Cambridge Assessment International Education
Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education
ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE 0511/23
Paper 2 Reading and Writing (Extended) October/November 2018
MARK SCHEME
Maximum Mark: 90
Published
This mark scheme is published as an aid to teachers and candidates, to indicate the requirements of the
examination. It shows the basis on which Examiners were instructed to award marks. It does not indicate the
details of the discussions that took place at an Examiners’ meeting before marking began, which would have
considered the acceptability of alternative answers.
Mark schemes should be read in conjunction with the question paper and the Principal Examiner Report for
Teachers.
Cambridge International will not enter into discussions about these mark schemes.
Cambridge International is publishing the mark schemes for the October/November 2018 series for most
Cambridge IGCSE™, Cambridge International A and AS Level components and some Cambridge O Level
components.
This syllabus is approved for use in England, Wales and Northern Ireland as a Cambridge International Level 1/Level 2 Certificate.
This document consists of 12 printed pages.
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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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IGCSE English as a Second Language Extended tier Reading/Writing (Paper 2)
This component forms part of the Extended tier assessment of IGCSE English as a Second Language
and tests the following Assessment Objectives:
AO1: Reading
R1 identify and retrieve facts and details
R2 understand and select relevant information
R3 recognise and understand ideas, opinions and attitudes and the connections between related
ideas
R4 understand what is implied but not actually written, e.g. gist, relationships, writer’s
purpose/intention, writer’s feelings, situation or place
AO2: Writing
W1 communicate clearly, accurately and appropriately
W2 convey information and express opinions effectively
W3 employ and control a variety of grammatical structures
W4 demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a range of appropriate vocabulary
W5 observe conventions of paragraphing, punctuation and spelling
W6 employ appropriate register/style
Overview of exercises on Paper 2
Reading Marks for Writing Marks for Total
objectives reading objectives writing available
tested objectives tested objectives marks
Exercise 1 Reading (1) R1, R2 9 – 9
Exercise 2 Reading (2) R1, R2, 15 – 15
R4
Exercise 3 Information R1, R2, 6 W1, W5 2 8
transfer R4,
Exercise 4 Note- R1, R2, 9 – 9
making R3
Exercise 5 Summary R1, R2, 6 W1, W2, 5 11
R3 W3, W4,
W5
Exercise 6 Writing (1) – W1, W2, 19 19
W3, W4,
W5, W6
Exercise 7 Writing (2) – W1, W2, 19 19
W3, W4,
W5, W6
90
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Question Answer Marks
1(a) (in) North Hall 1
1(b) (in the middle of the) Atlantic Ocean 1
1(c) Adam Bateley 1
1(d) a wedding 1
1(e) December 5(th) 1
1(f) (a brief) summary (of the film) 1
1(g) (a place on a) (one-week) film-making course 1
1(h) (a) costume designer 1
1(i) screenwriting (skills) 1
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Question Answer Marks
2(a) (the American University of) Beirut 1
2(b) (it used to be) a school 1
2(c) a Russian artist / Kazimir Malevich 1
2(d) The Peak 2
the client ran out of money
ONE MARK FOR EACH CORECT DETAIL
2(e) (an) iceberg 1
2(f) (the company’s / a) fire engine 1
2(g) a pen / ruler / T-squares 1
ANY TWO FROM THREE FOR 1 MARK
2(h) Leipzig 1
2(i) Burj Khalifa (Dubai) AND 2010 1
BOTH DETAILS REQUIRED FOR ONE MARK
2(j) (the) Olympic Aquatics Centre 1
2(k) • (her drawings) seemed like fantasies (not buildings) 4
• (her designs would be) impossible to build / designed impossible
buildings
• many of her early designs were not built
• (her design was) not practical
• (her work was too) controversial
ANY FOUR DETAILS, ONE MARK FOR EACH CORRECT DETAIL
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Question Answer Marks
3 Section A: Personal details
Full name: David Fuller 9
College: Bridge Sixth Form (College) 9
Age: 17 (years old) 9
Name you use on social media: bluesky 9
Section B: Social media and you
Age when you got your own mobile phone: 11 (years old) 9
Do you check your phone during the night? DELETE yes 9
How many hours a day do you spend on social media? TICK 3–4 hours 9
What do you spend most time doing on social media? 99
looking at photos (that his friends have posted online )
AND
chatting with friends (9 FOR EACH)
What do you use most: CIRCLE laptop 9
How long did you manage to give up social media for? 9 days 9
Total for Sections A and B 6
Section C
Sample sentences:
There were times when I couldn’t relax properly, but I got to sleep earlier.
I hated not knowing what my friends were up to, but I had more time for
schoolwork.
Total for Section C 2
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Question Answer Marks
3 Characteristics of a correct sentence:
There are two details required in this question. If the candidate only writes
one correct detail, the maximum mark is 1. Any further error = 0.
It must be written from the point of view of David, so, if used, only FIRST
PERSON PRONOUNS (I, my etc.) are acceptable.
It must contain a main clause.
It can include extra correct irrelevant information from the text if a relevant
reason is also supplied.
It cannot include any additional incorrect information even if a relevant
reason is given.
If these conditions are not fulfilled, no marks can be awarded.
Marking Criteria
2 marks: no fewer than 12 and no more than 20 words; proper sentence
construction; correct spelling, punctuation and grammar; relevant to context.
1 mark: no fewer than 12 and no more than 20 words; proper sentence
construction; 1–3 errors of punctuation / spelling / grammar that do not
obscure meaning; relevant to context.
0 marks: more than 3 errors of punctuation / spelling / grammar; and/or
irrelevant to context, and/or not a proper sentence; and/or fewer than 12
words or more than 20 words.
Absence of a full stop at the end should be considered as 1
punctuation error.
Absence of an upper case letter at the beginning should be considered
as 1 punctuation error.
Omission of a word in the sentence should be considered as 1
grammar error.
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Question Answer Marks
4 How the museum building and contents have changed: Max 5
1 double the amount of gallery space
2 new heating (systems have been installed)
3 new lighting (systems have been installed)
4 the way the museum displays are organised / the displays have
been rearranged (by theme rather than by date)
5 interactive displays have been added
6 addition of an education room / information inside the education
room / a range of activities inside the education room
7 the shop has been moved next to the café
What the museum is doing to celebrate the re-opening: Max 4
1 (introducing a series of) free guided tours (on weekday
lunchtimes/for the first month)
2 a competition to design a poster / a competition to design an
advertisement
3 (giving away a) free cloth bag / (giving away a) free pen / gifts (for
the first 100 visitors)
4 (official opening) ceremony (on 12 December)
5 (offering a number of) free tickets for the (opening) ceremony
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Question Answer Marks
5 Content: up to 6 marks 6
1 Consider the venue / make space in your living room or rent a room
2 Persuade a few friends to tell stories
3 Invite plenty of people (for the audience)
4 Have a theme for the night (not too narrow or too wide)
5 Point out to participants that their stories should be told with
honesty
6 Set a time limit
7 Decide on a suitable order for the stories (find out what each is
about in advance)
8 Advise people to think carefully about their opening sentences/
advise people to start with opening sentences which grab
audience’s attention
9 Not to let people use a script
Language: up to 5 marks 5
0 marks: no understanding of the task / no relevant content / meaning
completely obscure due to serious language inaccuracies
1 mark: copying without discrimination from text / multiple language
inaccuracies
2 marks: heavy reliance on language from the text with no attempt to
organise and sequence points cohesively / limited language
expression making meaning at times unclear
3 marks: some reliance on language from the text, but with an attempt to
organise and sequence points cohesively / language
satisfactory, but with some inaccuracies
4 marks: good attempt to use own words and to organise and sequence
points cohesively / generally good control of language
5 marks: good, concise summary style / very good attempt to use own
words and to organise and sequence points cohesively
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Question Answer Marks
6 Email 19
Question Answer Marks
7 Extended writing 19
The following general instructions, and table of marking criteria, apply to both exercises.
• Award the answer a mark for content (C) [out of 10] and a mark for language (L) [out of 9] in
accordance with the General Criteria table that follows.
• Content covers relevance (i.e. whether the piece fulfils the task and the awareness of
purpose/audience/register) and the development of ideas (i.e. the detail/explanation provided
and how enjoyable it is to read).
• Language covers style (i.e. complexity of vocabulary and sentence structure) and accuracy (of
grammar, spelling, punctuation and use of paragraphs).
• When deciding on a mark for content or language, first of all decide which mark band is most
appropriate. There will not necessarily be an exact fit. Then decide between 2 marks within that
mark band. Use the lower mark if it only just makes it into the band and the upper mark if it fulfils
all the requirements of the band but doesn’t quite make it into the band above.
• When deciding on a mark for content, look at both relevance and development of ideas. First
ask yourself whether the writing fulfils the task, in terms of points to be covered and the length. If
it does, it will be in at least the 4–5 mark band.
• When deciding on a mark for language, look at both the style and the accuracy of the language.
A useful starting point would be first to determine whether errors intrude. If they do not, it will be
in at least the 4–5 mark band.
• The use of paragraphs should not be the primary basis of deciding which mark to award. Look
first at the language used and decide on a mark and, if there are no paragraphs, deduct one
mark.
• If the essay is considerably shorter than the stated word length, i.e. below 105 words, it should
be put in mark band 2–3 for content or lower for not fulfilling the task. The language mark is likely
to be affected and is unlikely to be more than one band higher than the content mark.
• If the essay is totally irrelevant and has nothing to do with the question asked, it should be given
0 marks for Content and Language, even if it is enjoyable to read and fluent.
• If the essay is partly relevant and therefore in mark band 2–3, the full range of marks for
language is available.
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GENERAL CRITERIA FOR MARKING EXERCISES 6 AND 7 (Extended Tier)
Mark CONTENT: relevance and Mark LANGUAGE: style and accuracy
band development of ideas band (AO: W1, W3, W4, W5)
(AO: W1, W2, W6)
8–9–10 Highly effective: 8–9 Precise:
Relevance: Style:
Fulfils the task, with consistently appropriate Ease of style. Confident and wide-ranging
register and excellent sense of purpose and use of language, idiom and tenses.
audience. Award 9 marks.
Award 10 marks.
A range of language, idiom and tenses.
Fulfils the task, with consistently appropriate Award 8 marks.
register and very good sense of purpose and
audience. Accuracy:
Award 8/9 marks. Well-constructed and linked paragraphs with
very few errors of any kind.
Development of ideas:
Original, well-developed ideas. Quality is
sustained. Outstanding.
Award 10 marks.
Shows some independence of thought. Ideas
are well developed, at appropriate length and
convincing. The interest of the reader is
sustained. Award 9 marks.
Ideas are well developed and at appropriate
length. Enjoyable to read. Award 8 marks.
6–7 Effective: 6 Competent:
Relevance: Style:
Fulfils the task, with appropriate register and Sentences show variety of structure and
a good sense of purpose and audience. length. Attempt at sophisticated vocabulary
Award 7 marks. and idiom. Award 7 marks.
Fulfils the task, with appropriate register and Sentences show some style and ambitious
some sense of purpose and audience. language. However, there may be some
Award 6 marks. awkwardness making reading less
enjoyable. Award 6 marks.
Development of ideas:
Ideas are developed at appropriate length. Accuracy:
Engages reader’s interest. Mostly accurate apart from minor errors
which may include infrequent spelling errors.
Good use of paragraphing and linking words.
Award 7 marks.
Generally accurate with frustrating
errors. Appropriate use of paragraphing.
Award 6 marks.
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Mark CONTENT: relevance and Mark LANGUAGE: style and accuracy
band development of ideas band (AO: W1, W3, W4, W5)
(AO: W1, W2, W6)
4–5 Largely relevant: 4–5 Satisfactory:
Relevance: Style:
Fulfils the task. A satisfactory attempt has Mainly simple structures and vocabulary but
been made to address the topic, but there sometimes attempting a wider range of
may be digressions. language. Award 5 marks.
Award 5 marks.
Mainly simple structures and vocabulary.
Does not quite fulfil the task although there Award 4 marks.
are some positive qualities. There may be
digressions. Accuracy:
Award 4 marks. Meaning is clear and of a safe standard.
Grammatical errors occur when attempting
Development of ideas: more ambitious language. Paragraphs are
Material is satisfactorily developed at used, showing some coherence. Award 5
appropriate length. marks.
Meaning is generally clear. Simple structures
are usually sound. Errors do not interfere
with communication. Paragraphs are used
but without coherence or unity. Award 4
marks.
2–3 Partly relevant: 2–3 Errors intrude:
Relevance: Style:
Partly relevant and some engagement with Simple structures and vocabulary.
the task. Inappropriate register, showing
insufficient awareness of purpose and / or Accuracy:
audience. Meaning is sometimes in doubt. Frequent
Award 3 marks. errors do not seriously impair
communication.
Partly relevant and limited engagement with Award 3 marks.
the task. Inappropriate register, showing
insufficient awareness of purpose and / or Meaning is often in doubt. Frequent,
audience. distracting errors which slow down reading.
Award 2 marks. Award 2 marks.
Development of ideas:
Supplies some detail but the effect is
incomplete and repetitive.
0–1 Little relevance: 0–1 Hard to understand:
Very limited engagement with task, but this is Multiple types of error in grammar / spelling /
mostly hidden by density of error. word usage / punctuation throughout, which
Award 1 mark. mostly make it difficult to understand.
Occasionally, sense can be deciphered.
No engagement with the task or any Award 1 mark.
engagement with task is completely hidden
by density of error. Density of error completely obscures
Award 0 marks. meaning. Whole sections impossible to
recognise as pieces of English writing.
If essay is completely irrelevant, no mark can Award 0 marks.
be given for language.
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