IGCSE English as a Second Language: Listening, Writing, and Speaking
Preparing for your IGCSE English as a Second Language (ESL) exam can feel daunting. You are not just learning grammar
Learn how to write step-by-step answers, and score A* in your exam!
Announcement: Cambridge IGCSE, O Level and AS & A Level June 2025 past papers are now available.
You may be asked to write an informal letter to a friend or family member. Often, the question will require you to describe or explain something, or it may ask you to say what you think about a suggestion or a plan. The exam question will give you some ideas, and will tell you what you should include in your letter.
Remember: It is important to show that you can write in an informal style.
Write a short introduction for this post:
Make sure that you follow all instructions very carefully and write the required number of words. Aim for 15 words plus or minus from the maximum word limit guideline.
For English First Language Extended syllabus, aim for 435 words or so; or in the range of 435－465 words.
For English as a Second Language Extended syllabus, aim for 145 words or so.
Though there is no penalty in writing more than the suggested limit, it would be self-penalising to wrote more as you leave no time for other questions.
When you write, use your imagination as much as possible, but remember that your answer must always be relevant to the question.
One way to improve your writing is by using more adjectives and adverbs.
Example:
We had food and the music was good.
The above sentence could be made better by applying some adjectives like the below sentence.
We ate delicious food and the music was fantastic!
For example: Up to nine marks are awarded for content, and up to nine marks for language.
“Content” refers to the relevance and development of ideas; “language” refers to style and accuracy.
Below are some important points about writing a formal letter in your IGCSE exam:
You may be asked to write an article or a narrative, describe something or to write something persuasive. It is important that you read the question very carefully and that you express yourself effectively. You should also show that you can vary the style of your writing, depending on the topic.
In all the English subjects papers, you’ll be required to summarise a text. Below are some important points to help you score maximum marks for this section:
You may be asked to write your opinion about something in the form of a newspaper article, or perhaps for your school newsletter or magazine.
For English First Language, be sure to cover all the bullet points given.
For English as a Second Language, usually you will be given help in the form of a list of ideas or other people’s opinions, but you do not have to use them in your answer. You are free to use your own ideas, just be sure to keep to the topic.
You must show the examiner that you can use the English language for a specific purpose and that you can organise your ideas in a logical way.
Although you don’t have much time for planning, you should underline the key word(s) in the question to ensure you do exactly what is asked.
Write very brief notes, putting your ideas into a logical order. Also, check for repetition. When you have finished your writing, check your spelling, grammar and punctuation.
Join 62,169 (and counting) IGCSE & AS/A Level subscribers who’ve taken our insanely valuable FREE email courses. Learn exam tips & score A* in your exam!
Amal Elsayed
Kuwait
Preparing for your IGCSE English as a Second Language (ESL) exam can feel daunting. You are not just learning grammar
Choosing the right educational pathway for your child is one of the most significant decisions a family can make. In
The IGCSE English First Language exam places a strong emphasis on creative writing, with writing descriptive and narrative essays being
In the IGCSE English First Language Directed Writing task, you’ll be required to either write a speech, letter, or article
616 responses
whats good for feature article? skills and techniques
Hi Rody,
For article writing, examiners are looking for answers that:
? are the right length ? remember to check how many words you need to write
? have paragraphs ? these don?t have to be long, but each one should contain a different set of ideas
? answer the question ? don?t forget any bullet points
? are organised and logical ? this helps to keep you on the topic
? are accurate ? so be careful to check your spelling, grammar and punctuation
? are clear to read ? so keep your handwriting tidy.
You can consider making use of our available resources to help improve your writing:
Exam model answers ? https://www.skolatis.com/igcse-exam-resources/
You can also get your practice papers marked by a qualified subject expert here: https://www.skolatis.com/mark-your-papers/
Hi igcse team,
Is it alright to write an outline right before the text of the text, moreover do we need to have the title first or the outline???
Hello Humanity,
Writing an outline may help you in organising your ideas into paragraphs. However, you need to practise a lot in doing this over the years. So that you don?t use up most of your time in writing outline and running out of time to finishing writing the actual answer. We suggest you to time yourself while doing your own practices at home.
Lastly, it depends if the title is part of the requirement of the question. If the question indicate to have the title, then yes you must include the required title give in the question. Sometimes, you will have an idea for a title immediately or sometimes it will take awhile before an idea strikes in. There is no definite order on what goes first. Just let your ideas flow.
I have a doubt related to the e-mail writing . Can email writing use a great range of vocabulary..and the writhing style may be little at higher level
Hi Simran,
If you meant for English Second Language Exercise 5, think about who you are writing to. Try to write as if you are talking to this person and you?ll
automatically use the correct conversational tone and register. You?ll be using words and phrases which are informal. Don?t spend time providing introductory information such as an address or subject. Use most of your time and space on the question paper to write the main body of your answer. Remember to write at least a paragraph on each of the bullet points given as guidance on the question paper. This will give your writing good balance. You?ll lose marks if you don?t write about everything you have been asked. Include details or explanations to expand your ideas. For the content mark, the examiner is also looking at the development of your writing. It?s a good idea to give your writing a start and a finish. If you don?t, it can become more like a story, and you might lose the tone.If you like using idioms, be careful not to use too many. It can make your writing sound unnatural. They also need to suit the task. Try to write fluently, using a good range of words, phrases and types of sentences. Don?t use mobile/cell text language because this is a test of English language. For the language mark, the examiner will be looking at the level of your vocabulary and sentence structures.
You can also use our available resources to help improve your English writing skills:
Exam model answers ? https://www.skolatis.com/igcse-exam-resources/
Revision course ? https://www.skolatis.com/cambridge-igcse-revision-courses/
You can also get your practice papers marked by a qualified subject expert here: https://www.skolatis.com/mark-your-papers/
Hi
May I know the tips for scoring in descriptive writing.
Thank you
Hi Varuni,
You?ll have to do a lot of practices and readings. Try increasing your range of vocabulary, adjectives, and verbs.
There are a number of ideas and skills you can use to improve the quality of description in your writing. Using interesting words can help to stop writing becoming dull and flat. The first words that occur are not always the most interesting that could be used, for example ?nice? and ?really?. It can help to think about what specific verbs and adjectives apply to the situation.
To write effective descriptions you have to observe things around you and remember them so you can see them in your mind. Always try to experience the whole picture in your mind using all your senses, what you can see, hear, smell, feel, taste.
Good description should make a scene vivid to the reader. That means it should be clear and strong and, of course, believable. Scenes can be real ? you are remembering a place, an event, or imaginary ? you are writing a story and creating a setting.
You must not be tempted to put in too much unnecessary description but select details which are needed to create the impression you want your reader to have. Don?t focus on something unless it is needed for plot, or to create a mood, or to capture atmosphere.
Whether describing a real person or creating characters they must be believable. Try to imagine that all people you describe, both real and made-up, have a full life, a history, a background but you only select what is needed for your writing.
You can also use our available resources to help improve your English writing skills:
Exam model answers ? https://www.skolatis.com/igcse-exam-resources/
Revision course ? https://www.skolatis.com/cambridge-igcse-revision-courses/
You can also get your practice papers marked by a qualified subject expert here: https://www.skolatis.com/mark-your-papers/
Is using idioms beneficial in article and email of second language English
Hi Naman,
One or two proverbs/idioms are ok. But not more than that. Otherwise, your essay would sound too stereotypical. Go for sayings that could be used to talk about any topic or topic-specific ones that you know you?ll be able to use in the exam.