Cambridge IGCSE Language BPaper 1Question types

Paper 1 question types

Three questions. Three different skills. Each needs a different approach - get them mixed up and you lose marks on questions you'd otherwise ace.

Question 1 (a-e)

Comprehension

15 marks

Short-answer questions testing explicit and implicit meaning from Text A. Questions usually ask you to identify a fact, an attitude, or an inference from a specific paragraph.

Technique

Re-read the paragraph the question points you to.
Underline any word that matches the question's focus.
Answer in short sentences or phrases - no need for full paragraphs.
Use your own words where the question says so; quote where it asks for a word or phrase.

Do

• Check the mark allocation - 2 marks = 2 points
• Use your own words when asked
• Quote minimally when asked

Don't

• Copy whole sentences from the text
• Analyse language - save that for Q2
• Overwrite - 2 marks only needs 2 points

Question 2

Language analysis

25 marks

The big analytical question. You will be asked to explore how a writer uses language (and sometimes structure) to achieve specific effects in Text A or Text B. This is where Grade 9 candidates earn their grade.

Technique: the three-step model

Quote. A short, embedded phrase.
Identify. Name the technique (metaphor, sibilance, triadic structure, shift in register, etc.).
Explain the effect. Why did the writer choose this? What does it do to the reader?

Worked example

The writer describes the city as “a labyrinth of choking alleys”. The metaphor “labyrinth” implies confusion and entrapment, while the personification of the alleys as “choking” suggests that the urban space is actively hostile to those passing through it. Together they create a claustrophobic atmosphere, positioning the reader to share the narrator's sense of panic.

Do

• Pick quotations from across the extract
• Explore multiple effects of a single word
• Use connectives: moreover, however, furthermore

Don't

• Feature-spot without explaining effect
• Quote long chunks
• Paraphrase the whole text before analysing

Question 3

Summary

15 + writing marks

Select and synthesise information from both Text A and Text B on a given topic. Marked for content (the number of relevant points) and for the quality of your own written style.

Technique

Re-read both texts with the summary topic in mind. Underline any relevant point - aim for 15+ points.
Group similar points together so you can combine them into single sentences.
Translate each point into your own words - this is non-negotiable for top marks.
Write in continuous prose, not bullet points. Use linking words to group related ideas.
Stay under the word limit (usually 250 words) - examiners stop marking beyond it.

Do

• Use your own vocabulary throughout
• Combine points from A and B
• Write in fluent, connected prose

Don't

• Include your own opinion
• Quote directly from the texts
• Analyse language - that's Q2 territory

Put it into practice

Practice Paper 1 Grade 9 guide

Back to Paper 1

Cambridge IGCSE Language BPaper 1Question types

Paper 1 question types

Three questions. Three different skills. Each needs a different approach - get them mixed up and you lose marks on questions you'd otherwise ace.

Question 1 (a-e)

Comprehension

15 marks

Short-answer questions testing explicit and implicit meaning from Text A. Questions usually ask you to identify a fact, an attitude, or an inference from a specific paragraph.

Technique

Re-read the paragraph the question points you to.
Underline any word that matches the question's focus.
Answer in short sentences or phrases - no need for full paragraphs.
Use your own words where the question says so; quote where it asks for a word or phrase.

Do

• Check the mark allocation - 2 marks = 2 points
• Use your own words when asked
• Quote minimally when asked

Don't

• Copy whole sentences from the text
• Analyse language - save that for Q2
• Overwrite - 2 marks only needs 2 points

Question 2

Language analysis

25 marks

Technique: the three-step model

Quote. A short, embedded phrase.
Identify. Name the technique (metaphor, sibilance, triadic structure, shift in register, etc.).
Explain the effect. Why did the writer choose this? What does it do to the reader?

Worked example

Do

• Pick quotations from across the extract
• Explore multiple effects of a single word
• Use connectives: moreover, however, furthermore

Don't

• Feature-spot without explaining effect
• Quote long chunks
• Paraphrase the whole text before analysing

Question 3

Summary

15 + writing marks

Select and synthesise information from both Text A and Text B on a given topic. Marked for content (the number of relevant points) and for the quality of your own written style.

Technique

Re-read both texts with the summary topic in mind. Underline any relevant point - aim for 15+ points.
Group similar points together so you can combine them into single sentences.
Translate each point into your own words - this is non-negotiable for top marks.
Write in continuous prose, not bullet points. Use linking words to group related ideas.
Stay under the word limit (usually 250 words) - examiners stop marking beyond it.

Do

• Use your own vocabulary throughout
• Combine points from A and B
• Write in fluent, connected prose

Don't

• Include your own opinion
• Quote directly from the texts
• Analyse language - that's Q2 territory

Put it into practice

Practice Paper 1 Grade 9 guide

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Paper 1 question types

Technique

Do

Don't

Technique: the three-step model

Worked example

Do

Don't

Technique

Do

Don't

Put it into practice

Paper 1 question types

Technique

Do

Don't

Technique: the three-step model

Worked example

Do

Don't

Technique

Do

Don't

Put it into practice