Cambridge IGCSE First Language English Teacher’s Resource Handouts

Success criteria

Tick that you have fulfilled the criteria below after completing a piece of work. You need to be familiar
with this checklist before you plan and/or draft a response. If there is something here that you didn’t do
and can’t tick, try to put it right before submitting your work for assessment. It is possible to improve
responses even after writing the final version, by crossing out and replacing words and by using asterisks
and caret marks to add material.

Reading papers
Content
Did you ...
o skim and scan the passage before answering?
o answer the whole question?
o use different material in different answers?
o focus fully on the question?
o follow the guidelines on length?
o use the structure and content support provided?
o develop ideas where required?
o refer closely to the passage?
o give details where appropriate?
o select only relevant material from the passage?
o demonstrate understanding of implicit meaning?
o show awareness of the writer’s style?
o evaluate the effectiveness of the writer’s style?

Expression
Did you ...
o answer the question concisely?
o answer the question in full sentences?
o use your own words when required?
o write in the appropriate style for the response genre?
o check your responses for clarity?
o organise your material into a sequence?
o give overall structure to your response?

Cambridge IGCSE First Language English Teacher’s Resource © Cambridge University Press 2014 1
Cambridge IGCSE First Language English Teacher’s Resource Handouts

Success criteria (cont.)

Writing papers
Content
Did you ...
o convey your understanding of the ideas in the passage?
o evaluate the ideas in the passages?
o refer closely to points in the passage?
o avoid repetition of ideas?
o stay focused on the task?
o stay within the length guidelines?
o show awareness of the audience?
o show awareness of the purpose?

Expression
Did you ...
o order response material effectively?
o link ideas within and between paragraphs?
o use a range of vocabulary?
o use a variety of sentence structures?
o use the characteristics/devices of the response genre?
o choose precise words?
o use the appropriate register of vocabulary?
o adopt a suitable tone of voice?
o sustain an appropriate viewpoint?
o avoid repetition of vocabulary?
o avoid lifting phrases from the passage?
o use clear and concise language?
o use fluent and mature expression?
o use correct spelling, grammar and punctuation?
o use paragraphs in continuous writing?
o put quotations or speech into inverted commas?
o check your work for mistakes?

Cambridge IGCSE First Language English Teacher’s Resource © Cambridge University Press 2014 2