Revise for IGCSE in ESL exam

General Points Regarding TIME

The exam lasts for 2 hours (= 120 mins for the
extended and 90mins for the core level) and there are
a total of 84 marks for the extended and 56 for the
core level. You should aim to manage your time as
follows:
Extended level
Ex. 1 and 2 about 20 mins
Ex. 3 (form-filling) - about 10 mins
Ex. 4 (note-taking) - about 12 mins
Ex. 5 (summary) - about 15 mins
Ex. 6 (informal writing) - about 30 mins
Ex. 7 (formal writing) - about 30 mins

Core level
Ex. 1 and 2 about 15 mins
Ex. 3 (form-filling) - about 10 mins
Ex. 4 (note-taking) - about 10 mins
Ex. 5 (summary) - about 5 mins
Ex. 6 (informal writing) - about 20 mins
Ex. 7 (formal writing) - about 20 mins

NB: The suggested times for Exercises 5-7 include editing

time. Do not write frantically until the invigilator calls out,
The exam is over. Please stop writing now.
You must spend a few minutes re-reading your work and
making necessary changes not just corrections, but
possibly also adding improvements such as transition
phrases (As a result of this, On the other hand, Finally
etc) or more expressive vocabulary (e.g. so fun thrilling /
exhilarating).

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General Points Regarding READING Tasks

Do not waste time reading the text before you look at
the questions. Do glance through it quickly so you
know what type of text it is (e.g. travel brochure,
magazine article) and what the topic is. Then go
straight to the questions and let each question guide
your more detailed reading.
You will not lose marks for grammatical, spelling or
punctuation errors (unless, of course, your answer is
impossible to understand!).
For most questions, a short answer is fine. There is no
rule that you should write in full sentences. In fact,
you would be wasting valuable time if you wrote lots
of long answers.
The first 15-20 questions require fast (but accurate!)
reading: think of the 1 mark questions as needing
about one minute of reading on average.
Practise reading texts in newspapers, magazines or
textbooks and making notes of the main points. This
can help you prepare for both the note-taking and
summary writing tasks.

General Points Regarding SUMMARY Tasks

Read the instructions carefully: what are you
being asked to write about?
Half the marks are awarded for including relevant
points, half for "quality of language". Underline or
box the relevant points in the original text before
you try to write your summary.
Do not write a long introduction! You might need
to write something like There are three main
advantages of home schooling. Firstly but
basically you should go straight to the point: do
only what the instructions ask you to do!
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 Organise the points in some way e.g.

chronologically,
or
Problem-Solution,
or
Advantages-Disadvantages. Whatever seems right
for the task!
Simple
connectives
such
as
"Firstly/Secondly/Thirdly" or "In addition/Also" or
"Consequently" can help to make your summary
more coherent.
Use your own words/phrases where possible.
Feel free to change the order of points if that
seems logical.
Do not write too much: you will not receive any
credit for points made after the word limit. (On the
other hand, do not get stressed about writing a few
words too many. You are allowed to go up to 120
words for the extended level and 70 for the core
level).

General Points Regarding LISTENING

If you want to do some Listening practice,
remember you have 2 CD-ROMs in your copy of
IGCSE English as a Second Language by Peter
Lucantoni.
For most of the questions, all you need is a brief
answer (often just one word).
Do not just listen for words; listen to the meaning
of what is being said! Try to predict what is coming
next.
Use the pauses for writing: if you write too soon,
you may miss something you should be listening
to!
In the note-taking tasks, think about the type of
word that is required. For example, if a heading
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says Purpose, then it is likely that you need a list

of verbs (e.g. To raise awareness, To conserve
wildlife, To educate schoolchildren). By contrast, if
a sentence says This boat has attracted more
_________ than any other boat in the race, then
you should expect a noun to fill the gap e.g.
publicity, funding, attention, visitors, trouble,
photographers?
If you write 2 answers and the first one is wrong,
no points will be awarded.
Spelling usually does not matter. However, if an
incorrect spelling could cause confusion about your
meaning, then it will be marked incorrect. For
example, "bored" is good; "bord" is incorrect but
acceptable; but "board" is unacceptable.

General
Tasks

Points Regarding WRITING

There are some useful things you can do:

Use a thesaurus (www.thesaurus.com) to build up
a variety of vocabulary e.g. ways of expressing
common concepts:
The trip was good.

enjoyable,
interesting,
educational,
informative,
fascinating,
eye-opening,
inspirational, life-changing
I felt scared.
anxious,
apprehensive,
nervous, fearful, terrified
I saw a man running down sprinting, running at full
the street.
pelt
I saw a woman stepping of spotted, noticed, observed
the pavement into the road.
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The council should make a

skate park.
Opponents
say
that
foxhunting is an important
part of English culture.
She is a really nice person.

construct, create,
argue,
maintain

claim,

insist,

warm,
generous,
considerate,
helpful,
easygoing, supportive
Re-read model essays such as those below and think
about how they are organised.
Read your notes on various OPINION or "for/against"
topics or (see a couple of examples below); use these
to scribble essay plans.
Re-read good examples of informal/formal letters
Notice and practise writing common phrases found in
formal letters:
Re-read your notes on how to begin/end informal
letters; make notes for a letter to a friend about a
recent experience (e.g. taking part in a performance,
winning a competition, meeting your hero, meeting
an old classmate, visiting a foreign country, learning
a new skill); work out what each paragraph is going
to be about; make a note of likely connectives (the
following day, by the end of our conversation, as a
result, because of this, in the end etc.); write the
letter!
Re-read old essays and think about your most
common errors (especially tenses, missing "a"/"the",
plural "-s", uncountable nouns, prepositions of
time/place -in Jakarta, in March, at night etc.;
vocabulary go shopping, to be interested in, to
apply for); write new sentences that follow the
correct patterns (e.g. My brother went shopping
while my two sisters and I went fishing.)

Revise lists of connecting words/phrases:

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 Firstly, Secondly, Thirdly, Finally

For example, For instance,
In addition, Also, Furthermore, What is
more,
As a result, Because of this, Consequently,
Therefore,
On the one hand, On the other hand,
It is true that However,
, however, In contrast, On the other hand,

Similarly,
Another argument against _____ is that
Another disadvantage of _____ is that

Informal Letters
An informal letter should be fairly informal but dont overdo
it! The examiner will not be impressed by text messaging
shorthand such as "U" for you. Likewise, avoid excessive use
of slang: your objective is to demonstrate your knowledge of
standard English vocabulary and grammar.
The content of informal letters is difficult to predict. However,
they often include an account of recent events. If you have to
write a letter like this, then take care with your verbs! Also,
try to use some time phrases (e.g. Shortly after that, Later,
That afternoon, After dinner, ) Try to use a good range of
vocabulary too, avoiding dull words such as "nice", "fun" and
"scary".
BEGINNINGS
It was good to hear from you.
Sorry for not replying sooner. I have been very
busy.
Sorry for taking so long to reply. I have been
revising for my exams.
CONCLUSIONS
Well, thats all my news for now.
Its getting late, so Id better stop now.
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 Id better stop now. Its past midnight and I have

an exam tomorrow.
Id better finish Im running out of space.
I can hardly wait to meet you.
Please write again soon.
Please keep in touch.
Give my regards to
BEST WISHES
Lots of Love
Regards
Thinking of you

Useful vocabulary:
Ring me up, pick me up, keep my fingers crossed that, drop
me a line, catch up on our news, let me know, put pen to
paper, put you up,

Sample informal letter:

You are abroad spending your holidays in a very
exciting places you have always wanted to visit. The
people you travel with are really nice so you enjoy
their companionship. Write a letter to your friend
describing what you have been doing so far and what
you still plan to do.
Dear Amy,

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Thank you a lot for your last letter. It was a nice surprise to
hear from you. It's taken me ages to reply but I had to
organise some things concerning my trip.
As you probably remember I've always wanted to visit some
unusual places. And now, at last, of I went! But you'd never
guess where I've chosen to spend my holiday. It's Antarctica!
You would never think of it, would you? I'm so excited about
the whole event!
The people I travel with are incredible. It's their fourteenth
expedition there. They know every path in the snow by heart
and they are very helpful. They share their knowledge and
experience with me. Would you believe that here everything
is diferent? You even need to set your tent in a special way.
It's all very challenging. Tomorrow we plan to move further
North so I may not be able to stay in touch for a while.
Anyway, hope you are enjoying your holiday. I hope we will
meet soon so that we can catch up on our news. Drop me a
line and let me know when we can arrange meeting. I can
even come and pick you up in my new car! Keep smiling!
Love,
Becky

Formal Letters
Dear Sir or Madam >>>>> Yours faithfully
Dear Ms Bates >>>>> Yours sincerely
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Use a formal tone: this afects your choice of vocabulary

and grammar. For example, the first text below would not be
appropriate in a formal letter, whereas the second would be:
Hey
I saw some stuff in your mag about activities
for kids and I just wanna say that the
activities in this town suck. I mean what are
we supposed to do in the evenings?
Dear Sir or Madam
With regard to your recent feature on leisure
activities for young people, I would like to make a
few suggestions.
NOTE: You should not use short forms (e.g. dont, wont,
isnt).

SAMPLE FORMAL LETTER

Dear Mrs Talker,
I am writing to inform you that I was very disappointed with
my visit to your restaurant two days ago. I read your
advertisement in the newspaper and decided to spend an
evening there with my friend. Unfortunately, I have a couple
of complaints concerning this visit.
According to your advertisement the place is perfect for
having

private

conversations

in

relaxing

atmosphere.

However, it turned out that the music was so loud that I

could hardly concentrate on the chat with my friend. The
waiter asked to turn the music down shrugged his shoulders

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and said that other guests liked it that way. Is that what you
mean by 'discreet service'?

To make matters worse, the place was crowded and waiting

for an ordered meal was intolerably long. I must admit that
the cuisine was quite good but the prices were way too high.

I would like you to take my points under consideration and I

expect a refund from your restaurant. I trust you will give this
matter immediate attention. I look forward to receiving a
reply from you.
Yours sincerely,
David Beckham.

OPINION ESSAYS
Structure of an opinion essay (5 paragraphs):
1.
INTRODUCTION
2.
One viewpoint and justification and/or example
3.
Second viewpoint and justification and/or example
4.
Opposing viewpoint which you contradict
5.
CONCLUSION (you can also add a possible solution
to the issue being discussed)
1. Argument/Counter-Argument
You have already practised writing an opinion essay
following the "argument/counter-argument" approach.
Look also at my model essay on zoos below. Using this
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approach, you present each of your opponents

arguments in turn and then counter it i.e.
demonstrate that it is false or weak.
Below you can read an example on the topic of zoos.
(Phrases have been highlighted to draw your attention to
the way the essay is organised.)
Zoos should they be abolished?
Zoos have been popular for hundreds of years, introducing a wide variety of
animals to visitors who otherwise would never have seen them. Times change,
however, and we must question whether zoos are still relevant in a world
where we wish to treat animals humanely.
It is often said that zoos are educational. They teach people, especially
children, about animal behaviour and encourage an interest in animal welfare.
This may be partly true, but does a captive animal behave like its counterpart
in the wild? Zoo animals are often confined to a very small area compared
with their vast natural habitat. As a result, many animals develop unnatural
habits such as pacing back and forth or swaying.
Another argument put forward in favour of zoos is that they help to
conserve endangered species through breeding programmes. Thus, for
example, a rare species can be protected and encouraged to reproduce in a
zoo environment. For example, attempts to breed pandas in captivity have
been very costly and unsuccessful. Evidently zoo life does not prepare
animals for the challenges of life in the wild.
Supporters of zoos sometimes claim that the inhabitants are even better off
than their counterparts in the wild. On the contrary, the zoo is an unnatural
environment that exposes animals to numerous dangers. Diseases often
spread between species that would never co-exist naturally. For example, zoo
animals are often exposed to chemicals, solvents and other toxic substances.
Furthermore, it is not uncommon for visitors to tease and provoke confined
animals.
In summary, therefore, the continued existence of zoos cannot be defended.
They do not educate people; they do not conserve wildlife; and they do not
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treat animals humanely. They are cruel prisons and the time has come to
abolish them.

FOR AND AGAINST ESSAYS

A diferent approach to a writing exercise is to look at both
sides of the argument in a more balanced way. In the end,
you must indicate your opinion. The following is an example
of how such an essay might be structured:
o Introduction: The issue of handgun ownership
A. Some people believe individuals should not
own
handguns
B. Others believe ownership is an important
personal right
Disadvantages of handgun ownership
- Adults and children can have accidents
- People can use guns for crimes
Advantages of handgun ownership
+ People can protect themselves from
intruders
+ People can use guns for recreational
purposes
Conclusion - summary & evaluation of arguments
presented
o Problems of accidents and crime make gun
ownership difficult to accept
o Gun ownership should not be allowed in the
interest of a better society
Tips:
State the problem/topic once again in the beginning of
your essay. Just assume that your reader doesn't know
the question. Do not start with: It is right (what is
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right?); I agree/do not agree with this statement

(what statement?)
Separate positive and negative aspects of the problem
you discuss.
Remember that here you take the floor. Your potential
opponents do not have the opportunity to present their
ideas. It is your task to present both yours and theirs
and keep proper balance.
Use linking words. They help to follow your way of
reasoning. The most common linking words are and, or
and but. You may want to interchange these words with
their more sophisticated counterparts in your essay.

Useful expressions:
Expressing opinions:
I agree/ disagree with the above statement (that...)
In my opinion...
I believe that...
I am in favour of...
I am against the idea of...
It seems to me that...
I sympathize with...
Presenting and contrasting arguments:
The main argument in favour/ against is...
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 First of all I should like to consider...

The first thing (I would like to consider) to be
considered is...
Apart from that...
Despite the fact that .../ In spite of...
On the other hand...
What is more...
What matters most in this case is...
It is a fact that...
There is no doubt that...

Reasoning:
sth
happene

becaus
e of

as

owing to

as

consequence

through

of

due to

result of

on account of

Concluding:
To sum up/ altogether
On this basis, I can conclude that...
Given this, it can be concluded that...
Having proved this, I would like to...
In conclusion, I would like to stress that...
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 All in all, I believe that...

Vocabulary for Argumentative Writing
When we write an argumentative essay, our opinions carry
more weight if we look at both sides of the issue. In other
words, we acknowledge our opponents views but try to
convince the reader that our own argument is stronger.
Our essay would be extremely dull if we used the words
"supporters" and "opponents" all the way through. Similarly,
it would be unimpressive if we only used the verb "say" to
refer to peoples opinions. The following tables contain a list
of useful alternatives.
+

Supporters

Opponents

Proponents

Opponents

Those in favour of

Those opposed to

Defenders of

Critics of

Advocates of

Objectors

Pro-
(e.g.
abortionists)

Pro- Anti- (e.g.

abortionists)

Anti-

say that
argue

allege

Claim

insist

maintain

contend

assert

suggest

contend

point out
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SAMPLE TOPICS
NARRATIVE
During a recent holiday by the sea, you spotted
someone in trouble and helped to rescue him/her.
Write a letter to a friend or relative describing what
happened. (About 150-200 words)
A person you admire a lot (e.g. a sportsperson,
musician or leader) recently visited your town.
Write a letter to a friend describing the visit.
Include the following points:
why you admire the person
why he/she was visiting
what happened
your feelings
(About 150-200 words)
Recently you witnessed a road accident involving a
car, a motorbike and a pedestrian. Write a report
for the police describing what you saw. Include the
following:
where you were and what you were doing
a brief description of each vehicle, as well as its
approximate speed, direction etc.
how the accident happened
what happened afterwards
(About 150-200 words)
ARGUMENTATIVE (OPINION) ESSAY
Some people argue that the Internet is just as
harmful as it is helpful. Write an article for your
school magazine giving your views. You may wish
to consider some of the following arguments:
electronic shopping and search engines make
life far more convenient than in the past."
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Teenagers become addicted, wasting their time

playing games instead of studying or playing
sport."
"Frequent Internet users become loners and
lose the skills they need for healthy human
relationships."
"Email and Chat rooms allow lonely or busy
people to develop friendships with others who
have similar interests."
(About 150-200 words)
Your school newspaper has invited suggestions for
making the school more environmentally friendly.
Write a letter with practical suggestions for
creating a "greener" campus. The slogan "Reduce,
Re-use, Recycle" may help you to think of some
ideas. (About 150-200 words)
"Ban the car!" An environmental organisation has
proposed that cars should be banned since they
cause pollution, traffic jams, road deaths and
stress. Write an article for a newspaper giving your
opinion. (About 150-200 words)
FORMAL LETTER
A student magazine is running a "Teacher of the
Year" competition. Students have been invited to
write to the magazine with recommendations.
Write a letter nominating one of your teachers and
giving reasons why you think they should receive
the award. (Please do not use a real name!) (About
150-200 words)
Your principal has asked for ideas about how to
improve the schools facilities. Write him/her a
letter giving your suggestions. (About 150-200
words)

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