Exam tips

Exam
question

Paper 1 Tips

T1

You get one mark per correct item.

6 marks

T2

Dont spend too long on this if you cant think of it, leave it and
move on.
Dont leave blank answers you dont lose any marks for wrong
answers here.
Check your answer fits the definition perfectly check e.g. use of
plurals, device or process, etc.
Use the same numbering as in the rubric.
Testing nearly always comes up.

One mark for a correct definition, one for extra information, one for an example.
You cant get the mark for extra info if the definition is wrong.

12 marks

T3

Use the prompts CD: EG: FP: to separate your answers here. This
helps keep you focused but also makes it easier for the examiner to
award marks!
Make sure you have enough accurate information in your core
definition to get the marks, since you cant get marks for further
points if the core definition isnt in place.
Typical areas that come up here are grammar (forms), pronunciation
terms, testing, types of approach/syllabus.

One mark for a correct feature and 2 for a context and level appropriate example
to go with it. Maximum 15 marks.

15 marks

T4
40 marks

Always check the rubric carefully, as it may ask you not to include a
certain answer.
Try to cover a range of speaking or writing subskills/features of
discourse and grammatical/lexical features.
Give 6 features as a safety net.
For speaking, remember turn-taking features usually only count as
one feature.
Dont give too many examples as you dont get extra marks for extra
examples.
Make sure your examples are appropriate for the level.

One mark for each item up to 40 marks. In part (a) you only get the mark if you
give an example and you get a maximum of 5 marks. For the rest of the tasks there
is no restriction on where you score marks.

Imagine you read the text without any of the visuals / formatting
youd still be able to say where it came from / what kind of text it
was. Why ?
Use CLOGs.
Read the rubric carefully, as sometimes they add extra guidelines e.g.
a minimum of one feature of organisation and one feature of
language.

Damian Williams 2014

b-d

T5

22 marks

Organise your answers under a separate subheading for each item of

language and further by e.g. form and meaning/use. You may be able
to score multiple marks for saying the same thing for each example.
Form, meaning/use come up most commonly here. Pronunciation
will come up once over the three tasks. Cohesion has come up once
before.
Make lots of small points.
Dont forget the obvious e.g. commas, contractions, subject pronoun,
3rd person singular, etc.
Only analyse the words in bold dont analyse what isnt there or
provide further comments about how its used generally.
When commenting on phonology, dont waste time by transcribing
the whole phrase stick to using transcription to illustrate the
feature you are highlighting. Do make sure you include phonemic
transcription where possible though or youll lose marks.
Intonation rarely comes up in this part, but stress/features of
connected speech almost always do.

1 mark for the strength or weakness and there should be 3 of each; 1 for the
examples that go with these; 4 extra marks for comments on why and how these
things make the text more or less effective.

Cambridge
weighted
up to 27

Remember to give a clear example for each feature.

Give 6 features as a safety net.
Dont spend too long on this task.

Organise your answer by listing strengths first, then weaknesses.

Give clear examples these are worth half the marks.
Keep in mind the level of the learners.
Present a balance of strengths and weaknesses.
Try to provide an extra strength or weakness if time, as a safety net.
Remember that there are up to four additional marks available here
for comments on how the strengths and weaknesses contribute
towards the overall effectiveness of the text. You can go for these
quite easily with an extra comment using the sentence frame This
make the text more/less or This has the effect of, or some such.
Make sure you choose a weakness which is key best to go for one
of the safer ones like grammar or lexis.
Make sure you choose a key weakness, not a key area.
Develop each answer fully by giving an example or a clear
explanation.
The list of possible justifications is the same every exam so learn this
list.

Damian Williams 2014

Exam
question
T1

Paper 2 Tips
1 mark for each point you make and a further mark for the connection to the
learner this holds true for up to 6 points total, there must be both positives and
negatives but may not be three of each. 2 extra points available for good use of
terminology

14 marks
Cambridge
weighting up to
20 marks.

T2

24 marks
Cambridge
weighting
to 30
marks.

In (a) 2 marks for each purpose correctly identified and you can get marks for up to
8 purposes. In (b) 1 mark for each assumption 2 more for the two reasons that
support it (1 mark per valid reason). You can get marks for six assumptions, which
accounts for 18 points. Marks are then weighted down to 30.

Organise your answer so that you list positive points first, then go on
to negative points.
Use a separate prompt APP: to ensure you separate and develop the
application to the learner fully this is important as its worth half the
marks.
Learn your testing terminology i.e. Content/face validity theres also
construct validity but its similar to content validity so unlikely to be
tested on this directly.
Direct/indirect/placement/progress/summative test, reliability and
scorer reliability, etc. Not only are there 2 additional marks for
correct use of terminology here, most of the positive/negative points
are usually based around these concepts.
Try to provide an extra positive or negative point if time, as a safety
net.
Give a balance of positive and negative points.

Organise your answer by providing bullet points under key exercise

from the rubric.
Use the infinitive of purpose to ensure you stay focused and succinct.
Provide more than one purpose for each exercise.
Consider both language and skills, especially where a listening or
reading text is involved.
Consider form, meaning and pronunciation separately where
language focus is concerned.
Organise you answer using the prompts A: R1: R2: in order to ensure
you provide 2 underlying reasons for each assumption in order to go
for full marks here.
Look back over past papers for areas which come up often e.g. guided
discovery/cognitive engagement, importance of language in context,
importance of explicit focus of form, need for a task to help with a
text, etc. and include these in your answers
Give 7 assumptions if time as a safety net.
Dont forget to clearly specify which exercise your answers relate to,
or you wont get any marks.

T3

1 mark for each point you make up to a maximum of 10.

10 marks

Make as many small points as possible.

Damian Williams 2014

Consider the cycle of activities in the lesson, the topic, interaction

patterns, the move from receptive-productive, etc.
Keep in mind how the exercises combine with the ones from Task 2,
not just whats involved.
This is a difficult task to score well in, but its only worth 10% of paper
2, so dont spend too long it.

T4

Two marks for each point up to a maximum of 40.

40 marks

Some people like to start Paper 2 with this question, scribble some
notes, then come back to it after the other questions, when its had a
chance to sink in.
Try to visualise a classroom and move round, thinking of different
aspects (learners, teacher, equipment, learning styles, material,
listening equipment, etc.). This may help jog your memory for ideas.
Include reference to approaches if you want, but remember that its
the actual practical ideas that will get you marks.
Write everything you can think of, dont worry if it seems silly to
you. It might just get you marks!
Try to provide a balance of answers over the various parts of this
question.

Damian Williams 2014