Blog & guides
IGCSE English blog
Practical guides from our team on reading and writing better, exams and grades, the boards and strands, and supporting your child.
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Understanding IGCSE English
Explainers on how IGCSE English works, what questions really ask and what examiners mean.
Category
Reading & writing better
Reading habits, vocabulary, sentence craft, description and narrative technique.
Category
Literature notes
Essays on themes, characters and techniques, plus how to compare poems and write about plays.
Category
Exams & grades
Exam technique, what examiner reports keep saying, and how to manage time in the paper.
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Parents' corner
Decisions, monitoring, motivation and the practical side of IGCSE English.
Category
Malaysia context
How IGCSE English works in Malaysia, from international schools to exam centres and private candidates.
Latest posts
Guide
What does a realistic IGCSE English revision timetable look like?
A realistic IGCSE English revision timetable uses short, regular, active sessions on one skill at a time. Here is how to plan one that raises marks.
Guide
Should you worry about a sudden drop in your child's English grade?
One low English mark rarely means real trouble. Learn the usual causes of a sudden drop, how to check calmly, and when a pattern needs action.
Guide
Why do strong students answer a question that wasn't asked?
Fluent IGCSE English students often drift from the exact question and lose marks. Learn why it happens and two simple checks that keep answers on point.
Guide
What does answering the whole task mean in directed writing?
In directed writing, the whole task means the right form, audience, purpose and every content point. Learn how to cover all four and stop losing marks.
Guide
What are assessment objectives, in plain English?
Assessment objectives (AOs) are the skills an IGCSE English exam is built to measure. Here is what they mean and how knowing them changes an answer.
Guide
How do you write persuasively without shouting or exaggerating?
Persuasive writing for IGCSE English works through calm confidence, evidence and well-placed feeling, not capital letters and wild claims. Here is how.
Guide
How do you build a reading habit that survives a busy school term?
A simple way for IGCSE English students to read every day: start small, link reading to a daily routine and choose enjoyable books. It lifts writing too.
Guide
How do you make your sentences flow so one leads naturally to the next?
Cohesion in IGCSE English means linking sentences with key words, pronouns, clear order and well-placed connectives. Learn each method with examples.
Guide
How do you build the stamina to keep writing well to the end of a paper?
Writing stamina for IGCSE English: train endurance step by step, spread your effort across the paper and protect your checking time so quality holds.
Guide
How do you build stamina for a long English paper?
Later answers on a long IGCSE English paper often suffer from tiredness, not lack of ability. Learn how timed practice and good pacing protect the end.
Guide
How do precise verbs and nouns make writing stronger than extra adjectives?
Strong verbs and exact nouns beat piles of adjectives in IGCSE English writing. See simple before-and-after examples and an easy editing check to use.
Guide
What are IGCSE English command words really asking for?
Explain, analyse, comment, summarise: command words tell you how to answer an IGCSE English question. Learn what each means and how to avoid misreading.