never skip.

Section B: imaginative writing

Your child picks one of three tasks. In June 2025 these were a personal piece beginning "Write about a time when you, or someone you know…", a story with a given title, and a story that begins or ends with a set line, with two images as a prompt. The 30 marks are split between AO4 (creative communication) and AO5 (accurate, varied writing).

Creative writing is marked on the same two skills in every year, so practising with stories from any recent paper is fair training.

Component 3: the coursework route

Some schools run coursework instead of Paper 2. It is worth the same 40%. The school's teachers mark it, and Pearson moderates a sample.

Component 3 has two pieces:

• The first assignment (A) is an analysis essay on three texts from Part 2 of the Anthology. The three must include at least one poem and at least one prose text. Pearson recommends about 1,200 words. Students don't need to compare the texts.

• The second assignment (B) is a piece of imaginative writing. Pearson recommends about 700 words, and examiners noted that longer pieces tended to get weaker.

Pearson's own report gives two useful tips. First, the task title should mention language and structure, for example "Explore how the writers use language and structure to explore the theme of…". Second, to reach the top AO2 level, an essay must cover both language and structure across all three texts.

Students can redraft coursework, so proofreading matters. A clean second draft is the cheapest mark gain in the whole course.

Neither route is "easier". The exam route suits students who think fast under time pressure. The coursework route suits students who do their best work with time to plan and redraft. Ask the school which route it runs before you plan revision.

Edexcel IGCSE English Language B: one exam, no set texts

Specification B (4EB1) is simpler to describe. There is one written exam, Component 1, lasting 3 hours. It is worth 100 marks and 100% of the grade. It runs in the June and November series.

The texts are unseen, so there is nothing to memorise. The directed writing task asks for an article, a speech or talk, a letter or a website contribution, with a set audience and purpose.

Pearson publishes the weightings for Specification B. They are:

Add those up and you get 50% reading and 50% writing. Writing skills (AO4 and AO5) are the single biggest share of the grade. Specification B also has an optional Spoken Language Endorsement, an oral of up to 10 minutes, reported as Not Classified, Pass, Merit or Distinction.

What is every mark worth? A simple way to prioritise

On the Specification A exam route, every mark is worth the same share of the final grade: two-thirds of one percent. Paper 1 gives 60% across 90 marks, and Paper 2 gives 40% across 60 marks. Both come to 0.67% per mark.

That makes it easy to see where the grade lives:

Add up the two writing tasks and you get 50% of the grade. Many students spend most of their revision on reading and anthology notes. The numbers say the best return often comes from writing practice.

How to use your time in each exam

Time runs out in English exams more often than knowledge does. Pearson's advised timings are the best starting point. These are Educifly's own suggested splits inside them, not official Pearson guidance.

Paper 1 (135 minutes):

Paper 2 (90 minutes):

For Specification B, the advised hour per section already adds up to the 3 hours. Keep strictly to it. Section C is the easiest place to overspend because creative writing feels fun.

How to answer the main reading questions

A good reading answer is clear, short and tied to the text. Here is a method that works for each type.

Short retrieval questions (2 to 5 marks)

Answer in your own words, quote briefly, and stop. Count the marks. A 2-mark question needs two clear points, not a paragraph. Writing more won't earn more marks.

The language and structure question (12 marks)

Use a simple chain: point, quotation, effect. Name what the writer does, quote a short piece of evidence, then explain the effect on the reader. Then add a structure point, such as how the text opens, builds, shifts or ends.

Many students only spot techniques, such as "the writer uses a metaphor". Examiners want the effect. A strong sentence sounds like this: "The writer starts with a short, sharp sentence, which makes the reader feel the danger straight away."

The comparison question (22 marks)

Treat it as a conversation between the two writers. Don't write about text one for half the answer and then text two. Instead, use a comparison point, then show how each writer handles it, then say what the difference tells us.

A tidy structure is three to four comparison paragraphs. Each starts with a clear link word such as "Similarly" or "In contrast". Finish with a short sentence that states which writer is more persuasive, personal or emotional, and why.

The Anthology essay (30 marks)

Start with a one-line answer to the question. Follow the three bullet points in order. Make sure the language and structure bullet gets a full paragraph, since AO2 carries the larger share of marks. Link ideas to the writer's purpose: why did they write this, and what do they want you to feel?

How to read the unseen text in five steps

Most students lose marks before they write a word, because they read the text once and rush. Try this routine instead. It takes about 15 minutes and it works for both specifications.

1. Read the questions first. Spend one minute on them, so you know what to look for.

2. Read the text once for meaning. Ask who is speaking, where they are and how they feel.

3. Read it again with a pencil. Underline three strong words or phrases and mark where the tone changes.

4. Note the structure. How does it start? Where does it turn? How does it end?

5. Jot the writer's purpose. Is the writer trying to inform, persuade, amuse or warn?

Those notes feed straight into the 12-mark language and structure question. They also make the comparison question much easier, because you already know what each writer is doing.

What a strong language and structure paragraph looks like

Here is a short example written by Educifly, not taken from any Pearson mark scheme. It shows the point, quotation, effect chain in action. Imagine a text where a climber is trapped alone.

The writer builds fear with short sentences. "I could not move. I could not breathe." The repeated "I could not" makes the climber sound helpless, and the full stops slow the pace so the reader feels each second drag. This also shifts the focus from the outside world to his own body, which makes the danger feel close and personal.

Notice what it does. It names a technique, quotes only a few words, explains the effect and links the effect to the writer's purpose. Four sentences earn more than a long paragraph that only lists devices. Aim for two or three of these per 12-mark answer.

Which specification suits which student?

Neither specification is "easier". They test the same skills in different packages. The right fit depends on how a student works.

Your child's school usually decides this, so the table helps you understand the choice rather than change it. If you are moving between schools or boards, the code on the paper matters more than the board name.

How to score high on the writing tasks

Writing marks come from two places: what you say, and how well you say it. Examiners mark them separately.

For transactional writing:

1. Identify the form, audience and purpose before writing a word. A speech sounds like a person talking to a room. A guide is clear and organised.

2. Open with a hook. A short story, a surprising fact or a direct question works well.

3. Use paragraphs with one idea each, and link them.

4. Vary sentence length. Mix short punchy sentences with longer ones.

5. Finish with a strong last line that sends the reader away with a clear message.

For imaginative writing:

1. Choose the task you can picture clearly. Don't pick the one that sounds clever.

2. Aim for one clear scene, one small change and a believable ending. A tight 600-word story beats a rushed epic.

3. Show feelings through actions and details, not labels like "he was sad".

4. Keep the tense steady, and keep the speech punctuation neat.

5. Leave five minutes to proofread. Spelling, punctuation and grammar are worth marks in every writing task.

Common mistakes that cost marks

A 12-week revision plan

This plan suits a student starting about three months before the exam. It is Educifly's own plan, built from the mark values above. Adjust it if your child is on the coursework route or on Specification B.

Do one small thing every week: read a news feature, a speech or an opinion column, and list three things the writer does well. Wide reading builds both vocabulary and ideas.

Past papers, mark schemes and grade boundaries

Pearson publishes past papers, mark schemes and examiner reports on its qualifications website. The examiner reports are the hidden gem. They tell you what students did well and where they lost marks in each real paper.

Use papers in this order. Start with the mark scheme to learn the levels. Then try a question under timed conditions. Then mark your own answer against the scheme, as strictly as an examiner would. Finally, ask a teacher or tutor to mark one piece a week.

Grade boundaries change every series, so never rely on last year's numbers as a promise. Our guide to IGCSE grade boundaries explains how they work and where to find the official ones. For help choosing papers, see our list of IGCSE English past papers.

How Edexcel compares to Cambridge for English

Many families weigh Edexcel against Cambridge. In English Language the Edexcel version leans on two assessed skills, reading and writing, and Specification A adds a set Anthology. Our full comparison in Cambridge vs Edexcel IGCSE covers the differences across subjects. If you want a wider picture of the board itself, read our overview of the Edexcel IGCSE.

When a tutor helps

A tutor doesn't replace the teacher. A good one finds exactly where your child loses marks and fixes that first. In English, a common pattern is a student who reads well but writes without a plan, or one who spots techniques but forgets to explain the effect.

Educifly runs 1-on-1 online lessons with a hand-matched tutor, and the student keeps the same tutor every week. We have taught since 2018 and have worked with 500+ students. Our IGCSE English tutors mark real practice pieces and give feedback in the language of the mark scheme. You can try a free trial class first and see if the fit feels right.

FAQ: Edexcel IGCSE English Language

What is the difference between Edexcel IGCSE English Language A and B?

Specification A (4EA1) has two papers or one paper plus coursework, and it uses a set Anthology. Specification B (4EB1) is one 3-hour exam on unseen texts, with no Anthology and no coursework. Both are graded 9 to 1, and both give about half the marks to reading and half to writing.

How many papers are there in Edexcel IGCSE English Language?

Specification A has two exam papers, Paper 1 and Paper 2, unless the school runs coursework in place of Paper 2. Specification B has one paper. Paper 1 in Specification A lasts 2 hours 15 minutes and Paper 2 lasts 1 hour 30 minutes.

How is Edexcel IGCSE English Language graded?

It is graded on the 9 to 1 scale, where 9 is the highest grade. A result below the minimum standard is unclassified (U). Pearson sets grade boundaries each exam series, so the marks needed for each grade change.

How many marks is Paper 1 worth?

Paper 1 in Specification A is worth 90 marks and 60% of the qualification. Section A (reading) is 45 marks and Section B (transactional writing) is 45 marks. Question 5, the comparison question, is the largest single question at 22 marks.

What is the Anthology in Edexcel IGCSE English Language A?

The Anthology is Pearson's collection of set texts. Part 1 holds non-fiction pieces used in Paper 1. Part 2 holds poems and prose used in Paper 2 or coursework. Your child studies Part 2 in class, and the Part 1 text appears in the exam alongside an unseen one.

Is there coursework in Edexcel IGCSE English Language?

Yes, in Specification A only, and only if the school chooses it. Component 3 replaces Paper 2 and is worth 40%. It has an analysis essay on three Anthology texts and an imaginative piece. Specification B has no coursework.

Can you take the exam in June and November?

Yes. Both specifications are examined in the June and November series. Your school decides which series your child enters, so check with them before booking.

How long should I spend on each question?

Follow Pearson's advised timings first. In Paper 1, aim for about 90 minutes on Section A and 45 on Section B. Inside Section A, give the most time to Question 5, the 22-mark comparison. A watch on the desk and a written plan for each section helps.

How do I get a grade 9 in Edexcel IGCSE English Language?

Write to the mark scheme. Explain the effect of the writer's choices, compare texts with clear link words, plan every writing task, and proofread. Since writing is about half the grade, regular timed writing practice with feedback is the fastest route to the top grades.

What are the best past papers to practise with?

Use papers from the exact specification your child takes, and always use the official Pearson versions with their mark schemes and examiner reports. Start with the most recent series, because question styles stay similar from year to year.

Should my child hire an English tutor?

A tutor helps most when a student is stuck on a particular skill, such as comparison, analysis or planning a story. If your child already scores near the top and just needs more practice, a teacher's marking and past papers may be enough. A trial lesson is a low-risk way to find out.